Change of status

[Marc Roth]

Hi all, I'm new to the forum, but I've been living/working here in Thailand for 6 years.

Up till now I am working for an international property company that sorts all my permits and visas for me.

I am looking to move up country where my Thai wife will start a business and I plan to supliment with teaching English.

So...my question is...

What visa can I reside with, and can I get a work permit to work part-time at multiple schools in the area? Preferably without the need to do international visa runs on a regular basis.

 

[wayned]

Your best option is to apply for an extension of stay based on marriage, that is if you are "legally" married.  You don't say what current documents you have but since you have been living and working here for 6 years you are most likely on an extension of stay tied into your job.  The day that your employment ends, your extension of stay ends.  So at that time ,IMHO, you should apply for a 60 day extension to "visit your Thai Family".  That will give you time to get things sorted out.  Near the end of that extension, you should then apply for a 1 year extension based on marriage.  You will have to have either a letter from your Embassy showing that you make at least 40k baht/month, or a letter from your bank showing that you have 400k in your Thai bank account for at least 2 months.  The account must be in your name only.  Other requirements will depend on the immigration o9ffice that you use to apply for the extension.  With this extension you will have to do 90 day address reports but not leave the country and you can get a work permit with it at most, if not all, immigration offices.

 

As far as getting a work permit to legally work part time at many schools in your area that could be a problem.  You would have to get a school to sponsor your initial work permit submitting all of the necessary paperwork .  Once the work permit is issued, other schools can be added but you would have to have written permission from the sponsoring school to add them and each school would have to submit the entire package of paperwork to the employment offices.  Many small schools contract agencies to provide teachers as they don't have the staff or knowledge to hire direct.  Many take the risk and do part time work at schools without the proper documentation, and some agencies promise everything but never get the proper paperwork.

 

Good luck!

[wayned]

32 minutes ago, wayned said:

 immigration  labor offices.