Just Done Non-Immigrant B Run To Kuala Lumpur

[stbangkok]

Righty Ho then. This was in fact my third visa run to KL since 2003, and i keep intact my 100% record of never failing to get hat i ask for. I think the secret is to be well prepared and to read the Kl Embassy Visa pages and to understand what you are entitled to and what papers you need to get that entitlement.

I read clearly that i would ONLY be given single entry Non Immigrant B o this occassion as i have a new employment position/title and thus no work permit. To get the full one year multi entry you MUST already have the appropraite WP for that job. Now i am back, my employer can apply for the WP, i can then go back to KL and get the full one year Multi Entry, simple as that.

Check the list of papers you need and get them all from your employer, it could not be more clear. They took my papers, i paid (around 2100 Baht) 220 MYR, went back next afternoon and there it was as ever waiting for me.

Now then, how to get there and where to stay. Well, i guess to a certain extent it depends on your budget and desires. Me, i am not rich, but also not poor, but neother do i consider 3500 Baht a night a good deal. So i studied the KL map, Train Map and such like and found the Frenz Hotel near Masjid Jamek LRT. Superb hotel, superb price, best bed ever, faultless Wi-Fi and breakfast to die for! All in my opinion of course, but for just under 1600 per night inc. all taxes etc on Agoda, i think this was a seriously good find.

Five minutes walk to train, four stops to Ampang Park and a twelve minute stroll to the Thai Embassy. It opens at 09:30 for hand in applicatio sessions, i suggest you get there by around 9am as already then there were 15 or so in front of me queing. For collection i went back around 3pm after a 2:30pm start, no queue at all. Check maps on how to get from Ampang Park LRT to the embassy, a more simple straight line walk you will never find.

Flights by Air Asia and a tip on that, get the 13:40 back, it was empty and when i asked stewardess she said that flight time always is. Don't spend 900 Baht on taxi from LCCT, use the Air Asia sky bus at 77 Baht each way, it goes direct to KL Sentral, two stops from my hotel station. Nice bus, easy to find at airport and decent seats. Took about 1 hour each way, just under in fact, nice journey.

Useful sites

http://www.skybus.com.my/

www.thaiembassy.org (Bad site, always crashes)

http://www.agoda.com/asia/malaysia/kuala_lumpur/frenz_hotel_kuala_lumpur.html I took superior queen room as i like big beds

http://kiat.net/malaysia/KL/transit.html Overall MRT KL Map

http://g.co/maps/9dyp4 Map from Ampang Park to Embassy

Let me know if i can help!

[digitalchromakey]

Agree about the Frenz in general - very good value indeed; but the Breakfast which is in the attached restaurant next door in my opinion isn't particularly impressive.

[stbangkok]

Indeed, i guess it may have changed but being a lover of curry etc, that selection of curry sauce with Naan breads and scrambled eggs was great!! But not for everyone i can imagine.

[TerryLH]

Any reason you don't just extend your visa in Thailand?

[madjbs]

Any reason you don't just extend your visa in Thailand?

Yeah....

also, did you know you can convert a 30 day entry stamp into a Non immigrant visa at Immigration in BKK?

[stbangkok]

Any reason you don't just extend your visa in Thailand?

Yes, clearly as stated, new job, new employer etc and a few months gap in between, so it was like starting afresh. Have been here 14 years so i know as well as any how to renew at imigration within Thailand and have done so here in BKK and in Phuket when i worked there.

[stbangkok]

Any reason you don't just extend your visa in Thailand?

Yeah....

also, did you know you can convert a 30 day entry stamp into a Non immigrant visa at Immigration in BKK?

As far as i know, if you want to upgrade/convert from Tourist to Non Imm B the only way is by leaving the borders and visiting an embassy of Thailand. Hence i HAD to leave this time as i had been officially out of work for a few months and was starting a new.

[jolos]

@stbangkok

did you need to submit a WP3 form (Letter of approval from the ministry of Labour) or in other words a receipt from LABOR DEPARTMENT in Bangkok showing that you have applied for the work permit that is sometimes required at thai embassies abroad when you apply for the Non-B.

thx in advance

[digitalchromakey]

@stbangkok

did you need to submit a WP3 form (Letter of approval from the ministry of Labour) or in other words a receipt from LABOR DEPARTMENT in Bangkok showing that you have applied for the work permit that is sometimes required at thai embassies abroad when you apply for the Non-B.

thx in advance

KL do Require a WP3 Receipt for a 90 Day Single Entry Non Immigrant B Visa issue.

