Hello all,

 

My wife and I are currently in Thailand on the visa amnesty.
We had non-immigrant type B (for employment) visas that expired in May, and our work permit also expired in May as planned (it was tourism related work, no possibility to continue with current employer who is currently shutdown).

 

We planned on leaving before September 26, but recent job-related evolutions (in Asia) have now made it more practical for us to try and stay a few months more in Thailand (90 days would be good)  if this is at all possible.

We've started looking into the visa options without leaving the country, and apparently our only choice is going for grey-area conversion to a non-O volunteer, through an agent offering such services, or bouncing which is not an option given the border situation.
 

Not sure what to make of such a process, seems like a easy way to lose a lot of money, especially for 2 people. Are there any major caveats?

As a sidenote we're not planning on returning to Thailand in the near future (so not considering 1,000K for elite), it just so happens that we're still in the country and it would make sense to try to stay here a little longer in the current context.

 

Thanks

 

b

Edited August 6, 20205 yr by bjaz

Kinda similar dilemma here, I got very close to doing a volunteer visa via agents.

 

The one good thing about that is that it makes a lot of sense to be a professional suddenly doing a stint of volunteer work during a pandemic ????

 

Should be easier to get back on a non-B too...?

Yep - It just seems so dodgy.
Worst case scenario money lost and our passports stolen I guess....

As an update, I was just told immigration might officially allow changing from a non-B to ED in the country.

It seems in certain immigration offices it is possible to apply for a new ED visa without going abroad. I think this has been only possible until recently for government schools and universities but maybe now more leniency given for private schools...

1 minute ago, Timwin said:

It seems in certain immigration offices it is possible to apply for a new ED visa without going abroad. I think this has been only possible until recently for government schools and universities but maybe now more leniency given for private schools...

All immigration offices can now convert tourist visas to ED visas

It's certainly possible for tourist visas but all the schools in this area I asked told me it was not possible to change from an expired non-B or non-O to ED in the country at the moment.

This might be changing as well - was told today that they're waiting from an official announcement from immigration.

Edited August 7, 20205 yr by bjaz

21 minutes ago, CorpusChristie said:

All immigration offices can now convert tourist visas to ED visas

All?  Really?  Has there been some announcement?  I thought this was only possible by going through select schools with a special relationship with some immigration offices.

Just now, Phillip9 said:

All?  Really?  Has there been some announcement?  I thought this was only possible by going through select schools with a special relationship with some immigration offices.

Some select Schools were always able to do it , but since the emergency measures have been inplace and all the borders closed , everyone can now do it legally , its part of the visa amnesty