My Experience Getting A Second Non-immigrant B Visa From Penang

[vanalli]

Hi all,

Well, I came here for advice a while ago about changing jobs and the possibility of my company keeping my visa/wp on for a few weeks after I'd stopped working there. Suffice to say, I did the right thing and left within seven days of my cessation of employment. I have a new job in Phuket and had to make the run to Penang for a second time to get a new non-immigrant B visa (although some people have told me I didn't need to leave the country).

Anyway, here is my experience which maybe you'll find useful. The original post (and details of my first trip) is here on my blog.

I was travelling from Phuket. I opted to go by bus. The bus station in Phuket told me it would cost 1,000 baht to get to Penang, but I went to one of the travel agents just outside the bus station and got a ticket for 750 baht. The trip comprised a minibus to Hat Yai (a little under seven hours) and then another minibus onto Penang. The journey to Penang took six hours because of enormous queues waiting for the boat to the island. I was dropped off at Chulia Street though, so it was no big deal.

The guesthouses and hotels on Chulia Street ranged from RM8 (80 baht) for a dormitory room, through RM17-20 for a single room with a fan, up to RM35-40 for a room with air con.

The process of getting the non-immigrant B Thai visa was as easy as before. A RM24 round trip to the consulate, RM200 for the visa fee, one form to fill in, the usual paperwork and a couple of passport photos. The consulate was busy but I was there for less than half an hour. I picked my passport up the next day (RM20 round trip this time) at 2 p.m. and all was well.

I bought my return ticket to Phuket from Malibu Café (RM70). The minibus left at 8.30 a.m. (there was also a 5.30 a.m. minibus). I changed from a minibus to a regular bus at Hat Yai and was back in Phuket by around 9 p.m.

I was on Penang from Sunday to Wednesday (three nights). Total cost, including my non-immigrant B Thai visa, all transport and accommodation, was RM570 (5,700 baht).

Edit: I edited this post to make it shorter and not bore people; this is a forum after all.

Edited June 9, 2007 by vanalli

[vanalli]

The link is fixed now. Sorry, I'd left the post as private.

[PoorSucker]

Did you get 3-months or 1 year?

[vanalli]

3 months. My understanding is that without a work permit you cannot get one year.

[JonnieB]

Anyone have some recent experience on getting a non-immigrant B or O visa for people with Thai companies?

I am the MD of a legit Thai company (OK, it's my house holding company) but I file annual corpl. tax returns for it and pay taxes and have the tax returns, receipts and stamps, etc. to show it. Can I get a single or multiple entry non-imm B visa out of Penang with this documentation? If so, what docs. do I need to take with me?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

PS: I don't need any advice about Penang - where to stay or where the embassy is located. I have been there many times but for T-visas. Just need specifics on the paperwork for non-imm B visas for Thai business owners.