Tourist visas to Thailand have been a topic of much conversation amongst expatriates in Thailand. The reason for all of the attention is due to the fact that the government in Thailand recently issued a decree that all fees for Thai tourist visas would be waived until early 2010. This seems to have resulted in an upsurge of Thai tourist visa applications. Paradoxically, this situation has lead some long term travelers and expatriates in Thailand to steer clear of the tourist visa in favor of longer term visas which provide more convenience for those wishing to remain in the Kingdom for a prolonged period of time.
The reason Thai Tourist visas are generally avoided by expatriates is due to the fact that an individual in Thailand on a tourist visa is not eligible to apply for a Thai work permit. As many expatriates wish to gain employment in Thailand, it stands to reason that few of them would want to have a travel document which does not confer the right to apply for employment authorization.
Another odd upshot of the recent Tourist visa fee waiver is that fewer long stay tourists seem to be seeking tourist visas in Southeast Asia. The reason for the drop in demand likely stems from the fact that such applications are being heavily scrutinized and some Consular posts in the vicinity of Thailand have reportedly refused to issue anyone more than one Thai tourist visa. The reason for the reluctance to issue multiple tourist visas seems to be due to the fact that by giving away these visas the Thai government has inadvertently placed a larger workload upon Thai Consular staff. Also, there have been those who have noted that many applicants continue to use tourist visas when in fact they should be obtaining another type of non-immigrant visa. Some have noted a great deal of Tourist visa abuse since the free visa program was initiated. In any case, for those intending to travel to Thailand and remain for a relatively long period of time, it may be wise to apply for a long term visa before leaving one’s home country as many of the hassles inherent in the Thai Immigration system can be avoided by being in the proper visa status from the outset of one’s stay.
Vacationing in Thailand can be a great experience. Living in Thailand can be the experience of a lifetime!
For those interested in obtaining a long term Thai visa please contact Integrity Legal for more information.
