Hello,

This is a slightly panicked last-minute question / set of of questions - Any help would be extremely appreciated!

So my Education visa expires this Sunday 26th. The plan was to start a job that I had been offered in Bangkok, flying out on Sunday and flying back in Tuesday with a Non-Imm B visa.

However, the company has just recently informed me that they haven't prepared some of the necessary papers yet and that it takes a week to obtain these papers.

So first it was recommended I should extend my visa 7 days to allow some extra time, which I agreed I would do. But now I'm being told it might in fact take 2 weeks to obtain these papers.

I therefore like to know what my options are - one way or another I wish to remain in Thailand for a while at least as I have in no way planned or have enough time to prepare myself to leave right now. My key questions as follows:

1) Will I be able to fly to Laos / Cambodia to make a Tourist visa instead?

2) Prior to the 1 year Ed visa that is about to expire, I do also have one other triple entry tourist visa in my passport.... Am I likely to face any problems obtaining the tourist visa based on this history?

2) Is it still the case that you get only get single entry tourist visas from Phnom Penh but if I fly to Vientiane it could be a double entry?

4) If not on the above - do I have any other options?

Many thanks again for any info and help on this.....

You can get a tourist visa without a problem. PP only does single entry visas and it can take 3 days, Vientiane does 2 entries and it is next day service,

You could also fly out and back to get a 30 day visa exempt entry if you qualify for one. And then get a 30 day extension of it at an immigration office/

Thankyou Ubon Joe

And is it still the case that each entry of 60 days can be extended by 30 days at an immigration office?

Nothing has changed. You can still get a 30 day extension.

A new development since yesterday: More urgent advice needed please!

Ok so now the company is telling me that instead of needing the WP3 paper (which i assume is the 'Letter of approval from the ministry of Labour ') they are going to get me something called a BOI letter instead. Apparently this replaces the WP3 and can be obtained in just 3 days instead of 1-2 weeks. Can someone verify the validity and accuracy of this??

As well as this I've been given conflicting information about the work permit requirement. On most of the embassy websites I have seen it stated that in order to get the Non-Imm B visa they require a copy of the work permit (which I do not have). However the company are saying they think this is only if I had one before.

Is the work permit only necessary for the multi-entry Non-Imm B visa? (I think the company intend to just get me a single entry one and then sort out the work permit once I am back in the Kingdom) Does this sound correct? Again, would appreciate if this could all be verified and clarified by someone in the know.

Many thanks!!

If the letter is from the Board Of Investment (BOI) it will replace the work permit approval letter.

If you read closer on the websites it is a WP/approval letter or a work permit. This page makes it clear. http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/4908/15388-Non-Immigrant-Visa-%22B%22-(for-Business-and.html

Since you are apparently working for a BOI registered company a lot of things are easier to get done. They can apply for the work permit after you get the non-b and it will be done within a day or two.

You will only need a single entry non-b visa because after you get your work permit you will be able to apply for a one year extension of stay.

Ok - so does that mean I would effectively be applying for a Non-Immigrant Visa Category “IB” (Investment and Business Visa) instead of the regular Non-Immigrant Visa Category “B” (Business Visa) one?

Any key differences between these two from a workers perspective?

You will be applying for a non-b. There is really no difference between the two other than the documents required to get them. They both give you the same 90 entry.