3-year Multiple Entry Class B Visa

[Indo-Siam]

Well, I was rather stunned today when one of my clients returned from a visa trip to Penang with - a three-year, multiple-entry Class B visa.

I guess we write good visa letters!

Price for this visa, printed on the paste-in visa decal, was 500 Ringgit.

"Visa must be used before: March 25, 2008".

Applicant was a 53 year old Swedish citizen, with a Thai wife, and with a work permit. He went down with a letter requesting a one-year, multiple-entry visa.

He did nothing special - just agreed to a suggestion that he could get a longer visa by paying more fee.

So - there are occasionally new things under the sun.

Cheers!

Steve Sykes

Managing Director

Indo-Siam Group

Bangkok

[email protected]

www.thaistartup.com

[RDN]

..."Visa must be used before:  March 25, 2008"....

...  He went down with a letter requesting a one-year, multiple-entry visa.

He did nothing special - just agreed to a suggestion that he could get a longer visa by paying more fee....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Does this mean he can use this same visa over and over again for three years? And get a one-year stay each time he enters Thailand?

or

Does it mean he can use it once, at any time during the next three years?

Just curious.

[Indo-Siam]

Over and over again for three years, with a 90-day entry permit each time.

Cheers!

Steve

Indo-Siam

[lopburi3]

As said it is a multi entry type visa but valid for 3 years instead of the normal 1 year or less as has been the rule. Believe the idea was mentioned somewhere a few months ago but don't recall where. Seems to be very fast action getting it into practice. Of course the applicant had everything going with marriage, being over 50, work permit and probably history. Will be interesting to see if they become the norm. But not the best answer for those that live here full time as visa runs are still required but for those that travel it seems to make good sense.

[Neeranam]

Well, I was rather stunned today when one of my clients returned from a visa trip to Penang with - a three-year, multiple-entry Class B visa.

I guess we write good visa letters!

Price for this visa, printed on the paste-in visa decal, was 500 Ringgit.

"Visa must be used before: March 25, 2008".

Applicant was a 53 year old Swedish citizen, with a Thai wife, and with a work permit. He went down with a letter requesting a one-year, multiple-entry visa.

He did nothing special - just agreed to a suggestion that he could get a longer visa by paying more fee.

So - there are occasionally new things under the sun.

Cheers!

Steve Sykes

Is this good?

He is married to a Thai, has a work permit, and he still has to leave the country every 90 days!!

Your letters can't be that good.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Well, I was rather stunned today when one of my clients returned from a visa trip to Penang with - a three-year, multiple-entry Class B visa.

I guess we write good visa letters!

Price for this visa, printed on the paste-in visa decal, was 500 Ringgit.

"Visa must be used before: March 25, 2008".

Applicant was a 53 year old Swedish citizen, with a Thai wife, and with a work permit. He went down with a letter requesting a one-year, multiple-entry visa.

He did nothing special - just agreed to a suggestion that he could get a longer visa by paying more fee.

So - there are occasionally new things under the sun.

Cheers!

Steve Sykes

Is this good?

He is married to a Thai, has a work permit, and he still has to leave the country every 90 days!!

Your letters can't be that good.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The only 3 year validity Non-Immigrant applies to a card carrying APEC member. There has been a mistake made I'd guess. The visa situation is getting tougher not easier.

[astral]

Some clerk got the date wrong on his little stamp, is my guess.

Will be interesting to see what Immigration makes of it down the line.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Some clerk got the date wrong on his little stamp, is my guess.

Will be interesting to see what Immigration makes of it down the line.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I contacted a Thai Consul-General abroad and he confirms that APEC is the only exception other than the discredited ' Elite Card '

[Doi Thong]

If he got the work permit, why he went to make a new visa outside Thailand?

Some clerk got the date wrong on his little stamp, is my guess.

Will be interesting to see what Immigration makes of it down the line.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I contacted a Thai Consul-General abroad and he confirms that APEC is the only exception other than the discredited ' Elite Card '

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Indo-Siam]

We 're not sure what to think - especially in view of the 500 Ringgit fee. It very well might be a mistake.

This fellow stayed at the ContinentalHotel in Penang, and let the hotel manager there handle his visa application - but the Hotel Manager was as surprised as anyone - so it was not his doing.

This guy was previously here in extended Class O status, but is in process of getting a divorce - wife up-country, he's in Bangkok. He has company with 2,000,000 baht paid in capital, but no Thai employees, and an office address at some abandoned office somewhere.

'Came to us after a Thai lawyer had submitted him for an annual extension renewal, without being qualified. We determined that his extension request was about to be disapproved, and told him to depart the country without a re-entry permit, to cancel his existing temporary ("under consideratipon") extension - which automatically cancels the previous extension request.

