Is In-Country Application of Non-Immigrant R (Religion) from visa exempt possible?

[Nordlys]

Can anyone tell me if in-country application of Non-Immigrant R (Religion) in Thailand is possible for a Japanese passport holder who lands in Thailand visa exempt?  

I was told in another online forum that a Japanese passport holder can apply Thai visa in-country even if they land in Thailand visa exempt, but just about every foreign monastics (monks) who took Bhikkhu ordination to become a monk in Thailand arrives on tourist visa and change to Non-Imm R inside Thailand,  Japanese or otherwise.  

[KhemaKhema]

In the past, it used to be:
As the process involves a document called TM86  called "change type of visa, การเปลี่ยนประเภท" ,
and as the person in question does not hold a visa proper, it used to be not possible.
However, you might contact your local immigration office and ask for advice.
What is impossible in one province may be possible in another province.
It is also possible, to apply for a Non-I type R visa from abroad, in your case from Japan.
In any case, including applying from abroad, the person in question  needs a supporting monastery in thailand to issue him all the usual documents involved with applying for a Non-I type R visa.
This includes,  a letter of recommendation from the department of religious affairs, an invitation letter from a monastery in thailand, a letter of support from that monastery and others.
 

[Nordlys]

Thanks so much for answering, KhemaKhema.  

So you can change to ANY type of visa so long you're eligible for application even if you landed in Thailand visa exempt, including Non-I Type R?  

I never knew you can apply for Non R at the embassy/consulate overseas.   Do you know of any monastic who actually have done so?

This inquiry isn't for myself (I'm just a lay supporter of that monastery and have Thai citizenship) but every foreign monastic who ever ordained at the said forest monastery seem to have applied Non R AFTER they landed in Thailand as tourist (with tourist visa), presumably because we believed you have to ordain to become a monk/samanera first before you can even start to apply for Non R.  It's probably easier to apply in-country in Thailand rather than at the embassy/consulate anyway if you are from a country that allows visa exemption entry, I suppose?  

I though letter of recommendation is issued by National Office of Buddhism (สำนักพุทธ) and I thought they are needed for annual visa extension?  Do you actually need it when you apply for a fresh new visa too (both from สำนักพุทธ and Department of Religious Affairs?)?  

[KhemaKhema]

You are welcome!
As mentioned before, it used to be NOT possible to change from visa exempt to Non-I Type R.
However, please ask your friendly immigration officer at your local office to make sure.
Non-I Type R visas are not limited to monks only, they are also available for MaeChis, Samaneras,and Pakaws.
I do know a number of monks who have applied for a Non-I Type R from abroad, it is almost the same process as from inside the country.

But as one needs a knowledgeable person inside Thailand to organize all the paperwork, it is more difficult to do.

Abroad, one will be issued a 3 month visa only, which can then be extended by 1 year inside Thailand, (applying earliest 45 days before date of expiry).
The easiest to do for your friend would be to arrive with a multiple-entry tourist visa.
I gather, your friend is not a monk yet, so he would also have more time to try things out and adjust to the monastery/the monks life/preparing documents/etc.

I do apologize for the confusion, National Office of Buddhism (สำนักพุทธ) and Department of Religious Affairs do mean the same thing in my explanation.
The process for -applying for a new visa and the process for -applying for a 1 year extension is virtually the same:
One does need a letter of recommendation from the SamnagPut, with this letter and other documents one can then apply for the visa at Immigration.
To get the letter of recommendation from the SamnagPut, one needs a form called Prawat, which needs to be filled out with personal information and then needs to be signed by: abbot of monastery, local sangha head, district sangha head and province sangha head,
Also, one needs a monks ID Card (called Bai Sutthi), a letter of support from ones abbot and a certificate of residence from ones monastery.

[Nordlys]

Anumodhana Sathu 🙏

I've actually never even met this person (inquiries comes to me via the deputy abbot of the monastery) but applying for multiple-entry tourist visa means he has to go back to Japan.  So he will do either visa run or border run to Vientiane in about a week's time and come back to Thailand visa exempt or with a single-entry tourist visa, both of which gives him max 90 days stay in Thailand with one extension.  I suppose that's plenty enough time to apply for Non-I R and to ordain as Samanera.  An expert in another forum advised me he should NOT do border run without an "experienced border run service company".  So we opt to do visa run rather than border run and simply apply for single-entry tourist visa (cheap and simple enough).  

I never knew one can apply for Non-R at the embassy/consulate abroad for Samanera, Mae Chee and Anagarika.  One western monk I know claims they don't issue you Non-R without Bhikkhu ID (ใบสุทธิ).  Is that true?  Do they issue ใบสุทธิ to Samanera and MaeChi too, let alone Anagarika?

You said they only give 90 days visa when you apply Non-R from overseas.  I suppose you apply for one year extension AFTER you get your ใบสุทธิ issued in Thailand?  

[DrJack54]

6 minutes ago, Nordlys said:

So we opt to do visa run rather than border run and simply apply for single-entry tourist visa (cheap and simple enough)

Better to opt for visa exempt entry.

e-Visa means process time and gives same 60 day stamp. 

 

The recommendation of using minivan border run company is good advice. 

[Nordlys]

23 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Better to opt for visa exempt entry.

e-Visa means process time and gives same 60 day stamp. 

 

The recommendation of using minivan border run company is good advice. 

Yes, same 60 days stamp.  They say the processing time is anywhere from 10 to 15 days but it usually gets done in 2 to 3 days working days fora single-entry e-tourist visa (so I heard).  Short enough processing time.  They're also not very comfortable with the idea of in-country application of Non-Immigrant R with visa exempt arrival for no one at the monastery has ever done it before (but all successfully applied for Non-R after arriving with tourist visa).  

BTW, since when did in-country visa application with visa exempt arrival become possible (for Japanese passport holder)?  

[KhemaKhema]

For the reasons already described in my first post (TM86etc), i would still recommend to apply for a single-entry tourist visa.
The 60 day stamp may be the same as in visa exempt, the underlying visa is not.
With a single-entry tourist visa, he'll be on the safe side and does not become a burden to the monastery and it's generous lay-supporters in case anything goes wrong.
Have you been able to contact the local immigration office yet and ask for guidance regarding visa application with visa-exempt only?
Out of country application for monks and samaneras with Thai-issued BaiSutthis is definetely possible , for MaeChis and Anagarikas i know only of cases who have applied for a visa while already inside of Thailand (with tourist-visa :-)
Applying from outside of the country, one will be issued a 90 day Non-I type R visa, once residing inside Thailand, it can then be extended by 1 year (applying earliest 45 days before date of expiry).

Adding to the list of required documents:
-TM30