Police Check Requirements

[migs]

Hi, Can anybody please tell me, do I need a Criminal record check to get a non imm B visa at Penang? My school tells me I don't, but I'm not convinced and don't want a wasted trip.

Cheers...

[Ijustwannateach]

I don't know; sorry. Does anyone else know? You'll probably get different answers from the Ministries depending on whom you ask.

[mopenyang]

I don't know; sorry. Does anyone else know? You'll probably get different answers from the Ministries depending on whom you ask.

It has been "reported" and repeated more than once on at least one other board that Penang would start enforcing the Criminal Record check May 1st. I haven't heard anything since May 1st to indicate this is actually happening.

It's possible the OP of this thread may be able to help if contacted by PM:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=119165

Edited May 4, 2007 by mopenyang

[mopenyang]

While not specific to Penang, posting #11 in the thread below speaks to very recent enforcement of the Police Clearance requirement:

http://ajarnforum.net/vb/showthread.php?t=20112

Edited May 4, 2007 by mopenyang

[PeaceBlondie]

While not specific to Penang, posting #11 in the thread below speaks to very recent enforcement of the Police Clearance requirement:

http://ajarnforum.net/vb/showthread.php?t=20112

That post isn't clear yet. He says the Hua Hin office (which I used for 11 months) didn't require a police clearance in April. Now, he says that they say that the MOE says that somebody said you need a police clearance. I found the staff in Hua Hin to be pretty good and helpful, considering that they have an impossible job. But I've always been easily confused by who wanted the clearance: the MoE, the MoL, some agency of the MFA, the Immigration Police, or the Somtam Inspection Agency. And I'm not sure that whoever wanted it, still wants it, or will want it now that we're in May. Also, that they will know what to do with an Irish, South African, Quebecois, Slovenian, or KSR version of a clearance letter if they get one.

mopenyang, I doff my green Peter Pan hat to you for having more diligence than I have, to unravel the unravellable rabble.

[Loaded]

As I understand it.

To apply for a non-imm B abroad for teaching in Thailand you need a check from your home country police. However, I know everyone's favourite consulate in the UK doesn't require despite a notice on their website. You can call and confirm if you wish.

Schools are supposed to register their teachers with their local MoE office when they first employ them. The information they need to give is passport details, evidence of non-imm B and evidence of a degree. The MoE pass on the passport info to the Thai FBI who do the check independent of the teacher or school. Some schools have asked their teachers for this check, but I believe this is because they have confused new instructions from the MoE. This is what the MoE told my mate John from SEE when he interviewed the MoE in Chiang Mai. You can find the interview on ajarn dot com.

Edited May 5, 2007 by Loaded

[PeaceBlondie]

Thanks, Loaded, for that clarification. I didn't notice that in the interview with John from SEE. So, the MoE and the MFA consulates don't need a police clearance because the good folks down at the MoE pass the simple passport info to the Thai version of the FBI, who do their own search? Yet, the confused officials seem to be agencies of the MFA.

I guess I can tell my Slovenian mate down at the pool that he needn't get a police clearance in Ljubljana, after all.

[migs]

I've just been told by a visa agent in Penang that I need a criminal record check from Bangkok police. How would that work, they don't know me! Anyone heard of this before? Can I get this from any Bangkok police station?

Confused......

[dkstoney]

One of the reasons for these new laws is to get the checking done IN YOUR HOME COUNTRY where it is easier and more convenient for the consulate to verify your records. It just can't be done from Thailand because no one is willing to spend the time or the money. For example, a friend of mine turned down a job at a rajabhat because they though they required him to send a fax to his university to release copies of his transcripts or some such matter the rajabhat would not send the fax. Instead he was told to go into town and find a place to fax it himself because the rajabhat couldn't afford to fax. No one offered to help him with a ride into town, call a tuk tuk, nothing.

This new policy stops the unqualified before they ever get here. I read somewhere before that the consulates such as in Penang and Vientian are no longer going to be issuing non-immigrant B to applicants who are not from those countries and that the applicant must apply while in his/her home country.

