Non "b" Visa Questions

[hotwings]

Hi everyone,

I'm moving to Thailand! I've done some visa research but still have some questions.

First off, i'm Canadian and want to live in Thailand for at least a year. I want to work (IT, programming) and do some travelling all over asia. I don't have a job in place so that means I cannot apply for a non-immigrant "b" visa. I must enter thailand using a tourist visa. i plan to apply for a 60 day tourist visa then get a 30 day extension. hopefully by then i will have a job and i could apply for a non-b visa along with the work permit. my questions...

1. i will still need to make a visa run every 90 days with the non immigrant b visa. can it be any country? or non immigrant b visa only given at certain consulates?

2. the non "b" multiple entry means it is valid for a year. Does this still mean I can stay in Thailand for a year without making border runs? What is the benefit of the multiple entry vs single entry besides saving money?

3. if i stay on my tourist visa and make a border run every 90 days, is there a limit to how many times i could do this within a year? ie. is there some sort of rule where it says that i can only renew 3 times in a year?

thank you so much forum members!

[Mario2008]

1. That would depend. When you have the visa and work permit, you can extend your stay under certain circumstances for 1 year and every year afterwars. You would then not need to leave the country. Both the comapny and you will have to meet certain criteria. For your proposed job that would mean a salary of at least 50,000 baht a month.

2. No. It is valid for 1 year, but means that during that year you can come to Thailand an unlimited times. Each time you come to Thailand you will get a permission to stay for 90 days. You can leave and re-enter the same day. By Leaving and re-entering just before the visa expires you would get a another 90 days, so you can get 15 months out of it.

3. There is no limit, but you can not work on a tourist visa, as they won't issue a work permit on that visa. (It is fine to look for work on it and apply for a work permit, but you won't get the wp till you have the proper visa).

[lopburi3]

Do you have any idea of the job situation here? Have you been here? Do you have other reasons for coming here?

Working here is not likely to be a casual affair and require a great deal of commitment and your comment about frequent travel does not indicate that (but I may have taken it wrong).

Above is just in hope that you do not make a mistake and am not trying to judge you (even if it sounds that way). Just want you to avoid a wasted trip/year/whatever if you are not totally sure.