Which Visa Should I Apply For?

[Siamesepiggster]

Hi,

I've trawled previous posts for many hours but can't find an answer specific to my situation so here goes;

I am a 40 year old British graduate Engineer (manufacturing). I have previously lived in Thailand for 5 years and held an engineering job with 2 international manufacturing companies out there. I have been back in the UK for the last 3 years and a venture I set up here has flopped.

I now plan to return to Thailand and after a month of re-charging my batteries out there I plan to find work again (I have a lot of good contacts).

My questions are as follows;

1) If I get a 2 month (with 1 month extension) tourist visa in the UK before I leave and if I don't find work within this time in Thailand can I do a visa run each month and get a 1 month visa on entry each time to buy me more time?

2) If/when I find work is it a hassle for my employer to change my visa to one that allows for a work permit? Is there much involved?

3) Should I consider getting another type of visa before leaving the UK?

Many thanks for your advice.

Siamesepiggster

[vinny]

3. I think that you should consider the Non-Immigrant Visa "B" (business and work).

2. See Conversion Of Tourist Visa To Non Immigrant 'b' Visa

1. I don't think that you can convert a one month Tourist Visa Exemption to another visa.

[Crossy]

Hi piggster and welcome

1) If I get a 2 month (with 1 month extension) tourist visa in the UK before I leave and if I don't find work within this time in Thailand can I do a visa run each month and get a 1 month visa on entry each time to buy me more time?

You can do visa runs to get a 30 day stamp once your tourist visa has expired no problem. A better solution would be to get another tourist visa from a local consulate (Penang, KL, Sing etc).

2) If/when I find work is it a hassle for my employer to change my visa to one that allows for a work permit? Is there much involved?

To be honest, although it is possible to convert any type of visa to a non-B visa for employment, it's actually less hassle to visit a consulate and get a 'proper' non-B once you have the job lined up.

3) Should I consider getting another type of visa before leaving the UK?

With no job offer and no Thai family a tourist visa is the only real possibility, get a double entry one which will get you up to 180 daya in the kngdom (2*60days+30day extensions). Some UK consulates were giving out multi entry non-O visas on the grounds of "visiting friends and family" but I think this route has dried up, probably due to abuse

[Maestro]

1) If I get a 2 month (with 1 month extension) tourist visa in the UK before I leave and if I don't find work within this time in Thailand can I do a visa run each month and get a 1 month visa on entry each time to buy me more time?

You can do visa runs to get a 30 day stamp once your tourist visa has expired no problem. A better solution would be to get another tourist visa from a local consulate (Penang, KL, Sing etc).

...and, Siamesepiggster, remember that when you do what you and Crossy call visa runs, i.e. cross the border and re-enter Thailand to get a 30-day stamp on arrival, this stamp is not a visa and therefore not something that you can locally apply for to get changed to another visa.

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Maestro

[Siamesepiggster]

1) If I get a 2 month (with 1 month extension) tourist visa in the UK before I leave and if I don't find work within this time in Thailand can I do a visa run each month and get a 1 month visa on entry each time to buy me more time?

You can do visa runs to get a 30 day stamp once your tourist visa has expired no problem. A better solution would be to get another tourist visa from a local consulate (Penang, KL, Sing etc).

...and, Siamesepiggster, remember that when you do what you and Crossy call visa runs, i.e. cross the border and re-enter Thailand to get a 30-day stamp on arrival, this stamp is not a visa and therefore not something that you can locally apply for to get changed to another visa.

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Maestro

All,

Many thanks for your quick and clear replies. Just what I wanted.

SP