Journalist Visa "M"

[Doctor1]

Hi,

 

I'm a Freelance Journalist planing to move to Thailand.

According to new guidelines it seems quite tricky to get a "M" Visa without "fulltime employment".

Anybody got some firsthand experience about getting that type of Visa? Or would you recommend a different Visa type instead?

 

Especially confuses me that the rules demand a "full time employment", which excludes freelancers. However on a Clarification Release the Ministry of foreign Affairs stated that they will issue media card to "Freelancers that require media card to work for news agency"

 

Thanks for the replies!

Edited August 3, 2019 by Doctor1

[simon43]

I'm no expert on this.  But I seem to recall that in order to qualify for an M visa, you need to be an accredited journalist working for a news agency or media channel with registered offices in Thailand.

[DrJack54]

Why do you want a visa for "freelance" work other than live here. I'm less of expert than Simon above post. 

However just think about it. I want come live Thailand as freelance Poet. That must be easy?

[ubonjoe]

Have you looked at this info on the MFA website. http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/media-center/25543-Information-for-Foreign-Press.html

[Doctor1]

26 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Why do you want a visa for "freelance" work other than live here. I'm less of expert than Simon above post. 

However just think about it. I want come live Thailand as freelance Poet. That must be easy?

I know what you mean, but it requires extensive research work on site, not just in front of the computer. Hence i wanted to check what would be the most legit way to get a media card.

Edited August 3, 2019 by Doctor1

[Doctor1]

27 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Have you looked at this info on the MFA website. http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/media-center/25543-Information-for-Foreign-Press.html

Thanks, didnt knew they provide an E-System..

[LivinLOS]

Please update this thread if you have success.. 

 

This is a rare visa class, and its one I try to follow. If in the future Thailand ever really did want to offer a kind of nomad visa, or a kind of online publishers visa, this would be the perfect visa to adapt. I am not saying it is possible now, just its one I could see evolving. 

[FritsSikkink]

Forget about it:

 

Visa for foreign media will be issued to applicant with the following qualifications:

 

1. Must be employed by a news agency registered with the competent agency of either Thai or foreign government.
2. Works full time as a correspondent of a news agency and does not intend to take employment elsewhere except as a correspondent of a news agency.
3. Shall report on Thailand during his/ her period of stay in the Kingdom which shall exceed 3 months.
4. Has no work or behavior which indicates possible harm to the public or constituting any disruption to the public order or to the security of the Kingdom. The applicant shall not be under warrant of arrest by competent officials of foreign governments.
5. Has never committed intentional distortion of information when applying for a Media Visa.
6. This category of visa covers contributors in fields of politics and economy. Extra supporting documents shall be submitted upon request for contributors in such fields as entertainment, leisure, sports, fashion, interior design, and religion.
   
   http://mmos.mfa.go.th/guideline/

[LivinLOS]

14 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

Forget about it:

 

Visa for foreign media will be issued to applicant with the following qualifications:

 

1. Must be employed by a news agency registered with the competent agency of either Thai or foreign government.
2. Works full time as a correspondent of a news agency and does not intend to take employment elsewhere except as a correspondent of a news agency.
3. Shall report on Thailand during his/ her period of stay in the Kingdom which shall exceed 3 months.
4. Has no work or behavior which indicates possible harm to the public or constituting any disruption to the public order or to the security of the Kingdom. The applicant shall not be under warrant of arrest by competent officials of foreign governments.
5. Has never committed intentional distortion of information when applying for a Media Visa.
6. This category of visa covers contributors in fields of politics and economy. Extra supporting documents shall be submitted upon request for contributors in such fields as entertainment, leisure, sports, fashion, interior design, and religion.
   
   http://mmos.mfa.go.th/guideline/

And yet people have posted as having obtained it and a work permit. 

[FritsSikkink]

1 hour ago, LivinLOS said:

And yet people have posted as having obtained it and a work permit. 

So ask them.

[midzo]

A buddy of mine lived in Thailand for nearly 15 years on this visa. And he was a legitimate, award-winning journalist. 

He was denied for a renewal about three years ago, as he was not full-time with a registered news agency. He's in France now. 

Freelancer? Forget it. Unless the envelope is thick enough. 

[dluek]

I've had a Non-Imm M visa and related work permit for six years. If you do most of your work for an accredited and legit media agency, ask if they'd consider sponsoring you.

 

They'd have to write a letter stating that you are doing work for them which requires you to be in Thailand, plus a second letter describing the nature of their agency. If the agency is somewhat obscure, as is my employer, the MFA will check in that country to make sure it's real and meets their guidelines. I.e. "Jim's travel blog" won't cut it, especially if Jim is both the sponsor and the applicant. But my experience proves that it does not have to be a major media company. 

 

You would then submit the two letters along with a bunch of other stuff via the online application here: http://mmos.mfa.go.th/   

 

As Thai govt online pages go, this one is relatively user-friendly. The various MFA people I've dealt with have always been polite and fair to me as well - it's a different world compared to Immigration. 

 

Without the sponsorship letters, you have no chance. Even with the letters, you will most likely be denied if it's obvious that you're a freelancer and not a full-time correspondent. So, ask your sponsoring agency to consider this when wording the letter. A copy of your contract with the agency is also required the first time you apply, as I recall. 

 

A month or so after submitting the application, the MFA will request additional documentation if needed (believe me, there is always something), or go ahead and invite you to the in-person interview that all M visa applicants must pass. I did this at the MFA in Bangkok because I was already in-country when first applying, but those applying outside of Thailand are interviewed at their nearest Thai embassy. 

 

As others have noted, it has become difficult for freelancers to acquire this visa type. Prior to a few years ago, legit freelance journos could acquire it by seeking sponsorship from any of the agencies they do regular work for. The junta changed that. 

 

If you are successful, you can't ask for a better long-term visa for Thailand. Once it's issued, work permit and press card come automatically. Well, you have to go apply and pay for them, but MFA will supply you with letters that trump the judgment (or mood) of any Immigration official. MFA has rank, in other words, and they're the ones who decide if you should be here, not Immigration. Yearly renewals are straightforward, but you have to get the same media agency to write a new letter every year and submit clips showing that you are still working for them. Best of luck if you go for it. 

 

[LivinLOS]

4 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

So ask them.

Isnt that precisely the reason for the thead ? 

[brewsterbudgen]

This must be the visa that Jonathan Head has.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Doctor1]

On 8/4/2019 at 6:44 AM, midzo said:

A buddy of mine lived in Thailand for nearly 15 years on this visa. And he was a legitimate, award-winning journalist. 

He was denied for a renewal about three years ago, as he was not full-time with a registered news agency. He's in France now. 

Freelancer? Forget it. Unless the envelope is thick enough. 

Confusing part is, that the MFA quotes specifically "Freelancers" in their Clarification from 2016.

Seems like its not worth the paper it is written on, looking at the denial of your friend.

 

Source:

http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/media-center/14/64773-Clarifications-on-the-Announcement-on-the-Revision.html

Edited August 5, 2019 by Doctor1

[Doctor1]

Is there anybody who recently got a hold of that visa type or got rejected?