timmyp

38 minutes ago, quarantined said:

I'm going through the process of applying for a new non-B and certificate of entry from the US. I will post updates as I have them.

 

 

Thank you so much for posting. I am very anxious to hear about things go for you. Getting that 72 hour test from the U.S. seems especially difficult due to the flight time from the U.S.  I suppose that immigration in will take the time difference into consideration? That is, the time stamp on the report will appear to be 12 hours older than it actually is.

Your input is much appreciated.  Please continue to update us with your progress.

45 minutes ago, jackdd said:

Afaik the only Thai embassies issuing visas to everybody are in the countries neighboring Thailand (and Vietnam). Thai embassies in other countries only issue visas to people who are either citizens of this country or have permanent residency status.

The neighboring countries are still closed except for their own citizens.

This means your only option is to apply at the Thai embassy in your home country, you will get the most current and precise information if you call them.

Thanks, jackdd. Thai embassies in other countries beyond the neighboring countries here issue various Thai visas, not just to citizens or permanent residency. 

>> countries only issue visas to people who are either citizens of this country

Obviously, a citizen of Thailand wouldn't need to be a issued a visa to Thailand, so I assume that you're just talking about citizen services there.

Under normal circumstances, I can apply at Thai embassies outside Southeast Asia that are not my home country. That is not a problem. But I am looking for information on what the situation is right now with the covid restrictions. 

The Thai embassy in the U.S. says that they are issuing visas, I have already checked their website (the link is above), but I want to hear from someone who has obtained such a visa. That is, whatever the embassy says, is it actually issuing visas?

9 minutes ago, Calvin1976 said:

My experience...

Before any Thai embassy can issue Non-B visa (3 months) to you.

You need to get approval letter WP3 from (an approval letter from the Ministry of Labour of Thailand) MoL Thailand. Quite a lot of paperwork need to submitted for this letter.

 

Yes of course I have all of the paperwork necessary for the visa. This is not my problem. My problem is:

Are any embassies actually issuing such visas right now? The Thai embassy in the U.S. says that it is, 

https://thaiembdc.org/2020/07/11/non-immigrant-b-ib_workpermit/

But I'd really like hear from someone that has actually obtained such a visa during these times, along with the other requirements: Fit to Fly certificate, corona test, etc. If someone else has done this, and returned to Thailand, then I will do it myself. I fear, however, that I would fly out to wherever a Thai embassy is, and be told, "sorry, we're not issuing visas no matter how perfect your paperwork is," and then be stuck there.

8 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

The problem with doing it on a extension based upon attending school is that you cannot apply for a work permit to get a work permit application letter to apply for the new extension. Most work permit offices will not accept a application for one.

Yes, I am aware of this. This is why I am anxious to fly out and apply for the non-B at the nearest embassy. 

I have been attending Thai classes faithfully, and my school is in good standing, so I don't imagine that I'll have a problem extending my ED visa through September. I'd sure like to leave and get my visa problem straightened out well before that time, though. 

I would love to hear from anyone who has applied for a non-B outside Thailand and obtained the visa in the last 3 weeks. 

2 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You cannot change to a non-b in any case. With some types of extensions it is possible to change the reason but doing it from education to working/teaching without  getting a new visa entry it is not possible.

The problem with doing it on a extension based upon attending school is that you cannot apply for a work permit to get a work permit application letter to apply for the new extension. Most work permit offices will not accept a application for one.

Thanks, ubonjoe. This is what I have been told, that it is not possible to switch. I really wish it were, it seem silly and arbitrary that an ED visa can't be switched to a non-B, but that's just my impression without knowing about how the system works. 

I have been extending my ED visa here (I've been going to immigration, and not depending on the automatic visa amnesty), and I believe that I'll be able to extend through September. I am doing this because I am waiting for the opportunity to make a visa run and get my non-B. I have been renting an apartment here, so I really want to wait this out here, rather than leaving Thailand, and continuing to pay rent on an apartment that I am paying rent on. 

I was really hoping for a "travel bubble," to open, and then make a visa run to a neighboring country, but that seems further and further away. 

I would like to go to Japan, the U.S., or anywhere with a Thai embassy to do this, but I fear that the Thai embassy there will refuse to grant a non-B visa, regardless of the paperwork being in order. 

