Missionary/Charity long stay visa

[jst]

I am an American here with my American minor children. We are a Missionary family. I am seeking a long term visa that will cover myself and my minor children. We would like to stay in Thailand for a year or more but our tourist visa limit is approaching. I heard about getting a charity or missions visa. Anyone have info about this? And can minor children be added like they can on a nonO visa? Thanks!

[ubonjoe]

It is possible to get a non immigrant O (non-o) visa for working with a charity. The is a non-r visa to perform missionary or other religious activities. Both would require supporting documents from the organization you would be working with.

After getting the visa it would then be possible to get a one year extensions (90 days in some cases for volunteer work) stay. After you have your extension your family members could get extensions equal to the length of your extensions. They would first need to get non-o visas to apply for the extensions.

[Suradit69]

13 hours ago, jst said:

I am an American here with my American minor children. We are a Missionary family.

Maybe it's just the way you worded that, but it sounds like you're free-lancing.

 

If you're working with/for any missionary organization already operating in Thailand or at least in this part of the world, the organization should have people, either here or in your home country, who make arrangements for travel, shipping, immigrations, housing, schooling for children, etc. 

 

If you're not backed up in terms of these basics, including source of income, you'll probably face hurdles both in meeting immigrations requirements and in surviving here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 20, 2018 by Suradit69

[Ridler]

You need a work permit, missionary work or volunteer work is work so a permit is required

 

[Hanuman2547]

You could ask the Mormons.  They have a lot of missionaries here in Thailand although they are mostly single males.  The head of their mission would be married so maybe that might help.

[dzodun]

It is possible to get a non immigrant O (non-o) visa for working with a charity. The is a non-r visa to perform missionary or other religious activities. Both would require supporting documents from the organization you would be working with.
After getting the visa it would then be possible to get a one year extensions (90 days in some cases for volunteer work) stay. After you have your extension your family members could get extensions equal to the length of your extensions. They would first need to get non-o visas to apply for the extensions.

I volunteer for a Christian foundation (orphanage). So on this trip to Thailand I came in on a 60 day tourist visa. Then I went to Savannakhet to switch to a non o so I could then apply for a volunteer visa. I know about the need for a work permit, which I do not yet have, because the foundation is currently updating it's personal on their board, etc. They are trying to make me assistant director and get me in the yellow book. So today I went to Immigration to ask for an extension. The officer did not seem to know about a volunteer visa; he went through the money requirements for marriage and retirement visas. Otherwise he tells me to go to Cambodia for an "extension". My visa runs out on the 31st. In order to continue in my quest for a "volunteer" visa, what should I apply for when I go tomorrow to Chong Chom?
Where can I find a difinitive Thai government discussion of "volunteer" visas.
Thanks.
David

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[ubonjoe]

10 minutes ago, dzodun said:

My visa runs out on the 31st. In order to continue in my quest for a "volunteer" visa, what should I apply for when I go tomorrow to Chong Chom?

You will not be able to get an extension at a border crossing. If you qualify for a 30 day visa exempt entry that is all you could get.

You would have to go to a embassy or consulate to get a new non-o visa to get more time.
Requirements for an extension for volunteer work is here: https://www.immigration.go.th/content/service_21 

The requirement for a work permit is up in the air at this since some work permit offices are saying it is not required for volunteer work under the new rules.

[stud858]

I feel for you mister, Thailand seems to be ahard nut for allowing outsiders to help with Thai society such as teaching and charity work 

It may workout better for you to find the right agent that is friendly with immigration in this instance. 

Good luck.

[dzodun]

You will not be able to get an extension at a border crossing. If you qualify for a 30 day visa exempt entry that is all you could get.
You would have to go to a embassy or consulate to get a new non-o visa to get more time.
Requirements for an extension for volunteer work is here: https://www.immigration.go.th/content/service_21 
The requirement for a work permit is up in the air at this since some work permit offices are saying it is not required for volunteer work under the new rules.

So could the officer I saw today have given me an extension? He did not seem interested in what I am trying to do at all. I had a Thai lady with me on the board of directors but he paid her no attention. If I had already applied for a work permit, would he have done differently?
David

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[jackdd]

6 minutes ago, dzodun said:

So could the officer I saw today have given me an extension?

