'b' Visa & Work Permit

[CCCP]

I have found law firm that specialised in visa's and permits that gaurantees, I recieved my type B within 4 days without leaving the country. This is the first time i have applied for a B type having had a non 'O' for the last 2 years. It's all above board and not under the table stuff.

I'm not sure what the cost differences of travelling out of the country Vs this law firm is, however it cost me 20k in total, but was totally stressles.

They also guarantee a permit for those who are teaching, but don't have enough details to acquire one, degree etc. Providing you have details from your employer (and a TEFL if you intend to teach) they can obtain a letter from the ministry of education to acquire a permit.

Not sure if this is helpful to anyone but if you need the contact info then please PM me.

[dbrenn]

I have found law firm that specialised in visa's and permits that gaurantees, I recieved my type B within 4 days without leaving the country. This is the first time i have applied for a B type having had a non 'O' for the last 2 years. It's all above board and not under the table stuff.

I'm not sure what the cost differences of travelling out of the country Vs this law firm is, however it cost me 20k in total, but was totally stressles.

They also guarantee a permit for those who are teaching, but don't have enough details to acquire one, degree etc. Providing you have details from your employer (and a TEFL if you intend to teach) they can obtain a letter from the ministry of education to acquire a permit.

Not sure if this is helpful to anyone but if you need the contact info then please PM me.

That visa renewal technique may be less sterssful, but doesn't it involve sending your passport out of the country without you, and is therefore illegal? There were signs up on the Nong Khai immigration posts recently warning against doing this, and threatening those who are caught with legal action.

Have the rules changed?

[CCCP]

I have found law firm that specialised in visa's and permits that gaurantees, I recieved my type B within 4 days without leaving the country. This is the first time i have applied for a B type having had a non 'O' for the last 2 years. It's all above board and not under the table stuff.

I'm not sure what the cost differences of travelling out of the country Vs this law firm is, however it cost me 20k in total, but was totally stressles.

They also guarantee a permit for those who are teaching, but don't have enough details to acquire one, degree etc. Providing you have details from your employer (and a TEFL if you intend to teach) they can obtain a letter from the ministry of education to acquire a permit.

Not sure if this is helpful to anyone but if you need the contact info then please PM me.

That visa renewal technique may be less sterssful, but doesn't it involve sending your passport out of the country without you, and is therefore illegal? There were signs up on the Nong Khai immigration posts recently warning against doing this, and threatening those who are caught with legal action.

Have the rules changed?

I will check with the lawyer i'm using, and post later.

[Lite Beer]

Sending a passport out of the country while you stay in Thailand is illegal and the Visa would be invalid.

(If this in fact is what happened)

[dbrenn]

Sending a passport out of the country while you stay in Thailand is illegal and the Visa would be invalid.

(If this in fact is what happened)

Easy to check - just look at where the visa was issued. If it was issued at a foreign embassy or consulate, then the passport must have been sent abroad. If it was issued in Bangkok, then the rules must have changed and visa running for B class visas is a thing of the past ....

Beware - there are agencies and law firms that offer illegal services, but those who are caught using them can get into a lot of trouble.

[NHJ]

<br />

I have found law firm that specialised in visa's and permits that gaurantees, I recieved my type B within 4 days without leaving the country. This is the first time i have applied for a B type having had a non 'O' for the last 2 years. It's all above board and not under the table stuff.<br /><br />I'm not sure what the cost differences of travelling out of the country Vs this law firm is, however it cost me 20k in total, but was totally stressles.<br /><br />They also guarantee a permit for those who are teaching, but don't have enough details to acquire one, degree etc. Providing you have details from your employer (and a TEFL if you intend to teach) they can obtain a letter from the ministry of education to acquire a permit.<br /><br />Not sure if this is helpful to anyone but if you need the contact info then please PM me.

<br /><br />That visa renewal technique may be less sterssful, but doesn't it involve sending your passport out of the country without you, and is therefore illegal? There were signs up on the Nong Khai immigration posts recently warning against doing this, and threatening those who are caught with legal action.<br /><br />Have the rules changed?<br />

I saw those warnings in the narathiwat border also.

[Maestro]

I have found law firm that specialised in visa's and permits that gaurantees, I recieved my type B within 4 days without leaving the country...

This is very interesting. Please post here again after you have made a trip outside Thailand and returned with this visa. When do you plan to make this trip?

--

Maestro

[CCCP]

I haven't been able to contact the lawyer i'm using today but i will get more info asap. I will point out that this service was recommended by my GF's friend who is in management at the Thai immigration office. One thing i am a little confused over is the comments about leaving the country. I was under the impression that provided you had all the correct documents, you could apply for a B visa at the local immigration office here in Thailand, although more difficult.

