A friend who was staying on a 30 days visa exemption stamp found a job. The company went to apply for the WP and the labour officer asked if the guy was in Thailand. The girl from the company said yes and the officer refused accepting the application.

I think somewhere in the application form says the alien must not be in Thailand but I did it this way (except I was with a tourist visa) and I reckon most people do it this way too. This guy is now in Lao until the company applies for the WP and send him the receipt and the papers to apply for the non-B. Is it just that they are getting stricter?

Perhaps they used the wrong application form. WP3 form for somebody that is not here verses the WP1 which should of been used.

Their is no requirement to be outside the country to apply for a work permit.

Thanks, most likely they used the wrong form. I will find out and report back if they used the right one.

This was six years ago but I don't think the procedure has changed: before I got my work permit, I had to leave the country to get a non-b visa; I then came back to Thailand to apply for my work permit and it was a painless process. I am pretty sure a non-b or a non-o based on marriage is required to apply for a work permit.

Yes. Everyone I know did it that way.

Found a job and got paperwork to leave Thailand and enter again with non B.

Then apply for wirk permit.

My 1st job here I came on a tourist visa and then went to immigration to change to non B for 3 months..

After a couple months got work permit.

I was told a 60 day tourist visa could be changed to non B but not 30 day visa exemption.

A work permit can be applied for with a tourist visa. Some work permit offices will allow it with a visa exempt entry.

You only need a non immigrant visa to have it issued.

At the nearby embassies and consulates you need a work permit application approval letter to get a non-b visa.

Yes. Everyone I know did it that way.

Found a job and got paperwork to leave Thailand and enter again with non B.

Then apply for wirk permit.

My 1st job here I came on a tourist visa and then went to immigration to change to non B for 3 months..

After a couple months got work permit.

I was told a 60 day tourist visa could be changed to non B but not 30 day visa exemption.

You/your employer can apply for the Work Permit without having the Non Immigrant 'B' Visa Entry/Visa.

In fact to get a non 'B' visa issued at a Thai consular facility in the SE Asia Region, you almost always need to show the WP application filing receipt and/or the Letter of Approval from the Ministry of Labour, this will only be produced if all WP papers are filed correctly.

When you get you non 'b' 90 day entry stamp - show a copy of this to labour and they will then start the final processes for the issue of your WP.

When you get your WP in your hand, then you can legally start work.

This was six years ago but I don't think the procedure has changed: before I got my work permit, I had to leave the country to get a non-b visa; I then came back to Thailand to apply for my work permit and it was a painless process. I am pretty sure a non-b or a non-o based on marriage is required to apply for a work permit.

You need the work permit approval before the non-B will be approved at any of the nearby embassies/consulates.

This was six years ago but I don't think the procedure has changed: before I got my work permit, I had to leave the country to get a non-b visa; I then came back to Thailand to apply for my work permit and it was a painless process. I am pretty sure a non-b or a non-o based on marriage is required to apply for a work permit.

You need the work permit approval before the non-B will be approved at any of the nearby embassies/consulates.

Since when? For 13 years I always did it the other way around with Kuala Lumpur or with Vientiame.

Since a long time, unless you apply for a non-B as a teacher.

No WP application (not the WP itself) means no non-B visa at those consulates.

Since a long time, unless you apply for a non-B as a teacher.

No WP application (not the WP itself) means no non-B visa at those consulates.

Aplication yes, result of the application no, because said result will depend on the Non-B (or its refusal).

Am I right or not?

I do repeat I did so for 13 years (but not 2013 and 2014). So my question : since when?

Sorry for the tone, english is a maze for me (my third language to be honest).

I myself get my non-B after applying for the WP while in Thailand. Then brought the WP receipt to Vientiane, get the visa, came back and collected the WP. This last time I got my non-B from Singapore because they don't require the WP application receipt. Still I believe some embassies accept either the WP receipt or a letter from Labour, isn't it like that?

Back on topic, the company did try to apply for the WP using the form WP3 instead of the WP1. I guess the lesson learned for this guy is not to trust some staff in small companies. I myself corrected the girl who was doing my first WP application several times, and it was me who needed to explain her how you need the WP receipt before you can get the non-B in the nearby embassies (thanks goes to Thaivisa on this one ;-)

Since a long time, unless you apply for a non-B as a teacher.

No WP application (not the WP itself) means no non-B visa at those consulates.

Aplication yes, result of the application no, because said result will depend on the Non-B (or its refusal).

Am I right or not?

I do repeat I did so for 13 years (but not 2013 and 2014). So my question : since when?

Sorry for the tone, english is a maze for me (my third language to be honest).

Yes, it is the application that matters.

But at many consulates in the region the wp3 form is no longer enough. You must have a letter of approval from the labour office.