Going With The Intent To Find Work

[a man with a plan]

Hi there, I lived and worked in Thailand for a few years back in 2003 and I know all the visa rules always seem to be changing.

Anyway, I'm moving back with my wife and son (wife is thai, son holds dual nationality). They've gone ahead of me while I tie up loose ends and such. It'd be ideal if I could line up a job before I go but if I can't and I go there intending to find work, what visa should I apply for?

I was told that I need to get a non immigrant O, which can then be processed when I find work and we apply for a work permit etc. I was also told that if I don't get one (and say, go on a tourist visa) I would not only have to leave the country to get the appropriate visa when I get a job, but actually come all the way back to the UK to get it.

Also, I've seen stuff about non immigrant visa for living with family in Thailand. As I said my wife and son hold thai nationality and I my father and uncle are retired out there. Would that help in anyway?

I'm a little confused as to where to start with this, so any help would be appreciated.

[beano2274]

Get a Non Immigrant O from Hull, look at their website, do not use any other one in the UK, the Non Immigrant O based on Marriage to a Thai National, if you do not have all the documents apply for a Non Immigrant O based on visiting friends.

If you got a tourist visa you would have to have 21 days left on it to change to a Non Immigrant O visa, or go outside of Thailand to a Consulate in the surrounding countries.

[Mario2008]

As said, get a multiple non-O visa based on your wife.

You can get an extension fo stay every year from immigraiton in Thailand if you can show 400,000 in a bankaccount in your name in Thailand or if you can show an income of 40,000 a month (can be from abroad).

[lopburi3]

There is no reason to use Hull for a legal marriage application for non immigrant O visa. Nor is such a visa required. You can find work and apply for a work permit on a tourist visa. You could than take receipt and company paperwork to obtain a non immigrant B visa in any Consulate near Thailand.

To extend your stay in Thailand would require meeting employment requirements or Thai wife. The wife would be 400k in Thai bank account for 2 months or proven income of 40k per month.

[whatchamacallit]

if you do not have all the documents apply for a Non Immigrant O based on visiting friends.

Funny on the other thread you're saying it is illegal to get to get a one-year-multi-o based on visiting friends

"I am in agreement, I think it is illegal, as you get a One Year visa for staying with a friend, does the person who gets the Visa actually stay with that person. The Thai person is responsible for the person receiving the Visa, in truth."

[beano2274]

Yes, to say I am staying with friends for a year I believe is illegal, but the OP is married, and if he has not got all the required paperwork for the Visa based on Marriage, then use the other method, he will be staying with the person he put down as a friend on the application form, which is correct. Those who say I am staying with a friend for 1 year that is a lot of <deleted>, however, if with wife then not a problem.

[steve187]

Apply for a multi entry 'O' at hull, easy to get,copy of marriage certificate if not available could be faxed from Thailand, personal visit is £10.00 extra, appointments are required, by post use special deliver, returned same day as received by Hull. Multi entry covers all the bases, work, convert to 1 year marriage extension or 90day border runs.

[whatchamacallit]

Yes, to say I am staying with friends for a year I believe is illegal, but the OP is married, and if he has not got all the required paperwork for the Visa based on Marriage, then use the other method, he will be staying with the person he put down as a friend on the application form, which is correct. Those who say I am staying with a friend for 1 year that is a lot of <deleted>, however, if with wife then not a problem.

But there is nothing on the application that says "Reason: Visiting Friends/Relatives" means you MUST stay with your friend for 1 year.

[a man with a plan]

Thanks guys. So this stuff with the 400k etc what's that all about? I could put 400k in my wife's account, but I was hoping to be going in a month's time (want to reunite with wife and son as soon as I can) - so it wouldn't have been sitting in the account for two months.

Is the 400k a necessity to get the visa? Or is that just for the one year extension?

So, just to try to be clear (for my sake), the best thing to do would to be to make an appointment in Hull, trek up there and get a non imm O visa based on the fact that my family are over there. Is that right? What would I require? Marriage Cert (obviously, which I do have with me here), my passport (getting a little too obvious now), money (how much is the fee?)... anything else? I think my son's birth certificates are with my wife. Seeing as he was travelling with her we thought it best she have them in case she got any hassle at any point in an airport. I could maybe get another copy though if it were necessary.

