Visa Run Destination Kuala Lumpur Stops Issuing 12-Month Non-Imm B Visas

[moe666]

They seem to be talking about those living in Thailand with work permits making application for visas in a third country. Not about business travelers.

Yes what about those of us that live here but don't work. I'm about to apply (in 90 days time) for my 4th 1 year multiple entry non imm B visa.

I'll be sending a new passport to Hull for it though as my current UK passport is full (2 blank pages or 4 sides left).

If it is going to be an issue I might consider applying for an education visa for the next year, although I'm unsure what that will me to do. Are Education visas Multiple Entry?

I don't want to have to go to immigration every 90 days, but I do want to be able to fly out of Bangkok whenever I feel like a visit to family in Hong Kong. I also don't want to go to Thai classes, I prefer to learn on my own in my own time.

Thanks for any advice.

Then you need to get the approiate visa for your circumstance

[moe666]

Why do they stop/change visas all the time down there? Every few months it's something else!

Because, basically they don't want you here! They want to make things as difficult as possible to persuade you that it's better to stay at home.

Of course, your money is more than welcome!

thats exactly the point.they want only our money!

we should do the same kind of stupid business or whatever visa for thais all over the world, but our politics are also stupid.

o if you only had a clue. It is very hard for a Thai to visit the US no 30 day permission to stay for them. do a bit of research before making stupid statements

[seancbk]

They seem to be talking about those living in Thailand with work permits making application for visas in a third country. Not about business travelers.

Yes what about those of us that live here but don't work. I'm about to apply (in 90 days time) for my 4th 1 year multiple entry non imm B visa.

I'll be sending a new passport to Hull for it though as my current UK passport is full (2 blank pages or 4 sides left).

If it is going to be an issue I might consider applying for an education visa for the next year, although I'm unsure what that will me to do. Are Education visas Multiple Entry?

I don't want to have to go to immigration every 90 days, but I do want to be able to fly out of Bangkok whenever I feel like a visit to family in Hong Kong. I also don't want to go to Thai classes, I prefer to learn on my own in my own time.

Thanks for any advice.

Then you need to get the approiate visa for your circumstance

Thanks, but which visa would that be? I want to live here but don't want to work. I'm far too young to get a retirement visa and I have no interest in marrying a Thai woman.

That leaves the education visa or another non imm B. Education is fine as I'd like to learn Thai but I was hoping someone could tell me if an education visa is multiple entry, or do I have to mess around with re-entry permits etc.

[Locationthailand]

What a crock of crap.

1st this statement needs a 'bit' of clarification...

"... “However, we will not grant a person a 12-month B visa if the person is applying for their first-ever 12-month non-imm B visa and there is less than six months left on their work permit."

You can't get a work permit without having a Non Imm B so how can they be applying for the first time and already have a work permit? Even for the contract people we have come in, Immigration gives them temporary Non Imm with expiry for the duration of the contract (even 2 days - yeah I know - sheer stupidity - used to be 15 days)

2nd - It's not up the the individual Consulate to make a decision of issue of a Non Imm B by changing the rules. If you have all the paper, documents, offer to work and compliance details, Ministry of Immigration, Consular Section and also Labour Department work in collusion as is required for each to do their own thing. If one has gone rogue and is saying you can only get 90 days that seems a bit incongruous and not in keeping with their Consular obligations. If however they run you 90 days you can renew here as first year is 90 day renewals anyway. None to my knowledge gets 12 month day one. They get 4 x 90 days and then a 360 day year two.

I think the story has been misconstrued somehow.

[Khun Robert]

The statement is correct.

You can apply for a work permit when you still abroad. With the WP 3 form, application for work permit, you can apply for a 3 months B visa. In most European countries they will give you a 1 year Non B visa.

Before the 3 months visa expires you can apply for a extension at the local Immigration office.

One of the documents needed is the payments of social security and tax of Thai staff members needed to obtain a visa.

If you work for a company without Thai staff you will not get an extension.

So a trip to KL or Penang solved that problem.

