Non-Immigrant B Visa Trip To Kuala Lumpur - Report

[brt224]

I was only 2 years since I last went to KL to get a Non-B Visa, but I had already forgotten everything! This post will help me to remember for the next time, and you to find out for the first time.

- Plane ticket:

With Air Asia of course. Around 5,000 baht for the round trip. Plus 400 baht for a check-in luggage (round trip), plus 100 baht for using a credit card (did they expect that we would pay cash when buying online????). That’s around 5,500 actually. Still cheaper than Malaysia Airline.

The downside is that you land in a small terminal that is not part of KLIA (Kuala Lumpur International Airport) and that you can’t use the KLIA Express that takes you to downtown KL in less than 28 minutes.

However the good news is that Air Asia offers a bus trip for this terminal to KL downtown. You can buy the bus ticket only when buying your plane ticket (138.20 baht round trip) or buy it at the bus stop. Takes an hour. The bus drops you at the same place where the KLIA Express stops: KL Sentral, where you can take the subway to reach your final destination.

- Bus Ticket:

Sky Bus by Air Asia: 138.20 baht for round trip (1 hour between airport and downtown). See “Plane Ticket”.

- Hotel:

I don’t recommend Tune Hotel Downtown KL (by Air Asia) unless you really want to travel on the cheap. The rooms are small, dark, a bit smelly and very very noisy. However the bed is good, the shower well running, and the Internet pretty fast. The location is not bad either. The staff is useless.

- Timing:

You have to bring your passport and documents to the Thai embassy in KL between 9:30am and 11:30am and get your passport back the next working day between 2:30pm and 4:00pm. That means 1 night minimum in KL. But the best is actually to leave one day before because if your plane is late, you might miss the embassy opening hours. This means 2 nights in KL. Arriving at night on day 1 and leaving around 6pm on day 3.

Make sure there is no public holiday. Here is a link to the website of the Thai embassy in KL: http://www.mfa.go.th/web/1387.php?id=1044

- Documents required for Non-immigrant B Visa (one year multiple entry):

Check this page from the Thai embassy in KL: http://www.mfa.go.th/web/1387.php?&id=2881

- Cost for a Non-immigrant B Visa:

MYR 550 (THB 5,400) for a one year multiple entry visa. Note: you pay when you apply, and cash only. Be ready with the amount of cash.

- Reaching the Thai embassy in KL

It should be no more than MYR 5 or 6 (THB 50 or 60) but most taxis will refuse to use the meter and ask for MYR 20 or more (THB 200 or more). If you don’t mind to walk, there is a subway station very close to the embassy: Ampang Park. This is the cheapest way to go to the embassy. Take exit 2, make a U-turn at the top of the stairs and go straight. You will pass a McDonalds. Cross the street at the big intersection and go straight for less than 10 minutes. You will first pass the French embassy. The Thai embassy is 200 meters away.

TIPS:

- The Sky Bus back to the Airport leaves from KL Sentral.

- Free WIFI at the Starbucks opposite to Tune Hotel, near Medan Tuanku metro station.

- Running? There is a nice park with a running track right behind the KLCC Petronas Towers. Free access. Highly recommended.

- Don’t forget a picture (or 2, in case) for the visa, and a pen to quickly fill the immigration form at the airport on arrival.

[NanLaew]

Excellent and very timely update on the Non-B multi application in KL. My current Non-B multi expires this month and the option to renew it at the usual RTCG in Houston is not available to me this year.

I assume that you have to provide EVERY item that is detailed on the MFA website? It's a bit more... in fact a lot more than the Houston legation requires but I appreciate that the local consulates are more stringent. However, it's less than 2km from my flat in KL so that beats flying to Perth to apply!

Let me know if they are sticklers for the paperwork... somehow I think I already know the answer.

Thanks,

NL

[digitalchromakey]

Excellent and very timely update on the Non-B multi application in KL. My current Non-B multi expires this month and the option to renew it at the usual RTCG in Houston is not available to me this year.

I assume that you have to provide EVERY item that is detailed on the MFA website? It's a bit more... in fact a lot more than the Houston legation requires but I appreciate that the local consulates are more stringent. However, it's less than 2km from my flat in KL so that beats flying to Perth to apply!

