Hello. I am UK resident and passport holder. Plan to enter Thailand December 1st 2009, go to wat in Kuong Khaen province immediately and ordain as monk end of February 2010. This is all agreed with ajahn who will ordain me.

My understanding is that the visa requirements for this are:

First, obtain 90 day visa (Temp - NON-IM) from consulate in Hull, UK. After arrival apply for 1 year visa (religious purposes). Would have problem applying for 1 year visa from UK because abbot is travelling abroad and not back to Thailand until when I arrive there - so he cannot get me the letters (as below) that I need until we are both in Thailand.

For this I need:the NON-IM visa, an application form, copy of my passport, letters from abbot of wat where I am staying, letter of confirmation from either National Buddhist OFfice, Prime Minister Office or Mahachulalongkorn University. If I get i year visa and remain a monk, I should be able to apply for further 1 year visas as neccessary.

Questions: anyone know if above is correct, information is from police order of 2006. Also would I have to go to Bangkok in person or could apply by post (as it says only "copy" of passport. Also how long would it take to process. What can I do if my 90 day visa runs out while waiting for 1 year visa. Thank you.

You would be applying for a one year extension of your permission to stay. Not a Visa.

Police order 2006 is now out of date.

The new one is 2008.

It probably says the same anyway.

(1)

The alien has obtained a temporary visa (NON-IM);

(2)

Confirmation has been issued by the National Buddhism Office or the National Buddhism Office of the Prime Minister’s Office or the Mahachulalongkorn University; and

(3)

Confirmation has been issued by the abbot of the temple where the applicant is studying or performing the religious function.

You could easily get a Non Imm O Multi Entry Visa if you wished. The Thai Consulate in Huul will issue. This would give up to 15 months but would need a border run every 90 days.

Thanks for your reply. Reading another post, it seems possible to obtain a NON-IMM O visa from Hull quite easily as you say - I did contact them by phone before posting, but did not think I had been understood when the lady said - you can get one here, as everywhere else I have looked it states one needs supporting documents. As initially I will indeed be just visiting friend at the monastery, will try to get a visa on that basis.

But will I then be able to apply for permission to stay,as a monk (with necessary documentation) for one year , from within Thailand. Could I do this at the office mentioned in another post, recently opened in Khon Kaen.

Also does anyone have any suggestions about the nearest place to do a border run to and how to get there ( I will be staying at monastery near Phu Wieng KhonKaen 40150)

Also I am not clear on what happens after one year : presume I can keep requesting further one year extension of permission to stay, but by then my visa will have run out (15 months max. as posted above).

You could do everything as K. LB says. But, assuming you could get all your paperwork in order within 60-90 days, you could just for now obtain a free(?) Tourist visa in UK, come to Khon Kaen as you say, and then go to the Thai Embassy in nearby Vientiane Laos (via Nong Khai) for your non-Imm with all your signed papers from the NBO and other current supporting data in hand.

Apply for a Non Imm O Visa, Multi if you wish from Hull. Reason to visit friends. No supporting documents needed.

Yes you can extend in Khon Kaen.

After the year is up you extend again.

... there should ways for K. LittleBlue to do this that do not, with proper documentation, necessitate 90 day border runs as in 2.13:

2.13 In the case of study of Buddhism or religious function: Permission will be granted for a period of not more than 1 year at a time.

1. Obtain a single entry non immigrant O visa - Hull serves them for visiting friends so not a problem.

2. When here during last 30 days of the 90 day stay you will visit the immigration office to extend your stay. Likely you will be assisted by a member of the Wat and treated with respect by Immigration in the short process.

3. There will never be any need for border crossings as your extension of stay allows you to remain in the country - until you do the next one (in the country).

Also I am not clear on what happens after one year : presume I can keep requesting further one year extension of permission to stay, but by then my visa will have run out (15 months max. as posted above).

... and no need to worry about this part, neither. As long as you remain an ordained monk it will be just a formality (at the nearest imm. office, not necessarily Bangkok) to get your permission to stay extended year after year after year --- provided you have the letters mentioned from your local Abbott and the head Buddhist authority of the province (not necessarily Bangkok) where the temple is located.

Thanks to everyone who has posted in response, this is much appreciated. I think I will apply for a multi entry NON-IMM, as I may need to visit some wat in (e.g. Laos) as part of training in bhikkhu life. But this raises another question - if I have one year permission to stay (which I would prefer to apply for in person at KhonKaen - accompanied by someone from the wat), am I allowed exit from (and return to) Thailand with that one year permission? i.e. or does it mean I would have to apply again for permisssion to stay if I leave the country and need to return within that year period?

You need to get a Re Entry Permit from Immigration if you wish to leave the country.

3,800 Baht for a multi. 1,000 Baht for a single.

ok, thank you.

And remember all desire leads you from the path to be enlighten, even the desire to be enlightened.

Thanks to everyone who has posted in response, this is much appreciated. I think I will apply for a multi entry NON-IMM, as I may need to visit some wat in (e.g. Laos) as part of training in bhikkhu life. But this raises another question - if I have one year permission to stay (which I would prefer to apply for in person at KhonKaen - accompanied by someone from the wat), am I allowed exit from (and return to) Thailand with that one year permission? i.e. or does it mean I would have to apply again for permisssion to stay if I leave the country and need to return within that year period?

When you enter the Kingdom on Non-Immigrant visa you will get 90 day permission to stay on each entry so long as your visa is valid. When you are ready to apply for extension of stay you would need to do that during the last 30 days of your 90 day permission to stay. Chok dee