BritTim
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Switching from work permit to non-o
BritTim replied to statman78's topic in Thai Visas, Residency, and Work Permits
The word "cancel" is fine, and there is actually no ambiguity in this case in spite of the incorrect terminology. What is being cancelled is "an extension of your permission to stay based on working". This mouthful is usually abbreviation to "extension based on working", "work extension" or simply "extension". -
Weekend overstay and extension dangers
BritTim replied to Sambo5000's topic in Thai Visas, Residency, and Work Permits
If no TM30 has been done, move to a hotel tomorrow, and go for the extension Monday with a confirmation of a TM30 from the hotel. -
If you have an actual visa, based on previous history, you would be safe flying into Chiang Mai. For entry by land, flying to Vientiane and crossing the Friendship Bridge to Nong Khai is one good solution. Your main challenge is going to be getting those back-to-back METVs. Unless your home country Thai embassy is unusually friendly, I doubt that will happen. Staying on single entry visas and visa exemptions is not going to be feasible now.
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SETV in Vientiane after long stay in Thailand.
BritTim replied to ketilnm's topic in Thai Visas, Residency, and Work Permits
There is often a need to book an appointment three weeks or more ahead (especially if you want to avoid staying in Vientiane over the weekend). Book an appointment early. -
Applying for E-Visa while in Thailand
BritTim replied to FriendlyFarang's topic in Thai Visas, Residency, and Work Permits
It would be convenient, but is definitely not allowed. Some have tried and succeeded, but your application will be denied (with loss of application fee) if they detect that you are not in your home country when you make the application. -
If your embassy will issue you the back-to-back visas (which some would pre Covid, but most would not) then it should be possible to stay as a long stay tourist in Thailand. Note that there were a few cases of officials improperly denying entry to those with tourist visas back around 2019. It would be prudent to arrive at airports where this never happened (such as Chiang Mai) or via most land crossings.
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What is required for a tourist visa extension?
BritTim replied to Ling Kae's topic in Thai Visas, Residency, and Work Permits
Requiring proof that a TM30 notification has been done has recently become a common requirement around the country, including at Chaeng Wattana. The TM30 notification is a report by the hotel or main possessor of a dwelling of a foreigner staying at the property. If staying at a hotel, the TM30 should have been done, certainly in places like Bangkok or Pattaya. If staying at a friend's apartment, you would need to ensure that the TM30 is done before applying for an extension. -
You can definitely apply for a change of visa to a Non O intending retirement at the local immigration office. An income letter from your embassy might be accepted as financial proof for the application. You will need to discuss this with your local immigration office after arriving in Thailand. Some offices will only accept money in the bank for the initial visa application, though an income letter should always be acceptable (perhaps, backed up with other documentation) for later extensions of your permission to stay.
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Not working, just helping the wife
BritTim replied to lordmullin's topic in Thai Visas, Residency, and Work Permits
I am aware of office raids that caught out Westerners many years ago but, in recent years, the Labour Department has focussed mainly on migrant workers on low salaries. This article summarises the enforcement efforts of the Department of Labour in the six months ending 31st March this year: https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2537129/ministry-of-labour-announces-results-of-purge-of-migrant-workers-snatching-thai-jobs-in-fiscal-year-2023 -
Switching from work permit to non-o
BritTim replied to statman78's topic in Thai Visas, Residency, and Work Permits
If the visa was extended, there would never be any need to re-entry permits. What is extended is your permission to stay. The reason for your permission to stay may change over the years, but your visa is ancient history. Its only importance in the application for an extension is that it confirms that you received a Non Immigrant permission to stay when originally entering Thailand. People are often confused by this, because Thailand's system of distinguishing between the "visa" and the "permission to stay" is not common around the world. Often, the distinction is unimportant. However, a failure to understand that you are not in Thailand on a visa can lead to trouble. -
Overstay and Western Union
BritTim replied to hsoa's topic in Thai Visas, Residency, and Work Permits
Really? I was unaware of that. I thought even generally unhelpful embassies like the British Embassy would do that much for their citizens. Out of interest, which embassy(ies) are you aware of who refuse to act as a conduit for money sent by family and friends? It must be very difficult, for instance, for those incarcerated without money in the Immigration Detention Centre. -
Visa exemptions under bilateral agreement operate under completely different rules to the standard visa exemptions. As someone else posted, the 30-day extensions are not available. But, Russians (and some others who enter under bilateral agreement) are not subject to the limit on land entries. That does not mean that immigration officials have no discretion to deny them entry. However, with the current Russia-Ukraine war situation, Immigration is being lenient with Russians.
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Overstay and Western Union
BritTim replied to hsoa's topic in Thai Visas, Residency, and Work Permits
If you are really worried (which you should not be, about Western Union at least) you can ask your embassy to receive the money on your behalf. That can also be done using a service like Wise which will mean a much lower transaction fee. If receiving money from friends and family, it is a good way of proceeding because it provides them with assurance that you (presumably a somewhat irreesponsible individual) is using the money for an important and urgent purpose. -
There may be a misunderstanding here: not sure. The longstanding rule was that a visa and extensions for an informal school was only allowed up until the one-year mark after your last entry into Thailand (with a visa or visa exempt). Maybe, that is the problem, and not specifically a Non B visa. If so, you cannot get a Non Ed visa without leaving Thailand to get the visa at a consulate outside Thailand, but a school (a well regarded one at least) should be able to give you paperwork to support a Non Ed visa application somewhere like Vientiane. However, during Covid, the rules regarding time on Non Ed since last entry were not enforced, and different criteria might now apply.