BritTim

6 hours ago, pdtokyo said:

I'm not there yet ... still trying to work out what the best visa options will be for me ... not yet married but that's a certainty later ... any thoughts on options for land-based bouncing from Uttaradit region ?

 

If i went in the bouncy direction it occurs to me it may be a more pleasant experience to pack my Thai partner and drive ourselves across a border for a day or two. She food shops. Anywhere.

 

I know it's not practicable to cross borders in a rental, but how about if car is owned by her (a Thai national) ?

 

Or will i always need to do a walk of shame over a border bridge like some cold war spy movie ?

If you just want to do a border bounce for a visa exempt entry, I would suggest Maesot. It does involve walking across a bridge, but you have the company of plenty of locals, and I have not found it embarrassing when crossing there. The town on the Myanmar side, Myawaddy, is nothing special, but offers a few points of interest that can be explored with a local driver. My understanding is that getting a vehicle passport for Myanmar (without an official Myanmar guide to accompany you) is nearly impossible.

2 hours ago, Maestro said:

 

If and when the time comes, be sure not to apply for a "case visa" but for a 90-day extension of stay under clause 2.26 of Police Order 327/2557 dated 30 June 2514. On the application form TM.7, on the line "reason for extension", write "litigation or court proceedings"

Absolutely. However, since the court is holding onto the passport, he needs someone who knows the correct procedure to help with getting temporary access to the passport for the extension application.

Vientiane, Kuala Lumpur, Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi (and Yangon) should all be OK for the SETV. In your position, I might choose Vientiane because it is convenient for entering Thailand by land. The new passport from the UK and single visa in it make it easy to get the visa. However, Immigration can see the full history of your visits. If entering by air, there is an outside chance that the wrong official might decide you have stayed too long to be a tourist. In your case, I would not worry about this unduly, however.

45 minutes ago, steve187 said:

still one of the cheapest and easiest places to do a land border run

Yes, they can impose a big markup on US$10 and still be cheaper (for most nationalities) than a crossing to Laos or Cambodia. Of course, other crossings to Myanmar are much cheaper, but Phu Nam Ron is a much easier trip for many.

The report you cite dates from before the mild scam that they now run was introduced. They now want as many customers as possible because the Thai and Myanmar immigration pocket around 500 baht between them for each person doing a border bounce there. You will have no problem at all.

1 hour ago, Eman86th said:

Moreover i don’t understand why I have to bring my paper single translated and legalized from the Italian embassy when I’m asking VISA BEING FAMILY OF THAI CHILD... 

I agree that this seems unnecessary bureaucracy, but there is an explanation.

Besides being the father on the birth certificate, you also need to prove that you were married at the time of the birth (or that the birth has been legitimised via the court).

Take a letter from your wife asking them to issue you a visa. Explain that it was not feasible for your wife to make the trip at this time, giving an appropriate reason (she must work, take care of kids or whatever). I doubt having the wife present is a non negotiable condition for issuing the visa.

Going to Cambodia would not give you a better chance of a tourist visa than going to Vientiane. Phnom Penh frequently denies tourist visa applications. Kuala Lumpur, Yangon, Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi are possibly a little better. Being out of Thailand for a month or so before applying for the visa might well improve your chances of a successful application. Vientiane is attractive if you are from a country entitled to visa exempt entry into Thailand because, if denied a visa, you should be able to enter visa exempt via the Friendship Bridge without difficulty.

On early extension of your permission to stay, that is a definite maybe. It really depends on the immigration official you deal with. Before requesting it, document both your travel plans and the justification for being away from Thailand between June and November.

On the conversion from a tourist entry to a non immigrant entry based on retirement, in principle, I think those regular transfers will be accepted for the financial proof. Nothing is 100% certain though.

2 hours ago, Max69xl said:

"I was always told not to overstay for even one day because that stamp can come back to haunt you later and I live by that advice here."

You should not believe everything you hear or read. Why would that stamp haunt you in the future? What are the odds immigration will find out he's on a 28 hours overstay? Don't forget he's got a ticket out of the country. Pay the fine at the airport and forget about it. 

The main issue is not the overstay stamp in the passport. The overstay is in Immigration's system forever. It might never cause a problem, but immigration officials can use it against you later. The possible issue qualifying for an Elite visa has been mentioned. The overstay can also influence officials in borderline situations when deciding whether to admit you into the country. Even more of a concern is the possibility that old overstays might be treated more seriously in the future. Play it safe and do not overstay.

How much time have you spent in Thailand in the last couple of years, and how much longer do you anticipate spending in Thailand?

The best and safest short term solution is a border bounce at a friendly land crossing. The best crossing to use depends on your current location.

However, if you intend spending more than another month or two in Thailand, burning those visa exempt entries by land is unwise, as they are your insurance policy for when other ways of returning to Thailand fail.

See https://extranet.immigration.go.th/qrepsonline/online/queue/REPSAction.do?cmd=term

1 minute ago, jasonsamui55 said:

I asked initially and they never gave me a straight answer. But the results were there and it worked. They barely speak English. They just give a stack of documents to sign, all in thai, and some Bills, some annuals, some monthly, and if all seems to work out....until now. They said they need more time.

Do you mind sharing your nationality? US citizens have some options not available to others. As I mentioned before, it is possible for them to have a sole proprietorship with fixed annual tax and minimal paperwork.

