Volunteer Visa?

[mandmsworld]

Hello again,

Thank you as always for being such a great resource for all my visa questions. This is a two-parter.

I have begun volunteering at a Wat/school and they have given me a letter to obtain the proper visa. Which Visa do I apply for when it's volunteer work and what other papers will I need?? Someone also told me that I would need working papers as well even if it's volunteer work because it's teaching.. is that true?? And the letter is dated June, can I still use it or will that be a problem??

Also, When I went to Mae Sai last month some of the teachers on the bus said we can apply for our Visas at the embassy in Bangkok now for the law has just changed. They were on their way there after getting stamped. Is that true or do I still have to leave the country?? And if so, Is Laos a good place to get this type of visa processed??

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

With gratitude,

M

[lopburi3]

Believe you should apply for a non immigrant B visa and you should have the school papers and a receipt for work permit application and this is done at a Consulate outside Thailand - for teaching you will probably also require police clearance report.

You need a work permit for any work.

Expect the letter would be questioned if over a month old but that would be up to the Consulate.

Your Embassy in Bangkok has nothing to do with stay in Thailand. If you are talking about Immigration (probably) they can convert visas if your employment qualifies for one year extension of stay. You should check with Immigration office as to current exact requirements as they often change.

[mandmsworld]

Believe you should apply for a non immigrant B visa and you should have the school papers and a receipt for work permit application and this is done at a Consulate outside Thailand - for teaching you will probably also require police clearance report.

You need a work permit for any work.

Expect the letter would be questioned if over a month old but that would be up to the Consulate.

Your Embassy in Bangkok has nothing to do with stay in Thailand. If you are talking about Immigration (probably) they can convert visas if your employment qualifies for one year extension of stay. You should check with Immigration office as to current exact requirements as they often change.

So, I need to begin to process the work permit first?

Someone else I know went and got the non-b first in KL and now she's working on getting her work permit.. Police clearance?? where do I acquire that?

[Mario2008]

You just need to apply for a non-immigrant visa. As volunteer they will give you a non-immigrant O visa.

For volunteer work you normaly need to volunteer with a government organisation or a registered charity. This being Thailand the temple will probably also be fine.

Without a work permit you are not allowed to work, even volunteer work. For volunteer work you will get a non-immigrant visa for 90 days. This you can extend to one year at immigration, and every year after that. Note that when you stop your volunteer work you will have to leave the country when you are on an extension of stay.

Like Lopburi said, contact immigration about what documents they need and do the same with the local labour office. Documents you will certainly need are:

- letter from the foundation

- map of your workplace and house

- work schedule

I also had to show a copy of my degree and have a volunteer contract. But much will depend on the immigration office and labour office.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Believe you should apply for a non immigrant B visa and you should have the school papers and a receipt for work permit application and this is done at a Consulate outside Thailand - for teaching you will probably also require police clearance report.

You need a work permit for any work.

Expect the letter would be questioned if over a month old but that would be up to the Consulate.

Your Embassy in Bangkok has nothing to do with stay in Thailand. If you are talking about Immigration (probably) they can convert visas if your employment qualifies for one year extension of stay. You should check with Immigration office as to current exact requirements as they often change.

So, I need to begin to process the work permit first?

Someone else I know went and got the non-b first in KL and now she's working on getting her work permit.. Police clearance?? where do I acquire that?

In your home country.

[Mario2008]

If you are going to make a visa run and get a non-immigrant visa you don't need to get your work permit first. Your letter from the temple/school should be enough. Once you have the visa and come back you can start applying for a WP and when you are in the last 30 days of your permitted to stay period apply for an extension of your visa.

If you need a police clearence, there will be 2 parts. One part is a check in Thailand itself. The other part is a document from the police in your home country. Your embassy can tell you the procedure for that.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

If you are going to make a visa run and get a non-immigrant visa you don't need to get your work permit first. Your letter from the temple/school should be enough. Once you have the visa and come back you can start applying for a WP and when you are in the last 30 days of your permitted to stay period apply for an extension of your visa.

