Marriage Visa And Work Permit

[ssinlos]

I'm in the process of changing my Non-Imm B visa to a Non -IMM O (Marriage) visa. I will still be working in Thailand (i.e. would like to retain my Work Permit)

When asking a couple of visa companies last week, they both mentioned that there are new changes to the law prohibiting getting a work permit on a Non-Immi O (marriage visa)

Would anyone know if this is true?

A rather insane law if it really is true - not sure what the purpose is...

Cheers

[Mario2008]

No new changes have been reported so far. You can get a WP on a non-O as easy as you can get it on a non=B. Only whne you are on an extension on a non-O for reasons of retirement will you not be able to get a WP. With an extension based on marriage to a Thai there is no problem.

You do not change your visa from non-O to non O. What you do is changing your reason for stay. You do that simply by applying for an exention of stay, and instead of giving as reason "work" you stae as reason "to stay with my Thai wife".

There is no need to involve a visa company, it is very simple to do it yourself. If you have any questions about the documents you can ask it right here.

[opalhort]

The person handling my WP told me something along the same lines last month (I'm on Non-O extension based on Thai wife and have WP).

But it was her understanding that if you have a Non-O based extension for marriage there is no problem with WP.

Only people who have a Non-O for whatever reason, but are not married to a Thai will not be given a new WP.

Things appear not to be clear yet. I guess I'll find out next month when my WP is due for renewal.

opalhort

[Maestro]

…

Only people who have a Non-O for whatever reason, but are not married to a Thai will not be given a new WP…

The Employment Department may indeed mean visa when they say visa, not extension of stay, ie a foreigner who arrived with a non-O visa (obtained from a Thai consulate) and has the 90-day permission to stay based on this visa cannot get a work permit unless he is also married to a Thai.

--

Maestro

[Mario2008]

Volunteers also receive a non-O visa, and get a work permit on that.

[CWMcMurray]

The person handling my WP told me something along the same lines last month (I'm on Non-O extension based on Thai wife and have WP).

But it was her understanding that if you have a Non-O based extension for marriage there is no problem with WP.

Only people who have a Non-O for whatever reason, but are not married to a Thai will not be given a new WP.

Things appear not to be clear yet. I guess I'll find out next month when my WP is due for renewal.

opalhort

I am on an extension based upon being married to a Thai and HR just finished my WP extension for another year on Monday...