Hi, I'm moving to Bangkok in August to teach at an international school. I'm currently working in Shanghai, but a UK passport holder. I need to enter the country on a non-imigrant B visa in early August. I can apply for my visa in Shanghai, but when we leave Shanghai at the beginning of July we are flying back to the UK via Bangkok (where we have a two day layover). If I have my new B visa in my passport when we enter Bangkok for two days I assume they will start the 90 day countdown. As I can enter Thailand without a visa can I ask them not to start the 90 days? Is this possible. 

 

I know I could wait to apply for my visa when I'm back in the UK, but this causes other issues with CRB checks, so works rather do it in Thailand.

 

Any ideas?

Immigration will insist on using your visa for entry if they see it. You could try leaving the space for a visa number on the arrival card and hope he does not notice your visa.

You could get a single re-entry permit (1000 baht) to the keep the remainder of the 90 day entry from the visa valid when your return after your trip. You can get a re-entry permit at either airport in Bangkok on departure from the country.

Have you checked to see if you can actually get the non-b visa in Shanghai. They require you to be a legal resident in China to apply for any visa.

Immigration officers have the power to do what you want, but it will come down the individual you get on the day. I suggest you have details of your flight/back from the UK with you as it might help you argue your case if necessary.

 

A CRB check isn't required to apply for a Non 'B' in the UK.

26 minutes ago, elviajero said:

A CRB check isn't required to apply for a Non 'B' in the UK.

Not according the London embassy website. He will applying as a teacher. See: http://new.thaiembassyuk.org.uk/en/types-of-visa#section7

 

Quote

• A photo coy of certification of bachelor's degree or equivalent a photo copy of a Criminal record clearance certificate in the United Kingdom or Ireland (issued by the national police department not older than 6 months)

 

24 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Not according the London embassy website. He will applying as a teacher. See: http://new.thaiembassyuk.org.uk/en/types-of-visa#section7

Thanks. I missed the teacher part of their shiny new website.

55 minutes ago, elviajero said:

Immigration officers have the power to do what you want, but it will come down the individual you get on the day. I suggest you have details of your flight/back from the UK with you as it might help you argue your case if necessary.

 

A CRB check isn't required to apply for a Non 'B' in the UK.

 

Thanks for your replies so far! I have a residence permit in Shanghai and have been here for the last 18 months, but will double check the requirements.

 

I'm quite risk averse, so would be quite stressed about the visa situation if I got it here in Shanghai.

 

Does anyone know whether the Thai Embassy in the UK would need a full DBS check, or would the 'basic disclosure' of criminal records do? You can request a basic disclosure through disclosure Scotland, but you can't request your own DBS check.

2 minutes ago, martchadd said:

I'm quite risk averse, so would be quite stressed about the visa situation if I got it here in Shanghai.

 

You could get the re-entry permit I mentioned before. You would only loose the 2 days here and the time spent in the UK from the 90 day entry if  you got one.

11 minutes ago, martchadd said:

Does anyone know whether the Thai Embassy in the UK would need a full DBS check, or would the 'basic disclosure' of criminal records do? You can request a basic disclosure through disclosure Scotland, but you can't request your own DBS check.

I don't know, but I do know the full DBS checks take weeks. A friend applied towards the end of last year and it took 5 weeks. They have up to 8 weeks to process each case.

52 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You could get the re-entry permit I mentioned before. You would only loose the 2 days here and the time spent in the UK from the 90 day entry if  you got one.

This is a definite possibility. I could try asking for them not to use the visa and if they insist I could then sort the re-entry permit. I'll read up on that option, so thank you!

45 minutes ago, elviajero said:

I don't know, but I do know the full DBS checks take weeks. A friend applied towards the end of last year and it took 5 weeks. They have up to 8 weeks to process each case.

Thank you, it does take ages. I could technically start the process from here in Shanghai as I still have an address in the UK. But the time it takes is certainly something to take into account!

6 minutes ago, martchadd said:

This is a definite possibility. I could try asking for them not to use the visa and if they insist I could then sort the re-entry permit. I'll read up on that option, so thank you!

 

Too late to get a re-entry permit by the time they insist on using the visa.

19 minutes ago, muzmurray said:

 

Too late to get a re-entry permit by the time they insist on using the visa.

Not correct. The re-entry permit cannot be issued until the entry from the visa is done.

The re-entry permit is for the 90 day entry not the visa.

As I wrote before he can get one on departure from the country at the airports in Bangkok.

10 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Not correct. The re-entry permit cannot be issued until the entry from the visa is done.

The re-entry permit is for the 90 day entry not the visa.

As I wrote before he can get one on departure from the country at the airports in Bangkok.

 

Yep, as soon as I was notified that you had quoted me, I realised what a chunk of crap I had written :-)

6 hours ago, martchadd said:

This is a definite possibility. I could try asking for them not to use the visa and if they insist I could then sort the re-entry permit. I'll read up on that option, so thank you!

I think you are better off leaving the visa number space on the card blank and just hoping they miss it.

I asked once and they told me "no" and I had to use my visa for a two day visit to Thailand before I flew out.

You know how they staple those arrival/departure forms into your passport (they do the same entering Laos). Well one time, they also stapled an extra page together, i.e. 2 pages of my passport and the form. The next immigration guys either didn't notice or weren't interested to see what might be hidden on the 2 pages stapled together. So I'm just wondering - could you get say a similar form from China and staple it in your passport to hide the page with the Thai visa? I think it helps if your passport already contains lots of visas and stamps. Kind of like camouflage!