Converting Tourist Visa To Non-Immigrant One In Thailand Or Elsewhere?

[lala12]

My apologies in advance if this topic has already been covered. I looked throught the forum but did not see anyhting that covers my questions so here goes.

I am British with a double entry tourist visa. The second entry is about to expire and I will be applying for a 30-day extension this week. I have just been offred a job at a British-owned company employing Thais and foreigners. My questions:

1. Can I get the new visa (non-immigrant?? not sure which category??) issued in Thailand or do I have to fly back to the UK or somewhere in the region to get one?

2. What documents do I need to apply?

3. What is the process of getting a work permit?

4. Will I need to do a visa run every 3 months or just report to immigration in Bangkok? What do I need to submit if I just go to the immigration office?

5. Any other issues you think I need to be aware of?

Thank you very much for your help with this.

[Mario2008]

You should apply for a work permit first, with the help of the company. as they already have foreigners working for them, they will know how to handle the paperwork.

If you can get the work permit approved within a few weeks, you can try to convert to a non-immigrant visa. But might need to go abroad and apply for a non-B visa in a neighbouring country, again with paperwork from the company.

If you need to do border runs every 3 months or not depends on the circimstances of the company and your salary. Your company can tell yu if you would qualify for a 1 year extension of stay and will know which documents to give you, as they have already foreigners working for them.

[LennyW]

Dependent on the company indeed.

I just changed my Non Imm O to a Non Imm B in Singapore, company compiled all the paperwork, i submitted it one morning and got it back the following afternoon, very simple but they only give you a single entry S$100.

Then went to immigration at Mapthaput, Rayong for an extension and because our company has BOI status i was in and out in 10 minutes with a 2 year Multi entry visa.

Same at the department of Labour, company compiled all the paperwork, took 3 days for processing and again a 2 year validity because of our BOI status.

You will need the company to furnish you with all the documents, and there will be a lot!

Have a look here for documents required.... http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/123/15388-Non-Immigrant-Visa-%22B%22-(for-Business-and.html

[ubonjoe]

On what basis was your non-o based upon (IE:marriage, thai child)? You should of not had to go out and get a new visa unless non-o was for retirement.

You got an extension of stay with a multiple re-entry permit not a visa at immigration.

[Mario2008]

On what basis was your non-o based upon (IE:marriage, thai child)? You should of not had to go out and get a new visa unless non-o was for retirement.

You got an extension of stay with a multiple re-entry permit not a visa at immigration.

He got his extension of stay from BOI. I believe they do indeed give out an extension of stay for 2 years, with multiple entry attached to it.

Never seen such extension, would be interesting to see a scan of such extension (with eprsonal details removed of course).

[ubonjoe]

But it was not a visa which was my main point.

[LennyW]

On what basis was your non-o based upon (IE:marriage, thai child)? You should of not had to go out and get a new visa unless non-o was for retirement.

You got an extension of stay with a multiple re-entry permit not a visa at immigration.

Originally i had a Non O based on marriage, but decided to change it to Non B to get the advantages of the BOI 2 year option, because then you can also get the 2 year Work permit, and you cannot make that change inside Thailand.

It is indeed an extension of stay from immigration and a multiple re- entry permit (2 stamps)valid for 2 years, but when you are filling out the part of the TM arrival departure card that says "Visa number" it is the number on the re-entry permit that you write, hence the tendency to call it a visa.

201303051510.pdf

[lala12]

You should apply for a work permit first, with the help of the company. as they already have foreigners working for them, they will know how to handle the paperwork.

If you can get the work permit approved within a few weeks, you can try to convert to a non-immigrant visa. But might need to go abroad and apply for a non-B visa in a neighbouring country, again with paperwork from the company.

If you need to do border runs every 3 months or not depends on the circimstances of the company and your salary. Your company can tell yu if you would qualify for a 1 year extension of stay and will know which documents to give you, as they have already foreigners working for them.

Thanks very much Mario! The company sent me to see their lawyer today and he confirmed I can get the new visa Non-immigrant B in Thailand too. But first I should get a 90 day single entry non-immigrant B and extend it to one year at the end of the 90 days. He also explained that I must get the visa first before I apply for the Work Permit which makes some sense, no? I rhought maybe it's because we can use them to go through the process but it seems that doing it alone is also possible. Any thoughts on this?

[lala12]

Dependent on the company indeed.

I just changed my Non Imm O to a Non Imm B in Singapore, company compiled all the paperwork, i submitted it one morning and got it back the following afternoon, very simple but they only give you a single entry S$100.

Then went to immigration at Mapthaput, Rayong for an extension and because our company has BOI status i was in and out in 10 minutes with a 2 year Multi entry visa.

Same at the department of Labour, company compiled all the paperwork, took 3 days for processing and again a 2 year validity because of our BOI status.

You will need the company to furnish you with all the documents, and there will be a lot!

Have a look here for documents required.... http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/123/15388-Non-Immigrant-Visa-%22B%22-(for-Business-and.html

Thanks for this list. I got a slight different list from the lawyer today; eg no mention of adequate finance and no mention of Work Permit. He insisted I get the visa fort and then apply for a Work Permit. Confusing indeed.

[Maestro]

You can apply for the work permit now. It is to pick up the permit once it is ready that you need to have the non-B visa in your passport.