used to be you couldn't change a tourist visa to a b visa without leaving the country

last i heard that had been changed

some things do change for the better

can an O-A, M entry 1 year, from the states be converted to a b visa in Thailand, without leaving

or could i just work with the O-A visa?

there is no "not permitted to work" written anywhere

if i cant work with the o-a and it can be converted, would it be better to do it in pattaya (jomtien?) or Bangkok or no difference

if i cant convert i need to leave the country and start all over, would penang or Laos be better/easier or no difference?

thanks in advance

(apologies if redundant questions on this board)

No, immigration did not change the tourist visa to a non-B visa. It changed it to a generic non-immigrant visa because the applicant qualified and wanted to apply for an extension for employment.

Regarding non-OA visa, this is already a non-immigrant visa. If you entered Thailand on a non-OA visa and then find a job and want an extension for employment you simply apply for such extension. No change of visa required first.

Regardless whether or not a Thai consulate stamps "not permitted to work" next to a visa it issues, no visa allows you to work. Only a work permit allows you to work.

--

Maestro

thanks for the post

from what i read

it sounds like it is possible to apply for a work permit with an O-A visa

and also an extension to stay for the duration of the employment contract

without leaving Thailand or getting a new/different visa

PLEASE!!!

IS THERE ANYONE READING THIS WHO HAS BEEN ABLE TO DO THIS????

OR

IS THERE ANYONE READING THIS WHO WAS REFUSED AND WHAT DID YOU DO???

thanks in advance

It will probably be difficult to find somebody here who has done it because few people arrive with a non-OA visa and those who do have no intention of applying for a work permit. The best thing for you to is to go and ask at the labour office. Remember that the visa in your passport says nothing about retirement and therefore you should not use that word when talking to the labour department officials as this might confuse them. Just show them your passport and ask them if on this basis you are allowed to apply for a work permit.

--

Maestro

It will probably be difficult to find somebody here who has done it because few people arrive with a non-OA visa and those who do have no intention of applying for a work permit. The best thing for you to is to go and ask at the labour office. Remember that the visa in your passport says nothing about retirement and therefore you should not use that word when talking to the labour department officials as this might confuse them. Just show them your passport and ask them if on this basis you are allowed to apply for a work permit.

--

Maestro

Might have to disagree with you slightly, Maestro. I am now on my third extension to an O-A Visa and while the original visa stamp merely said 'Long Stay' (and 'No Work Permitted') the subsequent extension stamps have all been annotated 'Retirement'. This was the Pattaya office by the way so I can't speak for other locations.

DM

Also believe it will be up to the luck of the draw as they should not issue a work permit on a retirement extension of stay and the OA is a pre-approved extension of stay for retirement. If it was just a non immigrant O visa entry it should not be an issue. Will be interesting to hear of any experience.

spoke with the employer today

looks like i should go to immigration and ask them if i can work with my current o-a visa

might be easier if i call first, not sure

i guess i will go to jomtien since the job is near there

is it immigration who knows the answer or the dept of labor (work permit people)?

has anyone worked on an o-a visa?

has anyone converted to a b visa from o-a so they could work?

will i have to leave the country?

Maestro thinks i can work with my o-a, no visa change, no leave necessary

can anyone confirm this?

any more suggestions?

thanks all

It will be the labor people who must issue the work permit so you need to check with them. Sunbelt indicated in a post yesterday that work permits could be issued on retirement extensions so perhaps there has been a change, at least in some places.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...t&p=2024522

thanks for the additional info

i am thinking about going to the dept of labor with the long stay 0-A M and see if they will accept it for a work permit application

if yes then great

i know one may have little say in the process

however since my current visa expires in December 08 i think i can leave the country prior to expiration and get another year on the visa until Dec 2009

as opposed to a visa extension for work on a one year contract ending July 2009

ideally i could bypass immigration altogether, if at all possible

if dept of labor says OK do i really need to see immigration?

and if i need a new or different visa, can i still keep the current 0-A, so i have that extra time to extend, or does a new/different visa nullify the current one?

it may sound a bit complicated but of course its good to know the options and take the best advantage of them

thanks again for any input