Extending stay in Thailand beyond initial 90-day Non-Immigrant-B visa without obtained work permit.

[AbelBabel]

Imagine someone arrived in the country on their initial 90 days Non-Immigrant-B visa based on a job offer (with Pre-Work Permit WP3) and then never started their job and never got their actual work permit within those initial 90 days. What are their options of extending their stay in Thailand beyond those 90 days without needing to exiting the country for doing so?

Can the initial 90 day Non-Immigrant-B visa be extended (similar to the way a tourist visa TR or visa waiver could in the old pre COVID-19 days), say for additional 30 or (ideally another) 90 days? So that they would still be on Non-Immigrant-B visa status, still able to start their job / get a work permit even after the initial 90 days have passed? (Preferred solution).

Can the initial 90 day Non-Immigrant-B visa be changed (status alteration) into a Tourist Visa TR, so that the visa holders could remain in the country for an additional 60 or 90 days after their initial 90 day period on the Non-Immigrant-B visa is over?

Can the initial 90 day Non-Immigrant-B visa be changed (status alteration) into an Education Visa ED with a non-formal institution (e.g. language school), so that the visa holders could remain in the country for an additional 3, 6 or 9 month after their initial 90 day period on the Non-Immigrant-B visa is over?

Any other possibilities for non-married persons without children and under the age of 50?

[ubonjoe]

A non immigrant visa category cannot be changed in the country.

You can though apply for extensions of stay other than for working, teaching and etc. For example attending a school, volunteer work, marriage and retirement.

You can also apply for a 30 day extension with a letter from your embassy that would allow you to stay until November 30th and then possibley 60 days.

[bjaz]

We tried to get an non-ED extension of stay (for a language course) from a single-entry 90-day non-B for employment that expired during the amnesty, as did our work permits, cancelled/returned, also during the amnesty.

Unfortunately after a long wait for "governmental announcements" allowing such a change, that were supposed to be announced around September 15 according to different schools/agents in contact with immigration offices, the regulation amendments never came, and we were refunded the preliminary amount we had paid to apply - meaning it's apparently not possible to get a in-country non-ED extension from a non-B at the moment.

Going through an agent, the most common in-country extension offered (if not married to a Thai national and under 50) is currently the non-O extension for volunteer work, where you'll be affiliated to a registered foundation. It's possible get a 12 month extension of stay from a non-B in country for volunteering purposes (not allowed to do paid work).
 

Actual extension is a standard 1900 THB, but the shall we say "all-inclusive package" will bring costs up to 35 to 50K on average for a 12 month extension of stay.

Good luck!

[ubonjoe]

34 minutes ago, bjaz said:

Unfortunately after a long wait for "governmental announcements" allowing such a change, that were supposed to be announced around September 15 according to different schools/agents in contact with immigration offices, the regulation amendments never came, and we were refunded the preliminary amount we had paid to apply - meaning it's apparently not possible to get a in-country non-ED extension from a non-B at the moment.

The problem is due to the rules for a studying at a informal school such as a language school. The rules state that you can only stay in the country for one year after entering with a non-ed visa. The one year includes the 90 days from the visa and then 90 day extensions for a total stay of one year.

If they would start the one year from the day you apply for the first extension it would not be a problem to use existing a non-b visa entry.

If attending a formal school such as a university the entry with a new visa is not required and you can get one year extensions back to back.

[Promula]

If they allowed the switch that the OP is talking about, you're going to get a flood of people accepting job offers, getting the employer to pay for the quarantine, and then not turning up for work.

 

Not saying the OP did that or is contemplating doing it, but there are reports of people thinking they can get an STV to enter Thailand and then switch their visa, which is a similar scenario.