[MegaRanter]

Well I am glad I don't have to bother with all the hoping around. I did the kl trip after extending for 13 years in bkk, I had too many papers, and being a Nigerian it was too easy. After the three months was io,I still hadn't sorted my internal hiccup out, so off to Laos, where I got into a shouting match with the crew that sorts the papers out front, I actually did get upset and said my mind to the letter, I had a valid WP till may 2012. They refused to accept my application. My divorce was nt finalized and my ex was spending 2 years in OZ, well, I had to come home and get a 1 year visa. Just went back and gave away my stuff which was a lot, a car included, then took my gf and one month infant and moved back to a far better dignified existence. If you are under 40, make sure you have a back up plan.

[madjbs]

Any reason you don't just extend your visa in Thailand?

Yes, clearly as stated, new job, new employer etc and a few months gap in between, so it was like starting afresh. Have been here 14 years so i know as well as any how to renew at imigration within Thailand and have done so here in BKK and in Phuket when i worked there.

And you also said

i can then go back to KL and get the full one year Multi Entry, simple as that.

why would you do that if you know you can extend your visa at immigration?

Also, I meant you can convert a 30 day visa exempt entry stamp into a non immigrant visa, not a tourist visa.

[stbangkok]

@stbangkok

did you need to submit a WP3 form (Letter of approval from the ministry of Labour) or in other words a receipt from LABOR DEPARTMENT in Bangkok showing that you have applied for the work permit that is sometimes required at thai embassies abroad when you apply for the Non-B.

thx in advance

KL do Require a WP3 Receipt for a 90 Day Single Entry Non Immigrant B Visa issue.

Incorrect. I did NOT take this letter for the 90 day single. It is NOT required unless you have WP already.

[stbangkok]

@stbangkok

did you need to submit a WP3 form (Letter of approval from the ministry of Labour) or in other words a receipt from LABOR DEPARTMENT in Bangkok showing that you have applied for the work permit that is sometimes required at thai embassies abroad when you apply for the Non-B.

thx in advance

No, i did not need this letter. The reason it all went so well is that my HR department at work spent time calling and confirming with the KL embassy staff what was and was not required. Labour Dep. letter and contract is NOT needed if you are going for single entry 90 day Non Imm B, before coming back to get work permit.

[stbangkok]

Any reason you don't just extend your visa in Thailand?

Yes, clearly as stated, new job, new employer etc and a few months gap in between, so it was like starting afresh. Have been here 14 years so i know as well as any how to renew at imigration within Thailand and have done so here in BKK and in Phuket when i worked there.

And you also said

i can then go back to KL and get the full one year Multi Entry, simple as that.

why would you do that if you know you can extend your visa at immigration?

Also, I meant you can convert a 30 day visa exempt entry stamp into a non immigrant visa, not a tourist visa.

I take it you are not so clear on how this all works yes? To get a WP one must have a Non Imm B visa yes? To get this one must go to an embassy OUTSIDE of Thailand first if new employment etc. Then when you get back you apply for the WP. Once you get the WP you MAY have to go back to an embassy outside of Thailand to get the full one year multi entry visa. In some cases you can go to CW immigration but in this case i suspect not. When i find out from our consultant here in HR i will post the result and reason why which i suspect will be down to tax paid in last year or so, as it was when i used to renew.

Yes i know what you meant and no, you can not upgrade to Non Immigrant B without visiting an embassy outside of Thailand first.

[digitalchromakey]

@stbangkok

did you need to submit a WP3 form (Letter of approval from the ministry of Labour) or in other words a receipt from LABOR DEPARTMENT in Bangkok showing that you have applied for the work permit that is sometimes required at thai embassies abroad when you apply for the Non-B.

thx in advance

KL do Require a WP3 Receipt for a 90 Day Single Entry Non Immigrant B Visa issue.

Incorrect. I did NOT take this letter for the 90 day single. It is NOT required unless you have WP already.

Kl do not require a 'Letter of Acceptance' (unlike Penang) but they normally do expect/ask for the WP3 receipt (an A5 sized standard form) which is issued when the WP application is filed (they certainly have required/asked me for this receipt on all of the three occasions I applied there for a 90 day Non 'B').

