Separating Visa From Wp

[BigJohnnyBKK]

I have been staying in Thailand under Non-Imm B visa arranged by employers in conjunction with my annually renewed work permit.

I would like to change this so that the basis for my staying in Thailand is the fact that I am a single father of Thai children with full custody - their mother signed away her parental rights at the time we divorced. I understand I'll need to show a seasoned 400k in the bank.

I have not re-married and even if I do don't want my visa to depend on that.

I want to be free to change jobs, perhaps some of those jobs will be below the immigration-qualifying minimum salary, or even live without working - without impacting my right to stay in Thailand. My goal would be to avoid having to leave the country at all for years at a time if possible, but I understand there's no getting around the 90-day reporting.

Please advise with where to start, ideally with the full details (or links to them) using proper terminology since I find the whole "what is a visa" vs "extension of stay" quite confusing.

[Lite Beer]

Towards the end of your current permission to stay apply for a 12 month extension on the basis of having a Thai Child.

Here is the official Immigration rule.

Hopefully someone will come along with full details.

2.18 In the case of a family

member of a Thai(applicable only to parents, spouse, child, adopted child or child

of his/her spouse):

Permission will be

granted for a period of

not more than 1 year at a time.

(1) The alien has obtained a temporary visa (NON-IM)

(2) Proof of family relationship

(5) In the case of a parent, one of parents must have an average annual income of not less than 40,000 baht per month or a money deposit of not less than 400,000 baht for expenses within a year.

[phuketrichard]

above is correct as i had a type o visa and extension as being the single dad as the OP states. Except

Phuket wanted to see 500,000 in the bank thou, but it did not have to be seasoned.

Birth certificate and papers from the court needed to show

Note; You can not work on this extension

[lopburi3]

Are you sure Phuket used section 2.18? 500k would be for foreign student so if your children are dual nationals (likely) that could be used under section 2.11 but they should be on extensions of stay in that case. This could be used if there were a custody paperwork issue as would not be required (but sounds like you had the paperwork) but money would have to be in account 30 days first time and 3 months thereafter.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

As I said I understand the seasoned money in the bank requirement, and I'm in Bangkok.

My babies are Thai citizens, passports and all, no issue there, whether they are in school or not should be irrelevant.

I have all the custody paperwork, no issue there.

Please note the whole point of my post is that I remain free to work - or to not work - the goal is to disconnect my working status from my right to reside here.

Thanks

[lopburi3]

Sorry, my post was about the previous report of 500k being required in Phuket and trying to explain why it might have been different as Light Beer had answered your post well.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Light Beer had answered your post well.

Thanks, wrt to Lite Beer's post, I take it that's for an extension of stay from the Immigration Department.

(1) The alien has obtained a temporary visa (NON-IM)

Regarding the visa, I could get a non-immigrant "O" based on the same paperwork from a neighboring-country embassy, initially good for what 90 days? What is the relevance of that original visa being single-entry vs multiple, if I weren't planning on traveling again until after that initial period?

And I'm still looking for specific information regarding the ability to go on and off work permits for different jobs without having to re-visit the Immigration Dept issues, only needing to deal with Dept of Labor from then on?

Obviously the answer from people posting so far might well be "don't know", which is fine, quite happy to hold off for a while no hurry, until someone with firm knowledge on that specific question comes along.

As long as PhuketRichar's

> You can not work on this extension

is not actually true, in which case I'm back to the drawing board.

Thanks

[lopburi3]

Extensions of stay do not allow work - only work permits - and normally a work permit can be issued on extension of stay for marriage or child support (but they may mistake the O visa for retirement in which case they likely would not provide) but it can vary from office to office.

Only a single entry visa is normally issued for child anywhere in region but that is all that is required to start the extension of stay process. And if you already have a non immigrant visa entry/extension of stay a new visa would not normally be required.

[Lite Beer]

As said above, you should not need to apply for a new Visa and there should be no reason why you cannot get a Work Permit on this extension.

Ask at the local Labour Exchange.

[ubonjoe]

The OP does not need a new visa to change the reason for his extension of stay to having a Thai children. All that is required is a non immigrant entry which he all ready has.

In fact he probably would not need to wait for his current extension based upon working runs out if he can meet the financial requirements. If his current salary is 40K or more he could use proof of tax payments to get his extension.

He should check with his local immigration office to see what they will require for the extension.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Extensions of stay do not allow work - only work permits - and normally a work permit can be issued on extension of stay for marriage or child support (but they may mistake the O visa for retirement in which case they likely would not provide) but it can vary from office to office.

I realize of course that it's only the Dept of Labor's WP that allows work, please note your phrasing could be interpreted that being on an extension of stay would prevent getting a WP, which from the other posts does not seem to be the case.

The "vary from office to office" side of things there is obviously of great concern. Presumably we're talking about the Labor Department only here, is there more than one such office in the Bangkok metro area, and does this mean I'd need to restrict my job hunting to just "friendly" parts of town?

The OP does not need a new visa to change the reason for his extension of stay to having a Thai children. All that is required is a non immigrant entry which he all ready has.

In fact he probably would not need to wait for his current extension based upon working runs out if he can meet the financial requirements. If his current salary is 40K or more he could use proof of tax payments to get his extension.

He should check with his local immigration office to see what they will require for the extension.

As said above, you should not need to apply for a new Visa and there should be no reason why you cannot get a Work Permit on this extension.

Ask at the local Labour Exchange.

Great thanks. In my case I'll need to exit the country and re-enter anyway to get legal again anyway - I currently have no job nor income, so my questions in that area do still stand.

> Regarding the visa, I could get a non-immigrant "O" based on the same paperwork from a neighboring-country embassy, initially good for what 90 days?

