“O” visas and work permits

Do you need a non-immigrant “B” visa to work in Thailand? Can someone holding a non-immigrant “O” visa not apply for a work permit?

Monday, June 30, 2003 CSA, Phuket.

“Holders of all types of non-immigrant visa may apply for a work permit at the Phuket Employment Services Office (ESO).

Applications are looked at on a case-by-case basis, with the applicant’s background, experience, age, income and purpose of stay in Thailand being taken into consideration. ”

Monday, June 30, 2003  Kitti Nuisri, Chief, Foreign Labor Division, Phuket ESO.  

can this story be collobarated from a second source?

i,m moving to los the end of the month an have a non O for a year. as i mean to stay i would be in need of a job and work permit ?

thanks for input.

bart

“O” visas and work permits

Do you need a non-immigrant “B” visa to work in Thailand? Can someone holding a non-immigrant “O” visa not apply for a work permit?

Monday, June 30, 2003 CSA, Phuket.

“Holders of all types of non-immigrant visa may apply for a work permit at the Phuket Employment Services Office (ESO).

Applications are looked at on a case-by-case basis, with the applicant’s background, experience, age, income and purpose of stay in Thailand being taken into consideration. ”

Monday, June 30, 2003  Kitti Nuisri, Chief, Foreign Labor Division, Phuket ESO.  

They are saying you can only apply for the permit at the office in Phuket?  There are no other cities?  That doesnt seem right.

“O” visas and work permits

Do you need a non-immigrant “B” visa to work in Thailand? Can someone holding a non-immigrant “O” visa not apply for a work permit?

The Labor Departmnet doesn't care what class of Non-Immigrant visa you have, so a NON-O would do fine.

The problem arise when you try to extend that NON-O with work permit for a year at the Immigration. They require a NON-B, and then you are cought in the bureaucrazy.

You then have to travel out of the country and get a NON-B, or in rare cases change the "O" to a "B" at the Immigration.

Recommendation: Get a NON-B if you plan to apply for work permit and have WP+visa extended with less hassle.

George if you have a multiple non-immigrant "O" visa. That’s good for a year anyway.  When that “o” visa expires in a year, get the "B" visa.

Why not get the "B" at first? If you have an employer who will sponsor you by writing a letter…. Great!

Otherwise the "O" works and works well. You STILL have to get a work permit but can when you form a Thai company yourself.  

Tripxcore... This article was in the Phuket Gazette. Hence why they said Phuket. You can get it as well in Bangkok, Pattaya, Chaing Mai.

If you have a 90-day entry permit issued gainst a non-immigrant Class O visa, you may obtain a work permit, and once you hvae that work permit, you may apply at immigration for a one-year extension of your entry permit on the basis of employment.

Immigration does not care what your ststus was at time that you obtained your entry permit - just that it was non-immigrant status.  The extension will be based on demonstartion of legal employment, not on the basis of the code letter of the visa that allowed you to get the entry permit.

I know this - my own 90-day class O entry permit was extended into a one-year, employment-based entry permit.

By the way, the "one year" actually starts from the date that your original visa was issued, outside Thailand.  My "one year" extension actually had only a little over eight months remaining, as of the date it was approved.

All of my comments are in relation to Immigration Headquarters at Soi Suan Phlu - I am not directly familiar with procedures at remote locations.

Cheers!

Steve Sykes

Managing Director

Indo-Siam Group

www.indo-siam.com

By the way, the "one year" actually starts from the date that your original visa was issued, outside Thailand.  My "one year" extension actually had only a little over eight months remaining, as of the date it was approved

Believe it is the day of entry into Thailand that the 12 months starts from.  You could apply for extension 14 months after the visa was issued if you had a one year multi entry and use it all and you would be extended from your last entry.

Believe it is the day of entry into Thailand that the 12 months starts from.  You could apply for extension 14 months after the visa was issued if you had a one year multi entry and use it all and you would be extended from your last entry.

This is how I understand it as well, and is how the matter was treated last month when I extended a Non-B issued in Vientiane. The extended the visa for a year beginning from the day I crossed into Thailand. Same thing last year when I did it from another country.