I am from the United States of America and this is my third year as a Buddhist monk, a member of the Dhammayut order USA/Thailand.   I am trying to understand my place in the Thai visa system.  Most information I find online deals with people looking for a visa BEFORE ordaining as a buddhist monk with the hopes of ordaining in Thailand.  Most arrive on a tourist visa and change to a Non-immigrant visa in Thailand.  My main question is, would it be possible with a letter from my monastery in the USA and a letter from the American Dhammayut chairman (defining the reasons and giving consent for my travel) to receive a Non -immigrant "R" before leaving the United States?  If not would would be required to receive a Non-immigrant visa Before leaving for Thailand? Or is it just easier to travel on a tourist visa  and switch in country?

 

Thank you for any advice.

Edited October 4, 20178 yr by Rok1234
Forgot Question

8 hours ago, Rok1234 said:

My main question is, would it be possible with a letter from my monastery in the USA and a letter from the American Dhammayut chairman (defining the reasons and giving consent for my travel) to receive a Non -immigrant "R" before leaving the United States?

I suggest you check with the embassy or one of the 3 consulates in the states about getting the visa. I think they would issue you a single entry non-r visa with paperwork from your monastery.

The embassy website does not have the non-r visa requirements on it. See: http://thaiembdc.org/visas/

This link (associated with the Helsinki Embassy, not the US) indicates requirements which I am guessing would be similar, to apply for a Non Imm R.

1 hour ago, Sri Thanonchai said:

With respect to your enquiry, it would be advisable for you to arrive and report to the Abbott of your Wat who will then register you with Immigration who will then issue you with a Religious Visa for a duration specified by the Abbott and confirmed by the Religious Affairs Dept.  Satu 

So Immigration locally issue Visas?

Or did you mean Extension of stay (not a Visa)?

R,Visa issued locally, Embassy visit not necessary personally involved in this process for Germans, Australian, Swedish. Abbott calls send someone to pick up passports, simple, no charge 

11 minutes ago, Evilbaz said:

So Immigration locally issue Visas?

I was wondering about that too. In most cases visas are only available from embassies/consulates outside Thailand. In some cases immigrations will change the type of visa entry you originally made. Even to obtain an extension of stay in Thailand I doubt it could be obtained if you simply "arrived" in Thailand which I assume means a visa exempt entry. Presumably you'd need to start out with some type of Non-Imm visa entry.

 

1 hour ago, Sri Thanonchai said:

it would be advisable for you to arrive and report to the Abbott

 

Edited October 5, 20178 yr by Suradit69

4 minutes ago, Sri Thanonchai said:

R,Visa issued locally, Embassy visit not necessary personally involved in this process for Germans, Australian, Swedish. Abbott calls send someone to pick up passports, simple, no charge 

What would be the point of issuing a visa to someone already in Thailand? I suspect you mean immigrations would change the person's type of visa entry & permission to stay or issue an extension of stay rather than a visa.

2 hours ago, Sri Thanonchai said:

With respect to your enquiry, it would be advisable for you to arrive and report to the Abbott of your Wat who will then register you with Immigration who will then issue you with a Religious Visa for a duration specified by the Abbott and confirmed by the Religious Affairs Dept.  Satu 

It certainly would not be that easy. It is more than the Abbot registering him.

See here for the requirements on the immigration website. https://www.immigration.go.th/content/service_83

5 hours ago, Sri Thanonchai said:

With respect to your enquiry, it would be advisable for you to arrive and report to the Abbott of your Wat who will then register you with Immigration who will then issue you with a Religious Visa for a duration specified by the Abbott and confirmed by the Religious Affairs Dept.  Satu 

According to Wikipedia.... Satu is a popular female name in Finland, meaning Fairy Tale  which is just about right.

Edited October 5, 20178 yr by 007 RED

2 hours ago, 007 RED said:

According to Wikipedia.... Satu is a popular female name in Finland, meaning Fairy Tale  which is just about right.

You will not get a reply to your post from him. He can no longer do posts. (suspended from doing them).

23 hours ago, Suradit69 said:

What would be the point of issuing a visa to someone already in Thailand? I suspect you mean immigrations would change the person's type of visa entry & permission to stay or issue an extension of stay rather than a visa.

One cannot get a "Non-Imm" extension of stay from a Tourist-Visa entry.  The "Conversion" process involves immigration, in country, stamping a 90-Day Non-Imm visa in one's passport, which is immediately "used" - after which, in the last 30 days of that, one can apply for a non-imm type extension of stay. 

3 hours ago, JackThompson said:

One cannot get a "Non-Imm" extension of stay from a Tourist-Visa entry.  The "Conversion" process involves immigration, in country, stamping a 90-Day Non-Imm visa in one's passport, which is immediately "used" - after which, in the last 30 days of that, one can apply for a non-imm type extension of stay. 

Not sure what your point is. You haven't said anything other than what I did.

 

On 10/5/2017 at 11:32 AM, Suradit69 said:

I suspect you mean immigrations would change the person's type of visa entry & permission to stay

Change type of visa entry and permission to stay = conversion

 

 

Not simply as the o/p stated a non-imm R visa was obtained from immigrations immediately on application.

 

On 10/5/2017 at 11:24 AM, Sri Thanonchai said:

R,Visa issued locally

 

 I understand the conversion process ( as it  most often is applied to someone arriving with a tourist visa or visa exempt entry and wants to eventually apply for a retirement extension) which is why I said that they might change his visa entry type (i.e. issue and cancel a visa and change his visa entry type). He wouldn't be given a usable visa as suggested by the O/P  but, through a legal fiction, his entry type and permission to stay would be changed.

 

No one said anything about a tourist visa. The O/P only said he should "arrive." That could imply a visa exempt entry.

4 hours ago, Suradit69 said:

Not sure what your point is. You haven't said anything other than what I did.

 

Change type of visa entry and permission to stay = conversion

 

 

Not simply as the o/p stated a non-imm R visa was obtained from immigrations immediately on application.

 

 

 I understand the conversion process ( as it  most often is applied to someone arriving with a tourist visa or visa exempt entry and wants to eventually apply for a retirement extension) which is why I said that they might change his visa entry type (i.e. issue and cancel a visa and change his visa entry type). He wouldn't be given a usable visa as suggested by the O/P  but, through a legal fiction, his entry type and permission to stay would be changed.

 

No one said anything about a tourist visa. The O/P only said he should "arrive." That could imply a visa exempt entry.

Visa Exempt and Tourist Visas are both Tourist-types, and the process is almost the same to do the "conversion."  Just making clear to whomever reads this, that what you call "Change type of visa" is actually "Obtain a 90-Day Non-Imm visa from Immigration."  It's somewhat confusing for many, since the general rule is, "You must to to a consulate abroad to get a visa" - but not in this case.

 

As to the other poster's claim that the "non-imm R visa was obtained from immigrations immediately on application," - that is definitely not per-spec.  But, the thing is, Immigration can pretty much do whatever they want.  If some abbot has a friend at immigration, they could do the conversion and 1-year extension at the same time - just like they do for high-fee agents to process Retirement applications "all at once." 

 

But, he certainly should not expect it to go that way.    I have seen Farang monks queued up in Chang Wattana, going through the process.

The Abbot @ the temple to which you are assigned will have all the information you require.