My GF is pretty switched on with legal matters and she assured me that everything was above board. Like i said i will find more info and post later.

Edited July 18, 2008 by CCCP

[digitalchromakey]

I haven't been able to contact the lawyer i'm using today but i will get more info asap. I will point out that this service was recommended by my GF's friend who is in management at the Thai immigration office. One thing i am a little confused over is the comments about leaving the country. I was under the impression that provided you had all the correct documents, you could apply for a B visa at the local immigration office here in Thailand, although more difficult.

My GF is pretty switched on with legal matters and she assured me that everything was above board. Like i said i will find more info and post later.

Sure you haven't got an Extension of Permission to Stay from your local immigration?

This is a so called Visa Extension and it is not a non immigrant B visa.

[lopburi3]

Visas are only issued at Immigration when for the process of one year extensions of stay.

[dbrenn]

Visas are only issued at Immigration when for the process of one year extensions of stay.

The question remains: Did the OP's passport do a visa run to a foreign Thai embassy, exiting and entering Thailand without him/her? If, so, it's illegal whatever the law office or others might have said.

If his existing visa was extended at a Thai immigration office (i.e. not a nw visa from a foreign Thai embassy), then he should be OK so long as the reason given by the law firm for the extension and supporting documents were not fraudulant.

[Bagwain]

My lawyer has also offered me a 1 yr multi entry visa for 30K done at a Thai Immigration office. Which I will leave unnamed.

Currently I do 3 monthly runs which are timely & costly.

So it is an attractive option.

[dbrenn]

My lawyer has also offered me a 1 yr multi entry visa for 30K done at a Thai Immigration office. Which I will leave unnamed.

Currently I do 3 monthly runs which are timely & costly.

So it is an attractive option.

Given that the law doesn't provide for such visas, I would be seriously concerned about using one. What if it is a forgery? What if the government cracks down on the immigration office that illegally issued it? I've seen cases in the local press over the years of people who were caught, arrested, got deported (and probably blacklisted) for using similar services.

Illegal shortcuts are always attractive, until you get caught. Don't expect the law office that issued you the visa to help out either.

Attractive, yes. Legal, no.

[nonthaburial]

I have been around these neck of the woods for more than enough time to smell a rat and to know that there is no such thing as a "guaranteed" solution to most things

[NHJ]

<br />My lawyer has also offered me a 1 yr multi entry visa for 30K done at a Thai Immigration office. Which I will leave unnamed.<br />Currently I do 3 monthly runs which are timely & costly. <br />So it is an attractive option.<br /><br />

a multi entry visa non-B costs 5500 bath, i just had one from malaysia , of course i had to do the trip, take the risk to be refused but finally it"s done.

goiing out of the country doesn't costs too much if you don't take those "visa runs" packages wich are expensive.

by exemple in samui to malaysia border : 1900 bath by minibus

by yourself : 450 bath from nathon to hatyai, 100 to border, 60 to go back to hatyai, 450 night bus to samui, a trip of 24 hours but much more safe than those crazy minibuses. total cost : 1060 bath.

in samui we have also those passeport trips offered but they costs more around 20k bath and you get non-O multi entries.

[digitalchromakey]

My lawyer has also offered me a 1 yr multi entry visa for 30K done at a Thai Immigration office. Which I will leave unnamed.

Currently I do 3 monthly runs which are timely & costly.

So it is an attractive option.

Given that the law doesn't provide for such visas, I would be seriously concerned about using one. What if it is a forgery? What if the government cracks down on the immigration office that illegally issued it? I've seen cases in the local press over the years of people who were caught, arrested, got deported (and probably blacklisted) for using similar services.

Illegal shortcuts are always attractive, until you get caught. Don't expect the law office that issued you the visa to help out either.

Attractive, yes. Legal, no.

There was a case locally (about 5 years ago) where a local company was offering a service where one's passport could be stamped in and out of Thailand, to save having to make a visa run. The story put out at the time was that an accomodating immigration official was carrying the passports to the border and getting them stamped in and out.

The 'problem' which transpired was that, in reality:

i) The stamp was stolen

ii) The stamp had never been used at the stated border post.

iii) The stamp code was unique.

I remember that at the time immigration were very carefuly checking peoples' passports for this bogus stamp: Those caught with it had a lot of explaining to do!

Some people, who had this bogus stamp, chose to 'loose' their passports, get a replacement, pay a big overstay and then make a visa run to get fresh visas.

