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ResourcesVisa & Immigration LawThailand Immigration LawCould 90 Day Reporting Be Ended for Thai Elite Visa Holders?

Could 90 Day Reporting Be Ended for Thai Elite Visa Holders?

Transcript of the above video:

As a title of this video suggests, we are discussing the possibility of Thailand Elite Visa holders no longer needing to undertake 90-day reporting. 

In a recent article from The Pattaya Mail, that is pattayamail.com, there is one particular excerpt, the article is titled: Thailand to Amend Immigration Rules to Lure 1 Million Wealthy Foreigners. Quoting directly: "Further possibilities for luring foreigners with the Elite Visa include cancellation of 90 day reporting." That is the thrust of this video. People have asked me why I quote a lot of things from Thai Press, a lot of the internet sites: Pattaya Mail, Pattaya News etc., Phuket News, Chiang Mai Times, Chiang Rai Times, the publication up there in Buriram, the English language publication up there, and people have asked me "why do I quote these?" Well I quote them to give them credit. They lead me to these ideas for making these videos and I want to give them the credit they deserve that that is where I got that idea to make that video. I read all this stuff; we try to keep up with it so when something comes up that causes me to say "hey let's go ahead and make a video and analyze that subject", I go ahead and cite them because they gave me the inspiration to make the video. Hats off to the Pattaya Mail, thanks very much. 

But the notion of cancellation of 90 day reporting for Elite Visas is an interesting one and it is one of these things that I could actually see happening. I think a lot of times Expats or people that look at this, they get a little more hopeful than they otherwise should be. I am not saying you need to be cynical about looking at these things but sometimes too much hope can blind folks to the fact that Immigration is what it is and the general trend as I have found in any Immigration system, this goes the same for America as well as Thailand, is things don't really get easier over time. They tend to get harder. Sometimes things change and reverse that trend but in the longer term in my opinion, you are fighting against the current with respect to that notion. However, I could see where they say with 90-day reporting generally in fact that it is just not really needed and they overhaul that system. The issue with it is it is presently part of the Thai Immigration Act of '79. It is actually in there stipulated in the law that you have to do these 90 day check-ins. Could they deal with that regulatorily? Well they can't overtly contravene the law itself but they can make other moves that might have a practical impact overall.

Long story short, it is possible. I definitely think it would be something they might be open to as opposed to other more hopeful aspirations but it remains to be seen. We will definitely keep you updated on this channel as the situation progresses.