A Visa Question

[salparadise]

Hello to all,

I am having some trouble with the visa process and perhaps someone can assist me. I would be vastly appreciative. I am 30 years old and currently live in America and am moving to Thailand legitimately to teach. I am a certified English teacher here in the states with seven years experience. I will have some prior means of support, but expect to be working. As I see it, I have two choices:

1: A tourist visa. I figure I can keep that for 100 days, 3 months to be safe. But I would not be able to work etc with one of those. I assume I will have to have one of these until I find employment or should I just get the automatic 30 days that I get when I enter?

2: Non-immigrant visa. My questions lie here. I have been told not to get a job until I get there as one should check out where they will be working. Can one with a tourist visa get it transfered to a non-imm visa if he or she secures employment? Does he or she have to leave on a run to do that, and just have take all of the paper work etc in order ie employment letter?

I hope this post does not ask a lot of redundant questions, but the tasks seem somewhat confusing, and I know when to seek those wiser than me. Also, I have read that several University and International schools do all of this for you. Is this correct, do other schools do this as well ie government schools etc?

Thank you again in advance for your time.

Sincerely,

Paradise

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Hello to all,

I am having some trouble with the visa process and perhaps someone can assist me. I would be vastly appreciative. I am 30 years old and currently live in America and am moving to Thailand legitimately to teach. I am a certified English teacher here in the states with seven years experience. I will have some prior means of support, but expect to be working. As I see it, I have two choices:

1: A tourist visa. I figure I can keep that for 100 days, 3 months to be safe. But I would not be able to work etc with one of those. I assume I will have to have one of these until I find employment or should I just get the automatic 30 days that I get when I enter?

2: Non-immigrant visa. My questions lie here. I have been told not to get a job until I get there as one should check out where they will be working. Can one with a tourist visa get it transfered to a non-imm visa if he or she secures employment? Does he or she have to leave on a run to do that, and just have take all of the paper work etc in order ie employment letter?

I hope this post does not ask a lot of redundant questions, but the tasks seem somewhat confusing, and I know when to seek those wiser than me. Also, I have read that several University and International schools do all of this for you. Is this correct, do other schools do this as well ie government schools etc?

Thank you again in advance for your time.

Sincerely,

Paradise

With documentation from the employing school, you can get a tourist visa changed to a Non-Immigrant visa at a Thai Immigration Office.