Confused About Non-Immigrant B Visa?!

[snowpea83]

Hi there,

I've got a job in Thailand and am applying for a non-immigrant B visa from Australia. I'm a bit confused about the length of stay allowed. Can you only get 90 days when you first get the visa and then have to apply for an extension?? or can I apply for a full year with my initial application?

Oh and for information sake: I'm Australian, 29 and I will be applying for the visa in Melbourne.

Thanks for any help you can offer!!

[whybother]

You get a 1 year visa and have to leave every 90 days. When you get the extension (after the first year), you don't have to leave every 90 days, but you do need to get a re-entry permit if you do leave (and want to come back).

... at least that's the way I remember it when I came here a few years ago.

[lopburi3]

Normally you obtain a single entry non immigrant B visa for 90 days and during the last 30 days extend your stay one year at a time from immigration for 1,900 baht per year. But this requires meeting extension of stay requirements in both your income for nationality (teachers exempt) and company paperwork so you need to be sure this will be available to you by asking employer (and hope they do not lie to you). If in any doubt try to obtain a multi entry non immigrant B visa while in OZ. That requires you exit every 90 days for a new entry but would cover up to almost 15 months time.

[snowpea83]

Thanks so much! And when I have to leave every 90 days, can it be at a land border crossing? and does it matter which country I go to? For example, I'll be working up in the golden triangle, so it would be very easy to go over the border to either Loas or Burma, would that be ok?

Thanks again

[snowpea83]

Also...another question sorry!

If my letter of offer from the company states that they will be employing me for an initial 6 month contract (with a view to re-negotiate the contract after six months), will they grant me a multi entry visa, even though I am potentially not in the country for a year? I would rather apply for a multi-entry because I'm concerned about the requirements to extend the 90 day visa.

[beechguy]

Also...another question sorry!

If my letter of offer from the company states that they will be employing me for an initial 6 month contract (with a view to re-negotiate the contract after six months), will they grant me a multi entry visa, even though I am potentially not in the country for a year? I would rather apply for a multi-entry because I'm concerned about the requirements to extend the 90 day visa.

You can always ask, the worse they will say is no. As to the above question, any land entry will do with a multi-entry visa.

[pomchop]

Thanks so much! And when I have to leave every 90 days, can it be at a land border crossing? and does it matter which country I go to? For example, I'll be working up in the golden triangle, so it would be very easy to go over the border to either Loas or Burma, would that be ok?

Thanks again

If you are in golden triangle Chiang Rai, Chiang Saen, Chiang Khong it is about as easy as it gets in thailand to leave the country every 90 days....just go to mae sai which is little over one hour from CR with all kinds of buses/vans etc leaving every few minutes...at mae sai you can walk across the bridge , get stamped out of thailand, pay $10 usd (NEW crispy bills only) to enter burma then re enter thailand and good for another 90 days....takes less than ten minutes. Yet another reason that living in Chiang Rai is a very nice choice.

[snowpea83]

Thanks for that Pomchop... I'm actually going to be living north of Chiang Sean (working at Anantara Golden triangle), so really really close to the border! Mae Sai will be my border crossing of choice And I agree, Chiang Rai/ the golden triangle is a lovely part of the country to live! Now I just wish everything would hurry up so I could get back there!!

[chainarong]

Get a Multi entry "B"

[ubonjoe]

One question that you do not have to answer. Are you getting paid 50,000 baht or more which is the minimum income required to get an extension of stay unless you are teaching? If you are not getting paid enough then get a multiple entry visa.

The big advantage of getting the multiple entry visa is that your visa is not tied to your work permit. If you get an extension of stay the date you stop working is the date you must leave the country because your permit to stay just ended.

[snowpea83]

One question that you do not have to answer. Are you getting paid 50,000 baht or more which is the minimum income required to get an extension of stay unless you are teaching? If you are not getting paid enough then get a multiple entry visa.

The big advantage of getting the multiple entry visa is that your visa is not tied to your work permit. If you get an extension of stay the date you stop working is the date you must leave the country because your permit to stay just ended.

Exactly why I don't want to have to get an extension of stay! I'm going to be working for a not for profit (which is exempt like teaching) BUT technically I'm being employed by the hotel which overseas the not for profit...soooo I'm in a tricky place. I think it's been decided though...I'm going for a multi!