Multiple Non Immigrant "b" Visa Border Runs

[gk10002000]

I am aware of the change in 2008 to the 30 day visa on arrival border runs, where they now only give you another 30 days if you come back in via an airport, thus eliminating those cheap and easy minvan visa runs to Cambodia.

My question is now, assuming I have a Multiple Entry Non Immigrant "B" visa, obtained for teaching. This Visa requires a 90 day visa renewal in and out of the country. Can that still be done using the relatively easy Minivan border runs to Cambodia? I anticipate being in Pattaya, but might be Bangkok also.

I just can't quite see the answer in black and white on this. I believe the new border run rule limitation don't apply to this "B" visa, but I don't see that explicitly stated.

Thanks.

[ubonjoe]

It is for visa exempt entries only. If you have a visa of any type it does not apply.

[lopburi3]

It only applies to visa exempt entry if you are talking about the 4 entry limit.

[Lite Beer]

Yep. Same as you were. No change.

[gk10002000]

It is for visa exempt entries only. If you have a visa of any type it does not apply.

You used a new term here "visa exempt entries", but I think I know what you mean, and I think you answered my question. However, just to be double sure.

Can I make a simple minivan type of overland day visa run to Cambodia and back in order to satisfy the 90 day rule for the multiple entry non-immigrant B visa?

This is the best website for anything having to do withThailand.

Thanks again.

Edited June 2, 2009 by gk10002000

[Lite Beer]

Yes you can. No Problem

Visa Exempt means that you do not have a Visa.

[gk10002000]

Yes you can. No Problem

Visa Exempt means that you do not have a Visa.

This is great. Thanks. Now, can somebody explain why one can get a B visa, yet still has to spend time and money doing 90 day visa runs? Seems contradictory. Wouldn't some other method be more efficient? Say, every 90 days you just show up at some immigration office, certify you are still meeting the intent of the B Visa and pay some nominal fee? Of course the fact that you now become a consumer and have to spend money for goods and services to travel back and forth every 90 days is obvious.

It looks like I have an interesting confluence of events that is probably going to allow me to head to the LOS, get my TEFL certificate, and pursure teaching English as well as Math and Science. I have the time, I have the money, and I like Thailand. Now, to chat with the class place and see how fast I could get this Visa. I do not live near a Thai embassy in the USA, but I am near an honorary Thai consulate in Miami Florida. Not sure how this will shake out but I am on the line to find out.

Many thanks to everybody that posted information here.

[ubonjoe]

You should be able to get a 1 year extension of stay if you have a work permit. Teaching is one of the easiest jobs to get an extension for. Then all you have to do is make 90 day reports to immigration.

[PeaceBlondie]

gk1000000000000 - any EP or bilingual school that hires you with a one-year non-B visa should make you immune to 90-day visa runs.,

[Lite Beer]

What you have is a Multi Entry Non B Visa. Each entry gives up to 90 days.

As UJ said try for the 12 month extension. All you have to do after is to report to Immigration every 90 days. Can even be done by post.

[gk10002000]

Ah, yes I see. Once you have the work permit, there is no need for the border runs. That makes sense.

Thanks.

[ubonjoe]

If you work without a work permit you are working illegaly. No matter what kind of visa you have.

[gerryBScot]

Yup I came in recently on single entry Non B to work as teacher and have just recently had it extended for one year and given a form by Immigration to submit by post for my 90 day reporting; this is through Immigration Office in Kanchanaburi. So apart from submitting a form every 90 days, which the school says it will do for me, I have nothing more to do. If you have a job you might want to save yourself some dollars and just get a single entry visa. Good luck

[gk10002000]

If you work without a work permit you are working illegaly. No matter what kind of visa you have.

Sure, and I am trying to do everything on the up and up. The one part that is bothering me is how the place that is offering the TEFL class says they will help me get the B Visa in advance before I get there. While that may be the easiest way to do the paperwork, it seems a bit chicken and the egg. As I read the B visa requirements, it seems to want a work invite letter, which I probably would not have. Am I getting some iffy advice and offering of services here that really can't work well? Is it best to just get the 60 day tourist visa, take the course, and then work on the B visa after getting work? That tourist visa allows a 30 day extension so that should be enough time to get things more or less in order.

