Business Visa Actually For Business

[jstumbo]

I have a few questions about business visas. Maybe someone can help me out if they know the answers.

I work for a US importer. I am responsible for working with th factoris we have products manufactured at in China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand. I have to move around from country to country, spending about 1 week a month in Thailand.

We will be increasing our production in Thailand considerably soon and I will have to be spending at least 3 weeks each month in Thailand working with the factories, inspecting shipments and working on new products.

For the last few years, I have just been using the visa waiver program to come and go, since I was never there more than two weeks a month, I never had a probelm. But now if I start staying 3+ weeks a month, I think I am going to run into a problem.

From what I have seen about the business visa it talks about work permits form the Thai company you will be working for, and needing things like company balance sheets and everything. I do not work for a Thai company, I work for a US company that does not have any offices in any country besides the US. Also, I doubt very much that these factories are going to give me copies of their balance sheets.

Is it possible to actually get a business visa for someone in the country doing business, and not working for a Thai company?

Thanks,

Jim

[Cyberstar]

From what I have seen about the business visa it talks about work permits form the Thai company you will be working for, and needing things like company balance sheets and everything. I do not work for a Thai company, I work for a US company that does not have any offices in any country besides the US. Also, I doubt very much that these factories are going to give me copies of their balance sheets.

Is it possible to actually get a business visa for someone in the country doing business, and not working for a Thai company?

Are you asking about visa, workpermit or both?

As for wp, the answer is no under those circumstances. If the US company had a properly set up office in Thailand, it would be a different matter.

As for the visa - yes, it is possible to get a non-imm "B" visa without working for a Thai company.

[jstumbo]

Are you asking about visa, workpermit or both?

As for wp, the answer is no under those circumstances. If the US company had a properly set up office in Thailand, it would be a different matter.

As for the visa - yes, it is possible to get a non-imm "B" visa without working for a Thai company.

I guess I am not sure when I would need a work permit and when I would not. I will be going to the factory, checking on our orders and talking with them about new products. Basic business stuff that a US importer would want to do. I don't call that working, but I have no idea if that is defined as working in Thailand.

I would think that I would only need a business visa. One that allows me to come into the country, interact with the factory and make sure my orders are correct. But from what I see on the webpages, it is tied in with a work permit and requires all the paperwork from the Thai company that you will be working with. I am not working, just want to come and go on business.

We do not have a Thai office and because of the costs and requirements for opening up one, at this point it is not really an option.

Since we will be doing more business in Thailand, I will probably be in country at least 3 weeks a month, with 2 day trips to Indonesia, Malaysia and other countries.

Jim

[WAERTH]

Hi Jim,

Get yourself a non imm B multiple entry visa at a consulate nearest to you in the US. If applied for in your home country with a supporting letter from your company it is a very painless process (at least in the Netherlands at the Amsterdam consulate it is). With a non imm B multiple you can come and go as often as you wish for a year. Very easy and gets you a warm smile from the immigration officer at the airport.

The letter has to state company name, reason for being send here and the companies chamber of commerce registration. No files about loss balance etc. In my letters in the past years it mentioned specifically that I was residing in Bangkok.

Waerth

[jstumbo]

Hi Jim,

Get yourself a non imm B multiple entry visa at a consulate nearest to you in the US. If applied for in your home country with a supporting letter from your company it is a very painless process (at least in the Netherlands at the Amsterdam consulate it is). With a non imm B multiple you can come and go as often as you wish for a year. Very easy and gets you a warm smile from the immigration officer at the airport.

The letter has to state company name, reason for being send here and the companies chamber of commerce registration. No files about loss balance etc. In my letters in the past years it mentioned specifically that I was residing in Bangkok.

Waerth

That sounds good. It didn't make any sense to me that someone would need a work permit to work for a Thai company just to enter the country on a business visa to do business with Thai companies. Anyone know if they get upset if you have been doing business on the visa waiver program? I hope not, I must have about 35+ entry stamps on the visa waiver program from business. Then again, I always selected that I was coming for business when I filled out the immigration form, and they never said anything.

Thanks

[Maestro]

...supporting letter from your ..has to...reason for being send...

Jstumbo, I suggest that the part of the letter indicating the reason for your trips to Thailand should not go into too many details, ie not mention that you have to check quality, etc, but simply say something like “Mr. Jstumbo needs to travel to Thailand on behalf of our company several times per year to visit our suppliers”

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Maestro

[WAERTH]

...supporting letter from your ..has to...reason for being send...

Jstumbo, I suggest that the part of the letter indicating the reason for your trips to Thailand should not go into too many details, ie not mention that you have to check quality, etc, but simply say something like “Mr. Jstumbo needs to travel to Thailand on behalf of our company several times per year to visit our suppliers”

--

Maestro

Yes MAestro not to detailed. No worry about the other entries. It is as easy as eating a burger really. No big deal (at least for me).

Waerth