Very Confused As To What I Should Do

[costas]

Hello all,

i am Greek, 33 years old.

I am married to a Thai , and have a non-O issued in London, valid till the end

of November 05, while my first 90 days' entry ends by the end of February.

As i am here for good and i will like to get a Permanent Residency as soon as that will be possible, i would like some advice. I read the relevant articles and do not understand whether i must have three years worth of yearly visas, or three yearly extensions of my visas, so are we talking three years or four?

Next week i start a three month contract working in a school, where apparently from April onwards i will be getting yearly contracts.

What in your opinion would be the best and fastest way to obtain a PR?

By my counting , and if i understood things right (doubtful though...) from April 05 i can extend my permit of stay for a year (subject to work contract, hence work permit), and after doing this x3 till April 08 i will be able to apply for PR...

would it be better to apply for the yearly extensions (2 or 3?) while holding a teachers visa (and being maried as a supporting advantage) or would it be preferable to get them applying as a married guy, showing employment as supporting evidence? (uncertain what the financial requiremnts would be, i dont have 400k currently but i read in one of the pages that this might be flexible subject to the wife having a good steady job (which she has being lecturer in a Uni)

Also, now that i will start work, do i still have to go out of the country by the end of Feb, or once i have the work permit my stay can be extended accordingly?

Please help me understand and get it rightfrom the beginning so that i dont waste years at a later stage.......

Thanks in advance, any help would be greatly appreciated

costas

[lopburi3]

Currently the only thing that counts toward the minimum 3 years for PR is extensions of stay. Remember that this is a minimum and may take longer even when other factors are positive.

If you have a legal (registered) marriage you can extend you stay at an immigration office on the basis of supporting your wife. You should not need the 400k in a bank account if you have employment here.

I would go to immigration early February with the wife and documents for a support extension of stay. But your school may prefer to base your extension on work. You can go either way so probably not worth getting them upset about it. You are always free to change and can probably do so without losing your 3 year time these days.

With your current visa you have to leave the country at the end of February unless your stay is extended at an immigration office. The work permit does not extend your visa by itself.

[costas]

Currently the only thing that counts toward the minimum 3 years for PR is extensions of stay.  Remember that this is a minimum and may take longer even when other factors are positive.

If you have a legal (registered) marriage you can extend you stay at an immigration office on the basis of supporting your wife.  You should not need the 400k in a bank account if you have employment here.

I would go to immigration early February with the wife and documents for a support extension of stay.  But your school may prefer to base your extension on work.  You can go either way so probably not worth getting them upset about it.  You are always free to change and can probably do so without losing your 3 year time these days.

With your current visa you have to leave the country at the end of February unless your stay is extended at an immigration office.  The work permit does not extend your visa by itself.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks lopburi,

if i got it right, i should be consulting with the school, to make sure they are OK if i go one way or the other, and if so, then prior to my 90 days elapsing i should go to ChiangKhan, wife, papers and all, and get a yearly extension, a procedure which i would hopefully be able to repeat three times (at least) before even considering applying for a PR .

But will i be able to get a yearly extension of stay if my visa will be running out in the meantime (feb to feb, while visa runs out in November05)?

Of course if the school insists on getting my extensions based on work, if i understood correctly, i should do a run in feb and then when i have yearly contract (Apr) i should go to the immigration and get yearlong extension of stay.

is that so?

sorry to appear so thick but i probably am

Thanks in advance

costas

[lopburi3]

One you start to get extensions you do not need to worry about "visa expiration date" as your extension is your new date of expiration.

Normally they ask the you apply during the last 30 days of your current permission to stay period for an extension.

Once you have an extension of stay the next work permit will use that date I believe but have not been in that position so perhaps others can clarify and advise on exact work permit details timeline? Am sure you can find with a search if not.

Some places are only used to dealing with B type visa and believe the work permit can not be issued on an O visa so that is reason I mentioned you may have to do it their way.