Tourist To A Non B

[famerrr]

I've recently found employment in Thailand as a teacher. I have a 60 day Single Tourist Visa that expires at the end of this month.

I've read some mixed posts on whether its possible to change from a Tourist Visa to a Non B without leaving the country..

Is it possible to change the visa at an immigration office here in Thailand? or do I have to leave the country?

thanks

[Mid]

enjoy your trip ...............

[lopburi3]

DOCUMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED IN SUPPORT OF THE APPLICATION FOR VISA STATUS ALTERATION. (NON-

Application for Visa Status Alteration. (TM.86)

Copy of passport entries.

4 X 6 cm. Photograph.

Application fee of 2,000 baht.

To be a teacher in a government school or university.

A letter from the rector of university, requesting visa status alteration.

A letter from the department concerned under the Ministry of Education or in the case of lower academic levels, a letter from the governor, requesting for visa or visa status alteration.

A letter of employment and a copy of employment contract.

Diploma and Resume of the applicant.

To be a teacher in a private school or university.

A letter from the rector of university, requesting for visa or visa status alteration.

A letter from the department concerned under the Ministry of Education or in the case of lower academic levels, a letter from the governor, requesting visa or visa status alteration.

A letter of employment and a copy of employment contract.

Diploma and Resume of the applicant.

A certified copy of the registration papers of the educational institution.

A certifed copy of the license of the school or university administrator.

Remarks

The Applicant must sign every page of application.

Document of the university or private school must be certified by the proper authority.

The visa applicant must arrange the documents in proper order and must prepare the originals as proof.

Call 02-2873101-10 ext.2237 for details.

[otherstuff1957]

Two things:

1. You could, in the past, change a tourist Visa into a type B, provided you had a certain number a days (I think 21) left on you visa AND YOUR EMPLOYER KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE DOING!

I don't know if this is still possible and the second half of #1 is unlikely, as your employer would have stated this for you already if they knew what they were doing.... SO:

2. You can trot on down to Immigration at Soi Suan Plu and extend your 60 day Visa for another 30 days for 1,900 baht. Meanwhile, start hounding your employer for the paperwork you will need to get a non-immigrant B visa. This paperwork now includes an application for a workpermit! As you are a teacher, you will probably need to apply for a Teacher's License before you can apply for a Work Permit!

Confused? You're not alone!

Quick summary:

Apply for Teacher's License:

Contract

Degree

Transcript

CV

??? Maybe other stuff now..

Apply for a Work Permit:

Receipt for TL application

Contract

CV

Etc.. Etc..

Take the reciept for the WP application to Soi Suan Plu (or Malaysia if you don't have time or they have changed the proceedures) and apply for a Type B Visa:

Receipt for WP application

Degree

Transcript

CV

Company Paperwork

Contract

Other stuff???

THEN, once you have your Type B (good for 90 days) go back to the Labor Office, show them your Teacher's License (hopefully issued by now), your Type B Visa, and all of your other paperwork and they will give you a Work Permit good until your Visa expires. Take the WP and all of your paparwork back to Immigration and they will extend your Type B Visa - hopefully for an additional 9 months, but possibly for one month with an 'under condsideration' stamp. Take you visa back to Labor & they will extend your WP to match your Visa! If you have been given the 'under condsideration' stamp, keep repeating the 30 day extensions until they decide to give you the rest of the year.

I don't remember for sure, but you might have to extend your Teaching License as well.

You might want to make sure that you like your current employer, BECAUSE you will lose everything - Visa, TL and WP - if you quit and will have to start from scratch again.

Edited December 2, 2006 by otherstuff1957