Work Permit And Visa For Freelance?

[AnjelKizzez]

I will be coming to Thailand, from America, in December and It's likely I will be staying for a few to several months (possibly end up staying for a long time?). Do I need a Work Permit for freelance photography/photojournalism?

If I cannot find work in my field, I have been a substitute teacher for Spanish and other subjects at a high end school in my state. I can teach English as well. Do I need a WP for tutoring? Obviously, I have a clean background and I am currently a licensed foster parent.

Thanks for the responses!

[AnjelKizzez]

Ooops haha! Forgot to ask what sort of Visa I should apply for. I've heard of a 90-day Visa. What type of Visa is this?

Would I do better to apply for a different sort?

[lopburi3]

It appears you do not have employment from your questions so a tourist visa would likely be all you would qualify for until/if you can obtain a work permit/employment. That will only allow 60 day stay but can be extended 30 days - so if a two entry would cover half a year. And yes you need a work permit for any kind of work so that is a serious problem for most people with thoughts of casual/part time employment. But suspect you could find full time employment as a teacher but with only substitute experience would likely not be at expat wage scale with international school so only for those who love it. You might want to visit the teaching section if serious.

[bkkjai]

It appears you do not have employment from your questions so a tourist visa would likely be all you would qualify for until/if you can obtain a work permit/employment. That will only allow 60 day stay but can be extended 30 days - so if a two entry would cover half a year. And yes you need a work permit for any kind of work so that is a serious problem for most people with thoughts of casual/part time employment. But suspect you could find full time employment as a teacher but with only substitute experience would likely not be at expat wage scale with international school so only for those who love it. You might want to visit the teaching section if serious.

You cannot legally be a freelance photographer in Thailand if you are not Thai. Non-Thais are not allowed to do freelance work in Thailand (it's a xenophobic, restrictive country where most jobs are banned for foreigners) so the only way you could work as a photographer would be to already be working for a non-Thai company (BBC, CNN, New York Times, etc) and they would have to get you the necessary legal paperwork. If you aren't you will be working here illegally.

Other than that, you can only get a tourist visa (which are now also difficult to get in many Thai embassies, so depending where you apply you might get one, you might not) and work illegally.

Yes, you can get a work permit as a teacher, if you have a university degree. If you don't, most schools cannot or will not get you a work permit and, again, you are working here illegally,which is also becoming too difficult for most teachers (hence, Thailand's mass exodus of teachers to other better-paying countries where they're treated better).

Personally, after almost 12 years living in Thailand and about to leave myself, I would recommend most people consider going elsewhere, unless they have a job in Thailand already WITH work permit promised, or have the necessary qualifications to get one when they get here.

Hong Kong is welcoming to foreigners and long-term tourists, as is Malaysia and Singapore - all of these countries are amazing places for photographers as the cultural variety is astounding.

It's also easier to get legal paperwork in these and several other Asian countries, than it now is in Thailand. Or, if you're European, you can legally work anywhere in the EU with very little hassle - an option that's also being taken up by more and more Europeans, who are tired of jumping through the ever higher hoops to remain legal in Thailand.

I was once one of Thailand's biggest cheerleaders, but after years of experience learing that westerners will always be second-class citizens and will never have fair rights, I recently decided it's better for my long-term stability to live elsewhere and spend my money elsewhere too. Many other westerners I know have come to the same conclusion.

Sorry to be so negative to your plans, but that unfortunately is now the reality in Thailand.

[TigerWan]

Free lance permits ARE giving to writers, instructors and photographers. I've got one.

The trick is you must have a B visa first, and normally only having a sponsoring company who will employ you is the way to get the B ..

Or of course if oyu get married you can get a WP . T land remains one of the few countries that encourages phony marriages. ( Or phony on part of one partner ) Ive had Immigration officials tell me this is the preferred manner of obtaining visas.

It's a catch 22 . They have recently " relaxed" the WP rules, yet always the main obstacle was the B visa and getting that remains impossible for a " freelance job " to someone not married to a Thai

[lopburi3]

Work permit issue requires a non immigrant visa entry that they can issue it on - that could be a B or O entry and marriage will only provide the O. You can apply for a work permit without the non immigrant visa entry and then take the receipt/company paperwork to obtain the non immigrant B visa for issue. But a local job is required and company paperwork regardless of being married or not. The only recent change in WP rules I am aware of is them not being subject to current entry and sometimes not having to be canceled.

[AnjelKizzez]

So much red-tape! When did life become so complicated haha!

Obviously, I like the response from Tigerwan best as it sounds the most promising. But that doesn't mean it will work for me. I don't have a company sponsoring me, and wouldn't have a clue of how to obtain that! Is it often one can find employment with a Thai company as a photographer or photojournalist?

The idea of marrying to work there is funny to me. As an American, it's drilled into us if you marry someone just to stay in the US both of you go to prison/deportation when they catch you!

Unfortunately, I have a junior college degree and not a Uni degree. I doubt I could find teaching work. But tutoring? What are the requirements for that? Visa/WP etc. It must be that I have to have the TESOL/TEFL.

If I were interested in working abroad I might choose another country. There are other, family related, circumstances bringing me to Thailand. When this situation is worked out I will either return to America or figure out how to stay in Thailand. Again, life is not what I was thinking it would be hahah!