Hi guys, just need some help on this specific requirement..

One of our school teacher need to get a Non B visa in Penang, Malaysia.

Were planning to send her there this Sunday, so she can process it the following day.

Yesterday, we visit the Labour Ministry here in Krabi, and we were given a form that we need to sign together with the signature of our school director. They mentioned that it is the form we need to present to get a non b in Penang.

However, few hours ago, I received an email from the agency/hotel (Bananapenang) (they will process her visa once she get there,) they told us that the letter from Labour Ministry is not a form to be signed but the school director, but actually a letter from the labor ministry with a sign from certain official from that department.

Any idea on that requirement letter? Im planning to bring her back to there tomorrow..

One more thing, we also visit the Immigration here in Krabi asking them the requirements needed to get a non b, their reply is that they dont have any idea because the only thing they do there is to process the extension of tourist visa and renewal of work permit..

By the way, all documents are ready except for that letter..

Thanks in advance

Edited May 16, 201313 yr by AMJ

It is the form WP.3 that the consulate wants. On this web page of the Department of Employment (DOE) you can read a description of the form. You or your employer can click on "Fillable Form", fill out and print pages 3–6, save the form, open and print pages 3–6 it with Acrobat reader, you sign it and get it processed by the DOE and returned to you.

It is the form WP.3 that the consulate wants. On this web page of the Department of Employment (DOE) you can read a description of the form. You or your employer can click on "Fillable Form", fill out and print pages 3–6, save the form, open and print pages 3–6 it with Acrobat reader, you sign it and get it processed by the DOE and returned to you.

Thanks chief,

We do have the WP3 already but we were not informed at the Labour Ministry that we need to returned it to them, they just told me to bring it directly to Penang Malaysia..

Thanks again..

It is the form WP.3 that the consulate wants. On this web page of the Department of Employment (DOE) you can read a description of the form. You or your employer can click on "Fillable Form", fill out and print pages 3–6, save the form, open and print pages 3–6 it with Acrobat reader, you sign it and get it processed by the DOE and returned to you.

Thanks chief,

We do have the WP3 already but we were not informed at the Labour Ministry that we need to returned it to them, they just told me to bring it directly to Penang Malaysia..

Thanks again..

A few months ago Penang were asking for the Letter of Approval rather than a WP3 Receipt.

The letter of approval is an A4 sized letter signed by the Head of Labour in the area (whoever signs Work Permits) stating that the applicant has met all the criteriae to be issued with a Work Permit excluding a Non Immigrant Category 'B' Visa and entry stamp.

In my area (Phuket) this Letter of Approval took about a week to obtain, once the WP application/Papers had been accepted in entirety.

Not sure this is still a current requirement at Penang based on recent applicants that I know, best phone the Consulate direct and check - they do answer the phone there.

It is the form WP.3 that the consulate wants. On this web page of the Department of Employment (DOE) you can read a description of the form. You or your employer can click on "Fillable Form", fill out and print pages 3–6, save the form, open and print pages 3–6 it with Acrobat reader, you sign it and get it processed by the DOE and returned to you.

Thanks chief,

We do have the WP3 already but we were not informed at the Labour Ministry that we need to returned it to them, they just told me to bring it directly to Penang Malaysia..

Thanks again..

A few months ago Penang were asking for the Letter of Approval rather than a WP3 Receipt.

The letter of approval is an A4 sized letter signed by the Head of Labour in the area (whoever signs Work Permits) stating that the applicant has met all the criteriae to be issued with a Work Permit excluding a Non Immigrant Category 'B' Visa and entry stamp.

In my area (Phuket) this Letter of Approval took about a week to obtain, once the WP application/Papers had been accepted in entirety.

Not sure this is still a current requirement at Penang based on recent applicants that I know, best phone the Consulate direct and check - they do answer the phone there.

So it means we need to process all the documents needed for her work permit in Labour Ministry before we can process her Non B since the letter the we are requesting from them would only be available after we submit those documents..

Make that the local labour office, not the actual ministry of labour.

Make that the local labour office, not the actual ministry of labour.

Sorry for the confusion, yes we did visit the local labour office...

Now we were informed in our local labor department that they cannot provide that letter if for teacher.. They only provide that letter if non teacher position..

