How To Get A Non Immigrant Visa

[fanciman]

Hello!

How can somebody without a job in Thailand, there on a 30 day tourist visa get a visa that allows them to stay in thailand much longer and not have to do visa runs every month?

From what I have read it seems a non-immigrant visa is a good way forward... Can you get one without a job / job offer? Would it allow you to work / do volunteer stuff?

How long can you stay in the country with such a visa?

Can it be multiple re-entry?

What do the visa people need to see?

Where is the best place to apply if already in Thailand?

Thank you very much for your help!

[lopburi3]

Without a job offer, wife, child or other valid reason the only option available locally would be a tourist visa valid for 60 days with a 30 day extension from immigration possible.

In some countries you might qualify for a non immigrant type visa with multi entry that allows up to 90 day stay with someone signing responsibility for your return or other conditions; but they could be dependent on that consulates policy and requirements.

You can not work on a tourist visa but you could change to a non immigrant type if you find a job.

Edited June 26, 2005 by lopburi3

[fanciman]

Without a job offer, wife, child or other valid reason the only option available locally would be a tourist visa valid for 60 days with a 30 day extension from immigration possible.

What about going to Penang and then trying to get the non-immigrant visa? I am sure that there is something possible, i just don't know what the system is...

[paully]

If you've got a 30-day entry stamp, you have to leave the country to get a non-immigrant visa, to somewhere like Penang. To get a non-immigrant B (work) visa there, you'll need an offer of a job from a company/organisation in Thailand plus other paperwork. It will be a single-entry.

You can get a multiple-entry non-immigrant B visa from some Thai consulates in places like the UK (Hull is the most 'sympathetic'), US or Australia (perhaps other countries too) without a formal job offer, but obviously that means a long and expensive return flight. Sending your passport out of Thailand by post is not recommended.

Finally, you can go to somewhere like Penang for a 60 (90) day tourist visa and possibly change this to a non-immigrant B visa after getting a job offer inside Thailand, but it's not that straightforward: I've only heard of people working for government schools doing this.