Teacher Needs Help

[TeacherNeedsHelp]

Hello

I have an emergency that I hope someone can help me with.

After teaching in Thailand for 5 years (& lov'n it), I find myself embarassingly in a newbie position.

I have to leave Thailand & apply for a what I understand to be a "non immigrant B visa"

I'm hoping someone can lay out the check sheet of exactly what I need to hand to the outside consulate.

I don't want to go into all the details here but basically my situation reads something like this:

- I was 'lecturing' at a small university in southern Thailand for 5 years.

- offered a job at a upstat niche focus private university outside Bangkok, & I took the job.

- followed all the rules, had work permit cancelled, immigration gave me a 7 day extension visa to get to my new post & get new work permit in place.

- Then the nam tuam / flood hit & my new place of employ was under 3 meters of water.

- So was the local immigration office & work permit office.

- I didn't know what to do so waited until water receded & my new university opened up.

- they were suppose to take me through the steps, but their 1st priority was cleaning up their flood mess.

- I patiently waited for them to get to me... last week HR surprisingly told me I was on my own...

- they said we need you, but you leave country & go get your non immigrant B visa sorted.

I was shocked, but do know that at the end of the day I'm the only one responsible for me.

Right now I am mortified and most embarrassed to find myself in a seriously extended "overstay" situation.

I do know I will have to pay the 20,000 baht fine, my school has said they will re-imburse me for that.

I have tentatively chosen to go to Singapore to apply (2nd choice is Penang).

What I don't know is exactly what I need to submit to the Thai consulate in Singapore.

I do know that I need:

- passport.

- University letter confirming job.

- pictures.

But I don't know what else...

I do remember five years ago there seemed to be a myraid of papers & forms I needed to submit.

I do want to travel light/ move fast & not have to pack the kitchen sink.

(I don't want to take a dna sample from my grandmother if you get my drift).

At same time I don't want to arrive down there with murphy's law hanging over my head & I have missed something.

The last thing I want to have happen is to discover I have to phone back for faxes of more material.

I'm hoping someone can put the exact document / form list in front of me before I go.

(Ideally I will even possibly have the forms filled out before I arrive)

Any applicable wisdom will be greatly appreciated!

Not to be rude, but I all ready know that at the end of the day, any mistakes are mine & mine alone.

My present intention is to leave for Singapore Tuesday, not-so-ideally Wednesday, worse case would be Thursday.

Thank you in advance.

[bapak]

Speaking as a language school, not as a university.

Not sure about Singapore but Penang requires:

Letter from Education Department confirming that we are a licenced school..

Letter from Education Department confirming that the teacher is approved..

Copy school licence..

Copy of work contract..

Cover letter to the Consulate requesting that a B visa be issued to the applicant

[Gone]

Speaking as a language school, not as a university.

Not sure about Singapore but Penang requires:

Letter from Education Department confirming that we are a licenced school..

Letter from Education Department confirming that the teacher is approved..

Copy school licence..

Copy of work contract..

Cover letter to the Consulate requesting that a B visa be issued to the applicant

Don't forget:

the receipt of the application for a work permit

Maps of the school

etc,

Question:

1) How could you possibly have had a work permit for the past 5 years without a non-b visa?

2) Do you have a legite University degree to get a letter from the MOE? (For purpose of obtaining a WP.

3) Do you have a teachers license issued from your last job?

The new school told you that you are on your own? I would be looking for another job if I were you.

They said they would "re-imberst you for the 20k over-stay but won't help you get your visa etc? 5555555555555

Sure you are responsable for your own life etc. however there are some thing you cannot be held responsable for ex: getting your own visa and work permit

[lopburi3]

University is not subject to the same requirements as a teacher from lower institutions and a work permit is not a requirement for teachers obtaining non immigrant B visa. The MFA requirements are as below.

2.4 Non-Immigrant Visa Category “B” (Teaching) Foreigners who intend to take up employment as school teachers at the levels below university level in Thailand must submit the following required 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.

- Letter of acceptance from employing institute or school in Thailand.

- Letter of approval from government agencies such as the Office of the Private Education Commission, the Office of the Basic Education Commission.

- Evidence of educational qualification such as diplomas or teaching certificates.

- School license or business registration, list of shareholders and school profile.

- Applicant’s resume.

- Police certificate verifying that applicant has no criminal record or equivalents or letter issued by authorised agencies in applicant’s country. (The requirement of the submission of such police certificate is optional. The applicant must submit it if consular officer requests he/she to do so. This requirement is effective as from May 2007)

[Lifer]

Suggest you consider KL.

[Gone]

WOW Lopburi3 Excellent post !!!!!!

[vickswagon]

Do you have an Education Degree or English Degree? If so then your cool but if not then you need (so far as all my research has led me to believe) a Tefl/CELTA. Do you have a Tefl? And yeah.. how on earth did you manage to teach so long on a work permit at a Uni without a Non B?

Wish I could! I'm going through the same bother now but I'm heading to KL to get my NON B once I have my Online Tefl sorted which I hope they accept as I'm considering doing a 100hr and not a full time (no time for all that and my school doesn't need it). Legend has it that they (authorities) expect the school to check over the doc's and as long as you have a doc that says Tefl and translated Degree doc's and all the other gumpf they are happy.