Now what should we do next...

I this for all embassies or just Penang?

If just Penang and you already have wp3 maybe better to look at KUL or SIN?

Not sure about recent reports to either of these locations, but may be better option if needing to go this Sun

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

I this for all embassies or just Penang?

If just Penang and you already have wp3 maybe better to look at KUL or SIN?

Not sure about recent reports to either of these locations, but may be better option if needing to go this Sun

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

Not so sure with other embassies, but I just made a call from Thai Immigration in Penang, and yes they do need the letter of approval from the local labour ( which they dont provide if your working for teacher) and they are not gonna need the WP3 anymore. Our last resort now is to ask for approval letter fron the Local Education Ministry which can be use as replacement from the local labour department.

The bad news is that, the Education Ministry have no idea of this letter of approval.

I don't know about the letter of aprovement.

But for your second question: Krabi immigration does knows about Non-B Visa extension. At least I have 3 in my pasport.

If you obtained the Non-B visa abroad, properly only valid for 3 months, you go asap back to labor office to get the work permit.

With the work permit you can extend the Non-B visa, Krabi will give you only 1 month extension based on the fact that the papers are send to southern headquarters of Immigration in Songkhla.

Their the visa extension will be checked and hopefully approved, papers back to Krabi were you get another 11 months extension.

Songkhla is very helpful immigration office, call them explain the situation and they will tell you exact what forms they need for extension. Make sure that you have 2 sets of form to hand over to Krabi and

just in case a third set of copies available. Sometimes some forms get missing in the "post". If that happens you can easily and quickly fax the papers straight to Songkhla.

This is the requirements from MFA website for B visa for teaching.

2.4 Non-Immigrant Visa Category “B” (Teaching) Foreigners who intend to take up employment as school teachers at the levels below university level in Thailand must submit the following required documents:

- Passport or travel document with validity of not less than 6 months
- Completed visa application form
- Recent passport-sized photograph (4 x 6 cm) of the applicant taken within the past 6 months.
- Letter of acceptance from employing institute or school in Thailand.
- Letter of approval from government agencies such as the Office of the Private Education Commission, the Office of the Basic Education Commission.
- Evidence of educational qualification such as diplomas or teaching certificates.
- School license or business registration, list of shareholders and school profile.
- Applicant’s resume.

- Police certificate verifying that applicant has no criminal record or equivalents or letter issued by authorised agencies in applicant’s country. (The requirement of the submission of such police certificate is optional. The applicant must submit it if consular officer requests he/she to do so. This requirement is effective as from May 2007)

Source: http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/123/15388-Non-Immigrant-Visa-%22B%22-(for-Business-and.html

There have not been any recent reports of the police certificate being required by any of the nearby consulates or embassies.

This is the requirements from MFA website for B visa for teaching.

2.4 Non-Immigrant Visa Category “B” (Teaching) Foreigners who intend to take up employment as school teachers at the levels below university level in Thailand must submit the following required documents:

- Passport or travel document with validity of not less than 6 months

- Completed visa application form

- Recent passport-sized photograph (4 x 6 cm) of the applicant taken within the past 6 months.

- Letter of acceptance from employing institute or school in Thailand.

- Letter of approval from government agencies such as the Office of the Private Education Commission, the Office of the Basic Education Commission.

- Evidence of educational qualification such as diplomas or teaching certificates.

- School license or business registration, list of shareholders and school profile.

- Applicant’s resume.

- Police certificate verifying that applicant has no criminal record or equivalents or letter issued by authorised agencies in applicant’s country. (The requirement of the submission of such police certificate is optional. The applicant must submit it if consular officer requests he/she to do so. This requirement is effective as from May 2007)

Source: http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/123/15388-Non-Immigrant-Visa-%22B%22-(for-Business-and.html

There have not been any recent reports of the police certificate being required by any of the nearby consulates or embassies.

We already completed all the documents except for this one:

- Letter of approval from government agencies such as the Office of the Private Education Commission, the Office of the Basic Education Commission.

Our school is under the Municipality, so the local Education cannot provide the letter of approval while the local Labour do not issue that letter for teaching purposes.

As of now we already cancelled her trip to Penang this Sunday evening, on Monday we will visit the Labour again, this time the vice mayor will accompany us..