9 hours ago, jackdd said:

Which visa do you currently have? If you entered visa exempt or with a tourist visa you can convert it in Thailand.

Yes, I was told  this. I have an ED visa for studying Thai language. I was told by the department in the company that handles visas that this specific visa cannot be changed, and that I must exit the country. I have a couple of friends in exactly the same situation: ED visas, unable to switch to non-B within Thailand (although the companies where they are work are much smaller). My two friends are still able to go to work and get paid under the table, as their companies figure that they can fly under the radar, but the company sponsoring my visa cannot fly under the radar, so I am stuck waiting to convert my visa before I can begin working and getting a pay check again. 

9 hours ago, BritTim said:

I would suggest using a well connected legal firm who can arrange the Non B visa and work permit without leaving Thailand. Assuming your salary is reasonably high (over 50,000 baht per month) it should be possible, and will cost less than leaving and reentering with all the requirements around quarantine and insurance.

The company sponsoring my visa has great pull, and they told me that my visa cannot be converted. I have an ED visa (for studying Thai language). The company says that some other visa types can be converted without leaving Thailand, but not the ED visa. 

I think because of this company, they have to go by the letter of the law, and there are no ways of bending the rule. So, while they are well-connected, bending rules on this, I am told, is not possible.

Has anyone left Thailand in the last couple of weeks, applied for a "Non-Immigrant Type B" at a Thai embassy, obtained the visa, and returned to start working in Thailand? Of course that would involve the other hoops: Fit to Fly certificate, proof of insurance, 14-day quarantine upon arrival, etc.

I am in Bangkok, and I need to leave Thailand in order to obtain a non-immigrant B. I have the paperwork, etc., but I am afraid that the Thai embassies may not be issuing visas, so even if I go to an embassy, they would say, "Sorry, no new visas." I was actually officially hired in March, but have been restricted from going to the company until I have a proper work visa. It's a super strict company, and insists on following the rules about this. So, hired, but can't start until I get that visa. I can't switch my visa within Thailand. 

Countries that I can currently fly to where there is a Thai embassy: U.S., Japan, Maldives. I am a U.S. citizen, I have permanent residency in Japan, and the Maldives is just weirdly open to tourism right now. 

I really want to leave and get my visa so that I can return and start working. Of course 14 days quarantine upon return sucks, but I can't start getting paid until I get my visa. It's worth the suffering. I will jump through all the hoops of the Fit to Fly certificate, covid test, insurance, etc. 

Life would be easier if the gov would  allow me to switch to the non-imm type B while in Thailand, but this doesn't seem likely.

I would love to hear from anyone who has successfully obtained the non B visa abroad right now.

3 hours ago, mikebell said:

Is 'Grean' a deliberate misspelling?  

It is a transliteration of the Thai เกรียน, which can mean "troll" 

I would transliterate it as "krian" but you could write it grian or grean, I suppose (though "krian" is really closer to the IPA). 

Here's a link to an online dictionary. Meaning #2. 

http://www.thai-language.com/id/148439

I was listening to a Japanese talk show a couple of days ago, and they were talking about the upcoming meeting. They were saying how Abe would be flattering Trump's ego profusely, and intentionally losing at every hole in order to boost Trump's ego. Then they added that Trump is apparently a great golfer, so Abe was likely to lose the game anyway, but that the game would still be full of ridiculous flattery cuz it's the only way to have any kind of amicable relationship with the guy

The also said that Trump's EO on restricted travel really needed to be upheld in order to ensure that he would be taken seriously by foreign leaders. Just thought that was an interesting perspective.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_coverage_of_North_Korea#Examples_of_unreliable_reports

Great that he was properly armed to defend himself, or things could have gotten ugly.

I feel sorry for these people, when you think of all the Muslims in other countries celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ it is sad that some of Thailand's Buddhists have to be kept in the dark.

dear snoop, mind, please.

A) Karen people don't celebrate Christmas, it is none of their holidays.

Many Karen are Christians and celibate Christmas, Easter and all the other Christian holidays!

Thank you, Kasset Tak for responding to these two who didn't read the article but felt the need to comment.

My initial reaction was the same as crazygreg and ratcatcher, but I read the article, and found that the article is talking about Christian Karen.

