Change from non O to non B without leaving?

[Smithson]

Normally if one wanted to switch from non O to non B it would be necessary to leave the country and return. However this is extremely difficult at present, impossible for many.

 

Immigration has shown flexibility for tourists due to covid, is anything similar being done for people working here?

 

Surely there must be something?

[ubonjoe]

You cannot change from a non-o to non-b visa while in the country.

If on a extension of stay you can change the reason for your extension to one based upon working, teaching and etc.

If you are on a extension based upon retirement it is very difficult to apply for a work permit that is needed to apply for a extension that requires one.

If married to a Thai or the parent of A Thai it would not be a problem.

[Smithson]

Thanks as always Joe. I have a WP (own business). Is it possible to change the reason for the extension from Spouse to Employment?

[ubonjoe]

7 minutes ago, Smithson said:

Thanks as always Joe. I have a WP (own business). Is it possible to change the reason for the extension from Spouse to Employment?

Yes

But you couldn't do it until shortly before your current extension ends.

[Smithson]

3 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Yes

But you couldn't do it until shortly before your current extension ends.

Thanks. We have done a non B in the past for another farang without problems. Is it likely to be anymore difficult?

 

And it's no possible to do it in a different province to where the WP is issued?

[ubonjoe]

15 minutes ago, Smithson said:

Thanks. We have done a non B in the past for another farang without problems. Is it likely to be anymore difficult?

And it's no possible to do it in a different province to where the WP is issued?

It should not be any more difficult than the one you did.

It has to be done in the same province the work permit was issued in.

 

[OliveZM]

Hello Joe.

 

I am on a non-O extension but it is for volunteering not marriage.

 

I have an offer of employment but the visa agent is adamant that I must have a non-B visa first, and must leave the country.

 

When I told her that I would like to change my reason for extension of stay, she didn’t seem to understand. She says I need a non-B visa for a work permit application.
 

My first question is 1. Do you know of any concrete examples of people who have successfully changed from a volunteering visa to a non-B in Thailand?

 

My second question is 2. Or do you have a link with the official information explicitly saying this is possible?

Thank you

 

[ubonjoe]

11 hours ago, OliveZM said:

When I told her that I would like to change my reason for extension of stay, she didn’t seem to understand. She says I need a non-B visa for a work permit application.

That depends upon the Department of Employment office you apply for the work permit at. The application for one should be accepted with proof that your non-o visa was issued for volunteer work since the non-o visa can be issued for retirement and family members of those on other extensions of stay.

Agents probably not fully aware of what is needed to apply for work permit. The rules only state you need a non immigrant visa to have one issued but they can be applied for with a tourist visa entry and issued after the applicant get a non immigrant visa.

You only need a work permit application approval letter to change to a extension based upon working.

[OliveZM]

On 10/7/2021 at 8:07 AM, ubonjoe said:

That depends upon the Department of Employment office you apply for the work permit at. The application for one should be accepted with proof that your non-o visa was issued for volunteer work since the non-o visa can be issued for retirement and family members of those on other extensions of stay.

Agents probably not fully aware of what is needed to apply for work permit. The rules only state you need a non immigrant visa to have one issued but they can be applied for with a tourist visa entry and issued after the applicant get a non immigrant visa.

You only need a work permit application approval letter to change to a extension based upon working.

It’s the one in Bangkok. They gave me the WP 25 and it looks straightforward. The Employment Office were quite clear I didn’t need to leave Thailand to apply. They double-checked between staff.

 

The visa agent also told me to cancel my current non-O and ask for a three-week extension even before my employer and I have gathered all the required documents  to attend the Employment Office in Din Daeng.

 

If I can successfully get a work permit application approval letter without cancelling my current visa extension, then isn’t it safer for me to not cancel it until before I actually go to immigration to change it to a non-B?

 

It seems like the rush to cancel my current non-O extension with a month remaining is just more *bad information from the agent again? Or are they actually right about this one for some technical reason?

[ubonjoe]

7 hours ago, OliveZM said:

The visa agent also told me to cancel my current non-O and ask for a three-week extension even before my employer and I have gathered all the required documents  to attend the Employment Office in Din Daeng.

You cannot cancel your non-o visa. There is no 3 week extension you can apply of your current permit to stay (it is not a visa).

7 hours ago, OliveZM said:

If I can successfully get a work permit application approval letter without cancelling my current visa extension, then isn’t it safer for me to not cancel it until before I actually go to immigration to change it to a non-B?

If you the get the work permit application approval letter you could then cancel your current extension and the apply for a extension based upon working on the same day.

As I wrote before you will note be changing from a non-o to a non-b. The only way to that is to leave and reenter the country with a new visa.

 

8 hours ago, OliveZM said:

It seems like the rush to cancel my current non-O extension with a month remaining is just more *bad information from the agent again? Or are they actually right about this one for some technical reason?

More incorrect info.