Here is the list of things that must be accopmplished for you to receive a visa from the consulate in Los Angeles. Judging from the requirements on the Thai side of things, I don't think very many people are going to be coming over to teach in the near future.

For the purpose of employment (Type “B”)

Your actual Passport or Travel Document.

(Passport or Travel Document must not expire within 6 months and contain at least ONE completely empty visa page).

1 copy of Passport or Travel Document

(The page(s) shows your photo , name , date and place or birth and the expiration date of passport)

1 application form |Download|

(completed and signed by the applicant.)

2 photos

(Passport photo, 2” x 2”, color, front-view, taken within 6 months, and write your name and last name on the back of each photo).

The approval letter from the Ministry Labour and Social Welfare.

(The employer of the applicant must first apply for and receive the approval letter for the applicant’s employment through Department of Employment, Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, Mit-Maitree Rd. Dindaeng, BKK 10400 Tel. (662) 617-6578 Fax. (662) 617-6576 in case of up-country the employer apply through the District Office /or the Province Office. Once the approval letter has been granted, the applicant attach this approval with his/her visa application)

An original letter of invitation on company letterhead from the business host in Thailand.

A copy of the host’s Business Registration and Business license which is issued by the Department of Commercial Registration and certified by the Department not less than 3 months

Note: For teaching in Thailand, a background check from your local, state or federal law enforcement agency(s) is required along with the original letter on school letterhead from the accredited school. Please contact the consulate to confirm whether or not Non-Immigrant "B" visas can be issued for teaching at the school which intends to employ you.

A copy of company’s profile of the business host in Thailand.

A copy of list of shareholders from the business host in Thailand.

Balance sheet, Statement of Income Tax and Business Tax (Por Ngor Dor 50 and Por Ngor Dor 30) of the past 2 years.

Employment contract indicating rationale for hiring the applicant as well as his/her salary, position and qualification.

A copy of details of business operation of business host in Thailand.

A copy of work permit issued by the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare (only in case the applicant has previously worked in the Kingdom).

[PeaceBlondie]

The Los Angeles consulate has usually gotten the rotten egg award for being the most difficult consulate in North America, so they're cutting down on their income by making everybody stay away. It's up to them. Look at that requirement for a letter from the MOL - what upcountry school even knows where to send their letter? What Director is going to trouble himself to write the letter to the wrong office? When the correct letter gets to the correct office at the MOL, who knows how to respond, and how long does it take, and then what, etc.?

This makes post #131 in four months, on a subject which appears as murky as it was in January. Maybe I'm as thick as a brick, but I can't see who in the MFA started the rumour that's got all the consulates in a tizzy.

According to a sub-deputy at the local MOE, the Thai FBI takes care of this police check automatically. Automaticamente. Chaimai? But, you can't tell that to the consular official in Los Angeles, Penang, or elsewhere.

Don't come to Thailand to teach legally. You can't do it. 99% chance, you can't teach legally.

[PeaceBlondie]

mbkudu, I'm sorry if my confusion is obvious. One post says that Penang is requiring police clearance checks from Bangkok. The next post says Los Angeles consulate requires police clearance checks from the teacher's home country. Maybe you're saying that the various consulates require clearances that are quite different. Maybe I was just ranting off-topic about what Loaded said about how the guy from SEE quoted the MOE official in Chiang Mai.

Or, do I not understand your last post?

[migs]

Is there anybody out there that has actually obtained an non imm B from a country neighbouring Thailand recently? What was the requirement?

[mbkudu]

mbkudu, I'm sorry if my confusion is obvious. One post says that Penang is requiring police clearance checks from Bangkok. The next post says Los Angeles consulate requires police clearance checks from the teacher's home country. Maybe you're saying that the various consulates require clearances that are quite different. Maybe I was just ranting off-topic about what Loaded said about how the guy from SEE quoted the MOE official in Chiang Mai.

Or, do I not understand your last post?

Uhhh... I'll worry about it all when I have to apply for a job and a work permit. That's not for awhile, so until then I'll let all of you worry about it.

