Non-B Thai Visa Rejected in Kuala Lumpur

[BKK4]

I wanted to report that an American friend of mine is in KL right now, and had his visa application for Non-Immigrant B rejected by the Thai Embassy Kuala Lumpur. He had all his paperwork in order, and was simply told by the Thai officers:

"No more Non-B for foreigners without already having a Work Permit, unless you are Malaysian. Go back to your home country and apply."

This was a surprise, since the main reason for going to KL was to get the initial 3 month Non-B visa, come back to the Ministry of Labour in BKK, get Work Permit, and proceed to get the additional 9 months of Non-B at BKK Immigration.

Anyhow, just a "heads-up" for other people considering the same thing.

Anyone had similar experiences in KL?

[ubonjoe]

They should of done it without the work permit if he had documents (WP3 and approval letter) proving that a work permit had been applied for. I suspect he did not have these.

If teaching a work permit application is not required but other other documents are needed.

[lopburi3]

Are you sure he actually had made application for a work permit and had the receipt with him?

[BKK4]

Lopburi3, UbonJoe, thanks for your replies.

I just got off the phone with my friend down there in KL. Obviously he was told by the Thai Co., Ltd. that invited him that all he needed was the Invitation Letter + all the normal things (passport, photos, form, etc..) He does NOT have a Wor Por 3, which I believe is the WP3 you are talking about. He was not told that he needed the WP3 by the Embassy official today, but you guys think this is likely the cause of the rejection?

Thanks for the insight. He just assumed the company knew what it was doing when it sent him down to apply for this Non-B, since they have had foreign employees for the past 6 years on WP and Non-B.

Edited August 5, 2013 by BKK4

[ubonjoe]

All nearby embassies and consulates require the WP3.

Only if you were you in your home country would the B visa be issued with an invitation letter,

[digitalchromakey]

Lopburi3, UbonJoe, thanks for your replies.

I just got off the phone with my friend down there in KL. Obviously he was told by the Thai Co., Ltd. that invited him that all he needed was the Invitation Letter + all the normal things (passport, photos, form, etc..) He does NOT have a Wor Por 3, which I believe is the WP3 you are talking about. He was not told that he needed the WP3 by the Embassy official today, but you guys think this is likely the cause of the rejection?

Thanks for the insight. He just assumed the company knew what it was doing when it sent him down to apply for this Non-B, since they have had foreign employees for the past 6 years on WP and Non-B.

Without question if your friend went to KL without the WP3 application receipt (A5 sized slip of paper from Labour, supplied when a Work Permit application is successfully filed) then unless he was applying to work as a teacher, his 90 day non immigrant category 'B' visa application would have been rejected by KL.

Also, a very very small detail is that WP3 is written as Tor Tor 3 in Thai script (ฅท.3) but WP3 in latin script

[BKK4]

Ah, this is why I received a confused look from the Thai staff in charge of this (I am in the office now). They were looking for the Wor Por 3, but as you mentioned, it is Tor Tor 3 in Thai, but WP3 in Latin.

This advice is timely, as I will be going to do the same thing in a neighboring country (I had a Non-B from Vien chan Laos before) or have the initial non-B done in BKK.

[Lammbock]

All nearby embassies and consulates require the WP3.

Only if you were you in your home country would the B visa be issued with an invitation letter,

I did mine back in April and got a 1 year NON B within 20 min. Have to leave the country every 90 days (Visa Run) and I can stretch it to 15 month if I do a Visa run before expiration.

Not even an invitation letter from Thailand was required but an letter from my Europe company saying that I travel from Thailand to other Asian country's.

Easy thing.

[BKK4]

Lammbock,

Nice! Where did you apply and receive your visa? In your home country in Europe, or elsewhere?

Thanks.

[Colabamumbai]

Vientiane issues me Non B's all the time, without proof of Work Permit. Kalsin Labour refuses to give you the W.P. unless you have the Non B in your passport, they will not even start the paperwork and give you a receipt.

