Journalist Visa

[Sir Greg]

Hey all,

Have finally decided to use my overseas writing job to get a journalist visa/work permit here. Anyone have the same thing and/or knows what steps I need to take? I phoned Immigration but of course, they didn't really tell me anything I didn't already know, and not much at that.

Thanks

[Blake7]

Hey all,

Have finally decided to use my overseas writing job to get a journalist visa/work permit here.  Anyone have the same thing and/or knows what steps I need to take?  I phoned Immigration but of course, they didn't really tell me anything I didn't already know, and not much at that.

Thanks

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Do you have accreditation?

[bbtali]

what would be required in terms of accreditation?

Edited July 27, 2005 by bbtali

[lopburi3]

Application for Further Stay to be on duty as a journalist

Required Documents

Immigration Form 7

Copy of passport

A 4 cm. X 6 cm. Photograph

1,900 baht application fee

A certified document from Information Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, related department, or equivalent

A Work Permit or a document showing the acceptance of the request for working permission

A journalist Identification Card

A certified document presenting the applicant's income or employment contract, evidence of income tax payment of the alien (Por Ngor Dor 1) Evidence of income tax payment for individual (Por Ngor Dor 91) of the previous year is required if applying next year.

In case of having dependents (husband / wife, children), the certified document from the applicant accompanied with evidence showing their relationship with the applicant is required. All documents in other languages must be translated into Thai and certified by the embassy or consulate of the alien (s).

The officials reserve the rights to inspect or ask for additional documents if necessary

Note

For more information, please call 0-2285-5148

[sabaijai]

I think the list lopburi provided is what you need to extend your stay once you already have the visa, work permit and international press card, although some of the same documents are needed in the initial application, plus the photos mentioned.

If you're starting from scratch you need to get a non-immigrant visa at a Thai embassy or consulate outside Thailand first. There is a non-immigrant M specifically for media applicants though most journos I know (including myself) use the non-B visa to start the process. To obtain either visa it's best to have a letter from your sponsoring publication/news agency abroad that states their intention to hire you as a correspondent in Thailand. Some embassies and consulates will take your word for it and issue the visa without a letter, others won't without seeing a letter. Best to have the letter, and in any case you'll definitely need a sponsoring letter once you're in Thailand and are applying for your extension of stay, work permit and press card.

One you enter Thailand on your non-M or non-B, you need to take your sponsor letter to the Information Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Bangkok, where you will have to fill out some forms and be interviewed by someone from the department. They have the forms there, no need to get them in advance (though I'm sure it would be appreciated if you did).

If your application is approved, the MFA will issue three letters in three separate sealed envelopes, one each for immigration, dept of labour and the public relations division. You take the first two letters to the One-Stop Visa and Work Permit Centre on Ratchadaphisek Rd, where you'll be issued a one-year extension of stay and a work permit valid for one year, plus a multiple re-entry permit so that you can leave the country and come back during the year without having to get a new visa. The third letter you take to the public relations division, Soi Aree 7 (I think), where you'll be issued an international press card valid for a year.

The renewal process each year thereafter follows the procedure lopbui outlined.

[kayo]

try to find khall64au online... I think she knows a thing or two...actually there should be some recent postings somewhere in the jobs forum. You could do some journalistic research

[danone]

the responsible authority for issueing the first journalist visa and any renewals is the foreign ministry.

they've become quite tough in issueing the first visa. when I applied in '96 it was still an easy thing. by now many questions are asked and papers carefully checked.

but again: if you're really a journalist and really make a living with writing, you get the visa without any headaches.

the problem is that too many pseudo-journalists tried to get this relatively easy visa. so they had to toughen the rules.

once you have it, you have to submit every year new work samples.

gd luck!

[khall64au]

try to find khall64au online... I think she knows a thing or two...actually there should be some recent postings somewhere in the jobs forum. You could do some journalistic research   

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for the plug Kayo.... actually khall64au is presently wading through the quagmire of bureacracy as she presently is more in demand for work inside the country than out.

[KronbergTH]

As I understand, the minimum salary is 20,000 Baht only, right?

Cheers, Robert

[khall64au]

As I understand, the minimum salary is 20,000 Baht only, right?

Cheers, Robert

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

MINIMUM SALARY DEPENDS ON YOUR NATIONALITY.

[Khutan]

<snip>to get a journalist visa/work permit here<snip>

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

do you have accreditation/sponsorship from a media outlet ?

[billp]

What if you're an (established) freelancer and intend to freelance from the LOS? That is, play the field without any committments from any particular outlet.

[khall64au]

What if you're an (established) freelancer and intend to freelance from the LOS? That is, play the field without any committments from any particular outlet.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's the tricky bit... still wading through the quagmire!

[danone]

What if you're an (established) freelancer and intend to freelance from the LOS? That is, play the field without any committments from any particular outlet.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

doesnt work. then anybody can be a journalist.

I know a guy here though who prints an own publication. he got a journalist visa.

[aletta]

I know a guy here though who prints an own publication. he got a journalist visa

What are the criteria for getting a visa for work on your own publication?

[KronbergTH]

I know a guy here though who prints an own publication. he got a journalist visa

What are the criteria for getting a visa for work on your own publication?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As I know Thai logic, you have to show a finish publication as sample. But I do not know have to make the publication if you do not have Work Permit

Anyway, what is minumum salary for an European journalist? As I know it is 20K a month, and not 50K as a normal Work Permit.

[camerata]

What if you're an (established) freelancer and intend to freelance from the LOS? That is, play the field without any committments from any particular outlet.

In the early 90s, at least, you had to show the MOF a letter from an overseas publication saying that they intended to buy, or were already buying, your work. You needed a new letter each year to renew. As of 95, you also had to show clippings of your work from overseas publications each year.

