Non Imm B Issues

[aliceband]

Hello to the forum! I'm on holiday in Thailand at the moment. I have been offered a job in a language school but I'm going home in January. I want to come back in February to start work. Am I right in thinking that if the school gives me a letter of employment I can get a non imm B multiple entry from home (UK). If so what would happen shoud I get the non imm B but ultimatelt not take up employment or find other employment when I come back?

[Loaded]

Hello to the forum! I'm on holiday in Thailand at the moment. I have been offered a job in a language school but I'm going home in January. I want to come back in February to start work. Am I right in thinking that if the school gives me a letter of employment I can get a non imm B multiple entry from home (UK). If so what would happen shoud I get the non imm B but ultimatelt not take up employment or find other employment when I come back?

You are correct and if your school provides you with the correct documents you shouldn't have a problem obtaining a multi-entry non-immB (it's possible to squeeze 15 months from one) from your home country.

You'll need a non-immB before you can obtain a work permit from your employer. However, you said you work for a language school so it's unlikely they will obtain a wp for you. Nothing unusual in that and you'll just be joining the thousands of teachers who currently work here without a wp.

A non-immB is good and you should try to obtain one.

[Ijustwannateach]

OP should be aware that there is serious inconvenience in working without a WP here, not to mention that you will be illegal. Recent visa restrictions have made it hard to do the "visa runs" for purposes of continued illegal employment, and they were never fun, easy, or inexpensive anyway. Furthermore, there seems to be increasing pressure on schools and foreigners to get legal- including raids, inspections, fines, and other forms of police scrutiny.

I have no doubts that foreigners will continue to work illegally here, but it is getting harder and many are either leaving or planning to leave- basically the "last straw" effect. The police may back off of these regulations after the "season" has finished, but it's not a picnic out there right now for working illegally as a teacher.

"Steven"

[PeaceBlondie]

If she takes Loaded's excellent advice and gets a one-year non-immigrant B (like I did, 2 or 3 times), and works without a work permit (as i did), she's letting the system take advantage of her. She only has to make visa runs every 89 days, and if she's lucky enough to get well known with other more experienced teachers, she might even luck into a school that actually obeys the laws of Thailand. But how does a newcomer get to make connections and become well known, if they're stuck out in the boondocks, or work for some school that only hires illegal workers?

[Jonson83]

I'm hoping to get my Non-Im B visa in the next couple of weeks,when the correct documents finnally arrive from thailand.

Is it a real advantage to have one of these(getting/keeping job etc) or as loaded said will it still be hard to get a WP?

[Ijustwannateach]

There are at least two theoretical advantages to having a Non-Immigrant "B" visa as a candidate for a theoretical teaching job:

a. You will in fact have the proper visa for the application to receive teacher's license, work permit, etc., etc., assuming your school has any intention of going through this process.

b. You will, in theory, be subject to fewer and less severe penalties in the very unlikely case that your WP-less status attracts any legal attention from the authorities.

"Steven"

[Jonson83]

I see,thank you.

[Munted]

What documentation is required for a non B? The reason I ask is that I have a signed contract between myself and the agency I am working for. Would this be sufficient to gain a non-B?

[jasreeve17]

Munted - if you've signed a contract already you have 15 days to get your non-B or your will have problems obtaining a non-B, which you need to get a work permit. So be quick - you can do the non-B in Bangkok if you're here now.

You should have a letter offering you a job to get a non-B (you should not have started work already - this doesn't really happen and can be a problem).

This might be a new law or one that hasn't previously been applied much - but it is being applied now.

Others - get a non-B in the UK and get a job that will support your work permit process (non-B needed) or you'll have problems / inconvienience with visas at the least, due to the new 30 day tourist stamp laws. But generally everything is tightening up so it's much better to be legal - if you are not I'd suggest another country might be less problematic nowadays.

Good luck. Working legally here is not so tough once you've got the non-B in place.

Jason

[Ijustwannateach]

^Well, I wouldn't go that far- it was pretty tough for me to find a school that truly, truly intended and was able to go through the whole paperwork process in a time frame I could live with. However, those were the days before the crackdown and soon schools may have no choice (which may simply mean that many schools close).

[Munted]

When you say a letter of employment - this is in addition to the contract? And does a Thai transciption of the contract need to be provided?

[PeaceBlondie]

Munted, you say that you already have a signed contract between you and the agency. That's even better than a letter that only indicates intent to employ. I wouldn't bother getting it translated; just see if the English contract is good enough. If you're in Bangkok, try Suan Phlu headquarters; they may advise you to go abroad to a Thai embassy (and that's another sticky wicket), or to an honorary consulate in your home country (where the folks are less pedantic but it's an expensive flight).

When I got all my non-immi. B visas abroad, I always provided the letter of intent to employ; passport; and...can't think of much else, except yellow fever certificate since I'd been to one of those nasty countries. And the cash, of course.

[Munted]

Thanks PB,

Another thing. I've heard through a usually very reliable source that non-B's were or are difficult to obtain through the Wellington (NZ) Embassy. Can anyone confirm this?

Edited December 23, 2006 by Munted

[Bruce1]

Definitely get a non-B BEFORE you enter Thailand, it makes life so much simpler afterwards dealing with other hassles. Need a contract with the employer, passport, disease -free check (AIDS, elephantitis etc) and some money. Only took us 15 mins in Brisbane. Once here, it can be extended with new contracts.