This prevented him from getting a stamp in his passport "Extension Application Disapproved, you must leave Thailand by (date)" - once you have one of these in your passport, you forever receive extra scrutiny on future applications.

His work permit is still valid for another 23 days or so - and we will renew that for him after Songkran, to match his new entry permit.

He is definitely no APEC card holder (I've only seen one of those), and seemed to me to be an unlikely candidate for any special treatment.

So - the question is - how to arrange for similar "mistakes"????? We are pondering that issue ourselves.

Cheers!

Steve

Indo-Siam

[dr_Pat_Pong]

We 're not sure what to think - especially in view of the 500 Ringgit fee.  It very well might be a mistake.

This fellow stayed at the ContinentalHotel in Penang, and let the hotel manager there handle his visa application - but the Hotel Manager was as surprised as anyone - so it was not his doing.

This guy was previously here in extended Class O status, but is in process of getting a divorce - wife up-country, he's in Bangkok.  He has company with 2,000,000 baht paid in capital, but no Thai employees, and an office address at some abandoned office somewhere.

'Came to us after a Thai lawyer had submitted him for an annual extension renewal, without being qualified.  We determined that his extension request was about to be disapproved, and told him to depart the country without a re-entry permit, to cancel his existing temporary ("under consideratipon") extension - which automatically cancels the previous extension request.

This prevented him from getting a stamp in his passport "Extension Application Disapproved, you must leave Thailand by (date)" - once you have one of these in your passport, you forever receive extra scrutiny on future applications.

His work permit is still valid for another 23 days or so - and we will renew that for him after Songkran, to match his new entry permit.

He is definitely no APEC card holder (I've only seen one of those), and seemed to me to be an unlikely candidate for any special treatment.

So - the question is - how to arrange for similar "mistakes"?????  We are pondering that issue ourselves.

Cheers!

Steve

Indo-Siam

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The Continental Hotel man can be your new visa agent My C-G friend has checked with MFA and other than APEC ( and they are rare .. APEC set the bar high ) there's no such 3 yr validity visa.

[Siam International Legal Group]

For the Non-Immigrant B visa, Penang issues 90 day single entry. For holders of a work permit, the Consulate may issue 1 year multiple entry. It is depends if your company paperwork and financials are in order. No three year visa is issued. Call the Consulate yourself and check. They will tell you it's not possible.

Alongkot

Siam International Legal Group

www.siam-legal.com

[email protected]

[dr_Pat_Pong]

For the Non-Immigrant B visa, Penang issues 90 day single entry.  For holders of a work permit, the Consulate may issue 1 year multiple entry.  It is depends if your company paperwork and financials are in order.  No three year visa is issued.  Call the Consulate yourself and check.  They will tell you it's not possible.

Alongkot

Siam International Legal Group

www.siam-legal.com

[email protected]

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What I wonder is just how this one slipped through the RTCG Penang. A mistake perhaps ? Thai Immigration is not very familiar with the APEC members rights.

[Indo-Siam]

Here's a link to an image - the "2008" is not very clear in this image, but it is very clear under direct inspection.

http://www.thaistartup.com/3yr_visa.jpg

Cheers!

Steve

Indo-Siam

[RDN]

Here's a link to an image - the "2008" is not very clear in this image, but it is very clear under direct inspection.

http://www.thaistartup.com/3yr_visa.jpg

Cheers!

Steve

Indo-Siam

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

A "6" is not much different from an "8", but this picture is clearly an "8" to me. Good luck to him .

[astral]

Mistakes can be made at all levels.

If I were him I would be going to my local immigration office and showing them

the visa asking "Is this correct?"

Better to get it sorted out now, than have a big fine, or worse, later on.

[lopburi3]

Nobody has commented on the normal price of a on year multi entry visa but my guess is that 500 ringgit would be right as the US price is $125 (it has been so many years the price did not strike me at first as my last was 110 ringgit).

So that would indeed make it a mistake. If there was a mention of paying more for a longer visa perhaps it was between the single entry and multi entry? As mentioned it is very easy to make an 8 from a 6 or the typist may have hit the wrong key. But by the time it is overdue the new computer systems will be in place and he will probably we asked to answer a few questions if he tries to use it.

[Indo-Siam]

From my way of thinking, a Royal Thai diplomatic post outside Thailand issues documents as an emissary of the King/Head of Thai State (although - realistically - representing the Head of Government).

I would think that no one inside Thailand short of the King or Prime Minister could officially challenge a visa issued in their name.