Despite being free-lance, the name of the publisher that wrote the initial sponsoring letter went in your work permit as your "employer," which could cause confusion later. I don't know if this is still the case as things seemed to change in the mid 90s.

[billp]

In the early 90s, at least, you had to show the MOF a letter from an overseas publication saying that they intended to buy, or were already buying, your work. As of 95, you also had to show clippings of your work from overseas publications each year.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I guess you can submit video and audio tapes as well? And they're actually going to look at them? Or is your name in the credits sufficient, maybe? Do international and journalists' union press cards count for nothing?

[khall64au]

What if you're an (established) freelancer and intend to freelance from the LOS? That is, play the field without any committments from any particular outlet.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

In the early 90s, at least, you had to show the MOF a letter from an overseas publication saying that they intended to buy, or were already buying, your work. You needed a new letter each year to renew. As of 95, you also had to show clippings of your work from overseas publications each year.

Despite being free-lance, the name of the publisher that wrote the initial sponsoring letter went in your work permit as your "employer," which could cause confusion later. I don't know if this is still the case as things seemed to change in the mid 90s.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This may explain why a newspaper declined to write me a letter as a regular contributor....they are NOT my employer!

[xposweden]

Hi All,

This might not be a Journalist question,

But do I need any kind of working visa if I am in Thailand and from here i write a book about the country?

It will be some research for this book as well. Need to ask around and know abit more about the country.

No publisher in the background.

Thx in advance,

xposweden

[khall64au]

Hi All,

This might not be a Journalist question,

But do I need any kind of working visa if I am in Thailand and from here i write a book about the country?

It will be some research for this book as well. Need to ask around and know abit more about the country.

No publisher in the background.

Thx in advance,

xposweden

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If you are writing in Thailand in your own space ... you should be able to do this without a hassle... but not sure about the true LEGALITIES/ BUREAUCRACY.

Ask a lawyer!

[sabaijai]

As I understand, the minimum salary is 20,000 Baht only, right?

Cheers, Robert

MINIMUM SALARY DEPENDS ON YOUR NATIONALITY.

The minimum salary for journos is the same for all nationalities: 25,000B/month.

[rockhardbkk]

I recently received my non-immigrant M visa.

The process for me was as follows:

I first got my letter of assignment from the main publication I write for.

I then set up an appointment with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. If you are a new journalist you will need to speak to one person in particular.

When you go to your appointment you will need to bring your letter of assignment, your resume and a few samples of your work.

Then you wait.

If the visa is approved, you then will need to go to a Thai embassy (I went to Phnom Penh) where the visa will be issued.

Then you contact the MFA again and they will begin processing the three letters of acknowledgement. Once those are ready, you pick them up. One goes for your Thai press card and the other two go to the One Stop Visa place on Ratchada. This is to process your work permit and extension of stay. The One Stop place processes the paperwork in approximately three hours.

That's it. Or at least that is where I am now.

What I was told is that if you are writing and leaving the country, generally you will not have any problems doing so without a work permit. If you get into any sort of trouble of course this could be used against you but as long as there's no problems, you should be ok. I personally made the decision to get the visa because I have a family and I'm becoming more and more known to Thais is authority.

If you have your Thai press card it also lends credence and if you are interviewing anyone in the government or in a high profile postion, it can make doing so easier.

Edited March 27, 2006 by rockhardbkk

[sabaijai]

I recently received my non-immigrant M visa.

The process for me was as follows:

I first got my letter of assignment from the main publication I write for.

I then set up an appointment with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. If you are a new journalist you will need to speak to one person in particular.

When you go to your appointment you will need to bring your letter of assignment, your resume and a few samples of your work.

Then you wait.

If the visa is approved, you then will need to go to a Thai embassy (I went to Phnom Penh) where the visa will be issued.

Then you contact the MFA again and they will begin processing the three letters of acknowledgement. Once those are ready, you pick them up. One goes for your Thai press card and the other two go to the One Stop Visa place on Ratchada. This is to process your work permit and extension of stay. The One Stop place processes the paperwork in approximately three hours.

That's it. Or at least that is where I am now.

What I was told is that if you are writing and leaving the country, generally you will not have any problems doing so without a work permit. If you get into any sort of trouble of course this could be used against you but as long as there's no problems, you should be ok. I personally made the decision to get the visa because I have a family and I'm becoming more and more known to Thais is authority.

If you have your Thai press card it also lends credence and if you are interviewing anyone in the government or in a high profile postion, it can make doing so easier.

You can also take your letter of employment/assignment to a Thai embassy/consulate abroad first, obtain a 90-day non-immigrant visa (M or B, doesn't matter which; some locales only issue the B for some reason, even for journos), then go the the MFA and go through the rest of the steps to received the letters requesting an extension of stay, work permit and foreign correspondent's card. That way you never have to leave the country.

[undiplomatic]

I'm an Australian journalist moving to Bkk. I have read through this thread and spoken to other freelances who have moved to Thailand, so I have an idea of what is required. I have a letter from my main employer supporting the move.

All the information says I need to arrive in Thailand with a 90-day non-immigrant visa, and only with one of these can I begin the process of taking the letter to the Information Dept at the MOFA, getting press accreditation and then a one-year non-immigrant M visa.

My problem is that I'm falling at the first hurdle. I currently live in Phnom Penh and the Thai embassy here won't even hear about issuing such a visa. They tell me I need to go to Bkk first, then return with a letter for the embassy here, which will then issue the visa.

Is there another way? I've heard the Penang consulate is more generous - is it worth going there to try? Or will I have the same problems?

Any help is much appreciated.