I believe KL's a reasonable place to do this?

-------------

Regarding "local Labour Exchange", I've never heard of these, is this an office where unemployed Thais would go looking for job postings or something? Is it likely they'd have the English language skills and legal knowledge of the requirements for foreigners?

[Lite Beer]

Regarding "local Labour Exchange", I've never heard of these, is this an office where unemployed Thais would go looking for job postings or something? Is it likely they'd have the English language skills and legal knowledge of the requirements for foreigners?

I meant Labour Office

[ubonjoe]

Dependent on where you are living the Vientiane or Savannakhet Laos could be a lower cost location to get the visa verses KL.

If your work permit has already been cancelled you are technically already on overstay. If not then you might be able to just make a trip to immigration with documents stating that you are no longer working as of that date and get the new extension.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

All this is a bit OT - I'm still not 100% clear on the main OP issue being straightforward:

> I want to be free to change jobs, perhaps some of those jobs will be below the immigration-qualifying minimum salary, or even live without working - without impacting my right to stay in Thailand. My goal would be to avoid having to leave the country at all for years at a time if possible, but I understand there's no getting around the 90-day reporting.

> And I'm still looking for specific information regarding the ability to go on and off work permits for different jobs without having to re-visit the Immigration Dept issues, only needing to deal with Dept of Labor from then on?

The "vary from office to office" is true or not?

---------------

Dependent on where you are living the Vientiane or Savannakhet Laos could be a lower cost location to get the visa verses KL.

If your work permit has already been cancelled you are technically already on overstay. If not then you might be able to just make a trip to immigration with documents stating that you are no longer working as of that date and get the new extension.

Yes I'm on overstay, WP cancelled, hit the 20K max a long time ago, my understanding is I need to exit Thailand by air for it to be a guaranteed problem-free "just pay and get out of here".

However since it seems the single- vs multiple- entry issue is irrelevant for me (true?) then are you saying Laos or even Cambodia would be OK for me?

[ubonjoe]

Flying out (just get to the airport) is safer than doing it by land (possible check points) because you do not have to travel so far overland.

Laos and KL are equal for single entry visas. Savannakhet also does multiple entry non-o's.

The embassy in PP Cambodia is not recommended because they take 4 days to issue the visa and can be unpredictable as far as issuing visas goes.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Flying out (just get to the airport) is safer than doing it by land (possible check points) because you do not have to travel so far overland.

Laos and KL are equal for single entry visas. Savannakhet also does multiple entry non-o's.

The embassy in PP Cambodia is not recommended because they take 4 days to issue the visa and can be unpredictable as far as issuing visas goes.

Thanks for those extra details. Savannakhet doesn't seem a cheap flight, if it's serviced only by "Lao Aviation"?

And please confirm for me the following:

- initial visa period is 90 days

- if I'm not planning on leaving Thailand in that initial visa period, then the single vs multiple is not an issue

- once I get the 1-year extension then I can just get "standalone" re-entry permit (single or multiple) as needed from within Thailand

[ubonjoe]

For Vientiane you can fly to Udon Thani and then make an easy trip to the bridge in Nong Kai.

Check Nok Air to Mukdahan. Info: http://www.nokair.com/contents/promotion/mukdahan/en-US/index.html

[BigJohnnyBKK]

For Vientiane you can fly to Udon Thani and then make an easy trip to the bridge in Nong Kai.

Check Nok Air to Mukdahan. Info: http://www.nokair.co...n-US/index.html

So is it really the case that paying the B20K max overstay is just as foolproof routine at a land crossing as out of the airport?

I really don't want to take the chance of being tossed in the monkey house over this, and know for a fact that there's 0% chance of that happening flying out of Swampy.

[lopburi3]

Actually it is not 0% anywhere and Bangkok Airport has sent persons on more than short overstays back to detention center in the past even after they arrived at airport but that is not normally the case. But the chance is even greater with a normal police check somewhere of having a jail before judge experience.

[ubonjoe]

Just giving you a few options.

Airport is a bit more safe and sure but there have many that have done it at a border crossing.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

OK thanks to all for the clarifications

still looking for confirmations on these:

- initial visa period is 90 days

- if I'm not planning on leaving Thailand in that initial visa period, then the single vs multiple is not an issue, since once I get the 1-year extension then I can just get "standalone" re-entry permit (single or multiple) as needed from within Thailand

[Lite Beer]

Yes a Non Imm O Visa gives 90 days.

Yes . Re Entry Permit costs 1,000 Baht for a single and 3,800 Baht for a Multi.

Apply at Immigration.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Thanks again. However, I'm still not 100% clear on the main OP issue being straightforward:

- I want to be free to change jobs, perhaps some of those jobs will be below the immigration-qualifying minimum salary, or even live without working - without impacting my right to stay in Thailand.

- And I'm still looking for specific information regarding the ability to go on and off work permits for different jobs without having to re-visit the Immigration Dept issues, only needing to deal with Dept of Labor from then on?

On the "this varies from Labor Dept office to office" from lopburi3 - can anyone else confirm or dispel this very important detail?

Does the one office (Chaeng Wattana?) deal with all of metro BKK?

[TommoPhysicist]

As I said I understand the seasoned money in the bank requirement, and I'm in Bangkok.

Seasoning not required for looking after Thai child.

That seasoning rule is for people married to Thai citizen.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Seasoning not required for looking after Thai child.

Interesting, first I heard of that, thanks.

Still waiting on answers to the question in my previous post if anyone actually knows I'd appreciate it.

[ubonjoe]

An extension of stay based upon marriage or having a Thai child has no requirements for proof of work permit unless using tax payments for the 40K baht monthly income.

Your extension in no way is tied to the work permit or minimum salary requirements.

You can job hop as many times as want.