I will be going to Vientiane next week to apply for my first Non-Imm Type B visa.

The school I have been offered work with have a number of foreign teachers ( about 25 ) and have assured me the documents will be fine.

I am not so sure.

All they have given me is the employment contract and an invitation letter.

I have read here and elsewhere that I will need a copy of the school license as well plus a list of shareholders and the school profile.

Also a letter of acceptance from the Private or Basic Education Commision is mentioned.

Please can anyone who has applied for this visa recently confirm if I will be ok - or should I demand/request the rest of these documents before my trip.

Thanks in Advance

From the embassy's website.

- Non–Immigrant "B"

This type of visa is issued to applicant who wishes to enter the Kingdom for business purposes

Documents required are :

1. Invitation letter and employment contract

2. Copy of work permit (if previously worked)

3. Copy of corporate documents, namely

- company registration certificate

- list of company shareholders

- memorandum of company’s regulation

- latest income tax statement

- latest registration of value added tax

For applicant who wishes to work for the academic institute; as full or part-time teacher, tutor or teaching assistant, documents required are

1. Letter from the Ministry of Education of Thailand or other sub-authorities concerned approve the employment of foreign academic personnel.

2. employment contract

3. copy of applicant’s academic certificate / record

4. copy of police clearance or certificate of no criminal conviction.

5. copy of work permit (if previously worked)

http://vientiane.tha...consular_check/

It has been reported that the embassy in Vientiane requires a WP.3.

Where I work, we send employees with the school certificates, a letter from the MOE that has reviewed their credentials and found them satisfactory to teach. They also have the contract and other supporting documentation.

It's a Government school so there will be no shareholders - the school have assured me that the foreign teachers just require the letter and contract.

I applied for Police clearance about 3 weeks ago from the UK and so far nothing back.

The school have told me they always apply for the WP after the Teacher has obtained the Non Imm B.

I will be fairly stuffed if this is not the case as my family are also coming and will be applying for 'piggy back ' visas - our Tourist visas expire on the 12th - what should we do if the Non-Imm B visa is refused - apply for a tourist visa just to re-enter Thailand?

I'll report back whatever the outcome - a teacher from my school has just returned from applying for his non-imm B visa ( 3 months )

He submitted the following docs - School letter and contract, copies of degree/tefl, resume, fee and photos.

He was granted the visa - apparently for the extension he will need to include the teaching waiver plus a few other documents.

The school is the biggest government school in the province and the directors signature nullifies the need for a letter from MOE at this stage.

If this proves to be wrong I will let you know ( as is often the case )

If the school has a number of foreign teachers and no one has encountered a problem, then the situation may well be in your favor. My experience with gov't schools is limited, but anecdotal information I have received seems to show that Immigration is a little less pedantic with gov't schools.

Don't get too uptight and remember there is nothing you can do. If they refuse you, then get whatever visa you need and return. The school should and probably will help you out.

If you are turned down, call the school and see if the director can talk to someone at the Embassy before you leave. Some years back, we had two employees caught in a sudden change of rules and they called us. Our visa person called the Embassy and since they knew of the school and had processed many visas, the officer granted the visa. They were the only two who were given a visa and the rest returned to Thailand without one.

Will do Scott - Thanks

You only get a 90 days visa from a Thai consulate, with the option to extend it another 9 months in Thailand at the immigration.. it's always better to have more documents than needed.

When you come back from your visa trip, please make sure that you'll have the right documents from your school for the TCT to obtain a work permit.

That can take longer than 90 days in some cases. If you don't receive it two weeks before your visa's expiring, drive to Bangkok with all needed documents and wait for the waiver letter!

Otherwise you'll have to leave the country again, and your Non- B status will be gone. Good luck!

When you come back from your visa trip, please make sure that you'll have the right documents from your school for the TCT to obtain a work permit.

The TCT issues teacher licences.

It's the Ministry of Labour that issues work permits.

When you come back from your visa trip, please make sure that you'll have the right documents from your school for the TCT to obtain a work permit.

The TCT issues teacher licences.

It's the Ministry of Labour that issues work permits.

When you come back from your visa trip, please make sure that you'll have the right documents from your school for the TCT to obtain a work permit.

The TCT issues teacher licences.

It's the Ministry of Labour that issues work permits.

The TCT, or Teacher's Council of Thailand ( Kurusapa) in Bangkok issues the allowance to teach for two years which is also called "waiver letter."

Please try to obtain your work permit without it.................

You should be ok, from the school's side. As a government school doesn't require as many details as other schools would, main thing is that they have the big red stamp on your contract or letter offering employment.

The work permit (and then 1 year extension) requires the teaching waiver and a few other things, but you'll have time to organise that within Thailand your visa is completed, one thing at a time.

Make sure you take your documents which you need. e.g. University degree / TESOL Cert / Photos / photocopies of every page in your passport etc. Make photocopies of them all and sign them too (although Vientiane embassy does have a photocopier you can use if you forget).

Good luck

Thanks everyone for the input

I've just come back from the Consulate and everything seems ok so far - included everything I had pretty much, but no police report ( still waiting for the UK Police to get back to me )

The lady seemed ok and did not ask for any more documents.

Would they usually ask for more supporting documents at this stage or is there a possibility of them refusing it tomorrow on basis of lack of supporting documents ?

ps I submitted the following : -

Copy of Uni Degree - plus transcript

Copy of TEFL diploma

Resume

Letter of Invitation and contract from School

Usual Passport pages showing stamps etc

Visa form and Fee

It's a good idea to bring your written request for a police clearance. During the initial stage they sometimes don't need it, but will before issuing the Extension of stay and/or the Work Permit.

Who will want it varies.

Update - got the Visa no worries

Update - got the Visa no worries

Awesome, and they didn't play any games with you like showing your degree or anything?

Usually, but not always, the non-immigrant visa is granted on the strength of the paperwork submitted. The Immigration wants to know that you have it or it is is on its way/been applied for. The actual inspection of the paperwork is done in greater detail by the people at the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Labor when it comes time for the Work Permit. The Teacher's Council will take a closer look at your degree and qualifications when granting the waiver. The same is true with the police clearance. We've had teachers who had submitted the paperwork for a police clearance, but haven't received it yet. They are granted the visa.

Chonabat, I was pretty sure you were not going to encounter any problems, but then it wasn't me who was standing there waiting for the "yes' or 'no'.

Cheers - BlackArtemis - I submitted a copy but they didn't ask to see the original ( brought it just in case )

Scott, I will be applying for the WP next week - hoping it goes ok