In the old days, a "visa" was a hand-written letter from a diplomat, telling border authorities to allow entrance by someone who carried that letter. The letter specified the duration for which the entrance allowance was valid - and that was that.

Whatever is issued - that it what is applicable.

I have to believe it was an error - but - if more intances appear, then we may be seeing some new policy.

Our client will extend his present 90 day entry permit anyway, so he will not be making much use of this particular visa.

Cheers!

Steve

Indo-Siam

[charng]

I wonder, human errors are obvious, but for visa sticker shouldn't the system alerts the cleark before printed? Or the system just naively print the lable but can't check for mistakes...

[xbusman]

I have the exact same "problem". Went to Chicago last March for a one year non imm B visa. Paid the $125, came back in three days and my visa was stamped valid until March 2007 (three years). I examined it at the Consulate and slid it back through asking if the date was mistyped. Answer "signed by Thai Consul, no mistake!" needless to say I beat feet.

I have worried about this ever since. Have been through Don Muang 20 times in the last year and only once got a frown and follow me. Got pulled to the little office where the many ribboned examined the visa with magnifying glass. Told me there are no three year visas, go immediately to immigrations in Bangkok to correct. All the other times it was stamp and smile, stamp and smile.

I did go to immigrations in Bangkok, at least five or six times in the past year. Every time I go I get another opinion on the validity of my three year non imm B. The process is identical each time (I do so love it here). I hand the passport and ask if the visa is correct, I am worried about "sam pi", they glance and say its good, no problem. I hand it back and say that I have never heard of a three year visa, I want to be sure to be legal. They glance and hand it back and say its good, no problem. Then I ask them to sign my passport with their badge number as having reviewed my three year visa and found it to be good, no problem. At that point they take my visa, look at it so carefully and I can see the exact instant it dawns on them that I have a three year non imm B. Their forehead gets all worked up and I can see the terror of something not of this world. Immediately my passport go through about 15 sets of hands with the same look of terror and finally the original officer hands it back and says, signed by consul, no problem, no sign, get out. I can hear the audible sigh of relief as I depart.

I have also shown this visa to the Work permit folks, used it to register my business, and have done everything except flag down Kuhn Thaksin for a quick opinion. The result is always the same. A form of beaurocratic terror followed by no problem, get out.

I spoke to Greg at Sunbelt asia and he gave me what I think is good advice. You got it, you asked, use it until you have a problem, sort it out then. Well the visa turned a year old last Monday and I am scheduled to do my 90 day run in April. If they have internet in immigrations detention, I will let you all know how it worked out.

[sriracha john]

Very amusing post....

Certainly sounds like you went above and beyong the call of duty to verify it's authenticity, bus. Best of luck to you and hope you avoid the IDC.

[Rinrada]

...Well the visa turned a year old last Monday and I am scheduled to do my 90 day run in April. If they have internet in immigrations detention, I will let you all know how it worked out...

Well done ...good on yer

What I wonder is just how this one slipped through the RTCG Penang. A mistake perhaps ? 

Thai Immigration is not very familiar with the APEC members rights.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Dont know if anyone is familar with the APEC members rights. and if there is a 3 year VISA for the great and good so be it.......

Soooooo...I wanna be a member of APEC...where do I join???

Sign up for Free..maybe..... only 50 bt...

http://www.apec.org/apec/about_apec.html

Edited March 30, 2005 by RDN

[Digger]

Guy who used to rent a house I owned had a 3 year B Visa in his passport as i remember it clearly and asked him how he got that - dont know he replied just stamped that way when he got his work permit, which was also for 3 years. He worked for a BOI company and a large one at that, but do not remember what he came in on initially. His was done at the immigration office in Matbraput Nr Rayong. Reason I remember was that I was jealous because the one stop centre would only issue me 1 year visa and work permit.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

...Well the visa turned a year old last Monday and I am scheduled to do my 90 day run in April. If they have internet in immigrations detention, I will let you all know how it worked out...

Well done ...good on yer

What I wonder is just how this one slipped through the RTCG Penang. A mistake perhaps ?  

Thai Immigration is not very familiar with the APEC members rights.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Dont know if anyone is familar with the APEC members rights. and if there is a 3 year VISA for the great and good so be it.......

Soooooo...I wanna be a member of APEC...where do I join???

Sign up for Free..maybe..... only 50 bt...

http://www.apec.org/apec/about_apec.html

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

APEC don't make getting the card very easy. As I understand it, all member countries have to sign off on each and every issuance.

[tchk]

...

This prevented him from getting a stamp in his passport "Extension Application Disapproved, you must leave Thailand by (date)" - once you have one of these in your passport, you forever receive extra scrutiny on future applications.

