Tourist visa
This type of visa will be issued to applicants wishing to enter the Kingdom for
tourism purposes. You are not alloowed to work or conduct business with a
tourist visa.

A tourist visa is valid for 60 days and can be extended 30 days at the nearest
Immigration office. Fee 1,900 Baht (as per 2003-08-26).

Most western countries does not need a Tourist visa.

1. REQUIREMENT
This type of visa will be issued to applicants who wishing to enter Thailand for
tourism purposes .

2. DOCUMENTS REQUIRED
- Passport or travel document with validity not less than 6 months
- Visa application form completely filled out
- One recent( 4 x 6 cm.) photograph of the applicant
- Air ticket paid in full
- Financial means (20,000 Baht per person and 40,000 Baht per family)
- Consular officers reserve the rights to request for additional documents as
..deemed necessary

3. VISA FEE
USD 25.00 per entry or equivalent (as per 2003-08-26)
(Visa fee may be changed without prior notice)

4. VALIDITY OF A VISA
The validity of a visa is three months.

5. VALIDITY OF A STAY
Upon arrival, visitors with this type of visa will be permitted to stay in the
Kingdom of Thailand for a period not exceeding 60 days at any time.

6. EXTENSION OF STAY
Those who wish to stay longer or may wish to change their status of visa
must file an application for permission at the Office of Immigration Bureau
located on Soi Suan Plu, off South Sathorn Road, Bangkok 10120 , Tel (662)
287-3101-10.

The extension of stay as well as the change of certain type of visa is solely at
the discretion of the Immigration officer.

7. NOTE:
Passport holders of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Syria, Iraq,
Iran, Lebanon, Sudan, Algeria, Libya, Yemen, Egypt and Palestinian States are
requested to file for application at the Thai Embassy/Consulate-General where
they have their permanent residence (home country).

Non-Immigrant visa
Requirements for non immigrant visa:

A foreigner applies for a non-immigrant visa when he/she wants to stay or
work in Thailand. This visa has several categories:

- diplomatic visa (D) is for those employed by an embassy,
- a business visa (B)
- or a mass media visa (M) are for accredited business or press
..representatives,
- a dependent visa (O),
- an expert visa (EX) are for those performing skilled or expert work,
- an investor visa (IM) is for foreigners who set-up their companies under the
..Board Of Investment BOI
- and a study/education visa (ED) is for teachers.
- Official ( F). Performance of official duties (involving the Thai government).
- Capital Investment ( IM ).
- Investment (with concurrence of the ministries and departments
..concerned). BOI ( IB ).
- Investment subject to the provision of the laws on investment promotion.
- (ED). Educational study or observation.
- ( R ). Missionary work.
- ( RS). Scientific research or training, or study in an educational institution in
..the Kingdom.
- ( EX). Performance of skilled or expert work.
- ( S). Participation in an officially recognized sports event.
- Others "O". Others, including dependents and retired persons.

Residency (Residence permit)

There are a number of advantages to holding permanent resident status in
Thailand:

It allows the holder to live permanently in Thailand, with no requirement to
apply for an extension of temporary stay.

In addition to the permanent residence book, an alien registration book will be
issued, which is the equivalent of the ID card held by Thais.

A permanent resident can have his/her name included on a house registration
document.

Obtaining a work permit is easier for a permanent resident than for a non-
resident, but you still need to have a work permit if working. 

A permanent resident also has a number of other privileges such as, for
example, being able to:

(a) buy a condominium without being required to transfer money from abroad;

(b) apply for naturalization in accordance with the law concerned;

(c) have Thai nationality granted to children who are born in Thailand;

(d) become a director of a public company; and (e) apply for an extension of
stay or permanent residence for non-Thai family members.

The annual quota for granting permanent residency in Thailand is a maximum
of 100 persons per country. The Interior Minister is responsible for issuing the
announcement each year that the quota is open for submission of
applications, usually from October to the end of December.

The Immigration Commission has the power to define all regulations concerning
permanent residency. The Immigration Bureau is the agency that handles all
procedures concerning permanent residency applications.

Qualifications of an applicant:
1. An applicant must have received permission for yearly stays in Thailand on
a non-immigrant visa for at least of three years prior to the submission of an
application for permanent residency. Holders of multiple NON-Immigrant
visas can not appy. You must have 3 un-broken yearly extensions in order to
qualify.

2. An applicant must be holding a non-immigrant visa at the time of submitting
an application.

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