How long would the Non imm O last? As someone said it is possible to get a tourist visa and then sort out the work permit/visa when I have a job, but then I imagine that would put me on a fairly short time limit to get a job.

Also, should I see if I can get the mrs to fax over a copy of the tabian baan with their names in it?

[lopburi3]

All you would need in Hull would be passport/photo/money. Other Consulates would likely require marriage certificate copy. Price should equal about 2,000 baht for single entry or 5,000 baht for multi entry. A single entry would be a 90 day stay and multi would be any number of 90 days during a one year period.

400k or 40k income is for extension of stay from Immigration on basis of Thai wife.

[a man with a plan]

Thanks for the info lopburi3 - and everyone else for that matter.

You know just thought I'd mention it for your guys info. As I said My father is retired and living in Thailand. While he was in England a year ago he had to get a new O (I think it was O) visa. He went to the embassy in London and was told they don't do them... not only that they don't do them there, but that you cannot get that visa anymore full stop. Of course my dad argued the fact and pointed out the recently expired one in his passport. They said the rules had changed and it didn't exist anymore. On a whim of chance he went up to the consulate in Birmingham where they put a new O visa in his passport in the space of about 15 minutes.

[lopburi3]

I expect he was asking on the basis of visiting friends and no official Consulate will issue for that reason (years ago they did). If he was asking for retirement the normal issue would be OA.

[Sunbelt Asia]

There have been a couple of valid ways to achieve your goal. However, getting the Non-Immigrant O (Marriage) visa now in the U.K. will save you the extra time, expense and hassle that would be incurred by coming on a Tourist Visa and then leaving the country to get the non-immigrant visa.

The Process

If you are legally married to a Thai national (in either Thailand or your home country) then you can apply for a non-immigrant O visa at any embassy or consulate outside Thailand. It need not be Hull specifically. A 3-month single-entry visa is all that is needed here.

Once you have been issued with this visa and have entered Thailand you can apply for an extension of stay at any Immigration office - meaning a one year visa. You need to show the ORIGINAL copy of your marriage certificate (translated into Thai if it is from abroad), your Thai spouse’s ID card as well as their house registration papers.

You also need to show a income of 40,000 baht or more per month. If the income is from abroad, you will need a letter from your embassy verifying it. You may also need to show some proof of the income such as tax receipts, pay slips, bank accounts, money transfers, a letter from your employer / investment company or other documents to that effect.

In recent times Immigration has also asked for 4 photographs of you and your spouse in your Thai property, one photo of you standing outside the property clearly showing the mailbox and your street number and three photos inside the dwelling showing both of you. Also required, in some instances, is a map from your property to the Immigration office. Presumably this is so Immigration can easily find you if they wish to do one of the spot checks that they perform from time to time.

The first year the extension of stay is applied for it is usually a requirement that both the visa applicant and the spouse attend but after that it is not always necessary. There can be a short wait while the visa is extended for a period of between a week and a month before it is then extended for a full year.

Also after you enter Thailand on the O visa you can apply for a work permit. Note you cannot legally work while the application is pending.

www.sunbeltasia.com

26th Floor Fortune Town BR, 1 Ratchadapisek Rd, 10400 Bangkok

Tel: 02-642-0213 Fax: 02-641-1995

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[a man with a plan]

Thanks very much Sunbelt.

@lopburi3 - sorry it was an OA visa he was applying for (for retirement purposes)

[PoorSucker]

Thanks guys. So this stuff with the 400k etc what's that all about? I could put 400k in my wife's account.

The account must be in your name only, no joint accounts or wife's account.

[lopburi3]

A cash account in your name of 400k or more held in a Thai bank for 2 months is the requirement for Thai wife extension of stay if using the bank deposit method. This gives you time to put into account on a 90 day visa entry and still have time to apply for extension of stay.

[a man with a plan]

So just to be sure about this - I can go to the Consulate in Birmingham? (it's easier for me than Hull, plus the consulate is right near the train station)

I looked around on their website and found this page

http://www.thailand-visa.com/NonImmigrantVisa.html

but I can't find on there whether or not I need to make n appointment or if I can just turn up in the morning.

Anyone know?

So looking through this, I guess it's just my passport, photos, marriage cert and money needed (and the app form of course). Is that correct?