I run a Facebook Group in the Krabi / Ao Nang area of about 2500 members ... mostly Farang.

I today have people posting that Krabi Immigration tells them that under a new program - the Local Immigration office can issue a Non B Visa... (mostly for teaching jobs).

I am not very knowledgeable of NON B visa processing, therefore I am wanting to clarify so these people will not go off and do the wrong thing such as skip a Visa Run to Penang. I constantly advise them to visit Thaivisa . com and get answers here but few do it

Does anyone know what they may be talking about? ... The issuance of an original / initial B Visa at local immigration sounds suspect to me.

Input Please...

Yet more "Jungle Drum" rumour !

Ignore

Yet more "Jungle Drum" rumour !

Ignore

One fellow said that the staff at Krabi Immigration told him this .. .'New Department' ??? I have been telling the people to go to the Krabi Immigration office and verify it .. .or come to Thaivisa . com... But they just keep talking in circles.

I agree with you ... I suspect the guy just did not understand what was told him ... The trip to Penang seems to be daunting to these folks --but there is a visa run company doing a turn key run ... at 4500 baht - hotel, bus, agent, food, ... sooo ? Go Figure!

Currently issue of a non immigrant category 'B' is only possible outside of Thailand or via a TM87 conversion in BKK if one has a visa exempt entry/tourist visa entry only, providing one can first prove eligibility for a valid extension of stay based on working in the Kingdom of Thailand under National Police Order 327/2557 Case 2.1 or others such as 2.6 or 2.7 (Teaching), etc.

Suspect who ever informed you had confused non 'b' visas with extensions of permission to stay based on working.

Theoretically, current official rules would allow immigration to issue any category of non immigrant visa to a foreigner who entered visa-exempt or with a tourist visa as a preparatory step for a one-year extension of stay, but they have limited themselves to only a few categories and the non-B is not included, presumably due to internal guidelines. Nothing has been posted yet on Thaivisa about a change of immigration policy regarding this.