Family trips / visa run for helper to Penang by air?

[Canon1dX2]

Say, we have a good live-in helper from Myanmar whom we want to bring with us when we relocate to Bangkok for work. My family will all have the right work/dependent visas in due time so it is just her whom we really need to do the visa runs for. 

 

Does it make sense for us to do SETV runs in the form of family trips via AirAsia to Penang four times a year? Assuming our helper gets the 30-day extension on the TV. I'm also hoping we can keep it to a 3-day affair so we can save our leave!

 

Main reason why I'm asking is that most visa runs seem to be done using buses so just wondering whether there is anything to watch out for in our case.

 

Thank you.

[BritTim]

My understanding is that you must arrange a work permit for your Myanmar live in domestic. The process for someone from Myanmar is very different from that used for regular work permits. I will not try to explain it as I will probably get things wrong. There are others here who have been through the process, and give give you better advice on what to do.

[Canon1dX2]

Thanks Tim. Appreciate your advice.

 

Anyone else has anything? We are really keen to have our helper come along with us - just trying to see how to make it work, be it officially or unofficially.

[ubonjoe]

29 minutes ago, Canon1dX2 said:

Anyone else has anything? We are really keen to have our helper come along with us - just trying to see how to make it work, be it officially or unofficially.

Getting a tourist visa to stay here long term is no a good idea. Eventually they will run out of places to get them since some embassies and consulate have a limit on the number they will issue.

A tourist visa would be an option on a short term basis until you can work a permanent solution. She could get a non-la visa and a work permit to stay long term. You should look into it after arriving here.

[samran]

She’ll need a passport obviously. 

 

Once you arrive in Thailand you’ll need to get your paperwork sorted. 

 

Once you have you can go to the local labour office, together with the house registration of your landlord (not all of them want to give this) and apply for a ‘quota’ which lets you hire someone from Myanmar/Laos/Cambodia for your home. This is free.

 

the next step is for her to come to Thailand. She will then need to line up at one of the designated hospitals to get a health check and to pay for 2 years worth of insurance. 3800 baht or there about. 

 

Then armed with this and the quota she will need to go to and get the non-immigrant LA visa issued and a work permit which will be in the form of a pink card and show her employed to you. All valid for 2 years.

 

As said, getting the quota issued can be a challenge if you don’t have a sympathetic land lord. 

 

Otherwise (and I suggest it for the latter steps anyway) you hire an agent who can Shepard her through the process and organise an alternate ‘sponsor’.  Not technically legal, but plenty do it given the circumstances.

 

i don’t know any agents - basically when she gets here the Myanmar grapevine will let her know who is best. It is what happened with us. Paid about 10K all up, which included all the fees and charges for visa work permit and insurance. 

[Canon1dX2]

Thanks everyone. I take your points and will discuss with my wife.