Apply For Non-imm Visa In Thailand?

[jing jing]

Can this be, or am I misinterpreting things -- on the Thai immigration (police) website it has a section called "apply for non-immigration visa," along with some procedural information -- does anyone know if this means it is possible to get a non-immigrant visa without having to visit a Thai embassy in another country, and if not, what does it mean?

(LINK: http://www.imm.police.go.th/nov2004/en/bas...page=procedure)

[Chopper]

My understanding is you can only obtain a 'Non Immigrant Visa' in Thailand if you already have an existing and valid visa in your passport, say a 'Tourist Visa' for example and are merely swapping between visa types.

If you are on a 'thirty permit to enter', then you would need to leave Thailand and seek a visa in a Thai Consulate first.

Others on here may advise what the best consulate is in order to obtain a Non Immigrant Visa, providing you have the correct paperwork or what the best consulates to obtain a tourist visa are, in the local region.

It may be advisable to state what type of Non Immigrant Visa you are after and what paperwork you have in support of such an application to further your answer if you are on a thirty day permit to enter.

[Crossy]

Hmmm, I suspect that this, as with a quite a bit of stuff on the immi police website, is a bunch of dingos kidneys.

It MAY be something to do with extension of stay, maybe the Thai version of the page can enlighten us, if someone can read it please

Unless something has changed VERY recently (and I'm pretty sure we would have heard about it here) you can only obtain a VISA at an embassy or consulate outside the Kingdom.

[thaiflyer1]

My understanding is you can only obtain a 'Non Immigrant Visa' in Thailand if you already have an existing and valid visa in your passport, say a 'Tourist Visa' for example and are merely swapping between visa types.

Agreed.

Visa'a are only issued by Thai Embassys/Consulates abroad or upon arrival in Thailand "visa upon arrival".

Crossy just had a read of Thai version ............it seems to mention "samark eka sarn" to make an application but does not mention visa at any stage it does however mention "yoo dtor" or to stay longer/later.

Sounds like its has been translated badly............thats if my Thai reading is up to scratch of course...

Wheres BambinA when you need her?

Edited March 24, 2006 by thaiflyer1

[COBBER]

My understanding is that you must be on a tourist visa obtained from outside of Thailand and you cant do this on the 30 day arival visa. Previously you could only get the conversion to a non-imm in Bangkok but i believe you can now do this at provincial Immigration offices.

A mate did this a couple of years ago and told me that it took quite some time and was a real pain in the butt and it would have been much easier just to go to Penang and get a new non-imm. Hopefully the process has now been speeded up a bit.

[Maestro]

Can this be, or am I misinterpreting things -- on the Thai immigration (police) website it has a section called "apply for non-immigration visa," along with some procedural information -- does anyone know if this means it is possible to get a non-immigrant visa without having to visit a Thai embassy in another country, and if not, what does it mean?

I saw that, too, some time ago. Theoretically, it may be possible to apply for a visa at the Foreign Ministry in Bangkok but they would ask you at what Thai consulate – outside Thailand – you wish to pick it up and once approved you would have to travel there to get it stamped in your passport.

Much simpler to go directly to a Thai consulate somewhere to get your visa.

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

Maestro

[thaiflyer1]

My understanding is that you must be on a tourist visa obtained from outside of Thailand and you cant do this on the 30 day arival visa. Previously you could only get the conversion to a non-imm in Bangkok but i believe you can now do this at provincial Immigration offices.

Yep thats my understanding also.

Maybe my last post wasn't too clear......what i meant to say is that if you have no visa whatsoever then you need to obtain one outside Thailand......you cant go along on a 30 day stamp and expect to obtain a Tourist/Non Imm within Thailand.

Sure if you have a Tourist then you can swop it over to a Non Imm no problemo.

As you point out Pattaya are now starting to offer this swop over service.