Kasset and ratcahter's idea is right, that it's silly to apply Christian culture to non-Christians, but both of you guys gotta read the article first, rather than just commenting.

I watched the news report that you can view by clicking on the image in the Huffington Post article. The guy Tony who got shot in the face was a Sikh. He shouldn't have been targeted even if he were a Muslim from a Syria or wherever, but it just boggles that mind even more that racist folks can't keep straight the ones that they hate.

These statistics are for homicides. It's a little misleading because the title says "death rate," but it's the homicide rate. The article state "homicides", but in the other statistics, it's not clear that it's excluding suicides. In the States, the rate will triple if you add in suicides (i.e., about twice as money suicides as homicides). I have no idea how Thailand and Sri Lanka, etc. will size up afterwards.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_violence_in_the_United_States

This is great, because big stars and the elite should just be allowed to kill someone once every 10 years. It would speed up the ultimate legal results.

Craig, call me widly speculative, but I think the U.S. would happily give refuge to any Chinese citizens who stole Chinese state secrets! Would that be hypocritical?

Won't they just switch to 60 day single entry tourist visa? The only thing that will change is that border runs will be more frequent.

This doesn't affect me at all, it just seems like the obvious path to be taken.

They teach Chinese at the language school where I learn Thai and they sort out all the ED visa paperwork. It's called Pro language and is close to Asok BTS station in Sukhumvit rd, on the 10th floor of Times square building. www.prolanguage.co.th

Pro Language has had a serious problem with their ED visa language extensions for about a year now. Immigration is only allowing 30 days for students of Pro Language. That means you'll have to extend your visa every 30 days. That's not only a 1900 baht fee every month, but it's a lengthy trip to the office up in Jaeng Watthana every month as well. And re-entry permits issued with that 30 day visa are also only good for 30 days. It's a pretty serious inconvenience.

Better to go with another school until Pro Language gets their problem worked out with immigration.

I don't know why people above are telling you that you can't do it, it's weird that they would feel the need to post about something they know nothing about, but that is common on this site.

Strange !

Where are these post which tell the OP "he can't do it" ?

Sorry, sorry, I skimmed the comments about "rumours" and thought they were saying that it's only rumours that such a visa can be obtained. I know realize that they were rumours about changes in granting a visa.

You can get an ED visa to study Mandarin, yes. It has to be a school accredited by the Ministry of Ed. I got an ED visa to study Japanese. The same school offers an ED visa to study Mandarin. You will have to fill out forms showing that you are going to class everyday and stating what you learn in every single class. Everyone I know who got an ED visa to study Japanese, Chinese, and English in Thailand got tested at immigration and at the Ministry of Ed. Nobody ever tested me. The people who were faking it got rejected on their visa extensions because they couldn't pass the test. So either you have to be going to class for real, or you have to be proficient already in what you are claiming to be learning so that you can pass the simple tests they give you.

It will cost about the same as studying Thai (i.e., you pay for the ED visa sponsorship and several months of classes).

I don't know why people above are telling you that you can't do it, it's weird that they would feel the need to post about something they know nothing about, but that is common on this site.

Go to a proper Thai school. If you don't like your school, then pick another school.

Anyone I know who claims to have learned from girlfriends has a very low level of Thai, although they will impress others who know no Thai. If you just want to be able to small talk about a limited range of topics and learn strategies, and to have people who are speaking to you dumb down the content of what they say because they think it's the only way you'll understand, then take the gf route.

If you learn properly, you will have a much more rewarding experience. It is a long process. You don't have to kill yourself studying, but you do have to study and review. Just put in the time, and you will make progress.

As soon as they legalize same-sex marriage, twin brothers and twin sisters start getting married.

I have twin brother, and I wish we would have gotten married when we little, then evil spirits wouldn't have dragged me to Thailand. Same-sex marriage just came too late to ward it off.

A working-class to wealthy story: My x-gf's dad was a delivery boy at the market. At 26, he started a business selling staffs, flag poles, and batons. They weren't sure if the business would workout, so he also got a truck driver's license. The business worked out, and the family is now very well-off. Two of the daughters did their university and master's degree in the UK. The father was very working-class, and now, thanks to his hard work and the luck of the business, they are quite wealthy by Thai standards.