Now KL is just following the rules in Thailand. No Thai staff no visa, easy as that.

Play by the rules and live by the rules. Loopholes are closing.

[cmcompdoctor]

They seem to be talking about those living in Thailand with work permits making application for visas in a third country. Not about business travelers.

Yes what about those of us that live here but don't work. I'm about to apply (in 90 days time) for my 4th 1 year multiple entry non imm B visa.

I'll be sending a new passport to Hull for it though as my current UK passport is full (2 blank pages or 4 sides left).

If it is going to be an issue I might consider applying for an education visa for the next year, although I'm unsure what that will me to do. Are Education visas Multiple Entry?

I don't want to have to go to immigration every 90 days, but I do want to be able to fly out of Bangkok whenever I feel like a visit to family in Hong Kong. I also don't want to go to Thai classes, I prefer to learn on my own in my own time.

Thanks for any advice.

Then you need to get the approiate visa for your circumstance

Thanks, but which visa would that be? I want to live here but don't want to work. I'm far too young to get a retirement visa and I have no interest in marrying a Thai woman.

That leaves the education visa or another non imm B. Education is fine as I'd like to learn Thai but I was hoping someone could tell me if an education visa is multiple entry, or do I have to mess around with re-entry permits etc.

An ED visa is not multiple entry but you can buy a multiple re-entry permit in any immigration office.

[cmcompdoctor]

What a crock of crap.

1st this statement needs a 'bit' of clarification...

"... “However, we will not grant a person a 12-month B visa if the person is applying for their first-ever 12-month non-imm B visa and there is less than six months left on their work permit."

You can't get a work permit without having a Non Imm B so how can they be applying for the first time and already have a work permit? Even for the contract people we have come in, Immigration gives them temporary Non Imm with expiry for the duration of the contract (even 2 days - yeah I know - sheer stupidity - used to be 15 days)

2nd - It's not up the the individual Consulate to make a decision of issue of a Non Imm B by changing the rules. If you have all the paper, documents, offer to work and compliance details, Ministry of Immigration, Consular Section and also Labour Department work in collusion as is required for each to do their own thing. If one has gone rogue and is saying you can only get 90 days that seems a bit incongruous and not in keeping with their Consular obligations. If however they run you 90 days you can renew here as first year is 90 day renewals anyway. None to my knowledge gets 12 month day one. They get 4 x 90 days and then a 360 day year two.

I think the story has been misconstrued somehow.

A visa delivery is always at the discretion of the consul issuing the visa, no exceptions in any country as far as I know.

If the consul decided you wont get a visa there is nothing you can do to change that.

And again they never said that they wont issue visas, they said that they wont issue multiple entry visas without the presence of a work permit, that's 2 very different things and since a multiple re-entry permit is available in any immigration office I don't see where is the big deal.

Simple steps :

Get your paperwork from the company you work for.

Go to KL to make a 90 days non-B visa.

After 90 days go to your immigration office to extend it for 4 x 90 days and ask for a multiple re-entry permit.

[Captain Jack]

Because it allows you to live and work in Thailand legally for a year.

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Not true at all. You always need a work permit to work.

You didn't understand his comment. Of course you need a WP, but you need a business visa to get a WP and there are two primary ways to obtain and keep a B visa. The extension the embassy is suggesting people get has more difficult requirements to fulfill, such as amount of capital, length of time business is established, and tax, which is why so many people like to get the one year outside Thailand every year then do a border run every 90 days which the 1 year visa obtained outside of Thailand requires. The one year extensions don't require the 90 days entry/exit, but you have to get a re-entry permit before you leave in order to keep the visa "alive".

I do understand his comment, but it's not relevant in this context.

The reason I say it's not relevant, is because many people (myself included, hence my interest) obtain a 12 month (and hence multiple entry) Business Visa for the specific purpose of being able to come and go within a 12 month period and conduct business here on behalf of a overseas business. In my example a 12 month Business Visa is the correct and only appropriate class of visa.

