Volunteer Permit on a Retirement Extension

[lujanit]

I have a Non-O visa and a current one year Retirement Extension. I wish to do volunteer work (no pay) however I am quite confused about the right/legal way to do it. I asked a Visa Service what needs to be done and their advice was as follows:

1. I have to leave Thailand and get another Non-O Volunteer visa using the correct documents supplied by the charity. Therefore my original Non-O is cancelled as is my Retirement Extension.

2. I then need to apply for a Work Permit again using the necessary documents supplied by the NGO

3. The Work Permit/Volunteer Permit is only valid for 90 days after which I have to apply for an extension (90 days), cost 1900 baht.

4. Every 90 days thereafter I must apply for an another extension, cost 1900 baht.

5. At the end of one year of volunteer extensions I must again leave Thailand to get another Non-O Volunteer Visa.

All this seems totally crazy to me just to volunteer my free time to a registered NGO. Has the Visa Service given me the correct information? I don't want to name the Visa Service or the Charity as I was warned about being banned when I named the charity/NGO in an earlier post.

[Mario2008]

You can ask the labour office if they will issue a work permit for a volunteer while on an extension based on retirement. If it is a reputable organisation with good contacts with the government it might work.

If not, you will indeed need to follow the advice you got and apply for a non-O visa abroad, after having applied for the work permit.

[lujanit]

Thank-you Mario for the quick response. The NGO is reputable, in fact the lead person was a Minister in a previous government (so now you know of whom I am talking about, same NGO I got into trouble on this forum before).

What about having to apply for extensions every 90 days and paying 1900 baht? What happens after 12 months. My Retirement extension I can extend without leaving the country.

This issue is very confusing. It almost seems that Thailand does not want volunteers. I can understand that some people may want to game the system using Volunteer Extensions and that Immigration are trying to close down loopholes (similar to Education Extensions). I am talking about a world recognised NGO.

[ubonjoe]

Whether you can get a one year extension or 90 day extensions for a year after entering on a non-o depends upon being able to get a signature.

From Police Order 327/2557 basis for extension of stay.

2.21 In the case of necessity where the alien must stay to perform duties in a public charitable organization, a foreign private company, a foundation, an association, a foreign chamber of commerce, the Thai Chamber of Commerce, or the Federation of Thai Industries:

(1) Each permission shall be granted for no more than one year.

(2) In the case where there is no certification made by any government agency under Criteria (3) hereof, each permission shall be granted for no more than 90 days of stay, the total period of stay shall not exceed one year from the date of entering the Kingdom.

The alien:

(1) Must have been granted a non-immigrant visa (NON-IM).

(2) Must have been confirmed and requested by the authorized person or the person holding the highest position in the organization, and/or

(3) Must have been confirmed and requested by the head of a government agency equivalent to or higher than the departmental level or by the head of a state enterprise or by the head of another government agency relating to the organization.

[JLCrab]

How do all the other non-Thai volunteers at the world-recognized reputable NGO handle their work permit/visa conundrum?

[Mario2008]

If you can get the WP on your curent extension of stay, there is no need to get immigration involved.

If you do need to get abroad you will get 1 year extensions of stay, every year just like now, provided there is a government agency suporting the NGO and your application. If not, you wuld only get 90 day extensions and will need to leave after 1 year to apply for a new visa.

[lujanit]

If you can get the WP on your curent extension of stay, there is no need to get immigration involved.

If you do need to get abroad you will get 1 year extensions of stay, every year just like now, provided there is a government agency suporting the NGO and your application. If not, you wuld only get 90 day extensions and will need to leave after 1 year to apply for a new visa.

Please clarify. Are you saying that provided the NGO meets government requirements a one year extension on my Non-O is granted and that subsequently another extension for a year is granted without having to apply for a new Non-O. In simple terms this is exactly the same as a retirement extension provided the necessary documentation is forthcoming from the NGO and it has the correct affiliation with the relevant Government Department.

All this can be done at the Labour Department, no need to get Immigration involved?

[ubonjoe]

What he wrote was that if you could manage to get the work permit issued with your current extension of stay for retirement you would not have to do anything with immigration. You could just get your extension by showing financial proof like you have been.

[Suradit69]

What he wrote was that if you could manage to get the work permit issued with your current extension of stay for retirement you would not have to do anything with immigration. You could just get your extension by showing financial proof like you have been.

I have a Non-O visa and a current one year Retirement Extension.

You say you already have an extension of stay (not a Non-O visa). If you can get a work permit (WPs are not issued by immigrations) on your current extension of stay, then you don't have to do anything further with immigrations.