Thai Wife Visa Will Be Changed After Getting A Work Permit?

[MiguelDelgado]

Dear friends out there,

I do have a 'Thai Wife' Visa for a few years already and looks like I am getting a Work Permit soon as I am going to teach at a local school.

My school has no prior experience in organizing Work Permits, only with requesting some visa extension at the local immigration office (which is not needed in my case). As I understand the local Labour Office is the one who is issuing work permits so I directed them to inquire down there.

Now my questions: once obtained a work permit, do I need to go back to the Immigration Office for any changes in my thai wife visa? If yes, what will be the impact on my visa? If one day I am not teaching anymore and not having a work permit, can I request to get my thai wife visa back?

Thanks so much!

[lopburi3]

If you have a visa or extension of stay for Thai wife there is no need to change anything at Immigration. If you could not meet requirements for extension the other would be available but there is no need to change anything otherwise.

[Colabamumbai]

You are lucky to be able to do it like this. It is a headache and a lot of paperwork to have to get the Non B, unless the employer, school, has done this many times. I am finding that I must do most of the work, not the school.

Most employers or want to be employers in Thailand have no idea what is necessary paperwise to provide on their behalf to a Thai Embassy or Consulate to get a foreigner a Non B visa.

Most have little experience dealing with the MOE, labor board and if any experiece most likey it would be with Thais working in Thailand. They do not understand the relationship between a Non B Visa and the Work Permit attached to it.

[Soutpeel]

Suppose the first thing you need to do is check with the DOL that they will issue a WP on your current visa, although perfectly "legal" to do what you intend to do per the regulations, believe certain DOL offices want you to get a Non-imm B before they issue the WP...so would be well worth checking with them exactly what they want prior to progrsssing too far and having to back track if it turns out they want a "B" visa

[chunktal]

Leave the extension as based on a "Thai Wife" and that way if the job does not work out or ends in the future, you can still stay, but if the extension is based on employment then you need to leave or change the reason again.

[NanLaew]

Leave the extension as based on a "Thai Wife" and that way if the job does not work out or ends in the future, you can still stay, but if the extension is based on employment then you need to leave or change the reason again.

It is not up to the OP to leave it as-is in case the work doesn't pan out. As Soutpeel posted, it is up the Department of Labour office that has jurisdiction over the OP's application to state if they will permit a WP to be linked with the pre-exisiting 'O' (marriage) visa. I worked in Bangkok last year and the DoL office my sponsoring client worked through said a Non-B visa was the only one they would accept with regard to a WP so I had to get a new visa since I already had a 1-year Non-O.

I think I am correct in my understanding that if the local DoL request the OP get a new Non-B visa, it cannot be issued if there is already a current Non-O visa in the same passport.

[chunktal]

Leave the extension as based on a "Thai Wife" and that way if the job does not work out or ends in the future, you can still stay, but if the extension is based on employment then you need to leave or change the reason agaiwn.

It is not up to the OP to leave it as-is in case the work doesn't pan out. As Soutpeel posted, it is up the Department of Labour office that has jurisdiction over the OP's application to state if they will permit a WP to be linked with the pre-exisiting 'O' (marriage) visa. I worked in Bangkok last year and the DoL office my sponsoring client worked through said a Non-B visa was the only one they would accept with regard to a WP so I had to get a new visa since I already had a 1-year Non-O.

I think I am correct in my understanding that if the local DoL request the OP get a new Non-B visa, it cannot be issued if there is already a current Non-O visa in the same passport.

No problem, just something for him to consider. I've worked in Bangkok for 7 years, first 2 the visa and extension were based on employment then the company I worked for changed the extension to one based on a Thai Wife when I got married and been on that since. When the original company closed and I had a 3 month break, I didn't have to leave or mess about changing visas or extensions. Then when I started working again they just got me a new WP. Pretty easy and even have a 2 year WP now.

[digitalchromakey]

It is not up to the OP to leave it as-is in case the work doesn't pan out. As Soutpeel posted, it is up the Department of Labour office that has jurisdiction over the OP's application to state if they will permit a WP to be linked with the pre-exisiting 'O' (marriage) visa. I worked in Bangkok last year and the DoL office my sponsoring client worked through said a Non-B visa was the only one they would accept with regard to a WP so I had to get a new visa since I already had a 1-year Non-O.

I think I am correct in my understanding that if the local DoL request the OP get a new Non-B visa, it cannot be issued if there is already a current Non-O visa in the same passport.

There is no such thing per se as an 'O' Marriage Visa, although a One Year Non Immigrant 'O' Visa can be obtained outside of Thailand on the basis of an extant Thai Marriage.

There is a distinct difference between a One Year Non Immigrant Category 'O' Visa and a One Year Extension of Permission to Stay based on a Thai Spouse (Police Order 777/2551 Section 2.18).

Most Labour Departments consider the 2.18 Extension (which may have started on an original Non 'B' entry, as with Chunktai) the same as a Non 'B' Entry as regards issuing a Work Permit.

[MiguelDelgado]

Thanks so much for all this advise.

Checked up my passport and I am indeed on an original Non 'O' visa and have a few yearly extensions based on being married.

Now what really made me hesitant is that the local Imm.Office says that I will get problems with my yearly visa extensions if I start to work (even legally, meaning getting a work permit). No clear details were given but it seems something like I am supposed to support my wife and therefore cannot work.

I am not living in big places like Bangkok or Chiang Mai, actually in a real small place, so eventually the ImOffice will know about my teaching job either directly noticing it and/or through the Labour Department.

Is that true that a future extension of my Thai Wife visa can be refused because I was legally working in Thailand? Any advise on this?

Thanks so much......

[lopburi3]

Working would be how you support your wife so is expected. No there will not be any effect on your extensions of stay if you continue to meet the normal conditions for them.

[Soutpeel]

Is that true that a future extension of my Thai Wife visa can be refused because I was legally working in Thailand? Any advise on this?

Thanks so much......

Dont believe that is true...I do know guys who were on extension for marriage, started to work and had to change over to a B visa and extension because of work (specific DOL required it) and once the job was finished they just back on to their "married" visa's and extensions

[sirchai]

Most DOL offices allow you to work on a Non-O visa, even if the reason for applying was for example:: "Supporting my Thai family."

Starting to work would even make you to a better supporter......

You wrote that the school hasn't got a plan which documents are needed to get you a WP. The school will have to send various documents, plus your copies of degree, transcripts, a letter from the educational area the school's located to apply for a teacher's license, or a waiver letter.

If you're a Native English speaker, holding a degree in education you could go right to the Teacher's Council of Thailand and get a teacher's license. If that's not the case, you'll receive a waiver letter, good for two years of teaching in LOS.

I wouldn't worry about your visa status now, I was in the same situation, applied for the waiver letter, went to the labor department and Immigration. After my visa had ran out, I had to change it into a Non-B type.

Once the superiors at your school sent all documents to the TCT, you'll be legal and your Non-O visa allows you to work on.

You won't get a work permit without a waiver letter from TCT, nor could you change your visa without the letter!

Wish you good luck!--------

[auserb]

what is Thai Wife visa? how is obtained? and how long does it last?

[Mario2008]

A Thai wife visa is actually a non-immigrant "O" visa, granted on being a family member of a Thai citizen and issued by a consulate based on proof of marriage to a Thai of being the parent of a Thai child.