If someone wants to apply for a work permit, then my understanding (and please accept my apology if this understanding is wrong) is that they can get a single entry (3 month) business visa and apply for a work permit and extension of stay on arrival. That would be appropriate for someone who intends to work in Thailand, in my circumstance (and I suspect many others like me) I do NOT WISH TO WORK, and I don't want an extension of stay either, I just want to be able to come and go as I please and conduct business whilst I'm here, hence my 12 month business visa.

You're absolutley right but you misunderstand one key point, if you want to 'conduct business' in Thailand then you need a work permit, full stop. If you just want to come and go then you can get a tourist visa.

The new system is actually much better than the old one. It's specifically designed to encourage legal investment inside Thailand through the legally registered Thai companies that sponsor the WP's and are required to legally 'conduct business' in Thailand.

Once you have your one year permit to stay and work permit (the dates will be synchronised) you can visit immigration and get a one year multiple entry re-entry permit stamped in you passport. You can then come and go as you please and legally conduct business in Thailand.

[Captain Jack]

They seem to be talking about those living in Thailand with work permits making application for visas in a third country. Not about business travelers.

Yes what about those of us that live here but don't work. I'm about to apply (in 90 days time) for my 4th 1 year multiple entry non imm B visa.

I'll be sending a new passport to Hull for it though as my current UK passport is full (2 blank pages or 4 sides left).

If it is going to be an issue I might consider applying for an education visa for the next year, although I'm unsure what that will me to do. Are Education visas Multiple Entry?

I don't want to have to go to immigration every 90 days, but I do want to be able to fly out of Bangkok whenever I feel like a visit to family in Hong Kong. I also don't want to go to Thai classes, I prefer to learn on my own in my own time.

Thanks for any advice.

How can you live here and not be working? You must be retired right? (that's a retirement visa then) Or perhaps you're studying? (that's an education visa) or you're here on holiday? (that's a tourist visa) or you have family dependants who have permanent right of abode in Thailand? (that's a Non-immigrant O visa).

I'm afraid that if you don't come under one of these headings then, as far as thai immigration law goes, you're not welcome. So it comes down to the same 2 options that those of us who wish to remain legal have always had, get a work permit, or get married to a Thai.

[NanLaew]

They seem to be talking about those living in Thailand with work permits making application for visas in a third country. Not about business travelers.

Yes what about those of us that live here but don't work. I'm about to apply (in 90 days time) for my 4th 1 year multiple entry non imm B visa.

I'll be sending a new passport to Hull for it though as my current UK passport is full (2 blank pages or 4 sides left).

If it is going to be an issue I might consider applying for an education visa for the next year, although I'm unsure what that will me to do. Are Education visas Multiple Entry?

I don't want to have to go to immigration every 90 days, but I do want to be able to fly out of Bangkok whenever I feel like a visit to family in Hong Kong. I also don't want to go to Thai classes, I prefer to learn on my own in my own time.

Thanks for any advice.

How can you live here and not be working? You must be retired right? (that's a retirement visa then) Or perhaps you're studying? (that's an education visa) or you're here on holiday? (that's a tourist visa) or you have family dependants who have permanent right of abode in Thailand? (that's a Non-immigrant O visa).

I'm afraid that if you don't come under one of these headings then, as far as thai immigration law goes, you're not welcome. So it comes down to the same 2 options that those of us who wish to remain legal have always had, get a work permit, or get married to a Thai.

Yes, maybe seancbk is EXACTLY the serial multiple Non-B visa abuser that the new KL regulations aim to eliminate. If you have managed three consecutive years of just living in Thailand on a locally acquired Business visa that is primarily for people actually doing business and/or working here, I reckon that's been a good run for someone who is doing neither. Time to suck it all up and see if you can get an OA at the Royal Thai Embassy in London instead of Hull or the other Consulates. They already have turned off the taps on the 'perpetual tourist' since tourists don't normally park their <deleted> in the same place for years on end, or buy condo's and cars or rent apartments and houses. Now they are short-circuiting the 'perpetual businessman' as well.