If you have a valid Work Permit then you definitely will not have a valid WP3 Receipt, as thisparticular form is only issued when applying for a Work Permit.

Are you certain that the WP3 receipt copy (you need the original to collect the WP once you have your visa/90 day entry stamp) wasn't in with the documents your lawyer provided?

[stbangkok]

@stbangkok

did you need to submit a WP3 form (Letter of approval from the ministry of Labour) or in other words a receipt from LABOR DEPARTMENT in Bangkok showing that you have applied for the work permit that is sometimes required at thai embassies abroad when you apply for the Non-B.

thx in advance

KL do Require a WP3 Receipt for a 90 Day Single Entry Non Immigrant B Visa issue.

Incorrect. I did NOT take this letter for the 90 day single. It is NOT required unless you have WP already.

Kl do not require a 'Letter of Acceptance' (unlike Penang) but they normally do expect/ask for the WP3 receipt (an A5 sized standard form) which is issued when the WP application is filed (they certainly have required/asked me for this receipt on all of the three occasions I applied there for a 90 day Non 'B').

If you have a valid Work Permit then you definitely will not have a valid WP3 Receipt, as thisparticular form is only issued when applying for a Work Permit.

Are you certain that the WP3 receipt copy (you need the original to collect the WP once you have your visa/90 day entry stamp) wasn't in with the documents your lawyer provided?

I think we maybe talking about different things here as what you are saying is in fact wrong/impossible with all due respect. When applying for a WP you MUST have a non immigrant B visa, without the visa you can not get the form and receipt you speak of. You must first get a 90 day working visa to even be able to put in a WP application. Perhaps you did this before recent rule changes? Now i am back i can apply for the WP, but there was no way to make an application for this before i got the non immigrant B visa.

I can guarantee you i did not take the things you speak of. I know this method to be 1000000% correct as we studied all form requirements and called them in depth to make certain we got this right.

[digitalchromakey]

I think we maybe talking about different things here as what you are saying is in fact wrong/impossible with all due respect. When applying for a WP you MUST have a non immigrant B visa, without the visa you can not get the form and receipt you speak of. You must first get a 90 day working visa to even be able to put in a WP application. Perhaps you did this before recent rule changes? Now i am back i can apply for the WP, but there was no way to make an application for this before i got the non immigrant B visa.

I can guarantee you i did not take the things you speak of. I know this method to be 1000000% correct as we studied all form requirements and called them in depth to make certain we got this right.

I have described the standard Labour Department procedure for my area - Obviously things are very different at your Local Labour Department, where is it?

Which recent rule changes are you referring to?

[stbangkok]

I think we maybe talking about different things here as what you are saying is in fact wrong/impossible with all due respect. When applying for a WP you MUST have a non immigrant B visa, without the visa you can not get the form and receipt you speak of. You must first get a 90 day working visa to even be able to put in a WP application. Perhaps you did this before recent rule changes? Now i am back i can apply for the WP, but there was no way to make an application for this before i got the non immigrant B visa.

I can guarantee you i did not take the things you speak of. I know this method to be 1000000% correct as we studied all form requirements and called them in depth to make certain we got this right.

I have described the standard Labour Department procedure for my area - Obviously things are very different at your Local Labour Department, where is it?

Which recent rule changes are you referring to?

I am in Bangkok but the rules are the same no matter where you are. I am not certain how recent rule changes were, certainly within the last year but i can assure you what i am saying is spot on. You can not sit here in BKK and apply for a WP unless you have already got Non Imm B or some high up boss/connection perhaps, and even then i doubt it. I have been doing this for 13 years or so, and have never yet got one visa application wrong in those years, as i say i am lucky i have always worked for large companies who have superb HR departments who check and double check with the embassy and immigration as to what exactly i have to do. We even had a consultant come in from immigration who told me these things so i know them to be correct.

[Mario2008]

Interesting, but I haven't een any reports about an application for a wp being denied because one didn't have a non-B visa. Many people apply on a tourist vsa, get a WP3 form and apply for a non-B abroad. As said, I didn't see any reports that this practise has changed.

[digitalchromakey]

I think we maybe talking about different things here as what you are saying is in fact wrong/impossible with all due respect. When applying for a WP you MUST have a non immigrant B visa, without the visa you can not get the form and receipt you speak of. You must first get a 90 day working visa to even be able to put in a WP application. Perhaps you did this before recent rule changes? Now i am back i can apply for the WP, but there was no way to make an application for this before i got the non immigrant B visa.

