Hi,

I've been directed here from the Lonely Planet forum.

I'm currently in the process of planning a trip around SE Asia. I was planning on doing a non paid internship for the first 7 weeks of my trip through a company called love tefl.

They have advised me that a 60 day tourist visa will be suitable. From what I've read I deem this information incorrect and i'm under the impression I need a non immigrant type b visa.

Can anyone shed some light on this for me? I want to be 100% sure of the correct visa.

Thanks in advance

It really does not matter which visa you get.

A non-b visa makes it appear more legitimate but it still does not make it legal since you will be participating in a work type activity as an intern. To do it legally requires a work permit.

Even if it's non paid?!

Whether it is paid or unpaid it is considered work according to the law.

This Visa stuff is confusing. I emailed the Thai embassy here in the UK hoping they could shed some light they said if it was paid I would need type b. As its unpaid I'm assuming a tourist visa is acceptable. I've emailed asking them to confirm.

I don't want to be in the country illegally. I found myself to be in that situation a few years ago in Egypt and it wasn't fun.

You will indeed a Non b and a workpermit. If you are working in a school you will also need a degree and waver from the Teachers Council. As the particular company you mentioned is a perpetual advertiser for teaching jobs I would assume that they know this. Sounds like they are yet another agency too lazy to do the right thing and provide the required documents for your visa and permit.

You wouldnt be the first person sucked into working illigally in Thailand, do yourself a favour and check them out a bit more and look around at some other companies.

This Visa stuff is confusing. I emailed the Thai embassy here in the UK hoping they could shed some light they said if it was paid I would need type b. As its unpaid I'm assuming a tourist visa is acceptable. I've emailed asking them to confirm.

I don't want to be in the country illegally. I found myself to be in that situation a few years ago in Egypt and it wasn't fun.

You would be in country legally, but violating the foreigner work act, so in turn making you illegal. Anyway, if the organization you will be an intern for is serious, can get a work permit for you. If they are not, the decision if doing it anyway s your, you can find a million threads about it here on this forum..

This is Thailand!

To legally work you will need a NON-B visa, a degree, Kor Sor 10 (waiver to teach without a teacher licence) and finally a work permit.

The NON-B visa is manageable but to get the Kor Sor 10... I have been waiting since May and a friend of mine have been waiting since June to get the waiver. Another friend of mine got her wavier in just 3 days but she is here from China on a government exchange program! And you will need that waiver to get your work permit.....

I'm changing school again now during the school break and will work only for 5 more months so I don't know if it's worth all the fuzz! I did everything legally including taxes during my first 3 years but now... It's just feels like a lot of work for nothing!

Ok - this is the reply from the organisation I would be doing the Intership through when I questioned visas;

In terms of the visa type the 60 day tourist visa is definitely correct. Our interns are categorised as tourists because they have paid for a package in full before they arrive to cover their costs. They are not interns receiving a stipend or any other items and a non immigrant B visa i.e. Work visa is not correct.

Can anyone shed any light on whether this is true or not.

Ok - this is the reply from the organisation I would be doing the Intership through when I questioned visas;

In terms of the visa type the 60 day tourist visa is definitely correct. Our interns are categorised as tourists because they have paid for a package in full before they arrive to cover their costs. They are not interns receiving a stipend or any other items and a non immigrant B visa i.e. Work visa is not correct.

Can anyone shed any light on whether this is true or not.

As explained to you above already, per Thai law the fact that one is paid or not is indifferent - will need a work permit. That include volunteering work.

The organization calling you over doesn't care because if you are caught working (for free) without a working permit (note I'm not saying that will happen or that you'r a bad person if you do it), they do not suffer any consequence, it's your problem only.

Edited October 4, 201411 yr by paz

Ok - this is the reply from the organisation I would be doing the Intership through when I questioned visas;

In terms of the visa type the 60 day tourist visa is definitely correct. Our interns are categorised as tourists because they have paid for a package in full before they arrive to cover their costs. They are not interns receiving a stipend or any other items and a non immigrant B visa i.e. Work visa is not correct.

Can anyone shed any light on whether this is true or not.

Sounds like an organization that offers volunteer work for which you have to pay (a lot more than if you would go on holiday) for taking care of elephants or teach children.

Internship require a non-B visa or non-ED-visa. Sometimes a work permit is not required, if it is through a school and the internship is being reported to the authorities as being part of your training. I doubt that is the case here.