Non-immigrant B Requirements?

[Harley62]

Can someone "in the know" please confirm that in order to obtain a Non-Immigrant B (working) Visa, the Company must ALREADY have applied for (and received) the Work Permit in my name?

Looking at the Thai Ministry of Foreign affairs website--it appears they require a LOT of documentation, including a Letter of Approval from Ministry of Labor, a copy of the work permit, and various company documents, such as tax and financial statements...

Does this mean that a "1st time" new employee (intending to start working in Thailand) would have to request ALL this documentation from his/her prospective employer to be delivered to him, and then personally take it to the Consulate/Embassy in a country outside Thailand? Do all Thai Companies routinely send their financial docs to a person that isn't even (formally) their employee yet??

My employer seems to believe that a simple, one-page signed "letter of intent to employ" me will be sufficient to obtain the Non-Immigrant B VISA...would greatly appreciate ANY clarification.

Cheers.

HB

[ubonjoe]

That will depend upon the embassy or consulate you go to.

If your country has honorary Thai consulates you would be able to get it with a letter from your future employer.

If you are unable to get the B visa then the next best choice is to get a tourist visa. After your employer applies for your work permit and you have a WP3 from the labour deparment you would then to go to a nearby consulate to a get a B visa.

[Harley62]

That will depend upon the embassy or consulate you go to.

If your country has honorary Thai consulates you would be able to get it with a letter from your future employer.

If you are unable to get the B visa then the next best choice is to get a tourist visa. After your employer applies for your work permit and you have a WP3 from the labour deparment you would then to go to a nearby consulate to a get a B visa.

Understood--well to be specific, I'm a US citizen / Passport holder, but will be applying in either KL (Malaysia) or Jakarta (Indo) -- as I have been working in those countries previously--if there is a "better chance" of success in getting the Non-B VISA at one specific Embassy over the other, then I would alter my plans accordingly.

Otherwise, your idea of a 60 day tourist visa would suffice I suppose.

Many thanks!

HB

[ubonjoe]

Since you are that close it would be best to get the tourist visa. About every nearby consulate will want the WP3 (receipt for work permit application) to get a B visa.

[Soutpeel]

Can someone "in the know" please confirm that in order to obtain a Non-Immigrant B (working) Visa, the Company must ALREADY have applied for (and received) the Work Permit in my name?

Looking at the Thai Ministry of Foreign affairs website--it appears they require a LOT of documentation, including a Letter of Approval from Ministry of Labor, a copy of the work permit, and various company documents, such as tax and financial statements...

Does this mean that a "1st time" new employee (intending to start working in Thailand) would have to request ALL this documentation from his/her prospective employer to be delivered to him, and then personally take it to the Consulate/Embassy in a country outside Thailand? Do all Thai Companies routinely send their financial docs to a person that isn't even (formally) their employee yet??

My employer seems to believe that a simple, one-page signed "letter of intent to employ" me will be sufficient to obtain the Non-Immigrant B VISA...would greatly appreciate ANY clarification.

Cheers.

HB

Can only speak of my experiences, but yes, the company needs to supply a big slab of documents to the Thai embassy, certainly the case at the Thai embassy in Singapore, I was provided with documentation about 1 inch thick to get my Non-imm B (7 years ago)

I dont believe its enough these days for the employer just to provide a "letter of intent", you also need a reciept for your WP application

[Soutpeel]

as I have been working in those countries previously--if there is a "better chance" of success in getting the Non-B VISA at one specific Embassy over the other, then I would alter my plans accordingly.

In a nutshell no......If you have the proper documentation you will be issued with a Non-Imm B at any of the Thai embassies or consulates, one will not be "easier" than the other..