Non-B & WP to Non-O (Guardian) - have I got this right?

[notmyrealname]

Hi,

I need to see if I've understood this correctly... any insight would be welcome.

My situation: I've been on a WP and Non-B for years with my partner's company (as a manager, it's not a real job) but now things are getting harder and harder with providing that work permit, and we finally have a (farang) kid in a school that can provide the Ed visa paperwork for her, so that should be grounds for an O visa for me, right?

Now, my WP is about to expire - if I decide to switch, do I then have to leave immediately after expiry (and come back on a 30-day visa-free entry), even though my non-b is still valid until May? Does labour office talk to immigration, as in, if I stay, will immigration at the airport know that my WP has expired a couple of months earlier and charge me for overstay? I already have a trip to Penang booked for when my visa expires, as I was planning to do everything as before, so I'd rather go then.

As for the process itself, I will actually be in Brisbane Australia with my daughter later in May so I was thinking I could apply for the ED and O there - as I understand we could lodge our first applications together, for the 90 day single entry, and then within the following three months make sure I have 500,000 baht (is that the right amount now, I'm going by an info page from another school?) in the bank for 30 days before making an application for extension of stay of one year. Is that how it goes? Is this likely to go without a hitch if I get the school paperwork checked and sorted?

Any other issues I might have when switching? Would they be checking on me for working if I come off the WP?

I'm just trying to foresee if this is going to actually cause me more problems rather than make my life easier...

Thanks!

[nzexpat]

Are you married ?

If not you will not be able to obtain an "O" visa which will permit an extension of stay based on dependency.

An "ED" visa (obtained outside the county) will only permit a 90 stay followed by (if one is lucky) 90 extensions supported by paperwork from the school for a maximum of one year. If studying at a University a one year extension of stay can be obtained (again if supported by paperwork from the College)

I doubt that you have a "visa" therefore once you stop work the reason for the extension of stay ceases and you should leave the country unless a 7day extension of stay is applied for.

[ubonjoe]

If you have a multiple entry non-b visa from an embassy or consulate it would not end.

It you have an extension of stay you got at immigration it ends when the job ends.

The labor ministry does not notify immigration when a work permit expires or is cancelled.

Getting the non-ed and non-o visas in Brisbane would be fine but you need to be sure you have the paperwork for the ED visa and your child's birth for the non-o.

The 500k baht in the bank in your name only for 30 days is correct for getting an extension based upon being the parent of a child attending school. It is 90 days after the first extension.

[ubonjoe]

Are you married ?

If not you will not be able to obtain an "O" visa which will permit an extension of stay based on dependency.

An "ED" visa (obtained outside the county) will only permit a 90 stay followed by (if one is lucky) 90 extensions supported by paperwork from the school for a maximum of one year. If studying at a University a one year extension of stay can be obtained (again if supported by paperwork from the College)

I doubt that you have a "visa" therefore once you stop work the reason for the extension of stay ceases and you should leave the country unless a 7day extension of stay is applied for.

You need to go back and read the OP.

He is asking about getting an extension based upon being the parent of a non Thai child attending school. Not an ED visa for himself.

He can get a non-o based upon his child's ED visa.

[notmyrealname]

If you have a multiple entry non-b visa from an embassy or consulate it would not end.

It you have an extension of stay you got at immigration it ends when the job ends.

The labor ministry does not notify immigration when a work permit expires or is cancelled.

Getting the non-ed and non-o visas in Brisbane would be fine but you need to be sure you have the paperwork for the ED visa and your child's birth for the non-o.

The 500k baht in the bank in your name only for 30 days is correct for getting an extension based upon being the parent of a child attending school. It is 90 days after the first extension.

Ah, there is a difference if it's an extension of stay? Mine is a multiple non-b and I've just got a new stamp for 3 months in feb. So you reckon this is ok to stay on for a couple of months, even if the work permit expires? I was thinking that they never ask about my wp when I leave the country, and if the immigration people at the airport don't have real-time access to my wp info then I could get away with staying until May.

I would for sure go over the paperwork with our accountant before I go, if I decide to do this in Brisbane. My kid has a Thai birth certificate and I already have an English translation of it that has been certified at the foreign ministry, just need the school paperwork I guess.

Still debating whether this is an easier way than staying with the wp and doing all the business of employing tons of thais we have no actual work for, but this makes it sound a bit more appealing if I can at least stay until May and maybe use my existing Penang trip to get off the non-b, then apply for the ED and O a couple of weeks later in Oz.

Thanks!

[ubonjoe]

Your visa will remain valid until it expires because it is not tied to your job like an extension of stay is. You can use it to get 90 day entries up the enter before date on the visa.

[notmyrealname]

Your visa will remain valid until it expires because it is not tied to your job like an extension of stay is. You can use it to get 90 day entries up the enter before date on the visa.

Ok, brilliant, I just had it in my head that if your WP expires you have to go right away, but I guess I've been reading cases where they've been on the extension of stay.

Thanks!

[notmyrealname]

Actually, one follow-on question: does it matter at all WHEN you apply for the ED/O visas, as in whether you apply at the beginning of a school year or in the middle? Just wondering, as our first application will now be made a month before the end of this school year :/

[Mario2008]

It should not matter, as long as the school papers indicate that the study will be for at least 1 year.