Ministers and Work Permits

[PhuketFarang]

I've googled around and found about Religious ® VISAs but am looking for information about what is required for a Farang minister to conduct a religious ceremony such as a wedding? Not taking into account about the legalities of the marriage in Thailand. Do they have to be incorporated to get a work permit? What, if any, are the restrictions?

[ubonjoe]

To get non immigrant R visa from an embassy or consulate or an extension based upon being a missionary you must be working with a religious organization.

From the police order for extensions of stay. There is no mention of a work permit in it or in the order that list the documents required.

"2.14 In the case of a missionary:

Each permission shall be granted for no more than one year. The alien:

(1) Must have been granted a non-immigrant visa (NON-IM).

(2) Must have been confirmed and requested by the Department of Religious Affairs or the Office of National Buddhism.

(3) Must have been confirmed and requested by the particular religious organization.

Document required.

2.14 In the case of a missionary: Each permission shall be granted for no more than one year.

1. Application form

2. Copy of applicant’s passport

3. Confirmation letter from the Department of Religious Affairs or the National Office of

Buddhism

4. Letter of confirmation and request for a temporary stay issued by the religious organization"

[Kasset Tak]

I'm not sure that the non-R is relevant any more! I have talked with four foreigners that are Buddhist monks here in Thailand and three of them say that currently are on non-ED visa. All of them started with non-R but when doing overseas trips during the last coupe of years the embassies have issued them non-ED visas instead when they have applied for non-R.

[PhuketFarang]

Thanks for the info... but off topic.

To get non immigrant R visa from an embassy or consulate or an extension based upon being a missionary you must be working with a religious organization.

From the police order for extensions of stay. There is no mention of a work permit in it or in the order that list the documents required.

"2.14 In the case of a missionary:

Each permission shall be granted for no more than one year. The alien:

(1) Must have been granted a non-immigrant visa (NON-IM).

(2) Must have been confirmed and requested by the Department of Religious Affairs or the Office of National Buddhism.

(3) Must have been confirmed and requested by the particular religious organization.

Document required.

2.14 In the case of a missionary: Each permission shall be granted for no more than one year.

1. Application form

2. Copy of applicant’s passport

3. Confirmation letter from the Department of Religious Affairs or the National Office of

Buddhism

4. Letter of confirmation and request for a temporary stay issued by the religious organization"

[PhuketFarang]

Thanks... but also OT.

I'm not sure that the non-R is relevant any more! I have talked with four foreigners that are Buddhist monks here in Thailand and three of them say that currently are on non-ED visa. All of them started with non-R but when doing overseas trips during the last coupe of years the embassies have issued them non-ED visas instead when they have applied for non-R.

[ubonjoe]

It is certainly on topic if you want to make your activities legal. You cannot act as a minister unless you are affiliated with an organization.

Immigration calls it being a missionary in their terminology.

[PhuketFarang]

The topic is about religious ceremonies and WORK PERMITS. You posted about VISAs and Missionaries. Off Topic.

It is certainly on topic if you want to make your activities legal. You cannot act as a minister unless you are affiliated with an organization.

Immigration calls it being a missionary in their terminology.

Edited November 17, 2015 by PhuketFarang

[ubonjoe]

You cannot get a work permit without the proper visa and or extension of stay. As I wrote if you get the proper visa you do not need a work permit.

[PhuketFarang]

No, you said "There is no mention of a work permit in it" in your post about VISAs which didn't have anything to do with work permits. So now you're saying no work permit is required? Do you know anyplace that shows this?

You cannot get a work permit without the proper visa and or extension of stay. As I wrote if you get the proper visa you do not need a work permit.

[ubonjoe]

Read the info I posted from Police Order 327/2557 basis for extension of stay and Immigration Bureau Order 138/2557 documents for extension of stay.

​If a work permit was required it would be listed in the requirements.

For a non immigrant R visa from an embassy or consulate a work permit is not required. See: http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/4908/15398-Issuance-of-Visa.html

" Official Note certifying the purpose of travel from the Government Agencies /Embassies and Consulates / International Organizations / State Enterprises inThailand. ("F" / "B" / "ED" / "M" / "R") .

[PhuketFarang]

Again, you are talking off topic with the requirements for a VISA. There are no VISAs that require a work permit. I can post a list of requirements for any VISA and nothing about a WP shows up so with your logic, we don't need a WP to do any work in Thailand.

