BKKrunaway

Hi all, I am on a Non-IB visa and need to renew my driver's license (2 year -> 5 year). I also have a digital work permit but this does not show my address. So, one of the requirements to renew my driver's license is a certificate of residence. In the past I have just gone to Hua Hin immigration to get this, however, I am considering perhaps getting a yellow book first then using that in the process of renewing my license. My situation is that I reside in a house owned by my Thai partner (not married but registered as de facto spouse at Land Office for usufruct). On the Chanote of the property it shows her name (in Thai) followed by my name (also in Thai) stating that I have a Usufruct. 1) Is a copy of the Chanote (with my name in Thai) acceptable for immigration to issue a certificate of residence? 2) In my situation, what would the process be to get a yellow book? Any advice on these matters, particularly in Prachuap Khiri Khan or Petchaburi province would be greatly appreciated. Cheers!

Hi @BritTim, Fantastic response as always. Thanks for the info. Cheers!

Hi, I am about to enter into a contract with Shelter, see their website here - https://shelter.global/ They provide a visa and work permit service. Essentially, they invoice my client and and then employ me. Seems like a good relationship but I can't find much about these guys online? Has anyone ever used them before? Thanks!

Thanks @DrJack54 Requirements are clear. Would also prefer not to visit the embassy myself (if avoidable). If anyone has more recent info. on good agents in PP please share? Cheers!

Hi, Has anyone recently obtained a Tourist visa or Non-B in Phnom Penh? I have a flight to PP at the end of next month? I plan to get a tourist visa if I don't have all of the docs together for a Non-B by then. Has anyone done either of these visas in PP recently? What was your experience? Last time I was in Cambodia was more than 5 years ago. Back then it was easy to use an agent to visit the Thai Embassy for you. Any recommendations and insight would be appreciated. Cheers!

Thanks @ubonjoe And the work permit will remain with the school? I have just asked them whether we can go on Thursday instead of Friday. And to prepare a termination letter which specifies Friday, 16 September. Appreciate the help. Regards!

Hi, On Friday I will be leaving Thailand. My current employer (a government school) will assist me by sending a representative with me to immigration to help me cancel my visa. According to them this is the only step that needs to happen (from my side at least). Can anyone tell me what this process looks like? It is important to me to get it right as I plan to return to Thailand. I was planning to go to immigration on Friday and leave on Friday night (I already have my ticket) but now I would prefer to do this on Thursday and as there are some other things I need to sort out on Friday. Any advice would be appreciated. Particularly surrounding important documents to keep if I was to work in Thailand again for a new employer. Thanks for the help!

@DjChris28 - this is basically what I was expecting and why this visa would never work for myself. I am in the category you have identified here. These requirements are utter nonsense and will exclude all of the independent contractors (who are more likely the type of people that would actually work from Thailand). The only recourse I see is (as you have stated) to ask my 'client' to make me a permanent employee? I use apostrophes there as I have been contracting for them for ages and consider them my employer (though not on legally). This is opposite to the way that the world is moving and in fact goes against some of the foundations of remote working. They should cut the junk surrounding employer requirements and just say "show us that someone pays you >$80,000 per year for work" (irrespective of whether you are a permanent employee or you invoice them). Should I hope that the protocol may change or just completely write-off this visa? Cheers!

@Northwest87 - sounds like our situations may be similar. Yeah, that audited financials requirement is ridiculous particularly for a contractor. It's a pity since I think it would have been those types (like us) that would have thought that the LTR would be a great option. At this stage I am seriously considering the 20 year elite and getting it over and done with.

Is there any information as yet regard how "WTP: Work-from-Thailand Professionals" will be taxed? There doesn't seem to much info. surrounding the above. Furthermore, to ask your company for "Audited corporate’s annual financial statement or financial report showing the revenue in the last 3 years of no less than 150 million USD" because I want to be a WTP would be embarrassing. There are privately owned companies who employ thousands of people that wouldn't just disclose that information.

@DrJack54 - FYI, I am currently looking at Colombo (actually gotten a Non-B there before) and Ankara (dealt with their embassy when I needed a repatriation flight back to Thailand). Happy to go further than SEA, so long as I don't need to go back to South Africa.

Hi @ubonjoe and @Misty - I have been been thinking of going on to an METV whilst waiting for the LTR visa to materialise. I see that you can apply for this online nowadays, do you know whether this is possible to do from within Thailand? Furthermore, is there a limitation around which citizens may apply online? I am the holder for a South African passport. Lastly, if online is not an option, are there any embassies in the region which offer METVs to non-residents? The requirements for that visa do not seem to stringent and it seems to be a good option for a 6-9 month period with international travel opening up again. Thanks! BKKrunaway

Hi all, Thanks for the advice. @ChaiyaTH - is there any agent you could recommend? @DrJoy and @ubonjoe - I am looking into the Elite visa and would probably lean towards the 20 year at THB 1 mil, however, this could still prove an issue for me when trying to apply for visas to other countries (particularly to visit my daughter in Europe from time to time) as it does not demonstrate strong ties to Thailand as a Non-B and WP does. I recently had to apply for a visa to Japan and they wanted to see my Thai WP for example. Thanks again. BKKrunaway ????

Hi all, I have been in LOS for about 10 years on all sorts of visas. I have a little business overseas that I focus on from here and cannot take up a full time job in Thailand. Up until recently I had a really sweet deal with a school in my area where I come in to teach 1 day per week and they give me a Non-B and Work Permit. Unfortunately for me (fortunately for them) the school has grown and they need another full time teacher so at the end of this semester I will be asked to leave so that my slot can be allocated to a foreigner who is willing to come in every day. I'm not married (this may change in a year or two though) and have no immediate family in Thailand. I need a visa to hold me over for a year until this LTR visa or marriage becomes a reality. Any recommendations? Remember I am not old enough for a retirement visa yet. Been thinking about a Non-ED or another Non-B + WP (most desirable) if I can find another employer that is as flexible as my current one. As I do travel pretty often, it is helpful to me to show "ties" to Thailand so that I can get visas for other countries (Schengen, UK, etc.) in Thailand instead of having to return to my own country for this. If I want to go to Europe I typically have to show a WP in Thailand (to prove that I will return here) before the VFS office will consider processing a Schengen for me. Thanks all!

Hi all, I almost forgot about my 90-day report (never been late for one of these) but did it last night (Sunday, 13 March 2022). Deadline was 13 March 2022. I am now left with a pending status (for almost 24 hours), see the screenshot below; The last couple of times I have done the report online it has been successful. I actually happen to be leaving LOS on Friday (18 March 2022). Remember the 90 day report was due 13 March. Any advice on what I should do here to follow-up? Note that previously. when I did do 90 day reports at immigration (this is a while ago now) they'd always put in a stamp that said you can report 14 days before or 7 days over your next report date. This doesn't seem to be the case with the online reports, see extract from last successful report below; Some advice on how to proceed would be greatly appreciated. Kind regards, BKKrunaway