If I recall correctly Korat Labor gives you the W.P. pending the Non B. or at least they did with me 3 years ago. I did have a lawyers office prepare the paperwork as it was my first Non B and my employer a resort/hotel/restaurant did not have a clue as to what to do as I was their first foreigner.

I do not know if that helped at all, the lawyers office, but you do have to show up in person to receive it.

After reading more posts I am editing. Other than the first W.P. all have been for teaching at schools.

Edited August 5, 2013 by Colabamumbai

[nakhonpathom]

Yes, I also got a 3-month Non-B from Vientiane a few years ago with just invitation letter. Then, we did the WP at Labour in Bangkok. Then, after 2 months and a week, we renewed for 9 months. Had to do re-entry permits whenever I left though.

[lopburi3]

Normally it is not required for teachers but is required for commercial employment.

[digitalchromakey]

Lopburi3, UbonJoe, thanks for your replies.

I just got off the phone with my friend down there in KL. Obviously he was told by the Thai Co., Ltd. that invited him that all he needed was the Invitation Letter + all the normal things (passport, photos, form, etc..) He does NOT have a Wor Por 3, which I believe is the WP3 you are talking about. He was not told that he needed the WP3 by the Embassy official today, but you guys think this is likely the cause of the rejection?

Thanks for the insight. He just assumed the company knew what it was doing when it sent him down to apply for this Non-B, since they have had foreign employees for the past 6 years on WP and Non-B.

Without question if your friend went to KL without the WP3 application receipt (A5 sized slip of paper from Labour, supplied when a Work Permit application is successfully filed) then unless he was applying to work as a teacher, his 90 day non immigrant category 'B' visa application would have been rejected by KL.

Also, a very very small detail is that WP3 is written as Tor Tor 3 in Thai script (ฅท.3) but WP3 in latin script

Just for posterity, me eyes are not what they were, WP3 i.e Dtor Tor 3 is spelt ตท.3 in Thai script, not Kor Tor 3 as I posted above

[NanLaew]

All nearby embassies and consulates require the WP3.

Only if you were you in your home country would the B visa be issued with an invitation letter,

I did mine back in April and got a 1 year NON B within 20 min. Have to leave the country every 90 days (Visa Run) and I can stretch it to 15 month if I do a Visa run before expiration.

Not even an invitation letter from Thailand was required but an letter from my Europe company saying that I travel from Thailand to other Asian country's.

Easy thing.

Wasn't it in April when the regional Thai consulates and embassies started the latest tightening of the regulations for pretty much everything from multiple TR's and O's based on marriage? A few people in the latter category related getting issued a single-entry and asked to file extensions once back in LOS.

I would be interested in getting a 1-year Non-B in KL too since I am Thai-based but work in and around SE Asia for a UK based company. The last ones I got from Hull but nice if I could get one 'locally'.

[digitalchromakey]

All nearby embassies and consulates require the WP3.

Only if you were you in your home country would the B visa be issued with an invitation letter,

I did mine back in April and got a 1 year NON B within 20 min. Have to leave the country every 90 days (Visa Run) and I can stretch it to 15 month if I do a Visa run before expiration.

Not even an invitation letter from Thailand was required but an letter from my Europe company saying that I travel from Thailand to other Asian country's.

Easy thing.

Wasn't it in April when the regional Thai consulates and embassies started the latest tightening of the regulations for pretty much everything from multiple TR's and O's based on marriage? A few people in the latter category related getting issued a single-entry and asked to file extensions once back in LOS.

I would be interested in getting a 1-year Non-B in KL too since I am Thai-based but work in and around SE Asia for a UK based company. The last ones I got from Hull but nice if I could get one 'locally'.

Forget KL, but Penang started to issue in One Year Multiple Entry Non Immigrant Category 'B' Visas again late last year and are still doing so at last report, providing that is you can supply the correct paperwork along with a valid WP with > 8 months validity.

Here is a link the MFA link to the required list of paperwork.

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

Give Penang a call before you go there and check you will be ok; they actually answer the phone!

