Visas - how to stay 'legal' whilst waiting for documents

[simon43]

Briefly, I returned to Thailand in February after attending my mum's funeral in the UK. My intention was to spend a few days with my family in Phuket and then travel onto Myanmar where a new job was waiting for me. So I entered Thailand on a 30-day visa-exempt.

But because of my trip to the UK, my new job was offered to another person, (fair enough), and I therefore did a 30-day visa-run to Ranong whilst seeking a new job.

4 weeks later and with no job in sight, I did another Ranong visa-run...

I continued to seek work (in Thailand and overseas), but had to do my third Ranong visa-run.

With no decent work opportunities in sight, I decided to remain in Phuket and open another small guesthouse (I had previously done this with B visa and WP some years before).

My lawyer started the process to register a Thai company etc, but with these documents not yet complete and with the recent news concerning back-to-back visa-runs, I did a visa-run to/from KL by air. I experienced some problems on leaving Phuket, but none on my return and was given another 30-day visa-exemption.

I now have about 26 days before I need to leave Thailand, hopefully to visit a nearby Thai embassy (Penang) to obtain a B visa.

But my lawyer has told me that it is possible that not all my company and WP papers will be ready by that date! (In case you can't understand why it should take such a long time to register a company/obtain WP papers, this is a similar experience to my previous occasion for requesting a WP in Phuket. Unless you pay a high bribe, the process is very slow - [i'm sure others have got their papers in 24 hours or less, but that has never been my experience....])

So...... I worry that if I try to do another visa-exemption via KL, I will have big problems when I try to re-enter Thailand at Phuket.

My lawyer has suggested that whilst waiting for the company/WP documents, that I obtain a tourist visa for 30 or 60 days.

My question(s):

Is this a viable option, since I'm not really a tourist, but simply waiting on documents to apply for a B visa?

If it is a viable option, which is the best embassy to apply for a tourist visa, and what documents should I provide? (I can buy an outward ticket from Thailand, show 20k cash etc).

Simon

[bkkjames]

get a different lawyer.

[Spoonman]

A tourist Visa is your only option and get a different lawyer.

[Mario2008]

Thai child living with you? it would mean a 60 day extension.

[simon43]

get a different lawyer.

I've had 6 different lawyers since 2002. None of them have been able to complete company/WP documents in under 6 weeks. All cite the reluctance of the Phuket Labour Office to issue WPs without a bribe...

BTW - I have used my current Thai lawyer for many years - I trust her and she has never failed me....

I'm sure others have a different experience.....

Mario, my son lives in BKK with aunt/uncle (better choice of private schools). Thanks for suggesting this.

I'm thinking to sign up for a Chinese language course for 3 months, get a 90 day ED visa, learn conversational Chinese (which I have been trying to do for a long time), and then change my ED visa to a B visa when my new company is all set-up and WP papers completed.

Edited May 12, 2014 by simon43

[JLCrab]

Bring your kaen to the Phuket Labor / WP / Corporate registration office and tell them you enjoy playing it to occupy yourself while waiting for them to approve all the documents.

[TerryLH]

"BTW - I have used my current Thai lawyer for many years - I trust her and she has never failed me...."

"My lawyer has suggested that whilst waiting for the company/WP documents, that I obtain a tourist visa for 30 or 60 days."

Ask her where you'd get a 30 day tourist visa.

You'd probably be better off getting a tourist visa instead of an ED Visa.

[simon43]

@JLCrab - good idea! The way I play the khaen should ensure issue of documents in no time at all!!

[JLCrab]

Ok -- however a 3-month validity 2 entry tourist visa should give you plenty of breathing room.

[phuketrichard]

My take and current experiience

a friend of mine is helping get a new wp for my gf;

Currenlty she has a 1 year B visa ( due to expire in July ) so we need to get the wp so we can head to Penang.

took all the docs in today to get her NEW wp for another compay, The lady helped her out at the labor dept, told her what she had to do, what position she had to be employed as,etc etc.

they told her 6-10 days the wp will be finished

this is no lawyer just an average thai helping out.

By the way there is a 3,000 baht Surcharge (no receipt)

get a new lawyer or dont ( you don't need a lawyer) but pay the bribe, its thailand, you surely know that.,

99 % of all thai lawyers pay a surcharge to get a wp. I spoke to one lawyer an she confirmed this

You ARE a tourist if your not working, so worst get a tourist visa in Penang

IF you do get an ed visa i dont think u can change it to a B visa so, after u submit the docs an get the letter stating wp in process you'll need travel to Penang an get the single entry B , than go back an get the 1 year visa or if u have all the "other, correct papers" get the 1 year extension.

[simon43]

You ARE a tourist if your not working, so worst get a tourist visa in Penang

I'm not sure that your logic applies with the current situation about visa-runners....

Suppose I go to Penang and ask for a tourist visa. Tourists normally apply for a tourist visa before they enter the country, yet I have been in Thailand several months already after returning from the UK. I can well imagine Penang to tell me to take a flying jump because - in their view - I am simply trying to stay in Thailand as a tourist when I'm actually just staying with my family... (there not yet being any documents that I can show to them for my new company registration).

I've spoken with a language school in Phuket who can offer me 3 months of private Chinese lessons with a pretty(!) female Thai-Chinese teacher, and can process documents to get a 90-day ED visa from Penang. This solution will give me/my lawyer plenty of time to complete the company/wp documents, I get to improve my Chinese and - if I 'hit it off' with my teacher then there's the opportunity to build yet another small hotel for her

[Spoonman]

Sounds to me you are more interested in getting laid than the easiest solution to your problem..... I can see the angle and I do agree !!!!

[Maestro]

Given your somewhat irrational fears about the tourist visa I suggest that you go ahead with your plans to study Chinese and get a non-ED visa. This will leave you with no time constraints to get a company set up.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[VINCENT2012]

yes ...as many ....you trust your lawyer thing too much, and you spend money for nothing....do things yourself....itis not so complicated