Mormon Missionarys - How do their visas work

[MikeENZ]

So I was sitting at the train station and saw a group of 4 Mormons (all american farang) going around trying to convert locals, all speaking fluent Thai.

Which got me thinking. According to the law this is work, or at least volutneering (which is still work).

What Visa are they on, work permit, or volunteer, how do they get them and how does the govt view it (considering the position of Buddhism), are there pay requirements, tax requirements or a minimum amount of Thai Mormon preachers or what?)

I was going to ask them, but then the **** hit the fan at Laksi, so we had to roll home in a taxi.

/contemplates becoming a mormon to make visa easier..

[Mario2008]

You can get a visa and extensions of stay as a missionary, but the application must be confirmed/supported by the religious affairs department.

Another way is indeed to volunteer through a Christian NGO.

[ubonjoe]

A visa would be a non immigrant R.

- to perform missionary work or other religious activities with the concurrence of the Thai Ministries or Government Departments concerned (Category "R")

For an extension of stay it would be under this clause of the police order.

2.14 In the case of a missionary: Each permission shall be granted for no more than one year.

The alien:
(1) Must have been granted a non-immigrant visa (NON-IM).
(2) Must have been confirmed and requested by the Department of Religious Affairs or the Office
of National Buddhism.
(3) Must have been confirmed and requested by the particular religious organization.

[asiaexpat]

Teachers with work permits in some cases.

[p_brownstone]

Teachers with work permits in some cases.

I don't think so.

These are genuine "Missionaries" - however much I despise that word - and their Church makes very sure that anyone on a Mission has totally correct Papers.

Certainly there may be fake Mormons around but they should be easy to spot - the real chaps only travel in pairs to avoid temptation. (A function which my wife invariably provides for me by the way.)

Patrick

[asiaexpat]

I in no way intended to imply they did not have proper documentation and visas. However, as I have asked they very question of the fine young men that have stopped at my home for a short rest and water, food at times, they let me see their work permits. They teach english classes free to all that wish to attend at their church.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[Maestro]

Removed an off-topic post.

[Maestro]

An off-topic post with unfounded speculation and the reply to it have been removed

[Maestro]

I in no way intended to imply they did not have proper documentation and visas. However, as I have asked they very question of the fine young men that have stopped at my home for a short rest and water, food at times, they let me see their work permits. They teach english classes free to all that wish to attend at their church.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Is that what their work permits were for, teaching English?

[Maestro]

Removed some more off-topic posts. This topic is about the type of visa or permission to stay the missionaries have, nothing else.

[kerrysum]

From experience in the past,

It depends..... Most churches supply Missionaries with the visas, it depends on the intent.... It depends what you are bringing into the Kingdom, and the purpose behind it.... It pretty much is the same in many countries.... what you do not think there are not Thai Buddhist Monks in other Nations?

Or then you can request to bring in religious materials to the Kingdom of Thailand, even if not on a Mission, just being on a tourist visa , as long as it is accompanied by letter from a registered NGO church... and then you can take a chance and bring in the materials, without permit.....

It just depends how one handles it upon entry, just as it used to be, you could not take a Buddha statue out of Thailand.... This has all pretty much changed over the years..... It is just an exchange of cultural religions and exchanges between nations....

kilosierra

[Maestro]

Removed off-topic post about Vietnam and some other off-topic posts. Why is it so difficult to understand that this topic is NOT about the Mormons' activities in Thailand or in the rest of the world?