Phuket Immigration request correct visa entry type for 2.11 Extensions

[digitalchromakey]

A good friend of mine works off shore in Europe, but not on a 28:28 cycle and up to now has been using Non Immigrant ‘b’ visas for convenience.

He does not currently have a Thai Work Permit (but he used to work in Thailand so has had numerous WPs in the past).

His two daughters aged 11, 9 who are not Thai dual nationals; both were born in Thailand and have lived here all their lives.

Now his eldest daughter is already on a 777/2551 Case 2.9 extension and his wife is on a 777/2551 Case 2.11 extension.

His younger daughter was on a 90 day Single Non Immigrant ‘ED’ Visa obtained in Penang in August with a permission to stay until mid November.

Family is based in Phuket, my friend re-entered Thailand late September having used a re-entry Permit to preserve the same permission to stay date in his passport as his younger daughter obtained from when they came back into Thailand in mid August after the Penang Non ‘ED’ Visa run.

He recently applied to Phuket Immigration for a 2.9 extension for his daughter and for the 2.11 'Guardian Extension' for himself.

He had all the correct papers plus proof of 500K THB in the bank in his name for more than 1 month and all the papers from his younger daughter’s school.

In the case of parents, funds must be deposited in a bank in Thailand, under the

father's or the mother's name, of no less than Baht 500,000 for the past three months. For the

first year only, the applicant must have proof of a deposit account in which said amount of

funds has been maintained for no less than 30 days prior to the filing date

My friend applied for the 327/2557 Case 2.11 extension at the same time as his daughter applied for her 327/2557 Case 2.9 extension, both of then having a permission to stay expiring in mid November within less than 30 days of the application date.

Younger daughter’s one year extension was granted (12 months straight away – no under consideration period).

His extension was initially refused because he was on a non ‘b’ entry, not a non ‘o’,. Immigration’s concern was that by providing an extension on a non ‘b’ entry that my friend could subsequently legally apply for work in Thailand with a Permission to Stay which would be valid for work. It seemed that even they were somewhat strangely looking at his application as a ‘visa entry extension’ and not just an extension of permission to stay.

He discussed the refusal with Phuket Immigration and subsequently provided written evidence that he was employed overseas (at a salary far more that he could ever possibly earn here). They eventually relented and issued a one year extension but also wrote in his passport in English ‘Not Valid for Work’.

My friend is fine with this but could have done without several stressful hours arguing the case with the immigration officers.

Here’s the other strange thing, they also wrote in his passport that he has to first apply for a Non Immigrant ‘O’ Visa (on the basis of guardianship) outside of Thailand before they will even consider him for a further 2.11 extension next year.

[Soutpeel]

He discussed the refusal with Phuket Immigration and subsequently provided written evidence that he was employed overseas (at a salary far more that he could ever possibly earn here). They eventually relented and issued a one year extension but also wrote in his passport in English ‘Not Valid for Work’.

one can see immigrations point seeing as Thailand does have an offshore O&G industry as to your second point, regards the salaries, offshore expat salaries in Thailand are based on international "averages", therefore believe this part of the statement is incorrect, what an offshore O&G guy earns in Thailand is not far different from what thay would earn at a comperable location anywhere in the world.

so on face value, Immigration did have a valid concern it seems.