[NanLaew]

All nearby embassies and consulates require the WP3.

Only if you were you in your home country would the B visa be issued with an invitation letter,

I did mine back in April and got a 1 year NON B within 20 min. Have to leave the country every 90 days (Visa Run) and I can stretch it to 15 month if I do a Visa run before expiration.

Not even an invitation letter from Thailand was required but an letter from my Europe company saying that I travel from Thailand to other Asian country's.

Easy thing.

Wasn't it in April when the regional Thai consulates and embassies started the latest tightening of the regulations for pretty much everything from multiple TR's and O's based on marriage? A few people in the latter category related getting issued a single-entry and asked to file extensions once back in LOS.

I would be interested in getting a 1-year Non-B in KL too since I am Thai-based but work in and around SE Asia for a UK based company. The last ones I got from Hull but nice if I could get one 'locally'.

Forget KL, but Penang started to issue in One Year Multiple Entry Non Immigrant Category 'B' Visas again late last year and are still doing so at last report, providing that is you can supply the correct paperwork along with a valid WP with > 8 months validity.

Here is a link the MFA link to the required list of paperwork.

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

Give Penang a call before you go there and check you will be ok; they actually answer the phone!

That WP stipulation is the deal-breaker in my circumstances. When a project comes up in Thailand, it's usually at really short notice and usually short duration. Having the Non-B already in the passport eliminates the need to run out and get one and the employer can proceed with the WP application while I can get my knees under the desk straight away. I recall that the published MFA requirements for getting a Non-B multi for business related activities in Thailand (not necessarily or exclusively for employment) is a letter from both the overseas company AND a letter from a Thai company.

[digitalchromakey]

I would be interested in getting a 1-year Non-B in KL too since I am Thai-based but work in and around SE Asia for a UK based company. The last ones I got from Hull but nice if I could get one 'locally'.

Forget KL, but Penang started to issue in One Year Multiple Entry Non Immigrant Category 'B' Visas again late last year and are still doing so at last report, providing that is you can supply the correct paperwork along with a valid WP with > 8 months validity.

Here is a link the MFA link to the required list of paperwork.

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

Give Penang a call before you go there and check you will be ok; they actually answer the phone!

That WP stipulation is the deal-breaker in my circumstances. When a project comes up in Thailand, it's usually at really short notice and usually short duration. Having the Non-B already in the passport eliminates the need to run out and get one and the employer can proceed with the WP application while I can get my knees under the desk straight away. I recall that the published MFA requirements for getting a Non-B multi for business related activities in Thailand (not necessarily or exclusively for employment) is a letter from both the overseas company AND a letter from a Thai company.

Know someone who got this visa variation at Penang last November - the MFA rules that I linked to in my last post above stipulate 90 days Single entry for this variation - Section 2.1 (2) 5).

(5) Holder of this type of visa is entitled to stay in Thailand for a maximum period of 90 days. He or she may apply for an extension of stay at the Office of the Immigration Bureau and may be granted such extension for a period of one year from the date of first entry into Thailand.

Further afield consulates have been more generous in this category and as is often the case, you can make different interpretations of the wording.

Yet again - phone Penang and ask, they answer the phone.

Tel: (604) 226-8029, 226-9484, 228-6784

Edited August 5, 2013 by digitalchromakey

[maxman71]

All nearby embassies and consulates require the WP3.

Only if you were you in your home country would the B visa be issued with an invitation letter,

I have never had a problem getting a multiple entry B visa for the last 7 years. Then again, I've had my work permit, and a Thai co. that has real revenue, profits and Thai employees. It appears to me that the Thai gov't is cracking down on non-imm B's that in their eyes, serve the main purpose of a farang getting a long term visa. I guess one question that needs to be asked, is in addition to the OP not having their WP, does the Thai co. that is inviting them actually have revenue and profits with supporting docs ?

[BKK4]

Thanks for all the comments. I will be looking for other options for my own visa. I will post here if I find anything others might find beneficial.

[Lammbock]

@BKK4

I did mine in my home country in Europe.