Work Permit And Visa

[mamboze]

Hi everyone,

I'm seeking advice on what to do next regarding a visa. I've been working as a teacher in Thailand for several years being on a non-immigrant O visa. Due to changes in my domestic situation this is no longer an option for me.

I've just obtained a work permit for the next school year. Getting this was somewhat complicated by the fact that I've been working in a rural area teaching at 2 schools (small schools and small student numbers) so I had to obtain 2 sets of documents for the work permit, together with some documentation from the local Area Education Office. But all this is done now and the next step is the visa application.

My query regards what visa type will I need to apply for. More specifically, what forms need to be filled in and so on. I'm reasonably close to Chiang Mai, so accessing an Immigration Office is no particular problem. I do need to act fairly quickly as my current non-immigration O visa expires on 23 May. Is it possible to get an extension?

I would be most appreciative of any help pointing out what I need to do.

Thanks in anticipation.

[lopburi3]

You say you do not qualify for non immigrant O but then say you have. Do you have a 90 day visa entry or are you on an extension of stay? If extension of stay it would have ended on day your qualification for such ended (divorce?). You have obtained a work permit? Hopefully a teacher can provide exact paperwork requirements.

[mamboze]

Sorry if my letter was imprecise as to details. I have a non-immigrant O visa which expires this month, 23 May. It required me to do a visa run every 90 days. Formerly, since my wife holds dual Thai/Australian citizenship, I could get a yearly non-immigrant O visa, but due to domestic circumstances, she will not (not divorce, separation + unwillingness).

On this basis, I have arranged a work permit for the next school year. As I mentioned the paperwork was fairly extensive, covering as it did, 2 separate schools.

Now I have not applied for an extension. Out of ignorance actually, I didn't know they were available for my visa class.

So I'm just enquiring as to my possible options. I do apologise for my ignorance on these matters, but the present circumstances are new and more or less unexpected. Anyhow, any pointers as to what is possible and achievable would be most welcome.

Thank you for your comments

[Mario2008]

You don't apply for a new visa. With your work permit an relevant papers you visit immigration and this time you ask for an extension of stay based on teaching, instead of being a family member of a Thai. (I take it that your work will have started before the permisison to stay ends).

Have the school contact immirgation to see which documents immigration wants to see for an extension.

[digitalchromakey]

Sorry if my letter was imprecise as to details. I have a non-immigrant O visa which expires this month, 23 May. It required me to do a visa run every 90 days. Formerly, since my wife holds dual Thai/Australian citizenship, I could get a yearly non-immigrant O visa, but due to domestic circumstances, she will not (not divorce, separation + unwillingness).

On this basis, I have arranged a work permit for the next school year. As I mentioned the paperwork was fairly extensive, covering as it did, 2 separate schools.

Now I have not applied for an extension. Out of ignorance actually, I didn't know they were available for my visa class.

So I'm just enquiring as to my possible options. I do apologise for my ignorance on these matters, but the present circumstances are new and more or less unexpected. Anyhow, any pointers as to what is possible and achievable would be most welcome.

Thank you for your comments

If you have the WP then you have two main options:

1. Visa run outside of Thailand with WP (Copy) and sets of paper work from both your employers - apply for a One Year Multiple Entry Non Immigrant B - 90 day border runs required.
   
2. Visit your local Immigration dept with WP and sets of paerwork from both employers, including PND 91 for last year and the last 1/3 months of PND 1 Income Tax returns - One year Extension with 90 day reporting.
   

The one year extension is a much cheaper option and easier with no border runs, but the Extension ends the day your WP is cancelled and depending on your local Labour Dept you may not be able to continue the WP if your 'primary employement' ends (first job in the WP).

p.s. you can make more time to sort out paperwork and do a further 90 day border run before your One year Multiple Entry Non Immigrant Type 'O' Visa expires on the 23rd May.

Edited May 11, 2012 by digitalchromakey

[mamboze]

Thanks to you both for your very detailed information. At last, I'm starting get some clarity!!

I start work in Semester 1 on 21 May, one week after school goes back. As I mentioned, my visa runs out on the 23 May. A bit close but on the right side.

So perhaps the first step is to do a visa run and get a extension on my existing visa and then organize the paperwork for either option 1 or 2. How long would the extension be for?