The biggest benefactor of all the tweaking of these local rules and regulations isn't the overnight hotels, budget airlines, visa agents or the consulates dishing out the visas. It is about Thailand's TAX REVENUE. If you have a WP, you will be living here and you will be paying taxes here which means you will be contributing to the Thai treasury. If you aren't working in Thailand, then the only tax you are liable for is the VAT on things you buy... same as a real Tourist.

This isn't a Thai thing or another indicator that 'they hate us and only want our money'. The US and UK lead the way on catching up on all the untaxable income that escapes their respective treasuries with their respective diaspora. Since Thailand isn't a great exporter of global manpower and hence benefit from sizeable remittances from overseas (like the Philippines), they are opting to make sure that they legally wring as much revenue from their growing, legally working and legally resident foreign workforce.

There isn't a 'sunshine visa' for those that just like it here in LOS. Those that chose not to invest here, those who want to just 'live' here but want to bugger off whenever they want. But then again, I don't think many of the complainants homelands have that sort of visa either. Maybe the Thai's do need to create this class of visa. One without any onerous fiscal qualifications, seasoned and certified money deposits, etc.. But is does require that after 90-day's of cumulative 'residence' in any calendar year, a 'sun tax' must be paid. So your first 90-day stay is tax-free but the 'sun tax' is collected as part of SUBSEQUENT non-extendable visa applications.

[lopburi3]

Visas are for entry into country - one year extensions of stay for whatever reason are not visas. An ED visa can be single entry or multi entry valid for one year of 90 day entries just as any other non immigrant visa (exception being O-A which allows one year of one year entries). What you obtain after non immigrant visa entry at immigration is an extension of stay for a specific reason. It is not a visa or an extension of a visa but only of your stay for the reason indicated on TM.7 application.

[technologybytes]

Not true at all. You always need a work permit to work.

You didn't understand his comment. Of course you need a WP, but you need a business visa to get a WP and there are two primary ways to obtain and keep a B visa. The extension the embassy is suggesting people get has more difficult requirements to fulfill, such as amount of capital, length of time business is established, and tax, which is why so many people like to get the one year outside Thailand every year then do a border run every 90 days which the 1 year visa obtained outside of Thailand requires. The one year extensions don't require the 90 days entry/exit, but you have to get a re-entry permit before you leave in order to keep the visa "alive".

I do understand his comment, but it's not relevant in this context.

The reason I say it's not relevant, is because many people (myself included, hence my interest) obtain a 12 month (and hence multiple entry) Business Visa for the specific purpose of being able to come and go within a 12 month period and conduct business here on behalf of a overseas business. In my example a 12 month Business Visa is the correct and only appropriate class of visa.

If someone wants to apply for a work permit, then my understanding (and please accept my apology if this understanding is wrong) is that they can get a single entry (3 month) business visa and apply for a work permit and extension of stay on arrival. That would be appropriate for someone who intends to work in Thailand, in my circumstance (and I suspect many others like me) I do NOT WISH TO WORK, and I don't want an extension of stay either, I just want to be able to come and go as I please and conduct business whilst I'm here, hence my 12 month business visa.

You're absolutley right but you misunderstand one key point, if you want to 'conduct business' in Thailand then you need a work permit, full stop. If you just want to come and go then you can get a tourist visa.

The new system is actually much better than the old one. It's specifically designed to encourage legal investment inside Thailand through the legally registered Thai companies that sponsor the WP's and are required to legally 'conduct business' in Thailand.

Once you have your one year permit to stay and work permit (the dates will be synchronised) you can visit immigration and get a one year multiple entry re-entry permit stamped in you passport. You can then come and go as you please and legally conduct business in Thailand.

I disagree, and so do the Thai consulates that issue me with B visas, and so do immigration.

I am allowed to conduct business in Thailand with a B visa, I do not have a work permit and do not require one because I don't wish to work here.

Too many people get confused about a B visa, just because you require one in order to get a Work Permit does not mean that you require a Work Permit in order to have a B visa.

