Work Permit/Non-B Questions

[fstailslide]

Okay, at the moment I've got a Single Entry Non-B visa issued from the United States. I've been reading other topics, and I read that if I take the WP3 receipt and my passport with the visa to the Immigration office, I can obtain a work permit. From there, I can go to KL and get my visa extended for one more year. Is this correct, or am I missing something? I need to get my visa situation sorted out, as I live here and am only 26 years old, so I am ineligible for a Non-O. If anyone has advice on how to get a one year visa that isn't going to cost me 20-30K in lawyer fees or attending courses and the such, that will allow me to leave the country periodically, please let me know. However, at the moment I am more interested in getting an extension on the visa I currently have. Any advice would be greatly apprectiated.

[lopburi3]

You seem to be very confused. The WP3 is your receipt for the work permit which is issued by labor. Immigration has nothing to do with providing work permits. Only if you qualify for extension of stay would you visit Immigration so need more information. Do you really have employment? Does it provide paperwork for a work permit? Will the wage, paperwork allow a one year extension of stay?

Going to KL (or any other Consulate) would be to obtain a new visa (extensions are only issued by Immigration inside Thailand). It is highly unlikely you would obtain a one year visa without a full work permit and paperwork supporting it. The WP3 is normally asked just to issue a single entry visa.

[monty]

Totally wrong info.

The WP3 form is basically only of use for people not holding a non immigrant visa. Labor department cannot issue a work permit unless you have a non immigrant visa, but they can approve the application and give you the WP3 form.

Then you can travel abroad and apply for the non immigrant visa (based on the WP3 form), and on return the labor department can then actually issue the work permit.

There are 2 major hurdles to overcome before you can stay here on 1 year extensions based on employment.

1) the employment/work permit. You actually need to be offered a job by a qualified company (i.e. minimum amount of Thai employees and minimum amount of registered capital have to be met). And then get the work permit.

2) Then getting an extension, for which even more requirements have to be met. Both by you (minimum salary) and by the employer (audited book keeping from previous years, basically showing they can pay the foreign employee(s)).

Unless being employed as per above, you will not be getting any extensions on your current visa. Your only options would be the education visa (for which you need to take courses) or to travel to Perth (Aus) and get a 1 year multiple entry non immigrant O visa, based on visiting a Thai friend. The only requirement for the latter would be a copy of an ID card from a Thai person, accompanied by a note that that person invites you to visit him/her in Thailand.

A third option (likely the cheapest) would be to travel to Laos and get a double entry tourist visa, which with proper timed extensions/border run would carry you just under 6 months.