Non-immigrant B

[madmitch]

I have had three multiple entry non-immigrant B visas. On my last trip to the UK the official in London (bad choice of office I know but I have been OK there in the past) said that he would only give me a single entry visa this time as it's about time I got a work permit.

My paperwork is all correct (company, accounts), I also have a baby with my GF and I support both but we are not married therefore I don't qualify for a non-imm O. I also don't qualify for a work permit as I do no real work nor do I take an income from the Thai business.

My question is, will I get another non-imm B at Singapore next month and if so how many times will I be able to get a visa before they say I can't have another?

I am 50 next year so will qualify for a retirement visa but I don't really want to have to become a monthly visa runner, particularly in view of the very long thread ongong today.

[Sunbelt Asia]

I have had three multiple entry non-immigrant B visas. On my last trip to the UK the official in London (bad choice of office I know but I have been OK there in the past) said that he would only give me a single entry visa this time as it's about time I got a work permit.

My paperwork is all correct (company, accounts), I also have a baby with my GF and I support both but we are not married therefore I don't qualify for a non-imm O. I also don't qualify for a work permit as I do no real work nor do I take an income from the Thai business.

My question is, will I get another non-imm B at Singapore next month and if so how many times will I be able to get a visa before they say I can't have another?

I am 50 next year so will qualify for a retirement visa but I don't really want to have to become a monthly visa runner, particularly in view of the very long thread ongong today.

It is always up to the officer. But for sure in Singapore based on business you will just get maximum one single 90 day visa. Odds are very high, you will get this and zero chance of a one year multi entry visa.

Go back in 90 days and they will either give you 90 more days or they won't!

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

[geoffphuket]

I have had three multiple entry non-immigrant B visas. On my last trip to the UK the official in London (bad choice of office I know but I have been OK there in the past) said that he would only give me a single entry visa this time as it's about time I got a work permit.

My paperwork is all correct (company, accounts), I also have a baby with my GF and I support both but we are not married therefore I don't qualify for a non-imm O. I also don't qualify for a work permit as I do no real work nor do I take an income from the Thai business.

My question is, will I get another non-imm B at Singapore next month and if so how many times will I be able to get a visa before they say I can't have another?

I am 50 next year so will qualify for a retirement visa but I don't really want to have to become a monthly visa runner, particularly in view of the very long thread ongong today.

If you are the named father on the birth certificate of a Thai baby, you are entitled to a non imm 'O' 12 month multiple entry visa.

I've just obtained mine from the consulate in Penang on this basis, but there's no reason why you can't get one in London.

Hope this helps

geoffphuket

[madmitch]

I have had three multiple entry non-immigrant B visas. On my last trip to the UK the official in London (bad choice of office I know but I have been OK there in the past) said that he would only give me a single entry visa this time as it's about time I got a work permit.

My paperwork is all correct (company, accounts), I also have a baby with my GF and I support both but we are not married therefore I don't qualify for a non-imm O. I also don't qualify for a work permit as I do no real work nor do I take an income from the Thai business.

My question is, will I get another non-imm B at Singapore next month and if so how many times will I be able to get a visa before they say I can't have another?

I am 50 next year so will qualify for a retirement visa but I don't really want to have to become a monthly visa runner, particularly in view of the very long thread ongong today.

If you are the named father on the birth certificate of a Thai baby, you are entitled to a non imm 'O' 12 month multiple entry visa.

I've just obtained mine from the consulate in Penang on this basis, but there's no reason why you can't get one in London.

Hope this helps

geoffphuket

It does help, thanks very much.

I am named on the birth certificate. Again it sems that it is up to the whiim of the office you go to and basically the officer in London told me to get married "do things as they do in my country!!!". My lawyer also stated that I need either to be married or become a legal supporter of the child, whatever that means, which would involve the usual amount of paperwork as well as three visits to the local court.

I'll try Penang three months after my Singapore trip.

[Maestro]

If you are the named father on the birth certificate of a Thai baby, you are entitled to a non imm 'O' 12 month multiple entry visa.

I've just obtained mine from the consulate in Penang on this basis, but there's no reason why you can't get one in London.

Mitch, the way I remember that thread Geoff was asked by the Thai consulate in Penang to show a bank book with a balance of at least 400K Baht in order to get that multiple-entry non-O visa. Geoff, please correct me if my memory is wrong.

The interesting part about this – and that’s why I remember it – is that these 400K were previously never asked for by a consulate, only by the immigration office in Thailand when applying it for an annual extension. The presumed reason is that you are suspected of working in Thailand and for this purpose a single-entry non-O should suffice to give you entry into Thailand and apply for an extension.

Since you need the 400K in the bank anyway, you may want to consider applying for an extension right away, thus making visa runs every 90 days unnecessary. Being in Thailand now on a single-entry non-B you don’t even have to travel to get a new visa; just go to your local immigration office and apply for an annual extension for the reason of “support Thai child”. This application for extension can be made even though you entered on a non-B, not on a non-O.

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Maestro

Edit: Mitch, if you are working in Thailand you should, of course, get a work permit. You can apply for this when in Thailand on a non-O.

Edited September 10, 2006 by maestro