[seancbk]

They seem to be talking about those living in Thailand with work permits making application for visas in a third country. Not about business travelers.

Yes what about those of us that live here but don't work. I'm about to apply (in 90 days time) for my 4th 1 year multiple entry non imm B visa.

I'll be sending a new passport to Hull for it though as my current UK passport is full (2 blank pages or 4 sides left).

If it is going to be an issue I might consider applying for an education visa for the next year, although I'm unsure what that will me to do. Are Education visas Multiple Entry?

I don't want to have to go to immigration every 90 days, but I do want to be able to fly out of Bangkok whenever I feel like a visit to family in Hong Kong. I also don't want to go to Thai classes, I prefer to learn on my own in my own time.

Thanks for any advice.

How can you live here and not be working? You must be retired right? (that's a retirement visa then) Or perhaps you're studying? (that's an education visa) or you're here on holiday? (that's a tourist visa) or you have family dependants who have permanent right of abode in Thailand? (that's a Non-immigrant O visa).

I'm afraid that if you don't come under one of these headings then, as far as thai immigration law goes, you're not welcome. So it comes down to the same 2 options that those of us who wish to remain legal have always had, get a work permit, or get married to a Thai.

As I understand it a retirement visa is only available to people 50 years of age and older. So I don't qualify for quite a few years.

An education visa would work but although I'm trying to learn Thai, I do not want to go to a school and sit in classes to learn. I realise I can just pay for the course and not bother going (or at least I've heard that type of thing goes on a lot).

What I really wanted to avoid was constant trips to the immigration office (for no reason other than avoiding the time and inconvenience caused).

I have family in Hong Kong and Macau that I enjoy visiting whenever possible, so I would like a multiple entry visa. If I can get a Multiple Re-Entry permit then that solves that problem.

I guess I'll send my passport back to Hull again and see if they grant me another visa. If they don't then I'll consider an Ed visa.

What I will NOT consider is any overstay or using any of the 'visa fixers' that I know are out there.

And of course I do appreciate the comments and advice (even the slightly negative ones).

Cheers Gentlemen.

[happysanook]

Several people are gaining from visa runs like this. 1. Airlines (e.g.in Abu Dhabi there's a regular flight to Qatar called the visa run express - every one knows about it so why do it). 2. Overnight hotels 3. Consulates themselves getting big money for a little stamp - not to mention the premium (no receipt) same day service at the Libyan Embassy in KL. Those guys were making a fortune.

These are totally unnecessary activities which only cause global warming.

It brings in billions to countless 'businesses' and to the government themselves. Not just airlines/consulates/hotels... All forms of transportation from airplanes to tuk-tuks, restaurants, borders, touts, shopping centers and everything in between. It's nothing but a huge scam. One of the most amusing changes ever was when they turned the 30 day border run into a 14 day border run...

Edited May 5, 2013 by happysanook

[belg]

oh the poor people that work in the embassy...is this some kind of strike ? so they have same money and much less work?

shamefull it is...

[Captain Jack]

You didn't understand his comment. Of course you need a WP, but you need a business visa to get a WP and there are two primary ways to obtain and keep a B visa. The extension the embassy is suggesting people get has more difficult requirements to fulfill, such as amount of capital, length of time business is established, and tax, which is why so many people like to get the one year outside Thailand every year then do a border run every 90 days which the 1 year visa obtained outside of Thailand requires. The one year extensions don't require the 90 days entry/exit, but you have to get a re-entry permit before you leave in order to keep the visa "alive".

Not true at all. You always need a work permit to work.

I do understand his comment, but it's not relevant in this context.

The reason I say it's not relevant, is because many people (myself included, hence my interest) obtain a 12 month (and hence multiple entry) Business Visa for the specific purpose of being able to come and go within a 12 month period and conduct business here on behalf of a overseas business. In my example a 12 month Business Visa is the correct and only appropriate class of visa.

