Change Tourist Visa To Volunteer

[mja1906]

Hi,

Does anyone have any experience of changing a tourist visa to a volunteer/non-O visa? I am in the middle of trying to do this and but am only staggered by how a country can run their immigration system like this. The staff really don't care, getting help from them is like drawing blood from a stone. All this when actually foreigners want to stay here to help the children of their country. Anyhows enough of my rant.

I called up BKK immigration to ask what documents they required for me to change my tourist visa, and they said it would be easier for them to explain to the staff of my school. So I let the teacher at my school talk to them and he subsequently went to prepare all the letters/paperwork.

Before I went to the BKK immigration office to apply for the change, I even called them up to double check that nothing else was required (after having been passed around from line to line to the wrong staff who didn't know eventually we got through to somebody who spoke some English).

So off I went to BKK immigration office, all paperwork in hand, only to be told that there was something 'missing' on the paperwork, and I needed the signature of another provincial director. Thoroughly annoyed although semi-expecting this, I made the long way back to Mae Hong Son. They also gave us a 'sample' letter so that we knew exactly what to put next time and what signatures to get.

So the teacher creates new letters, based on the 'sample' letter they gave us, and we go back to BKK immigration. Can you believe it, they only turn us away again, to say that we need proof from the school that I'm not getting paid, and that the signature is still not the correct one! Basically asking for more paperwork..........

How can this be? They say one thing, we go off and get what we think is all the required and correct paperwork/letters, only to go there twice and be turned away twice. Several Thais I've spoken to think they want some money under the table.

Does anyone out there have any similar experiences? I'm starting to wonder now, whether it might just be easier for me to apply outside of the country.

[Mario2008]

I understand you volunteer in Mae Hong Son so why are you going to Bangkok? You don't need to go there to convert your visa.

I'm a volunteer my self at a government school and never have any trouble at Mae Sot for my yearly extensions. (In fact if I forget something I can simply mail it to them and already get my stamp). I believe a very helpful officer from Mae Sot now works at Mae Sai. He does volunteer work himself and is very helpful. Don'y know about Chiang Mai, but I understood there was a woman a while ago who also converted her visa there and didn't have any problems.

Documents do need to be signed by the director of the school and you would also need a letter from the director of the educational zone. You also will need a work permit.

[hansnl]

Does anyone have any experience of changing a tourist visa to a volunteer/non-O visa? I am in the middle of trying to do this and but am only staggered by how a country can run their immigration system like this. The staff really don't care, getting help from them is like drawing blood from a stone. All this when actually foreigners want to stay here to help the children of their country. Anyhows enough of my rant.

Who am I to agree or disagree with your ideas about the running of the Thai immigration?

I guess most of us have some ideas about that particular service.

However, the idea that Thai people will all be so very happy that you want to help the children of this country, I have news for you.

My wife, being Thai, and absolutely NOT against farang because she sometimes think that the way farang are treated is shameful, once ventilated her feelings about all those welldoers flocking to Thailand with the idea that all they want to do is generally also very much wanted by Thai people.

If you really want to help, shut up and do not talk about it, and don't apply for a visum bragging about your weldoing.

Can you understand that Thai people have some pride?

Can you maybe understand that your help might not be wanted?

Can you understand that ranting about your wishes to immigration officers actually let them loose face in an enormous way?

Can you understand that you are telling them that in your eyes they run the immigration in a despicable way and that they live in a backward country.

My wife tells you, please go away.

And maybe come back if you can understand that you have to behave to be taken seriously.

Jum

[digitalchromakey]

How can this be? They say one thing, we go off and get what we think is all the required and correct paperwork/letters, only to go there twice and be turned away twice. Several Thais I've spoken to think they want some money under the table.

Does anyone out there have any similar experiences? I'm starting to wonder now, whether it might just be easier for me to apply outside of the country.

You need to be patient - Maybe you are experiencing an attempt at under the table fund raising or maybe just different officers have a different 'reading' of the regulations.

Be patient, smile and hopefully things will sort themselves out.

As has been already posted; better you go to your local immigration for this reason (back and forth, back and .... etc)

[mja1906]

I understand you volunteer in Mae Hong Son so why are you going to Bangkok? You don't need to go there to convert your visa.

I'm a volunteer my self at a government school and never have any trouble at Mae Sot for my yearly extensions. (In fact if I forget something I can simply mail it to them and already get my stamp). I believe a very helpful officer from Mae Sot now works at Mae Sai. He does volunteer work himself and is very helpful. Don'y know about Chiang Mai, but I understood there was a woman a while ago who also converted her visa there and didn't have any problems.

Documents do need to be signed by the director of the school and you would also need a letter from the director of the educational zone. You also will need a work permit.

Mario2008 & DigitalChromakey - Thanks for the helpful replies and words of encouragement. After reading the posts I went to enquire at Mae Sariang immigration and they told me that I could only convert visas at Bangkok and after the staff there made several phone calls (one to a leader at Bangkok Immigration) he advised that so much paperwork is involved, and as we are not a large established organisation/NGO it would be easier to fly out of the country ie: go to Laos and apply there. Less grief and in the end less expensive than going to BKK multiple times.

Why BKK immigration didn't advise me of this extra paperwork before, is anyone's guess.

Guess I better go start looking at flights then.......

[mja1906]

Does anyone have any experience of changing a tourist visa to a volunteer/non-O visa? I am in the middle of trying to do this and but am only staggered by how a country can run their immigration system like this. The staff really don't care, getting help from them is like drawing blood from a stone. All this when actually foreigners want to stay here to help the children of their country. Anyhows enough of my rant.

Who am I to agree or disagree with your ideas about the running of the Thai immigration? Although clearly you disagree per your comments below

I guess most of us have some ideas about that particular service.

However, the idea that Thai people will all be so very happy that you want to help the children of this country, I have news for you. Yes you do

My wife, being Thai, and absolutely NOT against farang because she sometimes think that the way farang are treated is shameful, once ventilated her feelings about all those welldoers flocking to Thailand with the idea that all they want to do is generally also very much wanted by Thai people.

If you really want to help, shut up and do not talk about it, and don't apply for a visum bragging about your weldoing. I'm sorry, but where exactly in my post do you find me 'bragging' about my 'welldoing' ?? I also think you will find that the purpose of this forum is to talk about visas in Thailand.

Can you understand that Thai people have some pride? Yes of course

Can you maybe understand that your help might not be wanted? If my help was not wanted, then why would several schools and educational directors in the area want me to stay and help and sign the needed paperwork for me?

Can you understand that ranting about your wishes to immigration officers actually let them loose face in an enormous way? Who said that I ranted my wishes to immigration officers? I merely expressed my opinions in this forum which is what this forum is for. My partner is Thai so my lack of understanding about Thai pride or losing face, is not an issue.

Can you understand that you are telling them that in your eyes they run the immigration in a despicable way and that they live in a backward country. You have assumed too much, and jumped to conclusions from my post. I never told them such a thing, as I kept my opinions to myself, and as I said I only voice them on this forum.

My wife tells you, please go away. Tell her thanks.

And maybe come back if you can understand that you have to behave to be taken seriously. I'm sorry, I still fail to see where my behaviour was inapproriate.

Perhaps your wife works for Thai Immigration?

Jum