Tourist Police Volunteer Visa

[barryloei]

what is the situation regarding being a tourist police volunteer and obtaining a non 'B' visa ?

[Mario2008]

What do you want to know?

Volunteer work is a reason to get a non-O visa, if you get paperwork from the organization you are working for. So far I only know of 1 police volunteer who got an extension of stay based on his volunteer work, and that was only for 90 days at a time.

It will depend on the tourist police if they will give you a letter with which you could apply for a non-O visa.

[barryloei]

i am uk citizen currently on a 1 year non "O" , on expiry of my current visa if i got the relevant letter from the tourist police would i then go to Vientianne to obtain a non "B" and if so would it be for 1 year or does that depend on the letter ? Also would i require a work permit even though i would be a volunteer ?

[Mario2008]

The tourist police is known not to be helpful in getting an extension of stay for their volunteers. So far only in phuket they have done this for one of their volunteers and immigration was also helpful.

If the tourist police agrees to give you a letter, you could try to get an extension of stay from immigration. That can be for 90 days or for 1 year, that's up to immigration. I would first talk with the tourist police about getting the letter and next with immigration.

All work, including volunteering, requires a work permit. However, the police is of the opinion that this rule doesn't apply to them.

[barryloei]

ok thanks for the info

[rafval]

However, the police is of the opinion that this rule doesn't apply to them.

police opinion is the law in Thailand

[Mario2008]

A judge will have a different opinion about that ^

[dan7385]

The tourist police is known not to be helpful in getting an extension of stay for their volunteers. So far only in phuket they have done this for one of their volunteers and immigration was also helpful.

If the tourist police agrees to give you a letter, you could try to get an extension of stay from immigration. That can be for 90 days or for 1 year, that's up to immigration. I would first talk with the tourist police about getting the letter and next with immigration.

All work, including volunteering, requires a work permit. However, the police is of the opinion that this rule doesn't apply to them.

Your information regarding "so far only in Phuket have they done this for one of their volunteers" (wherever you obtained it is incorrect in some ways). The TPVD is aware that some people try to use the TPVD as a way to circumvent the system and will not permit anyone to join just to obtain a visa. Volunteering for the TPVD is by no means a guarantee of a visa of any type and if you can not fulfill the legal criteria for any other visa, then you will not obtain a visa by volunteering for the TPVD.

However, I am aware of some people in various locations of Tourist Police areas who have obtained these "volunteer visas" in the past, but, they did not last long and were deported.

If an alien (i.e non Thai person) should not be here by legal means, it raises many questions. Please do not take this personally, it is not directed at you, but at those who choose to be here by means other than the regulations laid down by the Immigration authorities.

Also your final statement regarding work permit rules do not seem to apply to the Tourist Police is totally incorrect. But with tongue in cheek I will add that the immigration rules and regulations are issued and controlled by the Royal Thai Police.

Regards

Dan

[simon43]

Hi Dan, Mario2008 was commenting on an old thread that I posted about 2 years ago where I reported that I had managed (after a lot of effort), to obtain a volunteer visa extension for my work as a TPV in Phuket (prior to working with yourself in Pattaya!).

However, the extension was only issued for 90 days at a time, and required me to reapply every 90 days with a new letter of confirmation of my volunteer work from the boss of the Phuket Tourist Police.

At the time, due to my recent divorce, it was one of the few options that I had to obtain a visa to remain in Thailand. But in practice, it was simply too much trouble to base my stay in Thailand upon a visa extension which might or might not be granted.

Anyway, the stamp in my passport is probably unique.....

As for the OP's original question, I think you'll meet with a lot of difficulties in obtaining this type of visa, because it requires the support of the police department for whom you are volunteering. And, as Mario2008 has pointed out, their view tends to be 'you are a police volunteer, no need for volunteer visa, no need for work permit'

Simon

[Mario2008]

Dan, it is good to hear that the TPVD helps out more of their volunteers, as they should.

Regarding your last statement, you mist my point. I said the TPVD seems to be of the opinion that ....., that is not my opinion. I believe exceptions to the work permit rule can be made, but must be done by royal decree. I know of no such royal decree for police volunteers.

[dan7385]

Dan, it is good to hear that the TPVD helps out more of their volunteers, as they should.

Regarding your last statement, you mist my point. I said the TPVD seems to be of the opinion that ....., that is not my opinion. I believe exceptions to the work permit rule can be made, but must be done by royal decree. I know of no such royal decree for police volunteers.

Hi Mario

I agree with your remarks...there is certainly that attitude about disregarding the work permit rule. That is why I said "tongue in cheek" the Royal Thai Police write the rules and regulations for immigration.

Thanks for the input

Regards

[LivinLOS]

Question answered later in thread.