If someone wants to apply for a work permit, then my understanding (and please accept my apology if this understanding is wrong) is that they can get a single entry (3 month) business visa and apply for a work permit and extension of stay on arrival. That would be appropriate for someone who intends to work in Thailand, in my circumstance (and I suspect many others like me) I do NOT WISH TO WORK, and I don't want an extension of stay either, I just want to be able to come and go as I please and conduct business whilst I'm here, hence my 12 month business visa.

You're absolutley right but you misunderstand one key point, if you want to 'conduct business' in Thailand then you need a work permit, full stop. If you just want to come and go then you can get a tourist visa.

The new system is actually much better than the old one. It's specifically designed to encourage legal investment inside Thailand through the legally registered Thai companies that sponsor the WP's and are required to legally 'conduct business' in Thailand.

Once you have your one year permit to stay and work permit (the dates will be synchronised) you can visit immigration and get a one year multiple entry re-entry permit stamped in you passport. You can then come and go as you please and legally conduct business in Thailand.

I disagree, and so do the Thai consulates that issue me with B visas, and so do immigration.

I am allowed to conduct business in Thailand with a B visa, I do not have a work permit and do not require one because I don't wish to work here.

Too many people get confused about a B visa, just because you require one in order to get a Work Permit does not mean that you require a Work Permit in order to have a B visa.

Be very careful. The term 'work' is broadly defined for the purposes of immigration law in Thailand as 'any work or effort, be it physical or intellectual, that provides any reward, financial or not'. Notice that under this intentionally vague definition you could actually be charged with working illegally just for dragging yourself out of bed in the morning, since we all know how big an 'effort' that can be.

The point is that the definition is kept vague in order to maximise the potential for catching and punishing the many foreigners who do work illegally.

Be careful. Your B visa allows you to 'operate' a business, yes, but it does not actually allow you to do anything, anything at all, in the spectrum of the real world, to actually run it.

All it would take would be one enthusiastic report to immitgration (and perhaps a small payment) and you could suddenly find yourself facing a fine, deportation, and time in the holding cells at immigration.

The pupose of the B visa is, and always has been, to allow a non-Thai national to be listed as 'director' of a Thai based company and/or to be able to apply for a work permit. As such the one-year permit-to-stay extension system is perfect. The multiple-B was never needed, and is now being phased out because of the loop-hole where people get them through companies with Thai-nominee shareholders. If your company is legal, and has legal Thai workers, then it is the easiest thing in the world to get a one year extension. Well, no harder than the multiple-B was to get anyway.

The main difference for the bonefide business traveller is that the one-year extension has to be arranged in Thailand and not at a foreign consulate or embassy. I can see how that would be inconvenient.

Clearly the system is not set up with the regular business traveller in mind. There's certainly nothing convenient about Thai immigration law, but when has there ever been? But unfortunatley if you want to do any kind of work at all in the Kingdom of Thailand, even if it's just one day a year, then your expected to have a WP.

[Captain Jack]

They seem to be talking about those living in Thailand with work permits making application for visas in a third country. Not about business travelers.

Yes what about those of us that live here but don't work. I'm about to apply (in 90 days time) for my 4th 1 year multiple entry non imm B visa.

I'll be sending a new passport to Hull for it though as my current UK passport is full (2 blank pages or 4 sides left).

If it is going to be an issue I might consider applying for an education visa for the next year, although I'm unsure what that will me to do. Are Education visas Multiple Entry?

I don't want to have to go to immigration every 90 days, but I do want to be able to fly out of Bangkok whenever I feel like a visit to family in Hong Kong. I also don't want to go to Thai classes, I prefer to learn on my own in my own time.

Thanks for any advice.

How can you live here and not be working? You must be retired right? (that's a retirement visa then) Or perhaps you're studying? (that's an education visa) or you're here on holiday? (that's a tourist visa) or you have family dependants who have permanent right of abode in Thailand? (that's a Non-immigrant O visa).

I'm afraid that if you don't come under one of these headings then, as far as thai immigration law goes, you're not welcome. So it comes down to the same 2 options that those of us who wish to remain legal have always had, get a work permit, or get married to a Thai.