If you need a police clearence, there will be 2 parts. One part is a check in Thailand itself. The other part is a document from the police in your home country. Your embassy can tell you the procedure for that.

Mario.....when you don't know please don't comment. He only needs a Thai Police Clearance after he has resided here for more than a year.

[Mario2008]

To make your visa possibilities more clear, you might have 2 options. Option number 1 is to get a visa outside of Thailand at an embassy, as described above.

Number 2 option is to convert your current visa or visa exempt entry into a non-immigrant at an immigration office. For that you need to have at least 22 left on your permitted to stay stamp, or if possible get a new visa exempt entry.

If you can do this option, than you would need to apply for the work permit first. The labour office will than give you a document that shows you will get a WP once you get a visa.

The differnces between the 2 options is that in number 1 you have to elave the country but have more time to prepare all documents. Option number 2 you don't need to leave the country but have to prepare all documents in advance.

[Mario2008]

If you are going to make a visa run and get a non-immigrant visa you don't need to get your work permit first. Your letter from the temple/school should be enough. Once you have the visa and come back you can start applying for a WP and when you are in the last 30 days of your permitted to stay period apply for an extension of your visa.

If you need a police clearence, there will be 2 parts. One part is a check in Thailand itself. The other part is a document from the police in your home country. Your embassy can tell you the procedure for that.

Mario.....when you don't know please don't comment. He only needs a Thai Police Clearance after he has resided here for more than a year.

I'm not saying he needs a police clearence, I say if he needs. I said "if" because I'm indeed not clear if he needs a police clearence. I'm a volunteer teacher as well and unfortunately never had to show one.

[mandmsworld]

Mario.....when you don't know please don't comment. He only needs a Thai Police Clearance after he has resided here for more than a year.

I have been here for more than a year...

So, I just need the regular documents (copy of my passport and photos) and

the letter from the Wat/University,

a map of the University and my home (what kind of map??)

and what else????

[Mario2008]

The map of your house and wrokplace is so they can see where you work and live in case they want to pay you a visit.

For the other documents better just contact immigration and the labour office. You need to pick up some forms from the labour office anyway. Some forms the school will have to fill in and sign.

There are no set rules as to what you need to show as a volunteer, so each office makes a bit of its own rules. But I expect they want a copy of your degree. If you don't have it with you, have it send over.

[simon43]

Hi Mario, can I ask how may hours per week you work as a volunteer teacher? I have finally managed to change my ED visa extension (work forbidden), to a 60 day extension based on visiting my Thai son. Within these 60 days I need to sort out a volunteer teaching job (and WP) at my local primary school, (who are extremely happy to have me help out). But I cannot commit to full-time work because I also have to help to run my hotel! (and now I can finally apply for a WP for that job also). I will use my volunteer teaching work as a means of applying for a visa extension. (I cannot use my hotel work because the business is a sole-proprietor and business visa extensions are not allowed for that type of business entity).

So I need some idea of how many hours that I need to work to qualify for a 'volunteer visa extension'. (Note that I am not trying to do the minimum hours of work to qualify for the visa extension. But if it's only possible when working full-time then I will have a problem!)

BTW, although I work as a volunteer tourist police offcier and as an emergency paramedic, no letter of support/confirmation could be obtained from the police boss. This was the case for all the foreign volunteer police (under 50 years old) who needed this letter to assist them in getting a volunteer visa. Quite why this letter was not forthcoming is not clear to me.

Simon

[Mario2008]

Hi Simon,

Currently I teach about 13 hours a week and don't have any problems extending my workpermit and permission to stay. The school has to provide a work schedule and can explain that hours need to be added for meetings, school activities like scouting, checking home work and preparing your lessons.

(My current school only shows the actual hours I teach and doesn't mention the hours you can add to that and that is no problem).

So partime volunteering should not be a problem.

Good luck.