ED visa to Business visa via triple entry?

[placebo365]

Advice needed please. I'm coming to the end of my 1 year education visa, having been studying Thai (genuinely). My visa is up in the first week of September. I am a UK citizen and also need to be back in the UK for a couple of weeks but not until the end of September.

I am working towards a long term future in Thailand and have secured a genuine job, with work permit lined up from February 2016. I will continue to study Thai however don't want to go down the 2nd year ED visa route purely because of the cost of school fees. My questions are these:

1. Is it possible to get a 3 week extension on my ED visa to tide me over until leaving at the end of September? Or...

2. Will I need to exit Thailand and get a single entry tourist visa to tide me over until leaving for the UK at the end of September?

3. Am I likely to get a triple (or double) entry tourist visa in the UK, after being on an ED visa, to tide me over until switching onto the business visa in February?

4. Are there any other options for this situation.

5. Should I just bite the bullet and pay for 6 months school fees and get the ED visa?

Thanks in advance.

[nowretired]

1. No

2. Yes

3 Yes

4. ?

5. Up to you !

[Maestro]

4. The only option I can think of would be illegal, ie to overstay, and I advise against it.

[Kitsune]

No brainer

You exit the country at the end of your ED visa and get 30 days on visa exempt when reentering.

[placebo365]

Thanks everyone. Think I'll go for the single entry visa to tide me over, not keen on chancing a visa exempt as too many stories of refusal. Overstay not an option if I want to have a long term future here.

[paz]

Thanks everyone. Think I'll go for the single entry visa to tide me over, not keen on chancing a visa exempt as too many stories of refusal. Overstay not an option if I want to have a long term future here.

Overstay is not advisable but to be true to facts it has zero impact on the future of a person in Thailand, be that getting a job, police clearance, visa or extension etc.

[placebo365]

Much appreciated. One update I'd like advice on..... I may be able to get the paperwork together for the business visa by the end of September. Only trouble is I can't get the actual work permit until end of February. Is it possible for me to apply for a 1 year business visa in September then use that before getting the work permit in February? TY.

[paz]

Much appreciated. One update I'd like advice on..... I may be able to get the paperwork together for the business visa by the end of September. Only trouble is I can't get the actual work permit until end of February. Is it possible for me to apply for a 1 year business visa in September then use that before getting the work permit in February? TY.

Yes but most consulates nearby require a work permit application letter to issue a non-imm 'B' visa.

[placebo365]

Great news Paz, thank you, I'll do that then.

[placebo365]

I have emailed the Thai Enbassy in London, where I'll apply for the one year business visa. Their response indicates I can successfully apply for it.

My only concern is this:

If I enter Thailand at the end of October '15 on the business visa, then will I have to do a border bounce after 90 days?

If so, I'll be about 2 weeks shy of getting the work permit and therefore won't be able to produce it at the border.

Should I apply instead for a single entry business visa, which I'm presuming I'd have to go to Immigration with after 90 days? I'm thinking perhaps that way I can explain the work permit application is in hand and at least avoid the situation of being refused entry.

Apologies if I've got this wrong but it's the first time I've gone down the business visa route and just want to get it right first time.

As always, advice is very much appreciated.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[ubonjoe]

If you get a multiple entry non-b visa you will have to leave the country every 90 days. I would expect you would have your work permit prior to the end of the first 90 days.

If you get a single entry non-b visa and your job, employer. salary and etc qualify for it you could apply for a one year extension of stay based upon working. You then would just need to do 90 day reports to immigration.