No More Non-B Multiple Visas From Kuala Lumpur

[choco43]

With KL becoming a single-entry visa venue, I can imagine Savannakhet suddenly becoming very, very busy. Until they toe the new line of course.

Just came back from savannakhet yesterday night . Got myself a only 15days extension ...

Why did you only get 15 days, seems above you were mentioning about marriage to a Thai national.

Getting married next year feb bro =) not yet married

[Lannatyne]

Well, I happen to think that this is a totally un-thought-through instruction, that is guaranteed to be overturned in the near future.

Even the Thais can't do this with AEC looming in 3 years time. Yes, there may be different visa categories for AEC and non-AEC nationals, but Thailand also stands to lose massive international investment within the AEC trading area if it makes this kind of rule for foreigners. Certainly, other AEC members will be more welcoming.

But, there again...................

[Arkady]

Seems they want to force everyone to apply for 1 year extensions in Thailand and close the 0verseas embassy loophole. Presumably they don't want expats working for start-ups, small businesses, companies that aren't profitable every single year, or those on low salaries any more.

The Labour Ministry has also started demanding four Thai employees for new WPs and renewals which I guess effectively had already closed the loophole of avoiding the need for 4 Thais by not getting 1 year extensions. In doing so they have also eliminated the privilege for permanent residents who didn't need 4 Thai employees in the past because they never needed to apply for a 1 year extension. For some of those who have PR this is a real nuisance, if they have their own small businesses or work for a company that already has other WPs supported by 4 Thais each. Given the high fees for PR and the difficulty of obtaining it, this seems a spiteful and pointless trick that is more likely to prevent PRs from starting own businesses or working at all after retirement rather than create more employment for Thais.

Edited December 17, 2012 by Arkady

[choco43]

Any advice for me to get myself a longer visa extention before I officially get married feb next year ???

[aussimike]

the writing has been on the wall for years about visas and work permits - you guys should wise up and get with the strength - head to China, the land of great food , fantastic scenery and amazingly beautiful ladies who put thai ladies to shame - they have clung on to their culture - I now have a villa and a Benz compliments of my wife to be - we have clothing export business which i had considered to set up in LOS and sure glad we did not -

[ekkamai]

pacovl46, on 2012-12-17 15:15:17, said:

Well, one can always get a single entry and then go to the immigration in BKK for example and get a multiple entry permit there.

There is no such thing as a multiple entry permit. If you are thinking of a multi re-entry permit that does not provide any more time to a 90 day entry - it only allows travel and return during that 90 days.

Rubbish. Your re-entry permit allows you to come and go as you like within the visa you have. If you stay longer than 90 days on a retirement visa (issued in Thailand) you just have to report.

[Lite Beer]

pacovl46, on 2012-12-17 15:15:17, said:

Well, one can always get a single entry and then go to the immigration in BKK for example and get a multiple entry permit there.

There is no such thing as a multiple entry permit. If you are thinking of a multi re-entry permit that does not provide any more time to a 90 day entry - it only allows travel and return during that 90 days.

Rubbish. Your re-entry permit allows you to come and go as you like within the visa you have. If you stay longer than 90 days on a retirement visa (issued in Thailand) you just have to report.

A Multi Re Entry Permit allows you to come and go during your current permission to stay.

Retirement Visas are not issued in Thailand.

[bkk_mike]

Well, I happen to think that this is a totally un-thought-through instruction, that is guaranteed to be overturned in the near future.

Even the Thais can't do this with AEC looming in 3 years time. Yes, there may be different visa categories for AEC and non-AEC nationals, but Thailand also stands to lose massive international investment within the AEC trading area if it makes this kind of rule for foreigners. Certainly, other AEC members will be more welcoming.

But, there again...................

Other AEC members are already more welcoming. If you're a westerner, you get 3 or 6 months on arrival in Singapore without even applying for a visa. Same goes for Malaysia. Not sure about the others, but does Thailand really want us equating it's visa system with Burma's? (i.e. I already compare the mobile phone infrastructure here with that in parts of Africa, and find Africa (esp. internet speeds on your mobile) is better.)

Face it - Thailand doesn't want farangs working here. Even Japan, which is hardly a country known for it's openness to immigration is more foreigner-friendly for work visas.

