Moving to Thailand for work, should I get Non Imm B visa in UK first?

[SirMuttley]

Hi,

I landed myself a job in Thailand and am trying to sort out my Visa. The company I'm going to be working for suggested I enter on a Tourist visa and then pick up the supporting documents from them when in country and head to a neighbouring country to apply for my Non Immigrant B visa.

Whilst I'd have preferred to sort the visa before I arrived I didn't really mind too much. However, I just did some reading on shipping my belongings over to Thailand. Can someone tell me if I've got this right, but in order to avoid paying duty I need to have the Visa when I ship things from this end? Or is it that the visa has to be valid when they arrive in the country?

I just wanted to be clear on this so I can go back to them and say that, if it's true, I can't actually ship my belongings without a visa and so they should send me the documents now so I can apply.

Cheers,

Alex

[ubonjoe]

The visa is not that important. Having a work permit and being on a one year extension of stay is what counts when your goods arrive.

Info here:http://www.customs.go.th/wps/wcm/connect/custen/individuals/importing+used+or+secondhand+household+effects/importingusedsecondhandhouseholdeffects+

[stubuzz]

Don't let them mess you around. Tell them to send the documents so you can arrange your visa in your home country. Yes, you will need a work permit to release your goods into the country.

[SirMuttley]

Thanks for the quick responses.

So the work permit is the important bit, now the question is does the work permit have to be valid from the date the shipment arrives in Thailand or the date I go to collect it from customs?

The company is BoI certified and the plan was when I arrived to get my medical certificate from a clinic and then they can use the 1 day service to get my work permit. So the dates above are key. I can easily live without my stuff until I've got my work permit (hopefully within a week of arrival) but if it depends on when the goods actually land in Thailand then it could cause problems.

I'll be asking the company to send the documents for my visa through anyway. The problem is whilst they have hired farangs before I think they've only done it with people already in Thailand so they've never really been through the process for someone who's actually moving to the country.

Cheers!

[SirMuttley]

Also (sorry if this is going off topic), if I choose to stick a load of my stuff in the bags I'm flying over with (BA let you take another full size bag for 50 quid) what's the chances of getting pulled aside at customs at the airport?

[Maejo Man]

Also (sorry if this is going off topic), if I choose to stick a load of my stuff in the bags I'm flying over with (BA let you take another full size bag for 50 quid) what's the chances of getting pulled aside at customs at the airport?

I regularly enter Thailand with between 40-50 Kg of luggage (3-4 itens) and never have a problem with customs. On the odd occasion they might x-ray the cases, or ask me what's in a particular case. Providing you have nothing "naughty" in your baggage you shouldn't have a problem..Have a great trip.

[SirMuttley]

I regularly enter Thailand with between 40-50 Kg of luggage (3-4 itens) and never have a problem with customs. On the odd occasion they might x-ray the cases, or ask me what's in a particular case. Providing you have nothing "naughty" in your baggage you shouldn't have a problem..Have a great trip.

Thanks for the tip. I'm not planning on bringing anything naughty, mostly clothes and my computer stuff and gadgets I need for my work. Remaining clothes and bulky items I'd ship.

Cheers!

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[SirMuttley]

So I have all the documents and made my way to the Thai embassy this morning. Only took 2 minutes to be rejected because the letter of invitation was addressed to me rather than the embassy.

Meanwhile she corrected my understanding, I thought I could apply for the multiple entry non immigrant b but was told I can only get single until I get the work permit. She didn't really elaborate on what happens after that and just wanted to check to see if I understood correctly based on the last hour of googling.

1) Apply for non-immigrant b single entry visa 90 day here

2) Enter Thailand on this visa

3) Get work permit at the one-stop as soon as I arrive

4) Extend visa from 90 days to 1 year

5) Get re-entry permit so I can come and go

Does this seem right? Also the extension to a year, is this something that happens automatically when I get my work permit or something I apply for once I have it? I take it that it remains a single entry visa even after extension, hence step 5.

Thanks in advance for confirming or correcting me.

Cheers!

[ubonjoe]

After you have your work permit you then will need to apply for the extension of stay at immigration. Your employer will have to supply all the documents for it.

[SirMuttley]

After you have your work permit you then will need to apply for the extension of stay at immigration. Your employer will have to supply all the documents for it.

Thanks. Is my assumption about needing a reentry permit should I exit the country correct?

Cheers!

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[ubonjoe]

Yes you will need a re-entry permit if you leave the country.

[SirMuttley]

Yes you will need a re-entry permit if you leave the country.

Great, thanks for helping me clear that up.

Here's hoping my next attempt at applying for the visa is more successful.

Cheers!

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[SirMuttley]

Just a quick update, picked up my visa this morning.

In the end when I applied and took the 9 or 10 documents they required to support it the lady behind the desk only took the invitation letter and the front page off of one of the other documents. Not quite sure why the embassy website says you need all those things, but at least I have my visa now.

Cheers!