10 minutes ago, jasonsamui55 said:

No, I just went to the accountant 4-5 years ago and said I need a visa to stay in Thailand they said sure we'll set you up with a company that does nothing and has no employees and no transactions and somehow they got me a new visa every year and a work permit to hang out at home all the time but not really do any work.  It's functioned well until now, but now they said they ned more time to figure out how to renew the work permit without thai employees, so it expired, and that's the cause for the current problem.  So when I come back I hope they get it sorted or else I'll look for another accountant or another visa option or maybe just leave thailand altogether as its becoming too difficult and expensive for visas here.

It would be interesting to know the details of the company setup, and how a work permit was possible without the required four Thai employees. Of course, it is possible that brown envelopes facilitated things, but solutions in full compliance with the official regulations are something many would like to know about.

This is totally off topic for this forum, and should have been posted in the Phuket forum.

That said, if something stops working almost immediately after purchase, you go back to the shop where you purchased it. Assuming you purchased it new, even without a specific warranty, they have a responsibility to see it is repaired or replaced when it fails that soon after purchase.

17 minutes ago, timendres said:

Very curious how you managed a work permit with zero Thai employees.

It is not easy, but there can be ways. For example, he may have a sole proprietorship under the US Thai Treaty of Amity, and have been able to get a work permit based on his management of that.

On 3/4/2020 at 6:38 AM, jasonsamui55 said:

It’s a 1 year Non B issued in October, and must do visa runs every 90 days. Every October need to get a new Non B visa, so seems like it’s not an extension of stay. I’m planning to do a border run this next weekend for 4 days and then return to get the work permit sorted or look for a new accountant/new company. So in that case, should there be any worries?

That is good news. Your visa (and the entries based on it) remain valid.

10 minutes ago, Mob4 said:

Thank you for your advice. Will they accept my extension application if i already extended my visa for 30 days? How do i make them to accept my extension application if they will see that i already have one.

I made a decision that i'll buy this ticket anyway but if there any possibility not to get overstay stamp i'd like to use it.

Even if you are not eligible for an extension, Immigration will automatically give you the seven days to leave the country. It is best to avoid the overstay, not just because of the stamp in your passport, but also because the overstay remains in Immigration's system for ever, and can be used against you in the future.

Things to verify:

1. Make sure the distinctions between, visa, permission to stay, and work permit are clear.
2. Do they really have a multiple entry Non B visa? When is the expiry date of the visa (not their current permission to stay)?
3. Does their permission to stay end mid-April, or is there a breakdown of communication?
4. It is possible that they have a longer permission to stay. Usually, at the end of an initial 90-day stay, you apply at immigration for a one-year extension of your permission to stay. Depending on your nationality, there is a minimum monthly income to qualify for this extension. If they do not qualify, as @JackThompson explained, you are limited to seven days to leave the country.
5. With a long term extension of your permission to stay based on working, it is necessary to do 90-day address reports if you are continuously in Thailand for over 96 days.
6. If you leave the country, and want to avoid your permission to stay (often extended) from being cancelled, you need a re-entry permit applied for prior to your departure.

2 hours ago, gamini said:

I would seek proper legal advice and not rely on unqualified advice on this forum. My foreign employee comitted an offence. He had a good lawyer and could not get a "case visa". The court case went on for two years, When it finished with a hefty fine. He had to get a document from the court confirming his case was resolved. Overstay was unavoidable, he left paid the Bt20,000 fine and came back the next day. So check up with a qualified immigration lawyer. You might find that a so called " case visa " is only for people taking a case against another  person and not for the defendant in a case!

I concur with your advice to get professional help. However, the experience of your foreign employee shows how difficult it can be to select a "good lawyer". The overstay most certainly was avoidable. Under Section 2.26 of Police Order 138/2557, you can get any number of 90-day extensions of stay. With the court holding the passport, it is more complicated to arrange this, but one of the jobs of a good lawyer is to navigate the procedures involved. Many other people in a similar situation have managed it.

Quote

2.26  In the case of litigation or court proceedings: Each permission shall be granted for no more than 90 days . 

1. Application form

2. Copy of applicant’s passport

3. Confirmation letter from an inquiry official involved with the case, official paper or document confirming that the applicant is being involved with the litigation or court proceedings of the case. 

2 hours ago, EMMAS said:

When getting WP and extension of stay cancelled at CW, would they give me a 60 day visa there and then if I have proof of an onward flight?

Unless you have a Thai spouse or child, all you can get is seven days to leave the country after your application for an extension of stay is denied.

[Immigration does not issue tourist visas. They grant extensions of your permission to stay if you qualify under one of the criteria specified in the relevant Police Orders. They can issue Non Immigrant visas under some special circumstances, but they would not apply here.]

6 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

19 hours ago, BritTim said:

It is a matter of what the consulate will accept. They typically want something attested to by your embassy which many nationalities cannot get. Some articulate souls may be able to get the consulate to accept something else, but I would not count on it.

EDIT: A further issue is that some are not really retired, but are aged over 50 with no intention of working in Thailand. In principle, this should be possible, but the requirement to prove retirement when you are not retired can be troublesome.

If your not retired, you can't prove retirement. How difficult is that to understand? 

Oh, I totally understand that. It is the reason why applying at other consulates is often a better option. In principle, the Non O (over age 50) is available to people who have no intention of working in Thailand, but the "proof of retirement" means some cannot qualify for the visa in Savannakhet.

For those who do not care about 10,000 to 15,000 baht (or so) fee, using an agent has advantages. You only need a single visit to immigration (for a marriage extension) with priority queuing which avoids long waits. The agent ensures your paperwork is in order. You need to give the agent your passport and other information the day before the visit to Immigration. You should get the passport back the day of the application or the day after. You must give the agent your passport again for 24-48 hours at the end of the under consideration period.

I cannot give a good recommendation for a good current agent in Bangkok. Hopefully, someone else can give you that information.