Yes, you could have applied for a 30 day tourist visa extension, costs 1900THB. Probably he was confused because of your other questions.

You have to complete this form (you can also get this at the immigration office): http://bangkok.immigration.go.th/download/form_tm7.pdf

 

[dzodun]

Yes, you could have applied for a 30 day tourist visa extension, costs 1900THB. Probably he was confused because of your other questions.
You have to complete this form (you can also get this at the immigration office): http://bangkok.immigration.go.th/download/form_tm7.pdf
 

So now, even though I am not on a tourist visa, I could have applied for a tourist visa extension? As I mentioned earlier, I am currently on a non o for 90 days. I got it based on a stamped
copy of the foundation certificate, along with an invite letter from the director. They also asked to see my updated bank passbook. Twenty thousand was a good enough number.
Could I possibly go back to immigration, explain to him that I got him confused, and ask for a tourist visa extension. It would save considerable time and expense driving to Chong Chom and back.
Thanks again.
David

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[Maestro]

4 hours ago, dzodun said:

So could the officer I saw today have given me an extension?

No, with a permission to stay based on your entry with a non-O visa you could not have applied for a 30-day extension.

[BritTim]

6 hours ago, dzodun said:

So could the officer I saw today have given me an extension? He did not seem interested in what I am trying to do at all. I had a Thai lady with me on the board of directors but he paid her no attention. If I had already applied for a work permit, would he have done differently?
David

My understanding is that they could have issued an extension if you already had a work permit. I am not aware of any extension they could give because you planned to get a work permit. You could take a quick look through the relevant Police Order to see if you can find a reason for an extension that seems to apply.

[jackdd]

5 hours ago, dzodun said:

So now, even though I am not on a tourist visa, I could have applied for a tourist visa extension?

I misunderstood you because you said:

13 hours ago, dzodun said:

So on this trip to Thailand I came in on a 60 day tourist visa.

If you entered Thailand on a non-o visa you can not get a 30 day extension

[ubonjoe]

10 minutes ago, jackdd said:

I misunderstood you because you said:

That was only the first line of his post and you failed to read the rest of it.

13 hours ago, dzodun said:

Then I went to Savannakhet to switch to a non o so I could then apply for a volunteer visa. I know about the need for a work permit, which I do not yet have, because the foundation is currently updating it's personal on their board, etc.

 

[ubonjoe]

5 hours ago, dzodun said:

So now, even though I am not on a tourist visa, I could have applied for a tourist visa extension? As I mentioned earlier, I am currently on a non o for 90 days. I got it based on a stamped copy of the foundation certificate, along with an invite letter from the director.

As I wrote before there is no extension you can get at immigration other than one for working as a volunteer that a I posted a link to the requirements to get it.

Your only option is to do a border hop to get a 30 day visa exempt entry if you qualify for one or return to Savannakhet for another non-o visa.

But Savannakhet might not issue another one unless you at least have a work application approval letter.

If you get a 30 day visa exempt entry you could possibley apply for 90 day non immigrant visa (category O) entry at immigration. See: https://www.immigration.go.th/content/service_81

If you get the 30 day visa exempt entry you could apply for a 30 day extension of it to get more time to get the paperwork together.

[heretostay]

For long-term stays for missionary work, there may also be a Thai-language requirement.

When I sat the Thai proficiency exam a few years ago, many of the people sitting the exam room were South Korean Christian missionaries and I understood from them that they needed a certain grade on the exam to qualify to stay in Thailand as missionaries.  Sorry that I don't have more exact information, but it might be worth checking if you intend to remain in Thailand as missionaries for an extended period of time.

[Suradit69]

2 hours ago, heretostay said:

I understood from them that they needed a certain grade on the exam to qualify to stay in Thailand as missionaries. 

That may have been a requirement of their mission board.  I know of at least one missionary couple who spent some time here (I have no idea what their immigration status was) who arrived with no Thai language ability. Possibly they did some language study after arriving, but they certainly had no Thai language skills at first.