Which Visa Strategy Is Best?

[ajarnbangkapi]

Hi;

I have an expired visa coming up that I need to fix. Details are as follows:

1) Currently hold a nonimm-b that I got in Vientiene at the request of my new employer in anticipation of getting a work permit. It expires Nov. 24

2) Lost job, so no work permit and no income(no teachers license, my former school (Sbac) won't release it without extortion payment or 150,000 baht, MOE doesn't care and won't reissue without old one).

3) Made one 30 tourist visa on demand at Cambodia in July at request of new Employer (Lertlah).

4) Need to stay until maybe Feburary or March, I have submitted paperwork for a fiancee visa and it will take that long until we can get her visa go home. I need to be here for the interview.

5) My thai marriage was not registered, and doing so will complicate her visa to the USA.

6) Low funds

So, with no employer and no income no non immigrant visa is possible from my understanding.

I am thinking that a trip to the Penang consulate on airasia (cheap!) may be in order for a 60 day of if possible 90 day tourist visa until January or so, then 1 or 2 border runs for 2000 baht each. Or possibly, a border run first then the visa run to Penang. Long bus trips are painful with my VERY long legs.

Any advise?

[PREM-R]

If your visa is valid until 24th November I would suggest you head for Penang just before it expires and try for a single entry (TR) tourist visa. As you do not have 'previous' with tourist visa or "entry without visa" stamps then you should not havea problem obtaining it. This would take you to the end of January and then if you wish you could extend for 30 days more (1900 baht) at immigration. You then would still have the 'insurance' that, if needed, you could make up to 3 thirty day "entry without visa runs" before you have to leave Thailand.

[Lite Beer]

I would be enclined to agree with the Ram. Seems to add up ok.

ps Prem not sure if your signature is R Waters or D Gylmour. Sorry to deviate.

[desmond]

I indeed symphatize with your situation and wonder why your school did such a thing. Agree with PREM-R , think this is the best solution for you for the moment

[PREM-R]

.

ps Prem not sure if your signature is R Waters or D Gylmour. Sorry to deviate.

Hi Lite Beer,

I got the info for the signature from the CD cover which credits all lyrics: Roger Waters. I dare say that it was perhaps a co-operative endevour and that the others did infact contribute to the "Dark Side of The Moon" lyrics.

Cheers

[bob4you]

I have Non O retirement visa (1 yr multiple) left to US in March returned April 1st and was stamped for 1 year Non O-A til March. Next trip was Sept 14 to Oct 9 and again got stamped 1 year til Oct 8th 2007. My retirement visa expired Oct 14 but I believe I am good until Oct. 2007

[lopburi3]

You are good until Oct 2007 providing you obtain a re-entry permit prior to any travel outside of Thailand to keep your permitted to stay stamp alive.

[ajarnbangkapi]

Hi;

I did make one "entry with out visa" run in July at the request of my new employer, That was necessitated by my old school. They cancelled my work permit (after they said they wouldn't) AND cancelled my visa backdated to before I actually quit, resulting in a shock overstay and fine that I had to pay for. Long story, but my old employer's President told she wanted me to stay and I didn't, I served my notice and left.

So, I paid for a 1 week extension, paid the overstay fine, and went to Cambodia on the bus to start the visa/work permit/teachers license process over from scratch (didn't work, MOE still demanded the old teachers license). Horror story here regarding some schools, I know of two that are doing the extortion scam on teachers that leave, but the MOE is tacitly supporting the extortion. A BIG reason I am leaving Thailand.

DANGER for teachers that change schools!!

Thanks for the advice on the visas. For the 60 day tourist visa, what do I need paperwork wise? Is there a 90 day visa, or does the 60 day automatically allow a renewal?

Also, would PP Cambodia be the same, worse, or better to go get the tourist visa? never did this before, always had legal work permits .

Thanks;

Ron

[Lite Beer]

No paperwork needed. Just head for Penang Royal Thai Consulate in the morning. Fill the form in ,hand over your passport, pay the fee, I forget how much. Your Visa will be ready next day in the afternoon. Once in Thailand when your 60 days are almost up you can go to any immigration office and extend it for a further 30 days for a fee of 1,900 Baht. Easy No problem.

Dont worry.

[Beavis and Butthead]

I would be enclined to agree with the Ram. Seems to add up ok.

ps Prem not sure if your signature is R Waters or D Gylmour. Sorry to deviate.

Waters wrote it and Gilmour sang it. Song is Breathe

[Lite Beer]

I would be enclined to agree with the Ram. Seems to add up ok.

ps Prem not sure if your signature is R Waters or D Gylmour. Sorry to deviate.

Waters wrote it and Gilmour sang it. Song is Breathe

You are correct. I just cannot believe Waters wrote every song on that album.

Back to the topic, I believe the OP will be ok.

[Ijustwannateach]

Technically speaking, the school is required to comply and give over the paperwork- but there are no enforcement clauses, either (TiT).

If you want to resolve this more quickly, I'd suggest hiring a savvy lawyer just to write a letter or two informing the school of their obligations. Probably won't go any further than that and the school will suddenly become much more cooperative.

Good luck. Let us know how the visa runs work out- I hear they're becoming more difficult.

"Steven"

[PREM-R]

Waters wrote it and Gilmour sang it. Song is Breathe

The song is TIME

[ajarnbangkapi]

Hi Steven;

Yes, the consensus seems to be, yeah it's illegal but so what? The school (Sbac) has "senyai", they offer free tuition to kids of senior police. I have met teachers from Sarasas that have the same problem, this seems to be a relatively new problem that is created because the MOE refuses to hear appeals now, if no license then tough. Therefore, no work permit, etc.

The President has quite a reputation, especially among the Thai staff. Last spring, before Songkran break, so many were looking fior new jobs that she called a mandatory meeting, and posted guards at the doors so they couldn't leave. She demanded that they sign new contracts for the year with a penalty clause, or they were fired that day with no pay for the month. They signed, all of them, but were very grumpy coming into the new school year.

This is NOT unusual in Thailand!

Ron

Technically speaking, the school is required to comply and give over the paperwork- but there are no enforcement clauses, either (TiT).

If you want to resolve this more quickly, I'd suggest hiring a savvy lawyer just to write a letter or two informing the school of their obligations. Probably won't go any further than that and the school will suddenly become much more cooperative.

Good luck. Let us know how the visa runs work out- I hear they're becoming more difficult.

"Steven"

[Lite Beer]

Waters wrote it and Gilmour sang it. Song is Breathe

The song is TIME

Time it is.

A shame your choice of football team does not match your exellent taste in music.

[PREM-R]

A shame your choice of football team does not match your exellent taste in music.

I don't think you can "choose" your team, I come from Derbyshire, I support DCFC. No choice involved.

Edited October 26, 2006 by PREM-R