For option 1 I would apply at a border Immigration office for a One Year Multiple Entry Non Immigrant B visa, OK? I usually go to Mae Sai, being the closest border. Would this be OK i.e. a land border or would I have to go to, say, Malaysia.

I tend to favor option 1 as it is not tied timewise to the WP (right?). The additional expense is not that much of an issue. The visas I got in Australia in past years cost me around $A220.

Sorry for the multiple questions, but, as you might imagine, I'm on a pretty steep learning curve here.

[digitalchromakey]

Thanks to you both for your very detailed information. At last, I'm starting get some clarity!!

I start work in Semester 1 on 21 May, one week after school goes back. As I mentioned, my visa runs out on the 23 May. A bit close but on the right side.

So perhaps the first step is to do a visa run and get a extension on my existing visa and then organize the paperwork for either option 1 or 2. How long would the extension be for?

For option 1 I would apply at a border Immigration office for a One Year Multiple Entry Non Immigrant B visa, OK? I usually go to Mae Sai, being the closest border. Would this be OK i.e. a land border or would I have to go to, say, Malaysia.

I tend to favor option 1 as it is not tied timewise to the WP (right?). The additional expense is not that much of an issue. The visas I got in Australia in past years cost me around $A220.

Sorry for the multiple questions, but, as you might imagine, I'm on a pretty steep learning curve here.

First you have to apply for a new Visa at a Thai Consulate - you cannot do this at a border post.

Second if your current visa has a 'Use Before' date of the 23rd May, then you can go to the border on any date prior to this and get another 90 day stamp which gives you more time - this is not an 'Extension' but is a fresh 90 Day Non Immigrant Visa Entry.

A One Year Multi Entry Visa will cost you 5,000 THB at current prices, plus you have to factor in the cost of 3x border runs.

[mamboze]

First step then is to get another 90 date stamp and within that time period get to a Thai consulate and arrange the new visa. Choices that come to mind are Laos and Malaysia; convenience, cost and ease of passage are the considerations here, I guess.

Second step, relax

Any advice would be welcome.

Thanks

[mamboze]

Actually, I've just checked my passport and the visa (non-immigrant O) was issued on 1 June 2011. However, I didn't come back to Thailand until 10 June.

I guess the visa is valid for the 12 months from arrival date.

Due to my teaching commitments, I've found it sometimes necessary to do the visa run a few days before the end of the 90 days, hence the current 90 day period ending on 23 May.

I suppose that this will not affect my getting another 90 days, but is that true?

[lopburi3]

The visa is valid from issue date. So you should be able to obtain one more 90 day stay with a border crossing/return this month. You can not obtain a new non immigrant O visa without help from wife as current ID card copy and home register copy signed by her would be required - so new visa would have to be non immigrant B based on work paperwork.

[mamboze]

I'll go up to Mae Sai next week. In the interests of falang community information, I'll keep you posted on the outcome. Thanks to all of you, mario2008, lopburi3 and digitalchromakey, for your help.

[mamboze]

Update: I obtained a 90 day stay at Mae Sai last week. My plan is to go to Kuala Lumpur soon and get a Non-Immigrant B visa. The work permit is valid until the end of March 2013. Will the Non-Immigrant B visa be for 1 year, like the O visa or just for the period of the work permit? Also, I have several work commendations, in Thai. Would it be advisable to present these as supporting documentation?

[lopburi3]

Visa would be single entry for 90 days or multi entry for one year of 90 day stays. Most people working obtain one year extensions of stay from Immigration inside Thailand so do not have to make border runs or need multi entry visa. Not sure of KL requirements but a search may find; often a work permit with at least 8 months remaining (which you seem to have) would be a requirement for obtaining multi entry. Believe as a teacher the extension of stay is normal so not sure why you have been making border trips as extension is a one time fee of 1,900 baht for the year. I would suggest you visit Immigration in two months with school paperwork and current non immigrant O visa entry and see if they will extend for work from that (normally they will if you have marriage O visa entry and you seem to still have that - even if wife does not want to visit immigration for spouse extension or new visas for you). If that is a no-go then the visa trip for a non immigrant B - but single entry and extension would likely be best (find out exactly what you need on your visit to Immigration in the way of school paperwork).

[mamboze]

I was not aware of the options which may be open to me so I'll certainly be making a visit to the Chiang Mai Immigration office in the near future. Thanks for your help.