For most of EU and the US you can get entry into Thailand using the standard 60 day exemption. This allows you to stay 60 days without a visa and you can apply for a 30 day extension as well. There are multiple options for staying long term. Which one is best for you and your loved ones depends on a variety of factors: age, type and location of work, whether or not someone will be in school, etc. We do not recommend visa hopping because the government has begun cracking down on that practice.
For an initial look at visa options you can go here: https://www.thaievisa.go.th/ Please note that there are many websites that mimic the Thai Embassy but are actually visa agencies. Anything ending in .com is not an official government site. Some people feel comfortable choosing their visa type and applying on their own. Others choose to pay a visa agent to guide them through the process. If you would like a referral for a visa agent, please contact us and we will connect you.
When you are choosing the type of visa it’s important to look at the restrictions that the visa comes with. Some visas may restrict you from applying for certain types of visas in the future, most restrict the type of work you can do, etc. One important note is that you cannot work or volunteer in Thailand without the proper visa.
The government officials have a lot of personal discretion as to who they approve. There are trends where a certain consulate becomes known for giving easier approvals for one particular type of visas. Consulates in small out of the way cities generally have a much shorter backlog and wait time to get a response.
A more detailed article on Visa options is being developed and will be posted here soon.
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