Thailand has become one of the best countries for people who want to live in a cheaper and more affordable city. There are a number of benefits that you get for staying in a country such as Thailand including cheap living, affordable housing, and, of course, a fantastic array of places that you can visit. It’s become a very popular destination for expats as well so if you are thinking of moving to another country in Southeast Asia, you should definitely consider staying in Thailand. But there are a few important things that you need to know about moving to Thailand, such as the visa requirements. Here are some key things you should know about staying in Thailand for the long term.
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Types of Visas
The first and the most common type of visa is the tourist visa. This is ideal for tourists who are planning on visiting the country for holidays or for a month or two. The typical tourist visa that’s given to most applicants has a duration of three months, which allows for a single entry, and one for six months, which gives you six months. The price for a standard tourist visa is 1000 baht, which is also incredibly cheap. You can apply for the visa through the local Thai embassy or consulate in your city. But if you want a long stay visa in Thailand, you should know that a tourist visa isn’t going to cut it. Instead, you should think about the non-immigrant visa.
What’s the Non-Immigrant Visa?
This type of visa is issued to people for a number of reasons and the circumstances and situations might vary accordingly. There are several categories defined in the individual letter code so an application must be sent appropriately before the visa can be granted. For instance, the visa can be granted to officials, educational purposes, experts, research professionals, and many others.
There’s also another variant, the non-immigrant visa O. This type of visa can be given for former citizens who want to return and stay in the country, meet or live with family members, take part in judicial processes, and other reasons. And then there’s the non-immigrant visa O-A. This type of visa is ideal for expats who want to live in Thailand without any intention of working.
In order to apply, applicants must be above the age of 50 when they apply and start the process. They will also be required to open an account and maintain a minimum balance of 800,000 baht. A bank statement must also be shown with a minimum balance of 800,000 baht. Once all the requirements have been met, you can then file the application. The consulate will assess your case on an individual basis and then grant the license if they deem fit. In order to apply, you must also show a clean criminal record from your home country so you will need a certificate from the police station as well.