I can guarantee you i did not take the things you speak of. I know this method to be 1000000% correct as we studied all form requirements and called them in depth to make certain we got this right.

I have described the standard Labour Department procedure for my area - Obviously things are very different at your Local Labour Department, where is it?

Which recent rule changes are you referring to?

I am in Bangkok but the rules are the same no matter where you are. I am not certain how recent rule changes were, certainly within the last year but i can assure you what i am saying is spot on. You can not sit here in BKK and apply for a WP unless you have already got Non Imm B or some high up boss/connection perhaps, and even then i doubt it. I have been doing this for 13 years or so, and have never yet got one visa application wrong in those years, as i say i am lucky i have always worked for large companies who have superb HR departments who check and double check with the embassy and immigration as to what exactly i have to do. We even had a consultant come in from immigration who told me these things so i know them to be correct.

I understand that this is what you were told by your HR Department and the consultant they brought in from Immigration - however I am not not convinced that the information you were given was accurate.

In my experience Thai Local Immigration and Labour Officials only have a limited working understanding of each others departmental processes and will often give contradictory information about each others procedures when asked.

If you want to know about Labour Dept procedures you need to ask you Local Labour Dept, etc, I am sure your HR dept made such enquiries, but don't know as to how much detail they would report to you - probably the minimum necessary..

I have personally never had the advantage of working for a large company here in Thailand and have thus had to deal with Visa and WP issues directly myself.

From MFA Website - application documents for Non Immigrant B Visa :http://www.mfa.go.th...482.php?id=2492 (I have extracted and quoted the relavant text below as the site is currently somewhat intermittent)

Non-Immigrant Visa “B” - (business and work)

2. Application for Visa

2.1 Non-Immigrant Visa Category “B” (Business Visa) is issued to applicants who wish to enter the Kingdom to work or to conduct business.

(1) Foreigners who wish to work in Thailand must provide the following documents:

- Passport or travel document with validity of not less than 6 months.

- Completed visa application form.

- Recent passport-sized photograph (4 x 6 cm) of the applicant taken within the past 6 months.

- Evidence of adequate finance (20,000 Baht per person and 40,000 Baht per family).

- Letter of approval from the Ministry of Labour. To obtain this letter, the applicant’s prospective employer in Thailand is required to submit Form WP3 at the Office of Foreign Workers Administration, Department of Employment, Ministry of Labour Tel. 02-2452745, or at the Provincial Employment Office in his or her respective province. - Copy of Work Permit issued by the Ministry of Labour and alien income tax or Por Ngor Dor 91 (only in the case where applicant has previously worked in Thailand).

- Corporate documents of hiring company in Thailand such as:

1) business registration and business license

2) list of shareholders

3) company profile

4) details of business operation

5) list of foreign workers stating names, nationalities and positions

6) map indicating location of the company

7) balance sheet, statement of Income Tax and Business Tax (Por Ngor Dor 50 and Por Ngor Dor 30 of the latest year)

8) value-added tax registration (Por Por 20)

- Document indicating the number of foreign tourists (for tourism business only), or document indicating export transactions issued by banks (for export business only).

N.B.

- An alien who receives a Non-Immigrant visa can work in Thailand once he or she is being granted a work permit. An alien in violation of the Immigration Act B.E. 2522 (1979) concerning taking up employment without work permit or the Royal Decree B.E. 2522 (1979) concerning holding employment in certain restricted occupations and professions shall be prosecuted and imprisoned or fined, or shall face both penalties.

- It is recommended that the applicant should apply for visa at the Thai Embassy/ Consulate in the country where he/she has the residence

[madjbs]

[

I take it you are not so clear on how this all works yes?

I'm quite clear thanks. Must be a dodgy company if they don't meet the requirements for extending your visa, even a newly formed start up company can sponsor a visa extension.....

And you are wrong about having to go to the embassy, if you meet the requirements you can convert your 30 day stamp into a visa at immigration, providing you have at least 15 days remaining.

[lopburi3]

There must be at least one year of tax documents available so a start up can not support an extension of stay until they have that.

[stbangkok]

There must be at least one year of tax documents available so a start up can not support an extension of stay until they have that.

Correct. Some seem to not read properly what i have said and also think they know better than the embassy and immigration.

[lopburi3]

Flame removed.