My 1st 90 Days Are Almost Up!

[Tom Sawyer]

Greetings everyone! I hope you can help me. I've been searching this board but can't seem to find any solutions to my current situation. This is all very new to me so I'm hoping some of you experts can share some of your wisdom.

I came to LOS on a 90-day single entry non-immigrant "O" visa I received at the Thai consulate in Los Angeles. My Thai wife and I arrived on April 6th which means my 90 days are up on July 4th.

I recently was employed as a teaching assistant making 36K baht/month. The school says they will obtain for me a visa and work permit, however the process is moving very slowly to say to say the least. The H.R. director has told me he will get me an extension before Monday while the paperwork is being processed - an actual stamp in my passport that will show I am not on overstay.

In the short time that I have been working at this school I have learned from the other foreign teachers that he is as they say, an "incompetent fool". For example, he "lost" someone's passport and his only reply was something along the lines of "oops, my bad". Also, he just told me on Monday that he needs my college transcripts, even though I've showed him my original diploma. Why he didn't explain this on my first day, I have no idea why. So instead of depending on him, I'd rather take care of this myself.

The only thing, however, is that my wife and I cannot leave the country to get a new 90-day non-immigrant "O" this next week because she has midterms for her school. And no, I do not have 400K baht in a Thai bank.

So I have a few questions:

1. Is it better to have an "O" visa or a "B" visa?

2. Can my wife and I just go to a Thai Immigration office here in Bangkok and explain the situation and hope that they'll give me an extension - anything - 30, 60, 90 days - so I won't be on overstay Monday or have to leave the country?

3. If not, can I leave the country by myself this weekend and come right back in (same day) and get another 30 days as if I were an American on vacation?

4. If I have to leave the country, which border is the easiest to cross? cheapest? (I'll assume the answers to those questions are never the same).

I truly appreciate any help and advice.

Tom

[lopburi3]

If you are currently working and do not have a work permit I would not be anxious to contact immigration about an overstay situation. That is not a legal situation.

You are better off with an O visa and to extend that stay on the basis of supporting a Thai wife. That way your employer can not put pressure on you and threaten to revoke your stay.

I would get copies of wife id card and marriage certificate together and head to Penang to obtain a multi entry O visa on the basis of your marriage (you may not need the multi entry but as you have already found out the 90 days can go by fast so it gives you extra insurance). This may take a couple of days but a 30 day entry can not be used for employment.

The Penang Consulate is the best place to visit and if visa request is submitted in the morning it should be ready after 2 p.m. the next business day.

[Crossy]

Hi Tom.

As usual I agree with lop

Buzz down to Penang with your marriage paperwork and copies of the wifes ID and passport. you should be able to get a multi-entry non-O with no difficulty.

With this you can get a work permit and not be subject to pressure from your employer.

[Tom Sawyer]

Thanks for the help guys! I wasn't sure if I was able to do the visa run without my wife.

I do have one more quick question... When I bring my marriage certificate, is it ok if it our marriage certificate is from the U.S. or do we need something from the Thai govt.?

Thanks again,

Tom

[lopburi3]

They could request a translation but do not believe that they will (if anyone has recent experience please advise). Be sure to have a copy made that you can give them.

In worst case be sure to obtain a tourist visa if unable to get non immigrant as a 60 day tourist visa can be converted in country but a 30 day entry can not.

Edited June 30, 2005 by lopburi3