Thread: Elite Visa still worth it?

I am well over 50, but I am not sure if I want to be arsed with renewing my visa every year.

I can see that 20 year option for a mere 1 million baht is still available.

Seems like a bargain to me unless I am missing something?

I looked at these as well.

I think its better to just pay a visa agent to deal with your retirement visa as you are over 50.

For 20 years of paying a visa agent say 17,000 baht per year it's only 340,000.

Originally Posted by naptownmike

I looked at these as well.

I think its better to just pay a visa agent to deal with your retirement visa as you are over 50.

For 20 years of paying a visa agent say 17,000 baht per year it's only 340,000.

My thoughts too.

If the issue is you can't be arsed dealing with visa/immigration stuff, just do a Hi-So Mendy and pay an agent to do everything for you. Send passport via EMS, receive it back via EMS, with completed 90 day report slips sent to your place every 90 days.

Originally Posted by Mandigo

I am well over 50

Originally Posted by Mandigo

20 year option

If you're pushing 60, paying up front for a visa that lasts until you're pushing 80 is happily optimistic.

Originally Posted by Mandigo

Elite Visa still worth it?

Many people who have been here a long time and are happy with their existing arrangements will tell you no. On the other hand, I have looked at it and think it could be worthwhile.

Here's my maths: I keep B800K in the bank so I don't need an agent and because one day that agency thing might run into problems. It is, in effect, dead money. I don't touch it.
What happens if they adjust that 800K requirement upwards?

I'll be lucky to be kicking around here in 20 years, that should see me out, so the question for me is would it be worth putting in the marginal 200K? Annual renewal without an agent is B1,900 and multiple re-entry permit is B3,800. Total is B5,700 at current rates. That totals B114,000 over 20 years. So long as they don't start putting the fees up.

So now I am only B86,000 short of the Elite visa.

I don't know how much interest I get on my 800K in the bank. It isn't enough to be useful. Of course I have to pay the bank for their letter confirming my balance every year too. So let's say the net difference is B80,000.

For my 80K I'd get the Elite Superiority Extension Membership with VIP greeting and escort on arrival and departure by Elite Personal Assistants. Expedited immigration and passport control processing. Exclusive arrival and departure VIP lounges.

I am thinking seriously about it.

Thailand Elite

Originally Posted by naptownmike

I looked at these as well.

I think its better to just pay a visa agent to deal with your retirement visa as you are over 50.

For 20 years of paying a visa agent say 17,000 baht per year it's only 340,000.

yep agreed, the elite visa is just throwing money away - of course if 1Mil thb is chump change to you then its money well spent

Originally Posted by Shutree

I'll be lucky to be kicking around here in 20 years, that should see me out,

when you do shuffle off your mortal coil the 800K would be part of your estate going to your partner or family

Originally Posted by malmomike77

when you do shuffle off your mortal coil the 800K would be part of your estate going to your partner or family

At current rates of inflation the kids will get a cappuccino each with it.

Until when I'd be sitting in the VIP lounge after fast-track Immigration thinking of other ways to spend their inheritance.

Originally Posted by Edmond

My thoughts too.

If the issue is you can't be arsed dealing with visa/immigration stuff, just do a Hi-So Mendy and pay an agent to do everything for you. Send passport via EMS, receive it back via EMS, with completed 90 day report slips sent to your place every 90 days.

I was thinking the agent route, but in all honesty I don't trust them. I have been reading some reports of lost passports while in agent's hands.

In 20 years I am sure there will be at least a couple of fuck ups.

^ good man, her indoor isn't in the picture then

All good points. I have spent time thinking this as well.

I am only 50 though and the 20 year elite visa would be out just at the age I would rather not be dealing with immigration trips to Mea Sot.

Originally Posted by Shutree

Many people who have been here a long time and are happy with their existing arrangements will tell you no. On the other hand, I have looked at it and think it could be worthwhile.

Here's my maths: I keep B800K in the bank so I don't need an agent and because one day that agency thing might run into problems. It is, in effect, dead money. I don't touch it.
What happens if they adjust that 800K requirement upwards?

I'll be lucky to be kicking around here in 20 years, that should see me out, so the question for me is would it be worth putting in the marginal 200K? Annual renewal without an agent is B1,900 and multiple re-entry permit is B3,800. Total is B5,700 at current rates. That totals B114,000 over 20 years. So long as they don't start putting the fees up.

So now I am only B86,000 short of the Elite visa.

I don't know how much interest I get on my 800K in the bank. It isn't enough to be useful. Of course I have to pay the bank for their letter confirming my balance every year too. So let's say the net difference is B80,000.

For my 80K I'd get the Elite Superiority Extension Membership with VIP greeting and escort on arrival and departure by Elite Personal Assistants. Expedited immigration and passport control processing. Exclusive arrival and departure VIP lounges.

I am thinking seriously about it.

Thailand Elite

Originally Posted by malmomike77

^ good man, her indoor isn't in the picture then

Same as my kids, I have given quite a lot along the way. The little that remains is for my growing old disgracefully. If there is anything left at the end then they are welcome to it.

I think chummy has misread. The 1 million baht fee for a 20 year validity is the extension elite route after your existing 5 year elite visa has expired.

The thing is irrespective of which visa you stump up for, it is always at the mercy of government policy changes.

Unless you are rich and money is no object, then the elite is a poor value course of action especially if you are over 50 or married to a Thai.

