Changing visa Type-0 to Type-B within Thailand (during COVID)?

[MOEHARD]

I tried to search on here and using Google but I didn't find anything, so apologies if this has already been asked.

 

My wife is on a non-immigrant O visa as my dependent (I am on a non-immigrant B visa) and she has a job offer. However, in normal times you cannot change from an O to B visa within Thailand.

 

Has this changed during COVID?

 

Seems insane that you have to fly to a different country (do quarantine)and then fly back (and do quarantine) to get the new visa type. I also heard that some officers will allow it and some won't but I am not sure about this either.

 

Is leaving the country then coming back the only option ? Any guidance would be appreciated.

[ubonjoe]

If she can apply for a work permit she could then apply for a extension of stay based upon working of her original non-o visa entry. Many work permit offices will not accept the application when a person is on a extension based upon being a family member of person that has a extension of stay.

Non immigrant visa categories cannot be changed without leaving the country for a new visa.

[MOEHARD]

  

Just now, ubonjoe said:

If she can apply for a work permit she could then apply for a extension of stay based upon working of her original non-o visa entry. Many work permit offices will not accept the application when a person is on a extension based upon being a family member of person that has a extension of stay.

Non immigrant visa categories cannot be changed without leaving the country for a new visa.

 

The company that offered her a job is trying to sort it out but they aren't hopeful.

 

I assumed, incorrectly I guess, that Thai immigration would understand there is a worldwide pandemic and international travel is prohibitive, so they would try to make it a bit easier to stay in the country and get a work permit.

 

There is a good chance I will lose my job due to the company closing so I guess we will just have to leave the country after a combined 23 years (of paying taxes) instead of getting on my wife's visa/work permit from a new job.

 

It's crazy to me that they think a good solution is for someone to leave the country and do quarantine there, sort out a new visa at a Thai embassy, then come back into Thailand and do quarantine in order to get a job when they are already in Thailand.

 

Regardless, thank you for your help.

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, MOEHARD said:

 The company that offered her a job is trying to sort it out but they aren't hopeful.

 

I assumed, incorrectly I guess, that Thai immigration would understand there is a worldwide pandemic and international travel is prohibitive, so they would try to make it a bit easier to stay in the country and get a work permit.

 

There is a good chance I will lose my job due to the company closing so I guess we will just have to leave the country after a combined 23 years (of paying taxes) instead of getting on my wife's visa/work permit from a new job.

 

It's crazy to me that they think a good solution is for someone to leave the country and do quarantine there, sort out a new visa at a Thai embassy, then come back into Thailand and do quarantine in order to get a job when they are already in Thailand.

 

Regardless, thank you for your help.

 

As you wrote, there ought to be a process available to deal with edge cases like yours. There simply is not, and it is unreasonable to expect that immigration officials would ignore the written laws to accommodate you.

I believe this is a situation where you are morally justified in conferring with a good agent to see what they can do to help. When regulations are inadvertently unreasonable, there is nothing wrong with finding ways to circumvent them.

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, MOEHARD said:

I assumed, incorrectly I guess, that Thai immigration would understand there is a worldwide pandemic and international travel is prohibitive, so they would try to make it a bit easier to stay in the country and get a work permit.

Immigration is not the problem. It is the Department of Employment of the Labor Ministry that issues the work permit creating the problem.

[MOEHARD]

17 hours ago, BritTim said:

 

As you wrote, there ought to be a process available to deal with edge cases like yours. There simply is not, and it is unreasonable to expect that immigration officials would ignore the written laws to accommodate you.

I believe this is a situation where you are morally justified in conferring with a good agent to see what they can do to help. When regulations are inadvertently unreasonable, there is nothing wrong with finding ways to circumvent them.

 

Yeah I didn't realize this was an edge case but from the lack of results when searching you're probably right that it is.

 

Finding that good agent that can make things "smoother" and work is the hard part. I know there are ways around certain rules because a friend had his visa changed in country when it shouldn't have been possible (different visa types and situation) but still. We'll see what happens I guess with her work HR.

 

Thanks for your help.

[Raymonddiaz]

New Teachers in my school had that problem. It was sorted out by asking the The educational area to request a non B ( they had non B from previous schools) from the immigration office . After getting a 90 days non b they proceeded to get a work permit and finally an extension of stay . ( Nonthaburi Immigration).

[connda]

22 hours ago, MOEHARD said:

There is a good chance I will lose my job due to the company closing so I guess we will just have to leave the country after a combined 23 years (of paying taxes) instead of getting on my wife's visa/work permit from a new job.

It's stories like yours that are models for why anyone with plans to stay long-term in Thailand should reassess their plans and pick a different country that has a path to permanent residency that is actually attainable after living in-country and working (or married to a native of that country). 

There is absolutely no long-term security for the vast majority of expats living here 99%+.  You've invested 23 years of your life, working, paying taxes (we all pay taxes though called VAT), and then when the situation changes out of your favor - you are unceremoniously ejected from the country.

So a warning to younger folks - read and heed.  Find I different country to set down roots.  Thailand is not that country and never will be. 

[MOEHARD]

Just a quick update - I think my wife will have to leave the country, apply for a visa outside at a country that doesn't require quarantine (such as UAE), then come back into Thailand on the new visa and quarantine (and get the work permit).

 

I have another company that wants to hire me right away so hopefully I can skip leaving and coming back / quarantine and just change jobs as soon as this one finishes. If that falls through, I'll have to leave and come back on a tourist visa, then hopefully find a job before I have to switch to my wife's visa as a dependent.

 

I do agree this is a pain, but it is clearly not a priority for the Thai Gov to make it easier.