Can I Change A Non'o' Visa To A Non'b' Without Leaving The Country?

[garro]

I am currently on a non 'o' multiple entry visa. I have been offered a new job and they want me to change to a non 'b' for a work permit. I told them that this could be done on a non 'o' but they are not interested and want me to change. Can I change my non 'o' to non 'b' without leaving the country?

[lopburi3]

If you are married to a Thai I would try using O visa and obtaining extensions using family if that would be available to you. Your "job" is aware that you must start process for the work permit prior to a local Consulate issue of a B visa? Although there are routes to change visa status inside Thailand I suspect if they are not suggesting it they may not be providing the documents needed.

In some cases it is just that they know one way and anything else is unknown and unwanted so you may want to do it there way to keep things civil.

[garro]

If you are married to a Thai I would try using O visa and obtaining extensions using family if that would be available to you. Your "job" is aware that you must start process for the work permit prior to a local Consulate issue of a B visa? Although there are routes to change visa status inside Thailand I suspect if they are not suggesting it they may not be providing the documents needed.

In some cases it is just that they know one way and anything else is unknown and unwanted so you may want to do it there way to keep things civil.

I am married to a Thai.

I did try and explain about how other people worked with a non'o' but it was all "no,no,no".

I think that there is no choice but to do things their way or look for another job.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Garro, if you are “grandfathered” for your marriage extension with 400k in the bank and now change to an extension for work, you cannot change back to marriage extension with 400k in the bank when your employment ends. Also, with the termination of your employment you would have to leave the country within 7 days unless during these 7 days you can arrange a new extension of stay with evidence of family income of 40k.

Getting your work permit based on your current marriage extension is better for you and easier for your employer.

--

Maestro

[Maestro]

Garro, if you are “grandfathered” for your marriage extension with 400k in the bank and now change to an extension for work, you cannot change back to marriage extension with 400k in the bank when your employment ends. Also, with the termination of your employment you would have to leave the country within 7 days unless during these 7 days you can arrange a new extension of stay with evidence of family income of 40k.

Getting your work permit based on your current marriage extension is better for you and easier for your employer.

--

Maestro

[garro]

Can anybody point me to where I can find the regulations for non-o plus work permit in Thai language?

[Maestro]

I doubt that the labour department has any published rules on this subject. It can depend on the individual labour office but generally a work permit will be issued based on any type of annual extension except for retirement. The best thing for you is probably to go with your passport to the labour office where the work permit will have to be issued and ask them if they will issue a work permit based on the extension stamped in your passport.

--

Maestro

[lopburi3]

He is here on a visa entry per his post number one.

I am currently on a non 'o' multiple entry visa.

[thaihome]

I originally entered Thailand in 2004 on a multi entry Non “O” given due to marriage. During the first 90 day entry I received a 1 year extension based on work permit. Since then I have received 2 more 1 year extensions. All three extensions done with out changing visa class. When I got new passport last year, the stamp transferring visa data from old passport refers to original entry and says visa class was “O”.

This was all done at One Stop Center, not Suan Plu.

TH

[beach]

Why on earth do you want to change a NON-O into a NON-B visa. Both visa types are entitled to obtain a work permit. NON-B visas are issued if you want to work in Thailand without having family / child etc. NON-O visas are issued if you are married or have a child. That's the only difference in the 2 visas. Nothing else to say.

[jbhh]

Jbhh, your post is misleading in that the OP already has a non-immigrant visa and therefore does not have to apply at an immigration office for a change of visa.

From his post it I understand that complying with his prospective employer’s request would mean the following procedure, with the OP currently being in Thailand based on an entry with a multiple-entry non-O visa:

1. Apply for a work permit; get receipt for application (WP3)

2. Fly out of Thailand and apply at a Thai consulate for a single-entry non-B visa with the WP3 and company paperwork.

3. Return to Thailand; apply for work permit.

4. After receipt of work permit, apply for extension of stay.

Because at this point, ie step 4, the OP will not yet have a record of a monthly salary of minimum 3 months (some immigration offices require one year) he cannot yet apply for annual extension based on marriage, but he should be able to make such application at a later time.

However, it is not clear if his employer will want him to apply for extension of stay based on employment and in fact meet the corresponding requirements (minimum salary for his nationality, company's annual revenue), or if he wants him to go and get a multiple-entry non-B visa after he gets his work permit and do 90-day visa runs.

Whichever way the employer wants him to proceed, once he has his job, earns at least 40k per month and can satisfy the time requirement for the extension based on marriage, he is free to apply for a new extension of stay based on marriage. For this, he will need no paperwork from the employer other than the tax receipts for his salary, which he should be given automatically, unlike for an extension of stay where a document relating to his employer’s revenue is required.

--

Maestro

Edited March 9, 2008 by Maestro

[jbhh]

uhm, could you please reply and not overwrite my post, Maestro? tststs

to your "reply"

1. agree

2. disagree.

You do not have to leave the country. I was in Thailand on a tourist visa I got on arrival in Ranong. (Visa Run)

With this Tourist visa I went to the Bangkok Immigration office and changed it to a non-o visa (giving them the required papers of course).

All you need is to have at least 21 days left on your current visa, to change it to whatever visa you want (as long as you have the required papers, and they approve it of course).

3. disagree.

he doesn't have to apply again, he would have to show his non-o or non-b visa, and then they will issue the work permit with the expiration date set to the end of the presented visa (usually 90 days for non-o), since you wont get a 1 year non-0 or non-b without either proof of income (non-o), of proof of work permit ( non-b ) and some other papers...

Since he already applied for the work permit in 1., and he also presented his existing non-o visa, he will probably just return to the labor department to pickup the work permit, which will be dated to expire the same day as his 1-year visa.

4. is correct for non-b procedure, but don't forget to go back to the labor department after you applied for the extension of stay, so they change the expiration date of the work permit according to the visa.

There is no reason for them not wanting to have you on a non-o visa, a non-o comes with advantages for the company, as they have to have only 1 million registered capital for a foreign staff with a non-o visa, compared to 2 million registered capital for each foreign staff on a non-b visa... I suggest you talk to them again, and suggest that you will supply them with the needed papers for the non-o work permit application... then ask a lawyer to help you prepare the papers.

Edited March 9, 2008 by jbhh

[garro]

The good news is that they decided to use my non-o for my work permit. They contacted the labor department and immigration and were told that it would be straightforward and that they don't anticipate any problems with my application. Thanks.

[Maestro]

uhm, could you please reply and not overwrite my post, Maestro? tststs ...

That was an unfortunate accident, for which I apologise.

--

Maestro

[jbhh]

No worries Maestro, same happened to me in another forum before, apology accepted

Great, that is good news! See, the nonono only was a ( I don't know), they had to ask the labor department, which lucky for you they made the effort to do! I hope you will enjoy your new job

One more thing I'd like to ask: Are you on a 1-year non-o or 90 days non-o, Garro?

I assumed you were on a 1-year, but now I saw that someone else was talking about his 1-year non-o visa not you.

Reason I ask: To make sure you know (and don't forget) that every time you extend your visa, you have to go to the labor department and get your work permit extended, too. Else you work permit WILL expire, as it is always set to expire the same day as your visa.

[garro]

Hi jbh, I have been using multiple entry non-o visas. I have been leaving the country every three months for a new stamp. I am hoping that once my work permit is given that I will be able to get one year extensions.