Tourist visa to non B for Zimbabweans

[brewsterbudgen]

Our school has successfully changed new teachers' tourist visas into non-B visas at Chaengwattana many times. A new teacher with a Zimbabwe passport has been unable to do this, despite having all the paperwork required. He is a native speaker of English but has been told he needs a TOEIC certificate. Apparently, if he goes back to Zimbabwe and applies for a non-B there (or rather in South Africa as there is no Thai Embassy in Harare), he "should" be able to get one, without a TOEIC score.

 

Are there special rules for Zimbabweans?

 

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[ubonjoe]

Maybe they are just enforcing the requirements in his case.

From immigration website. https://www.immigration.go.th/content/service_73

DOCUMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED IN SUPPORT OF THE APPLICATION FOR VISA OR VISA STATUS ALTERATION (NON-B): WORKING AS A TEACHER IN THAILAND

" 5.5 The Applicant’s educational degree certificate (must be translated into Thai or English and certified by local or overseas Embassy or Consulate of the foreigner and by the Legalization Division, Ministry of  Foreign Affairs of Thailand) (For more information, please call 0-2575-1056-9), not less than Bachelor’s degree, academic transcript and evidence of TOEIC scores".

Same in 6.6 on the same page.

[brewsterbudgen]

Maybe they are just enforcing the requirements in his case.
From immigration website. https://www.immigration.go.th/content/service_73
DOCUMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED IN SUPPORT OF THE APPLICATION FOR VISA OR VISA STATUS ALTERATION (NON-B): WORKING AS A TEACHER IN THAILAND
" 5.5 The Applicant’s educational degree certificate (must be translated into Thai or English and certified by local or overseas Embassy or Consulate of the foreigner and by the Legalization Division, Ministry of  Foreign Affairs of Thailand) (For more information, please call 0-2575-1056-9), not less than Bachelor’s degree, academic transcript and evidence of TOEIC scores".
Same in 6.6 on the same page.

Seems strange that a native speaker of English would require a TOEIC score?

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[BritTim]

6 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Seems strange that a native speaker of English would require a TOEIC score?

I agree. However, if there is no way around it, perhaps there is a relatively inexpensive way of getting the TOEIC done here in Thailand. It surely must be cheaper than a round trip ticket to South Africa.

[JaiMaai]

Zimbabwe is not "on the list" to be considered a native speaker. I hope I don't miss one out but I believe it's the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, Ireland and South Africa.

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[BritTim]

1 hour ago, JaiMaai said:

Zimbabwe is not "on the list" to be considered a native speaker. I hope I don't miss one out but I believe it's the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, Ireland and South Africa.

To state the obvious, this is a lousy way of identifying native speakers. For instance, there are plenty of US citizens whose mother tongue is Spanish and who speak limited English. Similarly, Canadian French speakers are not always fluent in English. Meanwhile, most nationals of The Bahamas, for instance, are fluent in English.

 

To be honest, though, few in Thai immigration would be able to tell if someone is a native English speaker.

[JaiMaai]

3 hours ago, JaiMaai said:

Zimbabwe is not "on the list" to be considered a native speaker. I hope I don't miss one out but I believe it's the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, Ireland and South Africa.

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I did miss one out typing in a hurry and typing my phone...

 

New Zealand.

 

 

[I believe that, initially, SA was not on the list and was added later.]

[brewsterbudgen]

The other crazy thing is they require a Bachelors degree awarded by Ramkhamhaeng University to be certified in Zimbabwe!

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[ubonjoe]

15 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

The other crazy thing is they require a Bachelors degree awarded by Ramkhamhaeng University to be certified in Zimbabwe!

The is certainly nuts.

Why on earth are they saying that when the Consular Affairs Department can do it. http://www.consular.go.th/main/th/services/6441/79412-การรับรอง---เอกสารการศึกษา.html