[ekkamai]

pacovl46, on 2012-12-17 15:15:17, said:

Well, one can always get a single entry and then go to the immigration in BKK for example and get a multiple entry permit there.

There is no such thing as a multiple entry permit. If you are thinking of a multi re-entry permit that does not provide any more time to a 90 day entry - it only allows travel and return during that 90 days.

Rubbish. Your re-entry permit allows you to come and go as you like within the visa you have. If you stay longer than 90 days on a retirement visa (issued in Thailand) you just have to report.

A Multi Re Entry Permit allows you to come and go during your current permission to stay.

Retirement Visas are not issued in Thailand.

Correct. But they are extended in Thailand. The ones issued abroad forces you to leave every 90 days. The extention does not.

Edited December 17, 2012 by ekkamai

[Lite Beer]

Correct. But they are extended in Thailand. The ones issued abroad forces you to leave every 90 days. The extention does not.

Your Permission of Temporary Stay in the Kingdom can be extended at Immigration. The Visa is finished when you enter.

A Non Imm O visa gives a stay of 90 days. Multi Entry gives unlimited stays of up to 90 days for a year.

[Chua]

The writing is on the wall folks... Last year the crackdown (against the innocent) for the the dependant visa (for those who are mothers/fathers of Thai children). Now the multiple B - which is a VERY popular visa.

Time to wake up and realize that Thailand does not want and welcome foreigners.

We are all just living on borrowed time and/or in delusion about how we can live in "paradise" long time!

Remain here at your own risk. Buy property/assets at your own risk. Get established here at your own risk.

Just like Uganda, Thailand will probably expel all foreigners within the next 10 years and forcibly confiscate all assets!

Your embassy does not help now, they will do nothing then too!

No, quite the contrary, by giving a SINGLE entry visa rather than a multiple entry, this means the effect is that it is more likely the foreigner will STAY in Thailand, rather be travelling on multiple trips in and out. Also, notably, this announcement was for KL only; it seems the multiple entry visas are still available in other countries. So this is not that big a of change.

Some Thais may be xenophobic by nature and their national pride, but the smart ones (and the wealthy, powerful ones) understand the need to maintain and grow foreign investment in order to keep the Thai economy moving forward. They know that if existing foreign demand for -- and investment in --Thai real estate was eliminated, the property values of the properties they own would plummet due to decreased demand and increased supply. Indeed over the last 6 years, property rules have been getting better for foreigners. The condo act of 2006 allows 49% of the area of certified condo to be sold to foreigner's directly in their own name (this is commonly referred to as a "foreigner freehold" chanod title).

In 2007, there was an attempt by some members of parliment to change a section of the Foreign Business Act (FBA) which would have redefined a "foreign" company as being based on percentage of votes rather than the existing rule based on percentage of shares. That change would have been devastating to Thailand's economy, due to a mass exodus of foreign investment in Thailand, as well as as being a huge violation of WTO rules. So after a number of calls from ambassadors and heads of international businesses to the MPs, they realized that they cannot ever do this. Thus, this attempt to restrain foreign control of Thai companies fizzled out because it would have ruined Thailand's economy. In other words, the xenophobic attempt by some to make foreign control of Thai companies more difficult was recognized as unfeasible as well as damaging to the political and economic interests of Thailand, so it was not enacted and thus Thailand continues to allow foreigners with a majority of the votes via their preference shares to have majority control of Thai companies.

Now with AEC and the ASEAN community, Thailand will also necessarily be driven into broader acceptance of foreigners an foreign trade/investment (albeit other Asians).

So overall, actually the trend in Thailand is for greater involvement with foreigners, not less.

Edited December 17, 2012 by Chua

[crazykopite]

The writing is on the wall folks... Last year the crackdown (against the innocent) for the the dependant visa (for those who are mothers/fathers of Thai children). Now the multiple B - which is a VERY popular visa.

Time to wake up and realize that Thailand does not want and welcome foreigners.

We are all just living on borrowed time and/or in delusion about how we can live in "paradise" long time!

Remain here at your own risk. Buy property/assets at your own risk. Get established here at your own risk.

Just like Uganda, Thailand will probably expel all foreigners within the next 10 years and forcibly confiscate all assets!

Your embassy does not help now, they will do nothing then too!

