Posted: October 20th, 2010, 9:31 pm
Good to hear. I'm thinking about a 6 month stay in the Philippines next year.
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But don't you need to show you have enough investment capitol?SNS wrote: But ladislav is right that if one comes with a little bit of money and starts even a small business this is what most countries welcome.
In Thailand, Americans receive a no-visa entry good for 30 days. They can extend for 10 days. If they apply for a tourist visa, you get 60 days with a one month extension. Some places will issue multiple entry tourist visas good for a year.ladislav wrote:The flying out every two months is for Thailand, not Philippines. And Thailand is the one that is imposing one rule after another.zzzz wrote:So you can definitely stay for 6 months or so and just renew it in the country no problem? I thought you had to fly out then come back in after 59 days? Or is that incorrect?ladislav wrote:In the Philippines you can come in on a 21 day visa upon arrival and then extend it by 38 days, Then you keep extending it every two months up to 16 months or even two years ( not sure). Then you can come out and come back after a while. The Philippines is wise in that it wants dollars and that is how they make their dollars. Every time you extend your tourist visa you pay $65-120. Then they have retiree visas and other visas all available if you have cash.
The Philippines is trying to attract people, not push them away.
Excellent point. However I did hear they are cracking down on schools, beginning to require actual serious class attendance. True?anamericaninbangkok wrote:
Get an education visa - easy.
Residency via marriage, retirement or investment are widely available. The latter two are promoted endlessly on the web. So I have to assume that anyone asking about residency issues here on HA does not fit these categories. And many of us do not want to re-marry legally. (Although i grant that Thailand would be a safer place to marry than most - easy divorce, little alimony or child support I understand).anamericaninbangkok wrote: Are married to a Thai (me)
Qualify for a retirement visa (me)
So based on going to Thailand consulate in California and requesting a multi-entry visa in advance, I can then get 2 months, plus renew monthly for another 4 months? Totaling 6 months? If so, that's very interesting. 6 months beats 2! That is a material difference.anamericaninbangkok wrote: As I said, tourist visas allow for 2 months plus one month extension so one visit = 3 months. If you're cheap, you can then take a bus or train to one of the borders, step off Thai soil, turn right back around, and stay for another 3 months. If you get a multiple entry tourist visa you can extend your stay 4 times.
Yes, I live in Thailand, almost 18 years now.Jester wrote:Excellent point. However I did hear they are cracking down on schools, beginning to require actual serious class attendance. True?anamericaninbangkok wrote:
Get an education visa - easy.
Residency via marriage, retirement or investment are widely available. The latter two are promoted endlessly on the web. So I have to assume that anyone asking about residency issues here on HA does not fit these categories. And many of us do not want to re-marry legally. (Although i grant that Thailand would be a safer place to marry than most - easy divorce, little alimony or child support I understand).anamericaninbangkok wrote: Are married to a Thai (me)
Qualify for a retirement visa (me)
So based on going to Thailand consulate in California and requesting a multi-entry visa in advance, I can then get 2 months, plus renew monthly for another 4 months? Totaling 6 months? If so, that's very interesting. 6 months beats 2! That is a material difference.anamericaninbangkok wrote: As I said, tourist visas allow for 2 months plus one month extension so one visit = 3 months. If you're cheap, you can then take a bus or train to one of the borders, step off Thai soil, turn right back around, and stay for another 3 months. If you get a multiple entry tourist visa you can extend your stay 4 times.
But you live in Bangkok I believe. Do you know if renewal can be done in Chiang Mai? Otherwise it's a monthly odyssey to Bangkok for renewal.
Re visa runs, mandatory 15 hour bus rides are not my thing. And I'm not cheap, but I also don't plan to live with regular mandatory-ritual irradiation. (Actually the TSA is the biggest single reason I am leaving the U.S.) Have you by any chance heard whether Thai airports enforcing use of the TSA-style radiation scanners that they bought for Bangkok?
Sad but true.Cornfed wrote:It only makes sense that countries should tighten their immigration rules for Westerners now that many Western expats are the impoverished refugees of corrupt third world shitholes rather than the wealthy gadabouts of the past.
Damn good point.xiongmao wrote:And classes give some structure to your life, otherwise you'd end up drinking beer from 10am onwards.