Visa Confusion/help Needed!

[Lost in translation!]

Hi

I'm a bit confused as to what the stuation is on visas, as it seems to change every day.

Basically i need to go to Laos next month to get a non immigrant B visa. A school i applied for is interested in me working there, so they're going to provide me with a letter to take to Laos.

My question is......has anyone been there recently who can tell me what documents i need to supply. i keep getting told different things. one person said i need to take degree, tefl certificate, letter from school, then another said i only need to take the letter from the school as its not the work permit i'm applying for?

i was travelling thailand last year from February to September then i came back in November until now. My passport was full of 30 day entry visas, so have just taken it to be re-newed (and yes its taking 15 days as the new biometric passports have come in, hence i'm worried about that too as they think it may be back before my visa runs out - ohh great i may be forced into an overstay!). Know i should have sorted out longer visas, but up until now it hasn't been a problem.

my problem is i don't have a degree........i have a diploma and a TEFL ceetificate and the school knows this and still really wants me to work there. What should i do?

someone suggested i should go to Kao San Rd to get "a document", but i'm worried and think this may be a really bad idea, as if i'm caught will it have serious consequences like JAIL! Really don't fancy being the next Bridget Jones and doing a stint in a Thai prison!

please help......any adve would be much appreciate.

Louise.

[SunbeltAsia]

Hi

I'm a bit confused as to what the stuation is on visas, as it seems to change every day.

Basically i need to go to Laos next month to get a non immigrant B visa. A school i applied for is interested in me working there, so they're going to provide me with a letter to take to Laos.

My question is......has anyone been there recently who can tell me what documents i need to supply. i keep getting told different things. one person said i need to take degree, tefl certificate, letter from school, then another said i only need to take the letter from the school as its not the work permit i'm applying for?

i was travelling thailand last year from February to September then i came back in November until now. My passport was full of 30 day entry visas, so have just taken it to be re-newed (and yes its taking 15 days as the new biometric passports have come in, hence i'm worried about that too as they think it may be back before my visa runs out - ohh great i may be forced into an overstay!). Know i should have sorted out longer visas, but up until now it hasn't been a problem.

my problem is i don't have a degree........i have a diploma and a TEFL ceetificate and the school knows this and still really wants me to work there. What should i do?

someone suggested i should go to Kao San Rd to get "a document", but i'm worried and think this may be a really bad idea, as if i'm caught will it have serious consequences like JAIL! Really don't fancy being the next Bridget Jones and doing a stint in a Thai prison!

please help......any adve would be much appreciate.

Louise.

Work / Employment Contract

The document must contain the Following details of the applicant:

Name, Family name

Age

Nationality

Passport number

Position

Length of Teaching

Salary rate

Educational background, degrees or diploma ( They want to see it)

A School license (Sor Shor 2)

A permit / certificate to be a School Manager (Sor Shor 5) or Principal (Sor Shor 8)

Letter from the school signed by the Manager or Principal stating they want to hire you.

www.lawyer.th.com

[Lost in translation!]

Hi

I'm a bit confused as to what the stuation is on visas, as it seems to change every day.

Basically i need to go to Laos next month to get a non immigrant B visa. A school i applied for is interested in me working there, so they're going to provide me with a letter to take to Laos.

My question is......has anyone been there recently who can tell me what documents i need to supply. i keep getting told different things. one person said i need to take degree, tefl certificate, letter from school, then another said i only need to take the letter from the school as its not the work permit i'm applying for?

i was travelling thailand last year from February to September then i came back in November until now. My passport was full of 30 day entry visas, so have just taken it to be re-newed (and yes its taking 15 days as the new biometric passports have come in, hence i'm worried about that too as they think it may be back before my visa runs out - ohh great i may be forced into an overstay!). Know i should have sorted out longer visas, but up until now it hasn't been a problem.

my problem is i don't have a degree........i have a diploma and a TEFL ceetificate and the school knows this and still really wants me to work there. What should i do?

someone suggested i should go to Kao San Rd to get "a document", but i'm worried and think this may be a really bad idea, as if i'm caught will it have serious consequences like JAIL! Really don't fancy being the next Bridget Jones and doing a stint in a Thai prison!

please help......any adve would be much appreciate.

Louise.