As I understand it a retirement visa is only available to people 50 years of age and older. So I don't qualify for quite a few years.

An education visa would work but although I'm trying to learn Thai, I do not want to go to a school and sit in classes to learn. I realise I can just pay for the course and not bother going (or at least I've heard that type of thing goes on a lot).

What I really wanted to avoid was constant trips to the immigration office (for no reason other than avoiding the time and inconvenience caused).

I have family in Hong Kong and Macau that I enjoy visiting whenever possible, so I would like a multiple entry visa. If I can get a Multiple Re-Entry permit then that solves that problem.

I guess I'll send my passport back to Hull again and see if they grant me another visa. If they don't then I'll consider an Ed visa.

What I will NOT consider is any overstay or using any of the 'visa fixers' that I know are out there.

And of course I do appreciate the comments and advice (even the slightly negative ones).

Cheers Gentlemen.

Not being funny or anything, but it's precisley people such as yourself that these changes are aimed at. Immigration want to discourage the permanent-tourist. Frankly I can't say I blame them. If we are not contributing in some way, financially, culturally, socially, then why should we be allowed to stay? I know no foreigner would be welcome in my country under such conditions.

Sorry friend, but the reality is you might just have to get job and start contributing.

[jinasia]

Simple steps :

Get your paperwork from the company you work for.

Go to KL to make a 90 days non-B visa.

After 90 days go to your immigration office to extend it for 4 x 90 days and ask for a multiple re-entry permit.

Actually: Go to KL, get your 90 days non-B visa. Come back. 30 days before 90 days ends, start process for 1 year extension for the visa. At 90th day your 1 year extension is ready. Then on that same trip pay for multiple re-entry permit. Voila.

(Yes, all this of course presumes you have a work permit. Thats a different process that can be very confusing for Thai assistants in companies, so much that they <deleted> up your work permit and non-B applications couple of times causing you extra pain...but thats as said, different topic of obtaining WP.)

[djlest]

Because it allows you to live and work in Thailand legally for a year.

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Not true at all. You always need a work permit to work.

You didn't understand his comment. Of course you need a WP, but you need a business visa to get a WP and there are two primary ways to obtain and keep a B visa. The extension the embassy is suggesting people get has more difficult requirements to fulfill, such as amount of capital, length of time business is established, and tax, which is why so many people like to get the one year outside Thailand every year then do a border run every 90 days which the 1 year visa obtained outside of Thailand requires. The one year extensions don't require the 90 days entry/exit, but you have to get a re-entry permit before you leave in order to keep the visa "alive".

I do understand his comment, but it's not relevant in this context.

The reason I say it's not relevant, is because many people (myself included, hence my interest) obtain a 12 month (and hence multiple entry) Business Visa for the specific purpose of being able to come and go within a 12 month period and conduct business here on behalf of a overseas business. In my example a 12 month Business Visa is the correct and only appropriate class of visa.

If someone wants to apply for a work permit, then my understanding (and please accept my apology if this understanding is wrong) is that they can get a single entry (3 month) business visa and apply for a work permit and extension of stay on arrival. That would be appropriate for someone who intends to work in Thailand, in my circumstance (and I suspect many others like me) I do NOT WISH TO WORK, and I don't want an extension of stay either, I just want to be able to come and go as I please and conduct business whilst I'm here, hence my 12 month business visa.

Im sorry but why do we need to work for a company Outside of Thailand in order to qualify for a Multiple Entry B ViSA?

I am an active shareholder for 2 big companies in Thailand and have many properties and investments in the country, i am therefore coming and going conducting business which invloves attending shareholder meetings and other business related things. I do not need to be under orders from an outside business to do this, and i also do not need to be employed by a THAI business to do this.

So why suddenly we have can no longer get Multi B Visas is beyond me?

[ubonjoe]

Suddenly does not apply for KL in your case. They had not issued them for a long time unless you had a work permit.

I am sure you can get a multiple entry B visa someplace but not anywhere nearby. The best location normally is your home country.