Courtesy Visa

[AugustineB]

Does anyone know anything about the Courtesy Visa ? Are you able to work if you have one ? How long do they last for ? How much paper work is involved. We have the option of getting one but we are not sure if this is better than going the normal non immigrant B and work permit route.

[jazzbo]

from mfa.go.th website

5. COURTESY VISA

- Upon official request, Thai Embassies and Consulates-General may grant courtesy visas to diplomatic/official/ordinary passport-holders who wish to enter the Kingdom on official duty and/or other purposes.

- Supporting documents are documents issued by the governmental agency, foreign government or international organization, certifying the identity of the person concerned and his/her purposes while visiting the Kingdom.

As from The Wizard of Oz screenplay:

GLINDA: Are you a good witch, or a bad witch?

DOROTHY: Who, me? Why, I'm not a witch at all. I'm Dorothy Gale from Kansas.

GLINDA: Oh! Well....

You do not say what is the nature of your official or other function and whether you travel on diplomatic or other passport or whether you are working for an International NGO and therefore what is the nature of the official work... other than that, what is the basis the option for a courtesy visa which would only be valid while conducting your official function as I presume you do not work for your home country government.

As per Police Order 777/2551 Section 2.27, you probably could only extend for 90 days at a time.

[Mario2008]

You might need to give some more information on what base you would qualify for a courtesy visa.

It might be easeir if you just apply for a non-B. If you want to work, you would still need a work permit, unless it is to perform official duties.

[AugustineB]

Basically we are working for a Thai NGO whos chairman is a Member of Parliament and is very well conected with immigration and can get us pretty much any visa we want apart from a diplomatic visa.

Basically all I am really asking is if anyone actually has any experience with the courtesy visa and if they were able to work on it ?

[Mario2008]

The normal visa for working for a NGO is AFAIK a non-O (volunteer) or non-B visa (working). You can get a work permit on either of them.

You can't work on any visa, you can only work on a work permit.

[AugustineB]

The normal visa for working for a NGO is AFAIK a non-O (volunteer) or non-B visa (working). You can get a work permit on either of them.

You can't work on any visa, you can only work on a work permit.

Thanks for you help MArio.

[jazzbo]

Kuhn A. -- The regulations for diplomatic / official (F) or Courtesy Visa both state that you must be working for or associated with a foreign government or international (NG) Organization... whether a Thai-based organization so qualifies I do not know.

The reason that I asked that you clarify your situation, and meaning no disrespect, is there are many persons on these Forum topics who are looking for a viable and legal means to remain long-term in the Kingdom and the Visas mentioned above are about the least explored area.

The criteria for such visas are difficult to qualify for initial entrance and especially for extension of stay -- and unless you have a diplomatic / official passport from your home country I would think Thailand seldom issues these type visas... indeed you yourself as Kuhn Mario suggested may find the 'O' or 'B' Visa with a WP, with the supporting documents provided by your Organization and its chairman, far more expedient.

[AugustineB]

Kuhn A. -- The regulations for diplomatic / official (F) or Courtesy Visa both state that you must be working for or associated with a foreign government or international (NG) Organization... whether a Thai-based organization so qualifies I do not know.

The reason that I asked that you clarify your situation, and meaning no disrespect, is there are many persons on these Forum topics who are looking for a viable and legal means to remain long-term in the Kingdom and the Visas mentioned above are about the least explored area.

The criteria for such visas are difficult to qualify for initial entrance and especially for extension of stay -- and unless you have a diplomatic / official passport from your home country I would think Thailand seldom issues these type visas... indeed you yourself as Kuhn Mario suggested may find the 'O' or 'B' Visa with a WP, with the supporting documents provided by your Organization and its chairman, far more expedient.

As I said - my query isnt about whether or not I qualify for one - my question is about the legality of working with one and the length of them.

[Mario2008]

You can just get a non-immigrant O or B visa. This will give you an entry of 90 days into Thailand. In that time you need to arrange your work permit. With your work permit (and some other paperwork) you can get a 1 year extension of stay and every year after.

[jazzbo]

Basically we are working for a Thai NGO whose chairman is a Member of Parliament and is very well connected with immigration and can get us pretty much any visa we want apart from a diplomatic visa. So this must be the first time that the Thai NGO is trying to arrange for a foreign volunteer or else they or their connections would already have all the answers.

[AugustineB]

Basically we are working for a Thai NGO whose chairman is a Member of Parliament and is very well connected with immigration and can get us pretty much any visa we want apart from a diplomatic visa. So this must be the first time that the Thai NGO is trying to arrange for a foreign volunteer or else they or their connections would already have all the answers.

Thanks for taking the time to reply Jazzbo . Before I ask my boss for a visa I need to do a bit of research myself first. If its ok with you I dont want to get into a discussion about whther or not I qualify for the visa - lets for the sake of argument assume I have a magic want that will get me any visa I wand (I dont of course but lets hypothesise) .

If possible Id just like to hear what peoples experiences are from people who have already had them or know someone who has or anyone who knows things about them that isnt online (I have already read everything I can online and its not very clear to be honest what exactly a courtesy visa is and what privelidges it affords people).

[AugustineB]

You can just get a non-immigrant O or B visa. This will give you an entry of 90 days into Thailand. In that time you need to arrange your work permit. With your work permit (and some other paperwork) you can get a 1 year extension of stay and every year after.

Hi Mario - I laready have a non immigrant B visa. Really just enquiring about the courtesy visa .

[dr_Pat_Pong]

A 'Courtesy' visa is a freebie that can issue one if they want to, that visa is not too common.