Relocation to Thailand: an Ultimate Guide for Future Ex-pats

Relocation to Thailand: an Ultimate Guide for Future Ex-pats

Thailand is the land of milk and honey; if you ever doubt that, ask people coming from extremely cold or hot weather regions, and you will understand better. The weather is nice, the economy is stable, the cost of living is average, and there are many investment opportunities in the country too. It is no wonder why the country is a literal hotcake among for both tourists on holiday and people who want to stay permanently.

This blog post is a relocation guide on the cities of Thailand and how you can move there as a foreigner.

Step one: decide for what purpose you are traveling

Before you make any move, you must first determine the purpose of your trip and which route will favor you the most. There are various channels that people use to migrate to Thailand. Some come in through student visas through an Undergraduate /Master’s route; after their studies, they convert to a work visa and stay behind. Some come in as travel enthusiasts or on a business trip. So, the first thing to do is to settle on what route you want to use.

Tip 1: The easiest way to travel to Thailand is through a student visa upon enrollment in a Thai University, followed by a tourist visa which is often for a limited period.

Target a relevant visa for your journey

Now that you have settled on what method you want to use, you need to find a visa that will give you access to the country for your chosen duration. There are seven visa types in Thailand. Here’s a breakdown of the various visa types and the duration of their validity:

S/N	Visa Type	Validity Period	Restrictions
1	Tourist Visa (TV)	Single entry TV: 60 Days (can be extended for 30 Days) Multiple entry TV: 90 Days (can be extended for up to 6 months)	Not allowed to work
2	Business Visa	90 Days (can be extended for one year)	Allowed to work
3	SMART Visa	90 Days (subject to extension)	Allowed to work
4	Marriage Visa	90 Days (can be extended for one year and perpetually)	Allowed to work
5	Retirement Visa	Two types are valid for one year and five years, respectively.	Not allowed to work.
6	Education Visa	90 Days (can be extended for one year until the program is completed)	Allowed to work part-time.
7	Investment Visa	90 Days	Allowed to work

Prepare your application documents

The most common application documents are:

1. Valid international passport
2. The filled form for the various visa applications
3. Passport photograph
4. Flight ticket (in some visas)
5. Proof of funds (of varying Baht based on the number of families, duration, and purpose of stay)
6. Proof of payment of relevant fees
7. Marriage certificate (for marriage visa)
8. Admission letter (for education visa)
9. Employment letter (for a business visa where applicable)

Discussing accommodation

Accommodation is one of the prerequisites for many visa applications. Before you move into the country, you should get a suitable place to rent, stay or buy, depending on your budget. You can get property in Thailand for sale, and you can likewise check new rentals and apartments, read more on the official website Thailand-Real.Estate.

Countries exempted from tourist visas

Please note that not all countries require a visa to travel to Thailand.

You do not need a tourist visa if you are from any of these countries and entering Thailand for tourism purposes: Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Laos, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Monaco, Mongolia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, San Marino, Singapore, Slovak, Slovenia, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Vietnam. South Korea was formerly on the list until 2020, when it was suspended for Covid 19 compliance.

Pack your bags

When you have sorted your visas, and it has been granted, it is time to pack up your bags and prepare for your journey!

Guest Article.