Work Permit

[gettingby]

Looking for recomendations on lawyers to walk me thru the One Stop Service Center on Rachada to get work permit. Do I really need a "lawyer", or just someone to write everything in Thai and help interface with beaurocrats?

[lopburi3]

The One Stop Center is no longer on Ratchada from recent reports but on Pahonyothan Road just 100 meters NE after Central Plaza Lat Phao on the 16 floor of office tower (believe tower two and name Rosa or some such).

You will not need to write anything in Thai and anything you read would be in both English and Thai I suspect.

You do qualify for using the One Stop Center?

[Sunbelt Asia]

Looking for recomendations on lawyers to walk me thru the One Stop Service Center on Rachada to get work permit. Do I really need a "lawyer", or just someone to write everything in Thai and help interface with beaurocrats?

When you are applying for the work permit, you will be applying for the extension of stay based on business as well. ( unless you have a extension of stay based on marriage already)

In most cases, this extension of stay based on business application and documents required will be around 150 pages.

What a lawyer does is save you the learning curve of six or more trips of going to the One Stop Service and making the One Stop Service a true One Stop.

Work permit professsional fees are 6,500 Baht. Government fees are 3,100 Baht.

Second year( 3rd, 4th, etc)... renewal of work permit professional fees are 3,800 Baht. Government fees are 3,100 Baht.

Extension of stay based on business professional fees are 6,500 Baht. Government fee are 1,900 Baht

Second year ( 3rd, 4th,etc) ... renewal of extension of stay professional fees are 3,800 Baht. Government fees are 1,900 Baht.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

[smartecosse]

worth every penny (satang)

[AJARNJACK]

I'm not so 'swift' as to understand what I may be up against so I would like someone to please advise me as to the process.

I'm a 55 yr. old American who is married to a Thai lady and am presently teaching English at a local government high school on a Retirement Visa. My visa is up for renewal in April and I'm considering applying for the Alien Relative (Marriage) Visa so that I can get a Work Permit for teaching privately instead of signing up for 'babysitting' at a government high school next term.

Is it possible to get a Work Permit to teach privately from my home? If not, I hesitate to loose my Retirement Visa because I'm 'grandfathered' on the old 800k requirment of money in the bank instead of 65k needed each month now. If the marriage should fail in the future I don't want to be 'in a bind' here in Thailand concerning a yearly visa. I don't want to have to open an official school with Thai staff since I can't afford that route. Language schools usually don't want to offer a work permit to someone who they can't place in a school full time and I don't want that job again. Lots of schools will use you to teach part-time, but they won't offer work permits either. Many foreigners teach without one but I don't want any possible problems from an angry Thai turning me into Immigration!

I look forward to reading what the knowledgeable members of this forum have to say.

[lopburi3]

I'm not so 'swift' as to understand what I may be up against so I would like someone to please advise me as to the process.

I'm a 55 yr. old American who is married to a Thai lady and am presently teaching English at a local government high school on a Retirement Visa. My visa is up for renewal in April and I'm considering applying for the Alien Relative (Marriage) Visa so that I can get a Work Permit for teaching privately instead of signing up for 'babysitting' at a government high school next term.

Is it possible to get a Work Permit to teach privately from my home? If not, I hesitate to loose my Retirement Visa because I'm 'grandfathered' on the old 800k requirment of money in the bank instead of 65k needed each month now. If the marriage should fail in the future I don't want to be 'in a bind' here in Thailand concerning a yearly visa. I don't want to have to open an official school with Thai staff since I can't afford that route. Language schools usually don't want to offer a work permit to someone who they can't place in a school full time and I don't want that job again. Lots of schools will use you to teach part-time, but they won't offer work permits either. Many foreigners teach without one but I don't want any possible problems from an angry Thai turning me into Immigration!

I look forward to reading what the knowledgeable members of this forum have to say.

There has not been any change in retirement requirements - it is still 800k or 65k or combination. The only change is that the 800k must now have a 3 month record in the bank prior to each renewal.

[AJARNJACK]

Thanks again for your input, Lopburi3. I'm clear on the Retirement Visa Renewal process and what I need to do as far as obtaining an Alien Relative (Marriage) Visa.

My BIG QUESTION concerns being issued a Work Permit to teach privately from my house. Is this possible, being an American, 55 yrs. old and married to a Thai? Knowing if that is or isn't possible will help me decide whether to just renew my Retirement Visa or go through the additonal paperwork involved with the Alien Relative Visa. Like I mentioned earlier, most language schools or regular schools that will offer part time work usually don't want to get a Work Permit for you because of the added expense. So I'd end up working illegally for them as much as I would if I taught from my home on a Retirement Visa. I'd prefer to do it legally.

Again, I'm asking for clarification on the issue of whether or not it is possible to get a Work Permit to teach on a marriage visa from my home. If so, what are the steps involved? I would greatly appreciate some advice on this matter.

[Sunbelt Asia]

Thanks again for your input, Lopburi3. I'm clear on the Retirement Visa Renewal process and what I need to do as far as obtaining an Alien Relative (Marriage) Visa.

My BIG QUESTION concerns being issued a Work Permit to teach privately from my house. Is this possible, being an American, 55 yrs. old and married to a Thai? Knowing if that is or isn't possible will help me decide whether to just renew my Retirement Visa or go through the additonal paperwork involved with the Alien Relative Visa. Like I mentioned earlier, most language schools or regular schools that will offer part time work usually don't want to get a Work Permit for you because of the added expense. So I'd end up working illegally for them as much as I would if I taught from my home on a Retirement Visa. I'd prefer to do it legally.

Again, I'm asking for clarification on the issue of whether or not it is possible to get a Work Permit to teach on a marriage visa from my home. If so, what are the steps involved? I would greatly appreciate some advice on this matter.

Getting the work permit as a consultant and setting up a sole proprietorship would not be that difficult. However getting the work permit for being a teacher and being approved as a school out of your house would take a long time (around a year before knowing if you would be approved)

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

[AJARNJACK]

Thank you so much, Sunbelt Asia, for your quick response to this question.

[Sunbelt Asia]

Thank you so much, Sunbelt Asia, for your quick response to this question.

Thank you as well, for taking the time to say the "Thanks". Much appreciated.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

[TommyGun]

I have a quick question.

I require a work permit however my uk passport runs out in April and my non O visa June. I have read somewhere similar asking how that can be, but my visa runs does out after my passport.

Do i need a full year on my passport before applying for a work permit.

Thanks

[Sunbelt Asia]

I have a quick question.

I require a work permit however my uk passport runs out in April and my non O visa June. I have read somewhere similar asking how that can be, but my visa runs does out after my passport.

Do i need a full year on my passport before applying for a work permit.

Thanks

Odds are high that the Labor Dept would never check the expiration date of your passport, just the visa. However best to get a new passport sooner rather than later.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

[Martin_F]

I have a quick question.

I require a work permit however my uk passport runs out in April and my non O visa June. I have read somewhere similar asking how that can be, but my visa runs does out after my passport.

Do i need a full year on my passport before applying for a work permit.

Thanks

Odds are high that the Labor Dept would never check the expiration date of your passport, just the visa. However best to get a new passport sooner rather than later.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

I assume you mean your passport expires in April 2008 not next month.

It is easier to get a new passport if not they will issie the visa to the day your passport expires and you will have to get the visa and workpermit changed for the new passport (read additional fees).