Don't think that these 'special services' offered will save you a headache - they could be the beginning of a very expensive nightmare.

Edited July 19, 2008 by digitalchromakey

[WilliamIV]

I have found law firm that specialised in visa's and permits that gaurantees, I recieved my type B within 4 days without leaving the country. This is the first time i have applied for a B type having had a non 'O' for the last 2 years. It's all above board and not under the table stuff.

I'm not sure what the cost differences of travelling out of the country Vs this law firm is, however it cost me 20k in total, but was totally stressles.

They also guarantee a permit for those who are teaching, but don't have enough details to acquire one, degree etc. Providing you have details from your employer (and a TEFL if you intend to teach) they can obtain a letter from the ministry of education to acquire a permit.

Not sure if this is helpful to anyone but if you need the contact info then please PM me.

CCCP

Where was your B Visa Issued please?

Bill

[monty]

What CCCP indicates can be indeed entirely legal.

Although visas can only be issued at foreign embassies/consulates, local immigration offices do have the ability to change your visa status IF you qualify.

For example you enter Thailand on a 30 day exempt stamp, you are over 50 years of age and have 800,000 Baht in a Thai bank since at least 3 months, you can then go to immigration (if you have at least 21 days of stay left) where they will issue you with a 1 year extension and will clearly state that your status now is non immigrant B, although you never received a non immigrant B visa per se (at a 2000 Baht fee)!

In the same line, and what probably happened with CCCP, the lawyer prepared paperwork indicating that he now would qualify for a 1 year extension based on business/employment, so immigration changed his status (note that they did not ISSUE a visa!) to non immigrant B.

Strangely enough I have seen this done successfully by lawyers many times over without having applied for a WP, nor having a WP3 form. I can only assume that money under the table has been passed so the immigration offices overlooked some details during the application!

The people I know in that scenario have without problems done their 90 day reporting, applied for re-entry permit and left/returned without hassles. Basically if the issuing officers have duly enetered your newly acquired visa status properly into the immigration system, all will be well.

[Maestro]

...I have found law firm that specialised in visa's and permits that gaurantees, I recieved my type B within 4 days without leaving the country.

...Although visas can only be issued at foreign embassies/consulates, local immigration offices do have the ability to change your visa status IF you qualify.

I have never seen a visa issued by an immigration office as part of the visa change process (form TM.86) but I believe this particular visa is a generic non-immigrant visa, ie without indication of the visa classification O, B, etc.

If anyone has such non-immigrant visa obtained from an immigration office I would be glad if he/she scanned and posted it here for those who, like I, are curious to see what it looks like.

--

Maestro

Edited August 18, 2008 by Maestro
Corrected form number - Maestro

[CosmicSurfer]

...I have found law firm that specialised in visa's and permits that gaurantees, I recieved my type B within 4 days without leaving the country.

...Although visas can only be issued at foreign embassies/consulates, local immigration offices do have the ability to change your visa status IF you qualify.

I have never seen a visa issued by an immigration office as part of the visa change process (form TM.86) but I believe this particular visa is a generic non-immigrant visa, ie without indication of the visa classification O, B, etc.

If anyone has such non-immigrant visa obtained from an immigration office I would be glad if he/she scanned and posted it here for those who, like I, are curious to see what it looks like.

--

Maestro

2 Teachers at my Matayom recently had their Visa status changed from Tourist to Non "B" (30 days) here in Bangkok so they could apply for their Work Permits and teacher licence.. The paperwork was all done by the school.. They had a Letter requesting the change. I too was sceptical that they would actually be successful and get a visa here in Thailand...

But, low and Behold... They both did.

CS

[monty]

If anyone has such non-immigrant visa obtained from an immigration office I would be glad if he/she scanned and posted it here for those who, like I, are curious to see what it looks like.

Looks like this:

[mgjackson69]

If anyone has such non-immigrant visa obtained from an immigration office I would be glad if he/she scanned and posted it here for those who, like I, are curious to see what it looks like.

Looks like this:

As we can see...it is an Extension of Stay, not a visa

[monty]

On the right page is the extension, on the left page is the immigration (not embassy) stamp indicating your visa status.

If you change visa status (e.g. from B employment to O retired) they just put a stamp like the one on the left page which will then indicate Non-O instead of my current Non -B (mind you, that'll be several years away )

[lopburi3]

Believe what is being requested is the visa issued by Immigration for 2,000 baht when change made from visa exempt or tourist visa entry; using TM86 or 87 forms.