Hello,

I'm a US citizen with permanent residency in the UK. Last March, I was able to obtain a twelve month multi-entry non-immigrant B visa from the Birmingham consulate in the UK. I wrote a letter stating that I had a retail company (which I did at the time) and that I was interested in travelling to Thailand to research possible products. I received the visa with absolutely no problem.

The visa in my passport is stamped no extension possible. I assume this means I cannot extend the visa in Thailand. I am no longer doing retail business, and have been in Thailand pretty much for the last six months. The visa runs out at the end of March. I assume if I exit and re-enter towards the end of March, I will get another three month entry.

My question is: if I return to the UK, is it likely I will be able to get another such visa? Since my passport clearly shows I will have been in Thailand for most of the year of the visa, will the consulate require me to show proof of having done business during this period? Or will they likely just refuse the application all together?

Thanks,

A Confused Laurie

Hello,

I'm a US citizen with permanent residency in the UK. Last March, I was able to obtain a twelve month multi-entry non-immigrant B visa from the Birmingham consulate in the UK. I wrote a letter stating that I had a retail company (which I did at the time) and that I was interested in travelling to Thailand to research possible products. I received the visa with absolutely no problem.

The visa in my passport is stamped no extension possible. I assume this means I cannot extend the visa in Thailand. I am no longer doing retail business, and have been in Thailand pretty much for the last six months. The visa runs out at the end of March. I assume if I exit and re-enter towards the end of March, I will get another three month entry.

My question is: if I return to the UK, is it likely I will be able to get another such visa? Since my passport clearly shows I will have been in Thailand for most of the year of the visa, will the consulate require me to show proof of having done business during this period? Or will they likely just refuse the application all together?

Thanks,

A Confused Laurie

Not sure. However why aren't you applying in the States as presumably you have a US passport, or are you saying you have a UK one too?

Go to UK or OZ and apply for a non imm O for visiting friends or family.. Oz can be done for <20k baht in flights..

Check here which consuls are 'friendly' and contact them in advance to not be disappointed..

Having used the Birmingham Consulate to obtain my 'B' visa (and for the same reasons as you), I can assure you they won't ask for proof of business transactions. Besides, how can they if you're only researching products?

stament,

I applied in the UK because I live in the UK as a permanent resident. The issue of the American passport never came up.

Based on my own experience and from what I generally know (which may be wrong), it makes no difference what your country of orgin is. I was dealing with the Thai consulate (which happens in my case to be in Birmingham). There's no rule that says that you have to apply for visas in the country of your passport. In fact, I've met several Americans who have told me that the Thai consulates in the US would not issue them non-immigrant B visas, only double entry tourist visas.

I've even suggested to several Swedish friends here (who have told me that the Thai Embassy in Stockholm answers the telephone with "no" ) that they take a holiday to the UK and try the Birmingham consulate. The entire process took about a week from me sending in my application and passport to having my passport returned with the visa.

A Little Less Confused Laurie

Many consuls / embassies will only process the countries nationals that they are in tho.. Japan PI etc..

I can categorically state that the consulate in Hull does not have a problem with this. In fact, the new wording does not even require you to say why you want the B visa only that your company requests it for person XYZ. No difference to O visa unless you get a job and then you already have the business visa.