If I were a singleton and rich beyond the dreams of Croesus and was hooked on Thailand ( fuck knows why ) then yes, sure, bang on with the elite given that contact with immigration offices will never blight your life.

Originally Posted by Seekingasylum

it is always at the mercy of government policy changes

This.

Malaysia changed the rules recently, and backdated it all for the MM2H visa. Fucked everyone.

Now, they've changed the rules back again.

But the trust is broken.

Not sure I'd trust 1 Million baht to be worth it in a year or two when they or a new Junta change their minds.

Originally Posted by DrWilly

But the trust is broken.

It is. After that fiasco I gave back my MM2H and decided to stay in Thailand.

Originally Posted by Shutree

It is. After that fiasco I gave back my MM2H and decided to stay in Thailand.

Would you think the Thai more trustworthy?

For me, I'd stick with an agent sorting it out each year.

Originally Posted by Edmond

If you're pushing 60, paying up front for a visa that lasts until you're pushing 80 is happily optimistic.

That's the first part that makes getting an Elite visa less attractive, the next is who knows what might happen here at any time in the next 20 years (or 20 days for that matter keeping in mind we live in a military rule tin-pot dictatorship) that makes us want to leave the country on a one-way ticket ASAP. The airport treatment for Elite holders is nothing to get excited about if flying First or Business class, as people who think a million Baht is chump change tend to do, because there's fast track facilities on the way in and out for them anyway that work well.

I dunno, if in my 30's or 40's and planning on spending a lot of time in Thailand over the coming decades I'd probably get an Elite, but if over 50 and happy to use agencies to keep renewing Retirement visas each year I don't see too many advantages to it.

Originally Posted by Shutree

I don't know how much interest I get on my 800K in the bank.

I've use BAY's Mee Tae Dai account for the visa stash, interest paid monthly, when I opened it around 10 years ago it was something like 4.5% (100k-2mill)

Just looked and it's now 0.9%

Originally Posted by Seekingasylum

The 1 million baht fee for a 20 year validity is the extension elite route after your existing 5 year elite visa has expired.

I did wonder about the 'Extension' word but I don't see anywhere where it says that you must hold a 5-year visa first.

https://www.thailandelite.com/member...dafa001474d6a7

I always felt the Elite Visa type schemes were a way to scam money out of foreigners using the "No annual extension and no check ins" as the lure. As has been said many times by many posters, never "Invest" what you can't walk away from here.

With that said, I do understand in the cases of folks that their immigration dept is a long drive and you are either tired of it or disabled where its really inconvenient to go. But the other noted perks with an Elite Visa would likely never be used by that applicant so it's money burned.

My wife and I talked about it....well let me rephrase that....I mentioned it and my wife looked at me cross-eyed and said you want to waste 1 million baht? Consideration was binned. As Shutree noted, I spend 5300 bht a year ( which my current company reimburses me for). The Marriage Visa extension is 400k bht in the acct and about 1 hour of paper work prep and 1 hour at immigration for the annual extension

Originally Posted by Stumpy

I do understand in the cases of folks that their immigration dept is a long drive and you are either tired of it or disabled where its really inconvenient to go.

Having said that, some people like having monthly passport/visa runs for a few days.

Originally Posted by Headworx

he next is who knows what might happen here at any time in the next 20 years

exactly, and who knows if something in a year or two affecting you personally may drive you to leave.

Originally Posted by david44

...a well known firm in Pattaya called something like Keys and I can find the details in February , good service for what I required.

Just to add, that's who me and half of Pattaya have used for all our visa advice and requirements since they opened on LK Metro all those years ago, but the owner (and good friend) Darren died unexpectedly recently. However, the business is still running and providing all the previous services as the office girl who was pretty much running the show for the last 15+ years (Anne) is still there and taking care of things.

Originally Posted by DrWilly

Having said that, some people like having monthly passport/visa runs for a few days.

Originally Posted by malmomike77

exactly, and who knows if something in a year or two affecting you personally may drive you to leave.

^ Both very good points. When I do my annual extension I make a day of it with my wife. We go do some shopping at the Market we seldom go to, we have a nice lunch, stop by immigration and if late in afternoon might stay and have dinner on the river front.

For my point of view, while I have no near term plans on selling out and moving, my wife and I have been considering moving to Sicily once her FIL has moved on. 1 Million baht goes a long way in Sicily.

I do know 2 business director colleagues that have the Elite Visa. They use the in and out VIP privileges frequently and they love it. But.....their companies paid for it as part of their expat package.

Originally Posted by Stumpy

folks that their immigration dept is a long drive and you are either tired of it or disabled where its really inconvenient

Yes Good points If I get to that situation it may become attractive.
The treatment of so called Elite visa holders re Covid wasn't impressive.

As 95% of the Data is the same for me every single year, occupation of father dead 5 decades back etc, there is little need to attend twice.
Once to prove alive, income, photo dabs or proof of wife alive bank book, in reality nearly all those could be digitized with their right to request home visit or Office visit. All it seems to do is keep the Officers in jobs with lots of side benefits in some offices and their lesser kin n the photocopy mill hut in the car park.

Amazing blood sugar can be remote monitored , I can do a visa to many countries in minutes online , send a photo of ID sufficient for banks, driving licence renewal in almost all places I need to EXCEPT LOS

I have no expectation things will improve
My sole concern would be mandatory health insurance at an age when regardless of funds/ ability to pay ones health status is uninsurable.