Hello-

Yes, another question about coming to Thailand from US soil... I've been searching for jobs so that I can come over to BKK with a non-immigrant visa in hand around the middle of August. Since I expect plane ticket prices to start increasing very soon, and tickets themselves selling out, I'm considering just getting a tourist visa and extending it once I get a job in Bangkok. The person from the Thai Consulate in New York assured me that I wouldn't need to show my plane ticket to get either visa. My concern is that my tourist visa, should I go that route, is only good for 60-90 days, and I'd like to buy a roundtrip plane ticket for longer than that. Will border guards or immigration officers give me a hard time if I do this, or should I just get a return ticket for two months after my departure date? (As soon as I get a decent teaching position, I would of course push my departing my plane ticket back a few months...)

It's all still somewhat confusing for me at this point, and any help would be appreciated. Thank you!

Todd

If you have a 60 day tourist visa ( which is extendable by a further 30 days ) you won't have problems with Immigration. But you cannot work on a tourist visa, nor is it able to be converted to a non-immigrant visa for business purposes.

An open return should be fine, then you can decide later exactly when you want to fly.

If you do get a job you will need to go to Malayisa and apply for a Non-Immigrant visa, so that your employer can then get a work Permit Permit for you.

Good luck

How much of a pain is it to go to Malaysia? I mean, are we talking about a day trip or a week-long stay of waiting in line at an embassy?

How about this: what if I don't get a tourist visa at all--I believe I'm allowed in for 30 days on my passport alone--then get the job/non-immigrant B visa once I arrive?

I've been sending out resumes to TEFL schools found on ajarn.com and have only gotten nibbles... I'm qualified, and a job would quell most of my concerns!

Thanks for getting back to me! Todd

How much of a pain is it to go to Malaysia? I mean, are we talking about a day trip or a week-long stay of waiting in line at an embassy?

How about this: what if I don't get a tourist visa at all--I believe I'm allowed in for 30 days on my passport alone--then get the job/non-immigrant B visa once I arrive?

I've been sending out resumes to TEFL schools found on ajarn.com and have only gotten nibbles... I'm qualified, and a job would quell most of my concerns!

Thanks for getting back to me! Todd

Would you get a formal job offer with a month ? The tourist visa is for 60 days and is extendable by another 30 days in country. That might be good insurance for you.

I would obviously prefer the 60/90 day tourist visa, but assume it would be really difficult to get a working visa. As you've previously mentioned, I would be unable to obtain a non-immigrant visa if I was staying in the country on a tourist visa. So my only option then would be to do a border run? What does that entail exactly?

Sorry to be bombarding you all with questions, it's just starting to get near crunch time-- I don't want to pay $2000 for a plane ticket come august if they're around $800 right now!

Todd

I would obviously prefer the 60/90 day tourist visa, but assume it would be really difficult to get a working visa. As you've previously mentioned, I would be unable to obtain a non-immigrant visa if I was staying in the country on a tourist visa. So my only option then would be to do a border run? What does that entail exactly?

Sorry to be bombarding you all with questions, it's just starting to get near crunch time-- I don't want to pay $2000 for a plane ticket come august if they're around $800 right now!

Todd

If you get a job, the rest of the formalities are a breeze if you are aided by a bona fide employer.

Once you have the job offer and paperwork you travel to Penang by bus/train/air. Apply for non immigrant B visa in morning and pick up the next afternoon on any non holiday, Monday-Friday. Cost transport, usually two-three nights hotel, visa fee. It really is a nice trip the first few times.