...

Cheers!

Steve

Indo-Siam

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Is this true? I went to Chiangmai Immigration to apply for an extension of stay which would save me from doing a visa run two weeks before returning home. My last border stamp was good until 24 FEB 2005. They charged me 1900 baht and stamped the following in my passport:

APPLICATION FOR EXTENSION OF STAY IS NOT APPROVED

APPLICANT MUST LEAVE THE KINGDOM NOT LATER THAN

(stamped) -8 MAR 2005

SIGNED (signature)

IMMIGRATION OFFICER

(stamped) 21 FEB 2005

I found this wording kind of strange but figured they probably didn't have another stamp.

I had no problems at the airport.

Is this the kind of stamp which could make me receive extra scrutiny in the future?

[mbkudu]

I am confused. All these posters here saying they have work permits and still having to leave the country every three months? I thought the whole reason behind a work permit was to allow legal uninteruption of work in the country.

Edited April 2, 2005 by mbkudu

[Indo-Siam]

You can get a work permit on a 90 day non-immigrant entry permit. If you want to extend that entry permit based on the work permit,you have to either:

1) Be married to and living with a Thai spouse who will accompany you to Immigration, and your employer must be withholding personal income tax for you on a salary of at least 40,000 baht per month.

2) Be working for an employer who has 2,000,000 baht paid-in capital, and four Thai employees, per each foreigner sponsored for such an extension. And - you must be having personal income taxes withheld on a specified qualifying salary that is based on your nationality.

Many work permit holders do not meet either of these qualifications - so they persist here on a series of 90 day entry permits and matching work permits. Pursuing this route is easiest if you have a multiple-entry visa - in which case you just have to make a border run every 90 days - instead of a full-fledged visa run, to obtain a new visa.

Cheers!

Steve Sykes

Managing Director

Indo-Siam Group

Bangkok

[email protected]

www.thaistartup.com

[Sunbelt Asia]

A educational visa will work as well, with no requirement to have four Thai employees, per each foreigner sponsored for such an extension or the minimum salary for your nationality.

http://www.lawyer.th.com

[kasi]

A educational visa will work as well, with no requirement to have four Thai employees, per each foreigner sponsored for such an extension or the minimum salary for your nationality.

http://www.lawyer.th.com

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I just spent several minutes reviewing you site and have failed to find any info re. education visa.

BTW a few months ago a I tried calling your agency for visa information and got the run around with a thai lady who could barely speak english. She finally referred me to to a lawyer in Phuket ( where I live) who never answers his/her phone.

I hope your services have improved. But giving us a link for info that is not there is again a tedious waste of my time. Thank you very much!

I will give you the benefit of the doubt but in general I think people like you will not improve their "karmic" situation in the next life!

[Sunbelt Asia]

I just spent several minutes reviewing you site and have failed to find any info re. education visa.

Sorry for the misunderstanding. This was a signature URL and not a link to any information on the education visa. The signature was to our company as we are a sponsor of the forum.

If someone wanted to get a work permit on a education visa we can do this. As an example, we have a entire Boy Band that had education visas and work permits and of course they don't need 4 Thais employees employed per work permit to get the extension of stay as it is not required for the extension of stay permit on education. I was just sharing my two cents.

By the way, it looks like it has never ever been stated directly on the Internet. I just did a fast Google search and didn't find anything. We do have over 5 clients working on a education extension of stay permit.

Did you have any question on the education visa or how to get a extension, that I can help with?

BTW a few months ago a I tried calling your agency for visa information and got the run around with a thai lady who could barely speak english. She finally referred me to to a lawyer in Phuket ( where I live) who never answers his/her phone.

Sorry to hear you had problems with one of our lawyers language skills. If you have a name, please pm me. I sincerely apologize for our staff. Their is no excuse this lawyer should of been speaking with you on the phone, (if she lacked proper English skills) and hope you accept my apologies. We have a number of lawyers that have been in law over 10 years and are very good but they don't deal with the public, if they don't speak English well.

I will give you the benefit of the doubt but in general I think people like you will not improve their "karmic" situation in the next life!

The good news is you were a isolated case as we in fact have won many accounts for our communication skills. This past Friday we were just awarded a very large contract with a Fortune 100 company and they said it was based on they understood everything clearly with our firm. Sorry to say, because of this ones staffs English skills, we didn't score the same points with you yet.

Please call me and I would like to help you with any questions free of charge. We have eight legal staff that speak English and they look forward to helping you as well.

Greg Lange

Managing Director

www.lawyer.th.com

02-253-0213