Is this Certification class that highly and strongly suggests getting the B Visa in advance on the level? Text to Talk academy in Patters is one I have been communicating with.

[gerryBScot]

I am no expert on these matters but you can get a non imm B- ED visa which is short for Education, I think, and enables you to enter and stay for the purposes of pursuing a course of study. That leaves you legal and presumably to get it you need a letter from the place you propose to study. However there are people here better able to advise you about this type of visa......good luck

[ubonjoe]

Having the B visa in advance saves leaving again to get a B visa after you get a job and work permit that you would need to do if you only have a tourist visa.

Plus if its a multiple entry B it's a good back up to the extension incase you were to loose you job. When you loose your job your extension goes with it. So if you had a valid B you could just make a border run and start over again instead of having to go for a tourist visa.

[gerryBScot]

ubonjoe will they issue a non-b without a job offer letter etc?

[gk10002000]

ubonjoe will they issue a non-b without a job offer letter etc?

Yes, thanks. This is the crux now. How can I get the B Visa in advance? It sounds like a great idea to me, but barring some strong local influence, I don't see how the Certification class institution can promise such a thing, especially if I am submitting the paperwork from here in the USA to the Thai Embassy here in the USA.

It would be nice to do it all with one fell swoop before I head over, but it seems like an iffy proposition to me. I asked the institution for clarification and to walk me through the process and what they would actually do. I am eager to see how they propose to work this.

[ubonjoe]

In your home country it can be gotten with just an invitation letter. It sounds like the acadamy mentioned above is able to make arrangements for that.

It's the same thing that some of the well known law offices that get big money for getting a non-b do.

[ubonjoe]

ubonjoe will they issue a non-b without a job offer letter etc?

Yes, thanks. This is the crux now. How can I get the B Visa in advance? It sounds like a great idea to me, but barring some strong local influence, I don't see how the Certification class institution can promise such a thing, especially if I am submitting the paperwork from here in the USA to the Thai Embassy here in the USA.

It would be nice to do it all with one fell swoop before I head over, but it seems like an iffy proposition to me. I asked the institution for clarification and to walk me through the process and what they would actually do. I am eager to see how they propose to work this.

They won't suggest getting the visa at the embassy or one of the 3 official consualtes. It will be a honorary consulate because they are more flexable about issuing visas.

I have gotten B's before with just a letter on company letter head.

The same thing can be done in the UK.

[gerryBScot]

FYI I applied to Hull consulate in the UK for my non-b and was freaked about getting it cos the paperwork provided by the school was awful.....about 4 different spellings of my name, an unbelievable mess. It was processed in 24 hours! So I believe if your institution provides a letter saying you have been accepted then you stand a good chance of getting it and I think Ubonjoe's advice about multiple entries is good.

[Lite Beer]

As said. Stick to an Honorary Thai Consulate.

[gk10002000]

As said. Stick to an Honorary Thai Consulate.

Agreed. I actually just got off the phone with the Thail honorary consulate in Miami Florida. They seem to be pretty easy to deal with.

The one thing off was that she said she needed to see a plane ticket. I said, well, I am not paying for a ticket unless I am sure I have the visa. She said there would be no reason to deny the visa. I said, I understand, but I prefer the paperwork done first. She claimed it was a requirement and I asked her to check. A few minutes later she came back and agreed it was not a requirement.

She says they do same day service if you get there before 12 noon, and they charge $20 for that. That is reasonable as the office is about a 2 hour drive from my house and I would like to get things wrapped up all in one trip. That way I can hang around and answer or clear up any last minute questions they may have.

Thanks again.

[ubonjoe]

Good it sounds like you are all set.

[SunsetT]

If you work without a work permit you are working illegaly. No matter what kind of visa you have.

