Non Imm B (business) visa requirements

[Kate33]

Hi I'm hoping someone can help. Im very confused. I currently have a non Imm B visa (teacher) and will be changing it to a non Imm B visa (business). I'm British and I live in Chiang Mai. My question is where can I get this changed over without having my degree stamped by the British embassy (to save time). I have been told 'with a stamped degree' I can go to the Thai embassy in Bangkok but without the British stamp of approval I must go to Vientiane or Kuala Lumpur. Is this information correct. I don't want to go all the way to Kuala Lumpur to be told I need to go to the British embassy anyhow.... Because then I might aswell do it all in Bangkok.

Thanks so much for any help.

Kate.

[ubonjoe]

There are no Thai embassies within the country. There are only immigration offices.

There is no difference between a non-b visas. They are only issued for different reasons.

The legalization of your degree by the UK embassy is a one time requirement. Once it is done it good for infinity.

I suspect you have an extension of stay based upon teaching issued at an immigration office and want to change the reason to working.

You can change the reason for your extension but you will need your new employer to apply for a work permit and obtain a application approval letter.

Then with a termination letter from your current employer you would cancel your current extension and apply for a new one based upon working with the work permit application approval letter and the required documents from you new employer.

Then you would cancel your current work permit and have the new one issued.

[Kate33]

Thanks ubonjoe that makes sense. I have all the other documents in place from old and new employer. So I need to go to Kuala Lumpur to the British Embassy and get my degree stamped and then go to the Thai embassy and change the reason for working?

[ubonjoe]

16 minutes ago, Kate33 said:

Thanks ubonjoe that makes sense. I have all the other documents in place from old and new employer. So I need to go to Kuala Lumpur to the British Embassy and get my degree stamped and then go to the Thai embassy and change the reason for working?

There is no need to have your degree stamped more than once.

For working their is no requirement for your degree to apply for an extension of stay.

I assume you cannot meet the requirements to change the reason for your extension at immigration in Chiang Mai.. If you can do that you would not need to leave the country to get a new non-b visa.

I don't normally recommend going to the embassy in Kuala Lumpur for any visa.

[Kate33]

My visa and work permit expire July 8th so I will be renewing my visa. Perhaps this is why I have been told I need to leave the country because it co-insides with a new place of work? I'm not sure my degree ever was stamped. How do I know. I can't see anything on it other than a simple blue stamp saying 'certified copy' nothing else from the british consulate.