WOW That is doom and gloom how will they survive when all the overseas companies pull out and move there business to the likes of Burma and Cambodia as I would imagine the most succesful companies are those that have overseas shareholders Toyota, Tesco, Home Pro, Ikea, 4 season's, Conrads the list is never ending !!!!!!!!!!

[RogueLeader]

With KL becoming a single-entry visa venue, I can imagine Savannakhet suddenly becoming very, very busy. Until they toe the new line of course.

That would be a shame. Savannakhet is a sleepy, friendly place with nothing much to do but smile at the locals and visit the hilariously terrifying Roses Nightclub and have your ears and buttocks molested by the appalling music and the predatory kathoey, respectively. It would be terrible to see it overrun by visa-running sexpats desperate to prolong their stay in a country that doesn't want them.

Edited December 17, 2012 by RogueLeader

[Geratul]

Some people are talking here and think they have knowledge but actually not!

It's policy of the Thai government to issue only single entry "B" visa's and when you want a "multiple" you need to go to an Immigration Office in Thailand. Why they do like this I also don't know but Thailand change everytime.

For "Sophon" who declares a short reaction into a "discussion", I just got my new retirement visa "O" issued at Cheang Wattana (Bangkok). So it's not an extention, but a new visa! Do your homework better I should say.

Before I had a "B" visa and when you had this kind of visa before, you don't have to leave Thailand anymore to obtain your retirement visa. In my case a new type "O" (retirement) visa and as said not an extention.

I did my homework perfect!

[lopburi3]

If it is one year it is an extension of stay for retirement and not a visa. The only visa issued is the first 90 day entry conversion to non immigrant if you do not already have.

As for multi entry B visas they are not issued by immigration - they were issued by Consulates but this seems to be in the past as far as Kuala Lumpur is concerned.

[thurien]

Many legal, work permit holding foreign employees do not qualify for an extension based on employment. Either through too low salary, or an employer not qualifying

with all the unhappiness the authorities force onto them in LOS they should rather be elsewhere...

[EarthAlien]

Well, one can always get a single entry and then go to the immigration in BKK for example and get a multiple entry permit there.

Just a loophole. Does not change the facts that are in our face i.e. we are NOT welcome!

Whilst it may seem that we are not welcome I don't think that's the case having been here 7 years now and for 3 years prior was back and forth.

Personally I think this is a simple case of creating employment for government agencies and revenue for the government. It's all about ignorance and money at the end of the day.

If there's one common hallmark of Thai government departments then it would have to be "incompetence". They really couldn't organize a party in a brewery and trying to find any core of leadership and direction from policy and law makers is just too much to ask as they are arrogant and ignorant and have been raised within a system where common sense and forward planning is completely unheard of.

Just look at the fiasco with things such as the water/flood management program, school tablets program, English as 2nd language program and the preparation for ASEAN in 2015,... all total disaster areas!!!

So I would say don't take it personally guys,... they do NOT hate us,... I think they love us and that this is simply a SNAFU and another day in Thailand!

Nothing to worry about,.. and these latest policy changes aren't set in stone and are not insurmountable just as of those that have gone prior.

Edited December 17, 2012 by EarthAlien

[moe666]

The usual doom and gloomers here, apply for the visa you qualify for if you cannot qualify then do something else. They just want people to be here legally if you fell you are being picked on because of visa situation then find something else. if you have a complaint blame the people wwho have been scamming the system for years working on tourist visas or on 15 day border runs or people who have non-bs and do not work. To say the Thais do not want us here is a bit over the top

[Samui Monkey]

Nothing on the Official Thai KL Embassy website , that backs up the O.P in anyway ?

[lopburi3]

One libel post removed.

[oldsailor35]

Well, I happen to think that this is a totally un-thought-through instruction, that is guaranteed to be overturned in the near future.

Even the Thais can't do this with AEC looming in 3 years time. Yes, there may be different visa categories for AEC and non-AEC nationals, but Thailand also stands to lose massive international investment within the AEC trading area if it makes this kind of rule for foreigners. Certainly, other AEC members will be more welcoming.

But, there again...................

What is AEC ?

[phuketjock]

Well, I happen to think that this is a totally un-thought-through instruction, that is guaranteed to be overturned in the near future.

