Can I Change Non-Imm Ed To Non-Imm B In Thai?

[ZhengXin]

Hi, I have work in Thai few years after school （ I have WP ）, but last time when I ask for extension documents, the BOI officer told me I still use a Non-Imm ED Visa, and need change to a Non-Imm B, so is there a way to change Non-Imm ED to B without leave Thai?

[Colabamumbai]

You normally have to leave the country and go to a Thai Embassy to change the status of a visa.

[ZhengXin]

so is there really matter to use ED visa to work? because I have worked 5 years, and no immigration officer tell me about it.

[bapak]

so is there really matter to use ED visa to work? because I have worked 5 years, and no immigration officer tell me about it.

Up to you if you want to take the chance of being deported and blacklisted.

[Mario2008]

You should not have a work permit and an extension of stay based on education/study. Are you sure you have an ED-visa and extensions of stay based on study?

[ZhengXin]

Really, now I don't know which type of Non-Imm VISA do I have. let me explain the story.

I came to Thai with a ED visa, and after 4 years study I got a letter from school to cancel the VISA, then I got 7 days to leave. but very lucky, a Thai company in BKK employed me, and I went to immigration and got 30 days again. after the company submit many documents with 30 days "Under Consideration" Visa, I got a 1 year extension stamp with a Thai word "ธุรกิจ", and also got WP.

a years before I came back to ChiangMai work in a new company, with BOI visa, first year is nothing wrong, but this time the BOI officer ask me a Non-Imm Visa with type B, and they look all pages only found a Non-Imm ED at my first entry stamp. I thought I have Non-Imm B

can I say that "ธุรกิจ" is type B??

[Lite Beer]

"ธุรกิจ" is business.

[ZhengXin]

"ธุรกิจ" is business.

So, you mean I have a Non-Imm B Visa, right? but BOI officer wants to see a "B" there, will immigration officer give me something more to prove this, if I ask them to help.

[Mario2008]

Seems you are on an extension of stay based on employment already. maybe they missed that, as normally you would indeed need to go abroad first to get a non-B, as they not often change the reason of stay for people staying in Thailand for study.

[ZhengXin]

but very strange, I didn't find any thing about change type, all seems like : ED cancelled -> 7day -> 30 Days Ex -> 30 Days Under -> One Year B .....Old B Cancelled -> BOI VISA....

Do I need to go to immigration ask about this?

[Mario2008]

You don't change type of visa, you change the reason for an extension of stay and now you are on an extension of stay. But your situatyion is strange

Maybe let your personel department deal with it and let them find out what is wrong, since you are dealing with the One Stop Service (BOI).

[ZhengXin]

THANKS for everyone's reply

In CM doesn't have a One Stop Service, this time i just worry about my visa, because last year BOI give me 2 years WP but only one year Visa.

seems be better next time when I vista home also to get a new Visa, to let me be normal.

[tombkk]

Seems you are on an extension of stay based on employment already. maybe they missed that, as normally you would indeed need to go abroad first to get a non-B, as they not often change the reason of stay for people staying in Thailand for study.

Just a question here: I was in the same situation, had a non-imm ED when my studies were finsihed and I started to work. As you said, I also left the country and came back with a non-B. However, the lawyer who made my work permit said this is not necessary, as application for a WP only requires "non-imm", it is not specified which type. I also know people who have a WP nbased on their non-O (marriage) visa.

I was told that the extension of stay is based on study, employment etc. And when the reasons for the extension does not exist any more, you'll have to leave the country. The initial reason for granting a non-imm visa becomes irrelevant.

As you are an expert in these things, I would appreciate your comment.

[crgram]

In the past Non Ed visas allowed you to work in certain situations. For instance student teaching is required for some graduate degrees. I know a few people who did that. However I've read post from the legal eagles on this forum that that is no longer permitted, but ED visas are not stamped "Employment Prohibited" like tourist or retirement visas. Perhaps the OP got his WP before the change or like everything else here in LOS some places still allow it.......

cr

[lopburi3]

Application for a work permit does not require any visa. Only for issue is a non immigrant entry visa required and a work permit is not normally issued for those on retirement or education entry or extension of stay.

Although there is a process that could allow change this is normally not allowed for those on ED entry and a new B visa is required for a work permit issue. But as with most such thins local variations are found.

[asiawatcher]

I don't understand your reference to BOI - BOI stands for Board of Investment. Is this how you are referring to Immigration? BOI can issue support for WP's and Non Imm B but not changing status from Ed to Non Imm B. That is purely Immigration and by the sounds of it - somehow you have skipped a step or two in the process and have a WP which comes not on Ed Visa but Non Imm B etc. I'm confused but as already stated, have the personnel dept handle this one - Thai to Thai. I have short term stay clients working here all the time from around the world. They come in on Tourist and we have approval from a Ministry for their entry and we slot that in at Labour Dept and they get a WP on a Tourist stamp if no longer than 30 days. So all the rules that generally apply seem not to be apparent here.

[ZhengXin]

I don't understand your reference to BOI - BOI stands for Board of Investment. Is this how you are referring to Immigration? BOI can issue support for WP's and Non Imm B but not changing status from Ed to Non Imm B. That is purely Immigration and by the sounds of it - somehow you have skipped a step or two in the process and have a WP which comes not on Ed Visa but Non Imm B etc. I'm confused but as already stated, have the personnel dept handle this one - Thai to Thai. I have short term stay clients working here all the time from around the world. They come in on Tourist and we have approval from a Ministry for their entry and we slot that in at Labour Dept and they get a WP on a Tourist stamp if no longer than 30 days. So all the rules that generally apply seem not to be apparent here.

I reference to BOI, becasue I need a letter from BOI to extend my VISA and WP, and also they ask for a Non-Imm B Visa to have that letter this time. ( didn't say anything at first time when I came to the new company )

and what step I skipped in process is hard to know, because when I extended that cancelled Ed Visa in BKK, the immigration officer asked me to fill many documents. but seems no problem in 5 years. ( so maybe a cancelled Ed Visa can be re-extended in another reason)

[tombkk]

Application for a work permit does not require any visa. Only for issue is a non immigrant entry visa required and a work permit is not normally issued for those on retirement or education entry or extension of stay.

Although there is a process that could allow change this is normally not allowed for those on ED entry and a new B visa is required for a work permit issue. But as with most such thins local variations are found.

When I do a Google search for "Thai labour department work permit" the results are mostly legal firms. :-(

http://www.labour.go.th/ does not seem to have a search function, so I cannot check for Work Permit in Thai or English.

Therefore, the best link I have is http://www.thaivisa.com/513.0.html which states that a WP can be applied for with a non-imm B or non-imm O (based on marriage), but not a non-imm ED or a retirement visa.

This clarifies it, thanks.

[rakchaingmai]

This exact same thing happened to me I was on a non-ed for 2 years and when I started working I managed to get a work permit I worked for 10 months and when my extension come up the next year the immigration told me that I had to leave the country I then went to Malaysia for 3 days and the women at the counter told me that I could only get a 3 month visa I was in shock as I have a family here but she said no problems because you can get a one year extension once you are in thailand and thats exactly what happened .

When i told my school and immigration that i was working on a ed visa they said sort it out next year as the immigration officer didn't want to sort out his own mistake i guess TiT.