Non Immigrant B Visa

[Alafan]

I have a non imigrant B visa and currently work in Bangkok as a yoga instructor.

In 6 weeks i will have a one year working visa, once i have this am i able to work as a freelance instructor or do i have to remain with my current employer?

I am getting offers to run a yoga retreat that is owned by an overseas company, not set up in Thailand.

Thanks........

[Axel]

The non-imm B does not allow you to work, neither would any other visa.

What you need in addition is a work permit and that is defenitely limited to your employer resp. place of work.

[chatette]

NI-B is completely tied to your work permit, which is completely tied to your job. End your job, your work permit and your visa end and you have to leave the country within a certain period of time, which is NOT when your visa ends: it's within a period of time from when your JOB ends. You can add an employer on a work permit if it is exactly the same type of job. That will enable you to retain continuity of visa, useful if you plan to apply for permanent residency. You should ideally do this in the middle of the year, or at any time that doesn't correspond with renewal of visa and work permit. Then, when it's time to renew visa and work permit again you can do so with the documentation from your latest job and tell them you're no longer engaged in the earlier. (I did this for a more than a decade.) But the employer will have to meet the work permit criteria for the addition to be acceptable. I did all of this myself, apart from one year when I paid an agent who completely screwed things up. But these days there are much more professional agents around and I'd suggest you consult one that deals in NI-Bs.

[Alafan]

Thanks for the information, i will sought it all out.

[jdinasia]

AFAIK ..... Your extension permission to stay will be tied to your non-imm B; However, if you have a multi-entry non-imm-B that will not be voided by leaving employment and surrendering the work-permit.

So if you eneter on a 3mos non-imm B .. and get your permission to stay extended for a year and quit or get fired you will be given 7 days. If, however you have a multi-entry then you will be required to exit/re-enter the country in accordance with your last 90 day report.

[lopburi3]

jd is correct. You do not lose your visa - only an extension of stay based on the work permit. So if you have to do 90 day visa runs you are not on an extension of stay so the job loss would not require you to immediately leave the country.

[Alafan]

So it does not look good for me to work as a freelance instructor for a foreign company sending tourists to Thailand.

This company will be renting villas from a Thai company and most of the workers are Thai except me.

1. How can we do this legally?

2. Do they or me have to set up a Foreign Business ?

3. With the new nominee restrictions, is there an "easy" way of starting a foreign business in LOS?

4. Are there any reliable agents that can make things easier and posibly supply credible nominee's?

Thanks

[John K]

It totally depends on how your work permit is worded. My work permit allows me to work in many places. If your employer got you the work permit then they may ask for it back if you move on. My work permit is mine because it is my own business. I also think that it will be impossible to renew your work permit if it is your employer’s as renewals require documents from your employer.

[Alafan]

Can Sunbelt Asia answer any of my last questions please?

[Sunbelt Asia]

So it does not look good for me to work as a freelance instructor for a foreign company sending tourists to Thailand.

This company will be renting villas from a Thai company and most of the workers are Thai except me.

1. How can we do this legally?

2. Do they or me have to set up a Foreign Business ?

3. With the new nominee restrictions, is there an "easy" way of starting a foreign business in LOS?

4. Are there any reliable agents that can make things easier and posibly supply credible nominee's?

Thanks

Is this an American company? They then can apply under the Amity treaty and own the business 100%.

Otherwise they need to find a Thai partner or obtain a Foreign Business License.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

[expatpuchai]

AFAIK ..... Your extension permission to stay will be tied to your non-imm B; However, if you have a multi-entry non-imm-B that will not be voided by leaving employment and surrendering the work-permit.

I'm confused. You wrote:

So if you eneter on a 3mos non-imm B .. and get your permission to stay extended for a year and quit or get fired you will be given 7 days. If, however you have a multi-entry then you will be required to exit/re-enter the country in accordance with your last 90 day report.

I applied and recieved a 3 month Non-IM B visa in Singapore. I will be applying for a work permit with all the required documents from the employer and myself. Am I still eligible for a 1 year work permit or do I have to leave in 7 days??

[Sunbelt Asia]

I applied and recieved a 3 month Non-IM B visa in Singapore. I will be applying for a work permit with all the required documents from the employer and myself. Am I still eligible for a 1 year work permit or do I have to leave in 7 days??

The 7 days comes into play only if you apply for the extension of stay based on business( obtained at Immigration inside Thailand) and leave that job.

If you had a one year multi entry visa or even a 90 day visa (obtained outside Thailand) you do not need to leave in 7 days if you leave the job.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

[Alafan]

tHANKS Sunbelt, looks like the only way is to start a foreign business, but it seems much more difficult to do these days with the crackdown on nominee's.

Australian company.

[Alafan]

we wanted to test the ground first, but looks like the only way is to go in all or nothing in Thailand ! ?