Have you heard of Thailand Elite Visas?
After the Ministry of Tourism and Sports had proposed the Thailand Privilege Cards project, it was approved by the Thai government in 2003.
It is the most convenient visa for living in Thailand.
How convenient!
In other words, you can obtain a 5- to 20-year visa immediately without having to complete paperwork or visit the immigration department.
Because people don’t pay the application fee, it is often overlooked.
Let’s look closer at the Thai Elite Visa. This includes the benefits you get, the packages you can select, restrictions, and the application fee.
Program for Residence
Thailand Elite visa allows you to live in Thailand for five to twenty years without the need to check your visa conditions or paperwork.
The Thailand Elite visa includes many privileges such as airport pick up services, privilege passport lanes or airport lounges. Visa assistance is also available. Golf club memberships are also available and you can get discounts on various services in Thailand.
The Thailand Elite Visa program is administered by the Thai Government. Its purpose is to attract businessmen, tourists, investors and expats who want to live in Thailand long-term.
Who is it for
The Thailand Elite Visa can be used by anyone who is a frequent visitor to Thailand, or someone who doesn’t want the hassle of dealing with Thailand’s bureaucratic visa process.
These include digital nomads who do not want to travel to Thailand, retired people who don’t want the stress of new regulations and businesspeople who have to fly into Thailand many times per year.
Benefits
Let’s take an in-depth look at the Thailand Elite Visa benefits.
Long-Term Stays
The best part of the Thailand Elite Visa visa is that you don’t have to worry about getting a visa. You can remain in Thailand for at most five years without needing to cross the border or abuse your tourist visas repeatedly, which could lead to bans later on.
Long-term residents of Thailand have very limited visa options. A lot of people can’t obtain a visa because the Thai Government doesn’t have the right visa.
This is especially true for digital nomadic people. This group is having difficulty getting a valid visa. They are not employed by any company. They cannot get business visas. They also aren’t eligible for the SMART visa. This is the new visa which was initially intended for digital nomads.
Another group are those who want to retire from Thailand but have not reached the required retirement age or met other requirements.
Investors and businesspeople may also need to travel to Thailand several times per year, but they don’t have the right visa options.
Alternative State Quarantine Reservation Assistant
COVID-19 requires that all foreigners entering Thailand have to register in an alternative state quarantine to be eligible for a Certificate of Entry.
You can get a list with prices and partner hospitals from the Elite Visa program. You can specify which ASQ you would like and they will book it for you.
This is an important benefit as it is difficult to book ASQs on your own. They fill up quickly so you will need to reach out individually by email or LINE.
Visa Assistance
A great advantage of the Thailand Elite Visa program is the assistance with visa applications that can be used to get you out the Thai bureaucratic process.
Thailand is a country of paperwork. At least five sets must be prepared to cover everything you need to renew or extend your visa.
Long-term visas typically require more.
Next, visit the Thai Embassy/Immigration Office early in the morning. You should spend at least half the day there.
Additionally, visa regulations can change often. To apply for a retirement Visa, you must have health insurance and 800,000 baht in your account.
To apply for the Elite Visa, all you need is a copy of your passport. They will take care everything.
Next, go to the Thailand Embassy. They will attach your Elite Visa to you passport. Then you can fly to Thailand.
If you have arrived in Thailand already, you will still need to visit the immigration department. Once again, you will meet the agent who will direct you to a privilege passport line and handle all your needs.
It is better to apply for a visa in 30 minutes than spending more than half an hour at the immigration office.
Once you receive your visa, there is no need to worry anymore. You won’t have to worry about the Elite Visa regulations changing.
Elite Visa is available to people who are eligible for any long-term visa, regardless of their eligibility for the visa assistance benefit. They simply want to avoid waiting in lines and dealing with visas.
Notice that Elite Visa requires you to still report every 90 days. However, you can drop off your passport at an agent and have them take care of it.
Airport Services
The Thailand Elite Visa program offers airport services. The agent for the elite visa program picks you up from the gate and takes you directly to immigration. This service cannot be provided by a regular airport transfer service.
You can also access airport lounges in the departure and arrival areas at Suvarnabhumi or Chiang Mai and Phuket airports.
