Single Non-imm B Visa

[simon43]

I'm a little confused After 2 years on a multiple-entry, non-immigrant B visa, I now understand that this counts for nothing in the quest for PR

I now need to get a B visa for my 3rd year in Thailand, and this is going to be issued by Hull consulate, who provided me with the previous visas, (based on business research and investment, not on actualy working in LoS).

Am I right that a single-entry non-immigrant B visa COULD help in my quest for PR? (Or is a non-imm B visa of any type no help at all?)

I really need to know before I go to the UK in 2 weeks for my new visa. And if a single-entry is more useful, am I still able to leave LoS as many times as I wish, (on payment of a fee?). I still need to travel to the UK each month on business.

cheers

Simon

[samran]

AFAIK, you need to be in LOS on a continual visa for all that time (eg 'B' Visa that has been extended because of work permit). Any visa runs or border hopping will restart the PR clock.

Additionally, you'll need at least 3 years of tax returns as part of the PR process.

[george]

Simon,

A single entry will not help at all you towards residency. You need to initate the process with a yearly extension of a Non-Immigrant visa, based on either marriage to Thai citizen or work permit. (Residency based on retirement is scrapped since a year or two, FYI.)

After three consecutive years of uninterupted extensions you qualify to apply for residency. But it's not easy, only 100 applicants per year and nationality are taken into consideration, and if you are British it's quite hard, as there are many fellow countrymen that apply for residency in Thailand.