Read the info I posted from Police Order 327/2557 basis for extension of stay and Immigration Bureau Order 138/2557 documents for extension of stay.

​If a work permit was required it would be listed in the requirements.

For a non immigrant R visa from an embassy or consulate a work permit is not required. See: http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/4908/15398-Issuance-of-Visa.html

" Official Note certifying the purpose of travel from the Government Agencies /Embassies and Consulates / International Organizations / State Enterprises inThailand. ("F" / "B" / "ED" / "M" / "R") .

[Maestro]

I've googled around and found about Religious ® VISAs but am looking for information about what is required for a Farang minister to conduct a religious ceremony such as a wedding?...Do they have to be incorporated to get a work permit?...

This is the law governing work permits:

Alien Working Act B.E. 2551 (2008)

[ubonjoe]

From the same page I posted a link to.

" Letter of approval from the Ministry of Labour (To obtain this letter, the prospective employer in Thailand is required to submit Form WP3 at the Office of Foreign Workers Administration, Department of Employment, Ministry of Labour Tel 02-2452745, 02-2453209 or at a Provincial Employment Office in the respective province. Further information is available at www.doe.go.th/workpermit/index.html) ("B")

Or this one: http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/4908/15388-Non-Immigrant-Visa-%22B%22-(for-Business-and.html

Also clause 2.1 and others of the police order I posted a link to download of it.

[PhuketFarang]

I've googled around and found about Religious ® VISAs but am looking for information about what is required for a Farang minister to conduct a religious ceremony such as a wedding?...Do they have to be incorporated to get a work permit?...

This is the law governing work permits:

Alien Working Act B.E. 2551 (2008)

Damn... is there an English version? Thanks.

Edited November 17, 2015 by ubonjoe
moved reply from quoted text

[ubonjoe]

Alien Working Act B.E. 2551 (2008) English translation

[Maestro]

A legal opinion published on this website includes the following text:

In Thailand, a work permit is issued to an individual with the support of a company for a specific position and job role within that company. A work permit does not allow a foreigner to work outside of that company designation.

In practice this means that, if you found a job before you actually move to Thailand, the Thai company should arrange for your application for a Non-immigrant B visa.You can enter Thailand with this Non-immigrant B visa and within that period you should apply/collect your work permit for which, again, multiple company documents should be provided. Having received your work permit (valid for the same amount of time as your visa), you can apply for an extension of your visa (from 90 days to one year). From that point on, if you are a resident in Thailand, both your visa and work permit can be extended every year (and before the year elapses).

I don't know if the above answers your question "Do they have to be incorporated to get a work permit?" If it does not, you may want to consult a lawyer. I see that the web page to which I have given a link above has, at the bottom of the page, an invitation to get a free consultation. Also, the embassy of the country of which you are a national may have a list of recommended law firms on its website.

[Kasset Tak]

If you perform a wedding, funeral ore anything else as a minister then you are basically working and would therefor need a work permit to do it legally!

If you will come here for a week and perform a (ONE) wedding then I don't see the need to start looking for WP but if you will stay here for a long time and perform religious services regularly then you will need to get a WP.

I have no clues what the rules are for work permits regarding ministers and priests, so the best you can do is to contact the closest Thai embassy or a legal firm and ask how to do it as you are clearly not listening to what anyone else here are telling you.

[PhuketFarang]

Looks like you're right with going to a lawyer with this for a definitive answer. As with many other topics here, the responses are either off topic or opposing answers with very few useful responses. Or like your case, the person posting is clearly wrong as in your statement "If you will come here for a week and perform a (ONE) wedding then I don't see the need to start looking for WP" which is completely wrong. Doesn't matter if something is done once or 100,000 times, if a WP is required, it's required and you can get into the same amount of trouble. That's like telling someone you can't get pregnant if you only have sex once. LOL!

If you perform a wedding, funeral ore anything else as a minister then you are basically working and would therefor need a work permit to do it legally!

If you will come here for a week and perform a (ONE) wedding then I don't see the need to start looking for WP but if you will stay here for a long time and perform religious services regularly then you will need to get a WP.

I have no clues what the rules are for work permits regarding ministers and priests, so the best you can do is to contact the closest Thai embassy or a legal firm and ask how to do it as you are clearly not listening to what anyone else here are telling you.