Work / Employment Contract

The document must contain the Following details of the applicant:

Name, Family name

Age

Nationality

Passport number

Position

Length of Teaching

Salary rate

Educational background, degrees or diploma ( They want to see it)

A School license (Sor Shor 2)

A permit / certificate to be a School Manager (Sor Shor 5) or Principal (Sor Shor 8)

Letter from the school signed by the Manager or Principal stating they want to hire you.

www.lawyer.th.com

[Lost in translation!]

Hi

Thanks for the advice. You said Degree or Diploma.......does that mean a diploma is enough and you don't need a degree for the 3 month non immigration B visa? I have a diploma, a TEFL certificate, a letter from the school and a contract. How does the law stand now??

Thanks, Louise.

[SunbeltAsia]

Hi

Thanks for the advice. You said Degree or Diploma.......does that mean a diploma is enough and you don't need a degree for the 3 month non immigration B visa? I have a diploma, a TEFL certificate, a letter from the school and a contract. How does the law stand now??

Thanks, Louise.

This works. You are good to go.

www.lawyer.th.com

[Lost in translation!]

Hi again!

Excellent - what i was hoping to hear!

i've been told today thought for the non immigration B visa for 3 months (the first step) i only need to take, myself, my passport and a letter from the school to a thai consulate outside of Thailand; that i won't need to show my education background i.e. a degree until applying for a work permit/teachers licence.

Is this right? how up to date is your information? its giving me a headache - the rules seem to change daily!!

Thanks again, Louise.

[SunbeltAsia]

Hi again!

Excellent - what i was hoping to hear!

i've been told today thought for the non immigration B visa for 3 months (the first step) i only need to take, myself, my passport and a letter from the school to a thai consulate outside of Thailand; that i won't need to show my education background i.e. a degree until applying for a work permit/teachers licence.

Is this right? how up to date is your information? its giving me a headache - the rules seem to change daily!!

Thanks again, Louise.

My info is from last week. Every Consulate/ Embassy is different. When you are asking people, they are telling you their experience in Singapore or in the UK or somewhere else . Not Laos. Or they are talking about not applying as a teacher. The Laos Embassy requires to see your diploma and employment contract. 99% of the Embassies/ Consulates will never ask you for it. If you have this, take it To Laos.

If you rather believe someone else, it is not required in Laos. Then don't take it. In Thailand as they say " It is up to you" Who knows, maybe you will get lucky. ( NOT) But I know a number of people went to Laos and was rejected, without having a copy of the diploma and the employment contract.

From a PM. this evening...

Dear greg

thank you for following up my enquiry concerning necessary documents for non-imm b visa. sunbelt asia appears to be a very efficient and helpful company and from my limited experience with them i would have no hesitation in recomending you, or if i needed to, using your services myself.

I was successful with my 'b' visa thank god, however another teacher i came here with was missing a document and was denied it...despite having a whole pile of documents. missing a 'sor chor 10 and 17' or some such thing! i will check wot it is exactly and email u the info so you can tell people in future. dont know about any other consulate, but obviously the one in laos needs this because they gave him a printed form with wot they needed and highlighted wot he was missing (the sor chor).

as u can imagine he was pretty pissed off, its a long way to come only to find out ur missing a document. also it seems they wont issue multi entry 'b's, dont know why.

anyway, thanks for yr help and i wish u all the best

regards

---------------------------------------------

Before you were told to bring the school license (Sor Shor 2) and A permit / certificate to be a School Manager (Sor Shor 5) or Principal (Sor Shor 8) along with everything else.

Which worked for this client. But for a friend they wanted as well, the form Sor Chor 10, form Sor Chor 17

so take that as well.

Or if you rather, just the letter from the school.

Also the Ministry of Education does not look how valid your degree or TEFL certificates is You will need to show the orginal degree though to the Ministry of Education officer. Laos is one of the harder Embassies to get a visa from if you are a teacher. You better take a college degree as well as the TEFL cert., just to be on the safe side.

If you want to be legal, you are going to need a teacher's license, a work permit and a one-year visa.

If you want to be illegal, you have no teacher's license, no work permit, and no one year visa.

This is the first step of many to be legal.

www.lawyer.th.com

[Lost in translation!]

Hi

Thanks for the advice. Don't worry i wasn't doubting what you were saying, i just wanted to be 100% clear before i set off for Laos otherwise it will be a wasted trip.

I am still concerned about my Education credentials though. As i've said before I have a Diploma in Business, but this IS NOT a degree (its below a degree).

Maybe I should try Penang for the non imm B visa seen as the feedback indicates that Laos is one of the hardest embassies to get visas. That's good to know.

Many thanks for your advice.

Louise.