All we need is that letter and were good to go..

The school would still be under "Office of the Basic Education Commission" unless it is being operated as a private school.

This office would be part of the provincial offices in Krabi.

The labor office can't really do anything other than accepting the work permit application and giving a receipt and a letter of acceptance.

The school would still be under "Office of the Basic Education Commission" unless it is being operated as a private school.

This office would be part of the provincial offices in Krabi.

The labor office can't really do anything other than accepting the work permit application and giving a receipt and a letter of acceptance.

Yeah, I am also thinking the same thing, so this Monday the vice mayor will go with us, first at labour ministry then second to the Basic Education, hopefully we can

get the letter we needed.

I never thought that this would be difficult.

I don't understand what the purpose of this letter, when infact even after we get the non b, we still need to provide them all the supporting documents before we can

get a work permit..

What is the difference between a non b visa issued to a teacher from other job, that the local labour can't afford to provide the need letter if for teaching purposes?

For a non-b based upon working for a company the documentation is a lot more and requires the work permit application be done first.

They for some reason made a short cut for teachers that just requires the letter from the education ministry office verses the work permit application.

According to section 2.4 the MFA Website linked below for Non Immigrant 'B' Visas for teachers, the Letter of Acceptance for a Teacher should come from the employing Institute or school, surely this is not an issue as the school can write the letter.

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

Edited May 19, 201313 yr by digitalchromakey

According to section 2.4 the MFA Website linked below for Non Immigrant 'B' Visas for teachers, the Letter of Acceptance for a Teacher should come from the employing Institute or school, surely this is not an issue as the school can write the letter.

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

Yup, there is no problem on that..

but rather this one:

- Letter of approval from government agencies such as the Office of the Private Education Commission, the Office of the Basic Education Commission.

According to section 2.4 the MFA Website linked below for Non Immigrant 'B' Visas for teachers, the Letter of Acceptance for a Teacher should come from the employing Institute or school, surely this is not an issue as the school can write the letter.

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

Yup, there is no problem on that..

but rather this one:

- Letter of approval from government agencies such as the Office of the Private Education Commission, the Office of the Basic Education Commission.

The government agency in your case is the director/ president of the Provincial Administrative Organisation.

According to section 2.4 the MFA Website linked below for Non Immigrant 'B' Visas for teachers, the Letter of Acceptance for a Teacher should come from the employing Institute or school, surely this is not an issue as the school can write the letter.

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

Yup, there is no problem on that..

but rather this one:

- Letter of approval from government agencies such as the Office of the Private Education Commission, the Office of the Basic Education Commission.

The government agency in your case is the director/ president of the Provincial Administrative Organisation.

Thanks,

Im also thinking on that one..

The local Education Ministry could not provide that documents.. We already tried to ask them tru phone and this time we went there personally..

Is this letter required even in Lao?

It is confirmed that Penang is looking for this letter..

According to section 2.4 the MFA Website linked below for Non Immigrant 'B' Visas for teachers, the Letter of Acceptance for a Teacher should come from the employing Institute or school, surely this is not an issue as the school can write the letter.

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

Yup, there is no problem on that..

but rather this one:

- Letter of approval from government agencies such as the Office of the Private Education Commission, the Office of the Basic Education Commission.

The government agency in your case is the director/ president of the Provincial Administrative Organisation.

Thanks,

Im also thinking on that one..

The local Education Ministry could not provide that documents.. We already tried to ask them tru phone and this time we went there personally..

Is this letter required even in Lao?

It is confirmed that Penang is looking for this letter..

Municipality schools are formal education and do fall under the Ministry of Education. However, they don't fall under OBEC, OPEC, OHEC or OVEC. The fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Interior, Department of Local Administration.

In regards to working in OBEC schools or OPEC schools, Thai Embassies or Consulates want besides the employment letter of the school, a letter of the organisations under whose jurisdiction the school falls. It's a kind of permission.

I think the next. You're at a Tessaban (municipality) school which falls under the PAO. There you should get the official permission letter that you're allowed to work in that particular Tessaban school. Together with the employment letter of your school, you've the equivalent of what OBEC or OPEC tearchers need when applying for a visa.