Changing A Tourits Tr Visa To A Non Imm B Visa

[ukjamie]

Ive done a fair bit of searching but cant seem to find an answer to this!!

I currently have a Tourist TR 60 day visa that I obtained from the UK Thai Consulate as I'm a British passport holder. Its a 2 entry visa and I have used 1 entry so far, now I'm about to head back into Thailand from Australia and will use the second entry.

My question is can I change this tourist type TR visa when I'm actually in Thailand to be a Non Immigrant B visa? My objective would be to stay in Thailand and get a job and work permit to teach English.

Right now as I am in Australia the other less convenient option would be to head to the Brisbane Thai consulate and apply for a Non Imm O visa that would allow me to seek work. However if I can simply enter Thailand and change the status of my TR tourist visa to non imm B that would appear to be the easiest route.

Any help or advice is much appreciated, thanks in advance

[Mario2008]

Possible, if you have at least 21 days left on your permitted to stay stamp. But you have to qualify for an extention for 1 year, so a lot of paperwork involved in maybe a short time.

[ukjamie]

Possible, if you have at least 21 days left on your permitted to stay stamp. But you have to qualify for an extention for 1 year, so a lot of paperwork involved in maybe a short time.

Hi Mario thanks for the advice.

When I arrive I will have 60 days on the TR so do you think that will be enough time to get paperwork together to change to the non Imm B visa? Or do you think I'm better trying to get a Non Imm O visa from the Thai consulate here in Brisbane and then heading into Thailand with that to seek employment?

[NHJ]

get non-O.

[Mario2008]

I agree with NHJ that it would be easier to get a non-O first, but since you already have a tourist visa.... Just make sure your visa is still valid. You have to make use of the visa within a certain time, often 3 months sometimes 6.

The paperwork for a teacher is pretty straight forward, but it also depends on how soon you find a job. You can extend your tourist visa with 30 days in country if need be.

If you need to go for a non-B visayou can get it from a neighbouring country.

[NHJ]

previous visa will be cancelled once you'll get the new one.

[ukjamie]

Thanks guys for the advice. I think I will stick with the tourist visa and change status in Thailand if I get a job.

[Maestro]

After entering with your tourist visa you can apply for a work permit and get the receipt for your work permit application. With this receipt and the required documents from your employer you go then to a Thai consulate in the neighbourhood, get a single-entry non-B visa and return to Thailand, pick up your work permit at the employment Department, get an annual extension of stay at the immigration office.

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Maestro