redscouse Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 Hi, I will start work soon for a company in Bangkok. I currently have a tourist visa and will need to get a non Imm B visa for my work permit. The company lawyers says I can transfer my tourist visa to a non imm B visa at immigration in Bangkok. Is this correct? I thought I would have to go to a Thai consulate or embassy outside of Thailand. Any help on this would be appreciated. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 A change of visa status from a tourist visa to a B is possible but rarely done by immigration. Most people have to leave and get a single entry B visa from one of the nearby consulates. If they say they can do it let them try. You will need at least 21 days left on your current permit to stay for it to be done . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redscouse Posted June 24, 2009 Author Share Posted June 24, 2009 Thanks Joe, I just extended it on Monday for another 30 days so it will be possible, that said though I need to go to Vietnam so i assume immigration will keep my passprt while making the change? Also since i am going to vietnam anyway would it be simpler to just get it in Vietnam rather than dealing with the added beurocracy in Bangkok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 Immigration doe not keep your passport. Normally they tell you to come back in few days when they do a change of visa status. You might be able to get the visa in Vietnam but you would need documentation from the compandy and a WP3 work permit application receipt to get it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redscouse Posted June 24, 2009 Author Share Posted June 24, 2009 Thanks Joe, the company lawyer asked for 15000 baht to complete the paperwork, then he said 7000 of that was for the immigration officer. since I have to go to Vietnam anyway I may as well pay him the 8k to do the paperwork and not have to pay anything to an immigration officer, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mario2008 Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 You only have afew days left to get the work permit (WP3 receipt) from labour. Without confirmation that kabour will give you a work permit immigration will not convert your visa. Time wise you might be better of getting a non-B in Vietnam if you go there anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redscouse Posted June 24, 2009 Author Share Posted June 24, 2009 mmmmmmm the company already has two work permits, which is the limit here, one of those people will be taken off and I will go on. does she need to come off her permit before the labour department will give me the receipt? No doubt the lawyer should be able to handle all this but i want to see he is not making a hash of it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 I think they would accept the application but not issue the work permit untill the other one was cancelled. What is the reason they cannot have more than 2 foreign employees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redscouse Posted June 24, 2009 Author Share Posted June 24, 2009 i think because of the number of Thai staff Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 The ratio is 4 to 1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redscouse Posted June 24, 2009 Author Share Posted June 24, 2009 yes, it is a small company. although at my last company we managed to get the ratio down to 2 to one from the BOI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopburi3 Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 The "company" lawyer is going to charge you 15,000 baht to obtain a work permit so that you can work for them? Half of this is payment to an Immigration Officer (for what?). And they are ditching there current employee to make room for your new 15,000 baht? And a few weeks later will be ditching you for a new victim? I know I am coming from the darkside here; but something smells a bit off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redscouse Posted June 24, 2009 Author Share Posted June 24, 2009 (edited) haha, sorry when i say company lawyer I mean he is an external lawyer employed by the company for such things. I assume the payment to immigration is so it can be done, if you read Joes comment above you can see it is unuaual for immigration to swap the visa so i think palms need to be greased. This however will not be an issue as I have decided it will be easier to get the visa when i am in Vietnam on a planned trip. Also I am not paying for the visa, the company is paying for it so the lawyer is not charging me anything. The second work permit is held by the company owners wife, they live in Vietnam and will spend more time at the business there so she no longer needs a work permit for Thailand, I will manage the Thailand end of the company for them. Nothing untoward going on, walk towards the light Edited June 24, 2009 by redscouse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mario2008 Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 Have to agree with Lopburi, this smells and personally I would walk away from such a job offer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redscouse Posted June 24, 2009 Author Share Posted June 24, 2009 nothing smells, the staff there do not know how to do the paperwork for the visa and work permit so the lawyer does it for them, I would call that common sense rather than dodgy. I would be more concerened if they were making excuses as to why they can not get a work permit rather than making sure they have the correct paperwork to get one. why are there so many idiots on this forum, this is not my first rodeo guys, it was a simple question about whether immigration can swap my visa from tourist to Non Imm B and all of a sudden I am working for the small equivelant of enron jesus wept, I could understand your concerns if i was having to fork out for the visa myself, but the company is paying everything, paying for visa, flights, hotel etc for the trip to vietnam maybe the two guys who say this stinks would like to elaborate on their conspiracy theory, answer these points: 1. company want to provide work permit straight away 2. Company will pay for visa and permit etc 3. Company uses external lawyer to complete paperwork (same lawyer completed the paperwork for previous wp's) to ensure the paperwork is correct. 4. neither of the previous two had to change from Thai tourist Visa to Non Imm B so they are not aware of the procedure at immigration, both thought I would have to visit consul outside Thailand. on the other hand, dodgy would be telling me to work on my tourist visa or pay myself to get a visa through some external company Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopburi3 Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 It did sound as if you were paying the 15k from your previous posts (at least to this reader). As for the change of status it is done if you can qualify for extension of stay - the problem is most employment (new company) does not meet those conditions. In your case it might work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redscouse Posted June 24, 2009 Author Share Posted June 24, 2009 yes sorry, I should have worded it better, i can see how you read it. I don't agree with the 15k, especially now I know 7k is going to someone in immigration just to do what they are suppossed to do anyway, and since I have to go to vietnam anyway it would be simpler to go to the consul there with the paperwork. At first the immigration route would have been an option if i did not already need to go to vietnam on another matter, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopburi3 Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 I would take anything from a lawyer with a large grain of salt. They often are acting in there own interests and say they require 'tea' money that they then put in their own pocket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redscouse Posted June 24, 2009 Author Share Posted June 24, 2009 yes this is why i don't really want to go down that route through immigration, I wasnt sure if it was even legit until i asked in here. My employer is in Vietnam at the moment so i am dealing with it at this end with his Thai staff, they are speaking to the lawyer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackdanielsesq Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 I would - admittedly, at a rather late stage - simply walk into ya nearest friendly IO and speak with the nice supervisor. I did that in Jomtien, it was painless and friendly. They are employed to serve the people. Ya dont need no ambulance chaser to go to Big C - same/same here. Save all the fees and dont forget to tell ya boss. BR>Jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koekenbakkerr Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 I would - admittedly, at a rather late stage - simply walk into ya nearest friendly IO and speak with the nice supervisor.I did that in Jomtien, it was painless and friendly. They are employed to serve the people. Ya dont need no ambulance chaser to go to Big C - same/same here. Save all the fees and dont forget to tell ya boss. BR>Jack I don't see why you should pay the external lawyer, this should be paid by the company you will be working for. Strange way of doing business..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redscouse Posted June 25, 2009 Author Share Posted June 25, 2009 I would - admittedly, at a rather late stage - simply walk into ya nearest friendly IO and speak with the nice supervisor.I did that in Jomtien, it was painless and friendly. They are employed to serve the people. Ya dont need no ambulance chaser to go to Big C - same/same here. Save all the fees and dont forget to tell ya boss. BR>Jack I don't see why you should pay the external lawyer, this should be paid by the company you will be working for. Strange way of doing business..... I am not paying the lawyer, the company is paying the lawyer to complete the paperwork and deal with the labour dept etc, I am paying nothing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lite Beer Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 Off Topic Post and the answer to it have been deleted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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