Sure, and I am trying to do everything on the up and up. The one part that is bothering me is how the place that is offering the TEFL class says they will help me get the B Visa in advance before I get there. While that may be the easiest way to do the paperwork, it seems a bit chicken and the egg. As I read the B visa requirements, it seems to want a work invite letter, which I probably would not have. Am I getting some iffy advice and offering of services here that really can't work well? Is it best to just get the 60 day tourist visa, take the course, and then work on the B visa after getting work? That tourist visa allows a 30 day extension so that should be enough time to get things more or less in order.

Is this Certification class that highly and strongly suggests getting the B Visa in advance on the level? Text to Talk academy in Patters is one I have been communicating with.

[SunsetT]

I did the Tefl course in 2006 with T&T, Pattaya and they are as good as their word. They faxed or emailed a sponsorship letter to the Thai consulate in Hull, UK, to support my postal application form which asks "Reason for application?" which I complete "Training and Work". B Visa granted no problem. Although I am not now teaching, I have returned to Thailand every year since then and they have continued to willingly give me help and advice on visas etc. If you look closely at their website, email, or phone them, it/they will give you the email address and phone number of the very helpful individual in their company that specializes in this. You can contact him directly and I am sure he will advise you on the best location in the U.S. to make your application and answer any other questions you may have.

Good Luck GK !

Edited June 4, 2009 by turiyaa

[gleeglee]

Yes you can. No Problem

Visa Exempt means that you do not have a Visa.

This is great. Thanks. Now, can somebody explain why one can get a B visa, yet still has to spend time and money doing 90 day visa runs? Seems contradictory. Wouldn't some other method be more efficient? Say, every 90 days you just show up at some immigration office, certify you are still meeting the intent of the B Visa and pay some nominal fee? Of course the fact that you now become a consumer and have to spend money for goods and services to travel back and forth every 90 days is obvious.

It looks like I have an interesting confluence of events that is probably going to allow me to head to the LOS, get my TEFL certificate, and pursure teaching English as well as Math and Science. I have the time, I have the money, and I like Thailand. Now, to chat with the class place and see how fast I could get this Visa. I do not live near a Thai embassy in the USA, but I am near an honorary Thai consulate in Miami Florida. Not sure how this will shake out but I am on the line to find out.

Many thanks to everybody that posted information here.

Well i believe that the 3 month visa is given to you with paperwork from a school that you will be teaching there. On your arrival this must then be turned into the 12 month extension that runs with the work permit.

you mentioned going to laos to get your TEFL, if your degree in not in Education you must have a tefl with your other 4 year degree and now the 20 hour Thai ethics course to get the workpermit, a TEFL alone will not get you a legal workpermit

[ubonjoe]

Well i believe that the 3 month visa is given to you with paperwork from a school that you will be teaching there. On your arrival this must then be turned into the 12 month extension that runs with the work permit.

you mentioned going to laos to get your TEFL, if your degree in not in Education you must have a tefl with your other 4 year degree and now the 20 hour Thai ethics course to get the workpermit, a TEFL alone will not get you a legal workpermit

You need to go back and read some of the posts in this topic again.

The OP is getting his visa in the US and is probably getting a multiple entry visa.

Many people get work permits to teach with only the application for a teachers license.

[lopburi3]

Actually there do not seem to be any hard and fast rules as to what is required for a legal work permit from my reading and exceptions can often be made even when there are.

Work permits and extensions of stay are no longer tied to each other.

You do not have to have an extension of stay to have a work permit and be legal.

I did not see a mention of laos - I did see LOS - not the same.

[bangkokbreeze]

Will this person need to get a re-entry permit with a type B visa?

I have just got ( 12 JUN 09 )

a Non Immi B one year stay with 90 day reports but I was told very specifically to get a re-entry permit if I needed to leave prior to the expiry otherwise you have to start the process all over again?

By the way this has been a real process and I got a Non B without a work permit but a letter from the Director of my employer

which is the Thai Government.

It has taken 6 pages in a new passport. JFYI - no matter what you do have plenty of pages left, photos,copies of EVERYTHING in duplicate.

Above all be patient & polite.

Best of luck.

BangkokBreeze