Even the Thais can't do this with AEC looming in 3 years time. Yes, there may be different visa categories for AEC and non-AEC nationals, but Thailand also stands to lose massive international investment within the AEC trading area if it makes this kind of rule for foreigners. Certainly, other AEC members will be more welcoming.

But, there again...................

What is AEC ?

Asian Economic Community.

[tingtongfarang]

i dont feel shocked by any visa rule changes or which consulates do what regardless of how many years i,m here..they are too constant,

It sets the limits for me as to what i do or buy and till now i,m quite happy, i would never bring large amounts of money into the country nor invest in property...it even makes any ideas i ever get of marriage with a thai disolve very fast.

Edited December 17, 2012 by tingtongfarang

[dunque]

Well, I happen to think that this is a totally un-thought-through instruction, that is guaranteed to be overturned in the near future.

Even the Thais can't do this with AEC looming in 3 years time. Yes, there may be different visa categories for AEC and non-AEC nationals, but Thailand also stands to lose massive international investment within the AEC trading area if it makes this kind of rule for foreigners. Certainly, other AEC members will be more welcoming.

But, there again...................

It seems most people having problems are not economically significant. I am sure serious investors would have no problem whatsoever. Jus because you are nearly unable to generate regular income do not blame Thai Immigration for our own shortcomings.

[cbrer]

Bring on ASEAN 2015 and it's regional visa changes!

Or half of us are going to be living in Cambodia....

...And enjoying much better treatment, service, food and appreciation!

[tingtongfarang]

Bring on ASEAN 2015 and it's regional visa changes!

Or half of us are going to be living in Cambodia....

...And enjoying much better treatment, service, food and appreciation!

Not too sure about the food,

But the moment my visa restricts my fishing habits i,m out of here

Edited December 17, 2012 by tingtongfarang

[tonglen]

This ruling surprises me since Malaysia had, in times past, touted a "come on in, come one, come all" attitude in which they were espousing tourism and business.

Pretty soon, you will need a cloaking device and a shoe horn to get in.

[IMA_FARANG]

Calm down guys, some of you are getting carried away.

The OP simply said that Kuala Lumpur was not going to issue multi-entry Non B visas from now on.

He said nothing about this policy being adopted in Laos or Cambodia ... or any other nearby country for that matter.

KL however WILL issue a 90 day Non B visa.

You can easily extend that in Thailand IF YOU HAVE the proper documents and/or a Work Permit.

If you REALLY need to travel outside Thailand while often are on that one year extension on your Non B visa, you can purchase a multi-entry Exit re-entry permit which is good for the term of your extension for 3800 baht and will allow you an unlimited number of entry and exits.

The questions you should be asking are:

1. Exactly WHY do I need a multi entry Non B visa? Is it just for convenience or is there a valid business reason. (Non B visas are for Business purposes, that's why they have the B in the visa name).

2. And do I really do need a multi entry visa or would a 3800 Baht one year exit re-entry visa really be more cost effective?

If you can't honestly answer those questions, then why should the Thai immigration give you a multi entry visa?

Edited December 18, 2012 by IMA_FARANG

[Psych01]

Calm down guys, some of you are getting carried away.

The OP simply said that Kuala Lumpur was not going to issue multi-entry Non B visas from now on.

He said nothing about this policy being adopted in Laos or Cambodia ... or any other nearby country for that matter.

KL however WILL issue a 90 day Non B visa.

You can easily extend that in Thailand IF YOU HAVE the proper documents and/or a Work Permit.

If you REALLY need to travel outside Thailand while often are on that one year extension on your Non B visa, you can purchase a multi-entry Exit re-entry permit which is good for the term of your extension for 3800 baht and will allow you an unlimited number of entry and exits.

The questions you should be asking are:

1. Exactly WHY do I need a multi entry Non B visa? Is it just for convenience or is there a valid business reason. (Non B visas are for Business purposes, that's why they have the B in the visa name).

2. And do I really do need a multi entry visa or would a 3800 Baht one year exit re-entry visa really be more cost effective?

If you can't honestly answer those questions, then why should the Thai immigration give you a multi entry visa?

Well stated.

[Gai Tod]

Peculiar stance.......Making things more difficult when other countries are encouraging investment.

For me, I shall not renew my work permit and visa. I will close my company very soon, close my free staff training programs, remove the cheap staff accommodation facility, and set up a new medical centre in another more falang friendly country.