Article Directory :: Legal Articles

Thai Immigration Issues In 2011

By Ben Hart

Republish: EasyPublish™ Published: 09Apr2011 Word count: 523 Viewed: 523 time(s) Get Free Content For Your Site

The following was written for those who are conducting research into Thai visa options and how the Thai visa process works as of February 2011.

There are a multitude of Thai visa categories, but this brief article will only discuss those categories which are in common usage amongst foreign nationals in the Kingdom of Thailand. The Thai tourist visa is probably one of, if not the, most commonly utilized Thai visa. The common Thai tourist visa is granted for a duration of not more than 60 days, but generally an extension may be obtained in the Kingdom provided a fee is paid to the Royal Thai Immigration Police.

Many people who are not interested in working in the Kingdom of Thailand decide to apply for a Thai retirement visa or a Thai education visa. The Thai education visa is commonly utilized by those who wish to remain in the Kingdom while studying Thai. As a means of maintaining lawful status, this type of travel document is quite useful and, in many cases, comes with the added benefit of learning the Thai language. The Thai retirement visa is commonly utilized by those over 50 years of age who can show the required savings necessary to support issuance of a retirement visa in Thailand. The amount necessary to show in savings for purposes of obtaining a Thai retirement visa tends to fluctuate based upon Royal Thai Immigration regulations.

Those with family members in the Kingdom of Thailand may be eligible for a Thai "O" visa. The Thailand O visa category was designed as a sort of catchall "other" category. In a way, this type of visa is issued if there are no other visa categories available to the applicant. The previous statement is not correct when it comes to family visas as the "O" visa was specifically designed for those foreign nationals who have a family member living in Thailand. In many instances, such a family member could be a Thai wife, husband, or child. Regardless of circumstances, the Thai "O" visa holder is sometimes restricted from obtaining a Thai work permit on an "O" visa unless said "O" visa was issued for the family member of a Thai national.

One of the most popular non-immigrant visa categories in Thailand is the business visa. Many people travel to Thailand each year to engage in business related activity. Such individuals may use a Thai business visa as a means of entering and remaining in the Kingdom. One of the many benefits of the Thai business visa is the fact that it provides a platform from whence to apply for a Thai work permit.

In closing, it should be noted that many people who enter Thailand without a visa believe that they are being granted a "visa on arrival" when stamped into the Kingdom. In reality, this is probably not the case. Although some countries are allowed to apply for a "Visa On Arrival" in Thailand, the majority of Western visitors are granted a visa exemption to enter the Kingdom visa free and are therefore not technically in any type of categorical visa status.

EasyPublish™ this article - publishers click here

More articles by Ben Hart

Free Report!
Ten Essential Secrets Of Article Marketing ... Grab Your Free
Copy Now:

Need Content?
Regular Top Quality Content for your Blog, Ezine or Website ...
Delivered Direct,
For Free!
Click For Details