Changing Non-OA to Non-OB

[duanebigsby]

I've been here a while on a Non-O retirement visa. I've just been offerered a job teaching English.

The school has told me to go to Laos with the forms and change to a Non-OB visa at the Thai embassy.

I have a friend who is telling me I should be able to change my visa within Thailand, perhaps at Mae Sai Immigration.

Advice please?

[Mario2008]

I think you are talking about getting a non-B visa, I am told that an OB is something else.

Often it is possible to change the reason of your stay from retirement to working, especially if you would start working for a government school.

Apply for the work permit first, with all required paperwork. They will issue you a wp3 receipt to show immigration that you will get the work permit when you get an extension of stay based on employement. Once you get the extension of stay from immigraiton you go back to the labour office and get the work permit itself.

If immigraiton insists that you go abroad to change to a non-B visa, the wp3 form would still be handy to show the consulate for your visa.

[ubonjoe]

The problem is getting the work permit with the retirement extension (not a visa) before changing to an extension for teaching. Most labor offices will not even accept an application if on retirement extension.

You will more than likely have go out for non-b (not ob) visa with paperwork from school. Get work permit and apply for extension based upon teaching.

[duanebigsby]

o.k., Thanks for the replies.

[MadMac]

A work permit can not be issued with an O-A visa, however an O ("married") will do it. Or a B of course.

[ubonjoe]

A work permit can not be issued with an O-A visa, however an O ("married") will do it. Or a B of course. 

OP is asking about working if he has an extension of stay not about doing it with a OA visa.

[MadMac]

A work permit can not be issued with an O-A visa, however an O ("married") will do it. Or a B of course.

OP is asking about working if he has an extension of stay not about doing it with a OA visa.

Actually he asked about changing his visa type, nevermind