KhemaKhema

As you do know, most people start with a multiple entry tourist visa, which gives one enough time to convert to Non-I. Many things depend on the local immigration too, so .......not sure! :-) It seems. that there have been foreigners ordained before in your monastery, so the monastery or one of its monks or laysupporters should have a connection with SamnagPut or Immigration already? Which lineage is this monastery with, Mahanikaya or Dhammayut? If one does not have a monks ID Card, one should inquire with the SamnagPut on which document is required. Samaneras do get Bai Sutthis too. Applying for Non-I type R from abroad, one needs the letter of recommendation from SamnagPut too. TM30 is usually done in one's home monastery only.

For the reasons already described in my first post (TM86etc), i would still recommend to apply for a single-entry tourist visa. The 60 day stamp may be the same as in visa exempt, the underlying visa is not. With a single-entry tourist visa, he'll be on the safe side and does not become a burden to the monastery and it's generous lay-supporters in case anything goes wrong. Have you been able to contact the local immigration office yet and ask for guidance regarding visa application with visa-exempt only? Out of country application for monks and samaneras with Thai-issued BaiSutthis is definetely possible , for MaeChis and Anagarikas i know only of cases who have applied for a visa while already inside of Thailand (with tourist-visa :-) Applying from outside of the country, one will be issued a 90 day Non-I type R visa, once residing inside Thailand, it can then be extended by 1 year (applying earliest 45 days before date of expiry). Adding to the list of required documents: -TM30

You are welcome! As mentioned before, it used to be NOT possible to change from visa exempt to Non-I Type R. However, please ask your friendly immigration officer at your local office to make sure. Non-I Type R visas are not limited to monks only, they are also available for MaeChis, Samaneras,and Pakaws. I do know a number of monks who have applied for a Non-I Type R from abroad, it is almost the same process as from inside the country. But as one needs a knowledgeable person inside Thailand to organize all the paperwork, it is more difficult to do. Abroad, one will be issued a 3 month visa only, which can then be extended by 1 year inside Thailand, (applying earliest 45 days before date of expiry). The easiest to do for your friend would be to arrive with a multiple-entry tourist visa. I gather, your friend is not a monk yet, so he would also have more time to try things out and adjust to the monastery/the monks life/preparing documents/etc. I do apologize for the confusion, National Office of Buddhism (สำนักพุทธ) and Department of Religious Affairs do mean the same thing in my explanation. The process for -applying for a new visa and the process for -applying for a 1 year extension is virtually the same: One does need a letter of recommendation from the SamnagPut, with this letter and other documents one can then apply for the visa at Immigration. To get the letter of recommendation from the SamnagPut, one needs a form called Prawat, which needs to be filled out with personal information and then needs to be signed by: abbot of monastery, local sangha head, district sangha head and province sangha head, Also, one needs a monks ID Card (called Bai Sutthi), a letter of support from ones abbot and a certificate of residence from ones monastery.

In the past, it used to be: As the process involves a document called TM86 called "change type of visa, การเปลี่ยนประเภท" , and as the person in question does not hold a visa proper, it used to be not possible. However, you might contact your local immigration office and ask for advice. What is impossible in one province may be possible in another province. It is also possible, to apply for a Non-I type R visa from abroad, in your case from Japan. In any case, including applying from abroad, the person in question needs a supporting monastery in thailand to issue him all the usual documents involved with applying for a Non-I type R visa. This includes, a letter of recommendation from the department of religious affairs, an invitation letter from a monastery in thailand, a letter of support from that monastery and others.

If this is a temporary ordination (sometimes also called a traditional ordination), you should be fine with your existing visa. The duration of your existing visa must not end during your monkhood. Usually everyone in Thailand is very supportive to ordination, immigration is most likely to be supportive/acceptive/turn a blind eye. You should make your situation clear to your preceptor (Uppacayo) before ordination, go for a visit to his temple and have a friendly chat. Most strict forest monastery will not accept a married applicant, however, one may go forth as a novice in that case. Read all about it: https://www.dhammatalks.org/vinaya/bmc/Section0054.html You must have a written allowance both of -your wife and -your parents to become a monk. In case you are contemplating of staying on as a monk indefinitely, i would think twice. You will not be able to get a Non-I Visa type R(eligious studies) as a married foreigner.