Let me know if they are sticklers for the paperwork... somehow I think I already know the answer.

Thanks,

NL

KL are sticklers for all the required paper work and in particular you need a current Work Permit with a significant period of remaining validity

[NanLaew]

KL are sticklers for all the required paper work and in particular you need a current Work Permit with a significant period of remaining validity

Thanks for that. I won't have a WP as my Non-B multi-visa needs are purely for meetings with potential clients, follow-up with existing ones and other business development tasks. In the past when a Thai client wants to put myself or one of our other consultants on a more permanent retainer, the WP application is filed but invariably canceled before they are issued as our projects are normally short-term. Hopefully, having the minimum paperwork required for that type of Non-B multi as detailed on the MFA website will suffice.

[digitalchromakey]

KL are sticklers for all the required paper work and in particular you need a current Work Permit with a significant period of remaining validity

Thanks for that. I won't have a WP as my Non-B multi-visa needs are purely for meetings with potential clients, follow-up with existing ones and other business development tasks. In the past when a Thai client wants to put myself or one of our other consultants on a more permanent retainer, the WP application is filed but invariably canceled before they are issued as our projects are normally short-term. Hopefully, having the minimum paperwork required for that type of Non-B multi as detailed on the MFA website will suffice.

If you can prove your continuing employment outside of Thailand then looking at the MFA Link MFA non immigrant B visa requirements Clause (2) Foreigners who wish to conduct business in Thailand should apply.

As regards a Multi Entry visa, the catch however is 2.1 Clause (5)

(5) Holder of this type of visa is entitled to stay in Thailand for a maximum period of 90 days. He or she may apply for an extension of stay at the Office of the Immigration Bureau and may be granted such extension for a period of one year from the date of first entry into Thailand

Based on my experience of the way The Royal Thai Embassy KL tends to read the regulations, I suspect they would only issue you with a 90 Day Single Entry non immigrant B visa, providing you have all the paper work.

Good Luck, I hope I am wrong; I have no doubt that you will post as to how you get on.

[NanLaew]

KL are sticklers for all the required paper work and in particular you need a current Work Permit with a significant period of remaining validity

Thanks for that. I won't have a WP as my Non-B multi-visa needs are purely for meetings with potential clients, follow-up with existing ones and other business development tasks. In the past when a Thai client wants to put myself or one of our other consultants on a more permanent retainer, the WP application is filed but invariably canceled before they are issued as our projects are normally short-term. Hopefully, having the minimum paperwork required for that type of Non-B multi as detailed on the MFA website will suffice.

If you can prove your continuing employment outside of Thailand then looking at the MFA Link MFA non immigrant B visa requirements Clause (2) Foreigners who wish to conduct business in Thailand should apply.

As regards a Multi Entry visa, the catch however is 2.1 Clause (5)

(5) Holder of this type of visa is entitled to stay in Thailand for a maximum period of 90 days. He or she may apply for an extension of stay at the Office of the Immigration Bureau and may be granted such extension for a period of one year from the date of first entry into Thailand

Based on my experience of the way The Royal Thai Embassy KL tends to read the regulations, I suspect they would only issue you with a 90 Day Single Entry non immigrant B visa, providing you have all the paper work.

Good Luck, I hope I am wrong; I have no doubt that you will post as to how you get on.

Once again, thanks for the insight on the KL machinations. I have a company letter that indicates that I am a managing partner in a UK-based agency that has extensive work in Thailand and the rest of SE Asia. This is usually filed with the project-specific letter from the Client but I have never tried a 'local' application before so appreciate that I may be trying to buck a trend by seeking a 1-year multi in KL.

We had one of our PI-based consultants approved for a 1-year Non-B in Manila last year but it required some extra paperwork and phone calls. He is a US citizen and passport holder. His co-worker on that assignment who is a well qualified Filipino only got a single-entry and was treated like dirt by the staff.

Anyway, I will keep you posted as I won't be filing the application until after the current visas expire (noted that caveat on the MFA website) which won't be till next month.