Exactly What Visa Do I Qualify For?

[alexisthetiny]

I'm completely new to this forum so pardon any brain floofies. My situation is this, my husband got offered a Thai position by a small Singapore company. Now, I've been an expatriate brat as a teenager when my dad worked with an MNC so I figure, hey, it can't be that hard, right? After all my dad's company always made sure my mom and both kids had visas to stay in China or whatever country without having to run back to Singapore. As if. I find out that not only do I have to apply for my own darned visa. BUT there is no category for expatriate wives. Then my husband's company offers me a project based position where I bring in projects from MNCs and they will pay me for every project so I have something to do here and I can apply for a work permit. Turns out, even this won't be doing my work permit application any favors since I need to be paid at least 45,000baht a month BUT the company isn't about to do that. Not to mention, my HR in both Thailand and Singapore are blissfully clueless about the hiring laws here. So:

Are there any visas that would allow me to stay in Thailand for as long as my husband's visa does? I really don't want to find out that I need to go back to Singapore for 30 days or something before I'm allowed back in again. For one, we cannot afford two homes in two countries.

Is there any chance that I can get a work permit at all as a project based employee of the company? So far, it does not look promising. Would I actually have to quit my job and go volunteer with an NGO or teach English to get a work permit?

Any help anyone can give me would be highly appreciated.

[lopburi3]

If your husband can obtain a normal one year extension of stay from Immigration you can immediately obtain a non immigrant O visa and extend your stay to match his.

[NotNew2You]

I think there is a provision where if one half of a married couple is here working all legit and all, the non-working spouse can piggy-back on their visa. Meaning you will have your own visa and will be able to stay (but not work) in Thailand without having to meet the salary and other requirements of the working spouse.

[Lite Beer]

As Lop said , the husband must have a year extension of stay based on his employment for her to piggy back on his stay.

It all depends on what he has.

[KamnanT]

I had 5 years on Non-Immigrant "B"s (well, technically 2 months on a Non-Immigrant "B", one 90-day extension of stay and then four 12-month extensions of stay). My spouse and two children were on matching Non-Immigrant "O"s and extensions of stay. Never a problem - just needed marriage certificate (for spouse) and birth certificates (for children) to prove the family relationships.

[alexisthetiny]

Thanks guys. Currently, both of us have Non Immigrant B visas for 90 days and the company is in the process of applying for work permits for us. I'm not sure if that will jeopardize any chances of me applying for a Non Immigrant O if the work permit doesn't go through.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Thanks guys. Currently, both of us have Non Immigrant B visas for 90 days and the company is in the process of applying for work permits for us. I'm not sure if that will jeopardize any chances of me applying for a Non Immigrant O if the work permit doesn't go through.

It won't harm your subsequent application if that is the way it works out.

[alexisthetiny]

Cool, Thanks, guys.

[KamnanT]

Thanks guys. Currently, both of us have Non Immigrant B visas for 90 days and the company is in the process of applying for work permits for us. I'm not sure if that will jeopardize any chances of me applying for a Non Immigrant O if the work permit doesn't go through.

No repercussions if you fail to obtain a work permit. Should your spouse obtain a work permit and subsequently a one year extension of stay for business, you would meet the criteria for a one year extension of stay based on your marriage.