Edited May 7, 2007 by mbkudu

[smily]

Hi

I was enquiring about that topic yesterday at the local garda station and it can be done only if your travelling or for instance teaching in Thailand. You just need to bring ID and a self adressed envelope. The garda i spoke to said it would take about 3 weeks. The certificate is required for any form of teaching in Thailand but as far as i am aware only certain schools and institutes ask to see it. I am no expert on the matter thats just from what i have been reading here and on other websites.

[PeaceBlondie]

Hi

I was enquiring about that topic yesterday at the local garda station and it can be done only if your travelling or for instance teaching in Thailand. You just need to bring ID and a self adressed envelope. The garda i spoke to said it would take about 3 weeks. The certificate is required for any form of teaching in Thailand but as far as i am aware only certain schools and institutes ask to see it. I am no expert on the matter thats just from what i have been reading here and on other websites.

Thanks, smily. I don't quite understand this. Can Irish citizens do this by post, from abroad?

[tayto]

Hi

I was enquiring about that topic yesterday at the local garda station and it can be done only if your travelling or for instance teaching in Thailand. You just need to bring ID and a self adressed envelope. The garda i spoke to said it would take about 3 weeks. The certificate is required for any form of teaching in Thailand but as far as i am aware only certain schools and institutes ask to see it. I am no expert on the matter thats just from what i have been reading here and on other websites.

Thanks, smily. I don't quite understand this. Can Irish citizens do this by post, from abroad?

Information from Irish Garda.

How do I obtain a Police Certificate?

Police Certificates are issued only for the attention of Consular Authorities and for Foreign Adoptions Boards. They are not issued for employment or any other purpose. They can however be issued when being used for the purposes of establishing, or registering, a business in another EU Member State.

Where to apply:-

Persons resident in the Republic of Ireland - apply to your local Garda Station This no longer applies

Persons resident outside of Ireland - apply in writing (by post) to the Superintendent in charge of the District covering the area of your principal place of residence while living in the Republic of Ireland.

Details to be supplied:

Full name as on birth certificate (including maiden/married name if applicable)

Date and place of birth (or copy of birth certificate)

Current address

All addresses at which you resided in Republic of Ireland

Purpose (i.e. Embassy) for which Certificate is required

Stamped, self addressed envelope if applying to local Garda Station

There is no fee for the issue of a Police Certificate

Issue of a Police Certificates can take up to 4 weeks depending on the particular application

[PeaceBlondie]

If I read that statement correctly from the Garda, these statements that they issue are not supposed to be used for employment purposes, but they are issued to the Irish citizen. Therefore, if the Thai school doesn't know, what's to keep an Irishman from presenting the clearance to the school? Does the clearance say on it, that it can't be used for employment? Would the Thais care, since they're the ones who may be asking for it? Anyway, it would assist the Irishman to get the visa.

On the other hand, any school or non-consular Thai government agency or official who asks for a police check could be shown the printout from the Garda saying it's impossible to be used for such.

[tayto]

This requirement is so stupid .

In Europe you can get a police certificate fairly handy but all it will say is that the holder doesn't have a conviction.

There will be no fingerprints on it ( against civil liberties ) so whats stopping someone knocking up a photoshop copy of something and handing it in. No way to get it checked .

[mamastar]

When I need info that I can't find on official websites, I often turn to the forum, so I thought to outline my experience trying to get a Thai Police Clearance Certificate in case it might help anyone else who had trouble. I give this information, as I had conflicting information, and stories of bribery, etc.

The Royal Thai Police Headquarters is located diagonally opposite Paragon, short walk from both National Stadium station and Prom Pong station. If you cross over the road via crosswalk attached to the latter station, and with your back to Prom Pong station, go left and walk along the crosswalk. You cross over a road 50m (not good with distance, basically - a short distance) once you leave the station behind you, and on the right is a large building complex. Come down the stairs off the crosswalk, and there is a gate to the complex.

Inside, to the left, there is a guard office, and you can pick up an ID card there, but might need to relinquish some form of ID other than your passport. (I gave my Thai driving licence.) They may not understand English (I am ashamed to say that I speak zilch Thai), but should understand if you say building 24. (Dan yee-sip-si in Thai??) It's a short walk away, and they can probably direct you there.

Once you get to building 24, it says clearly that it's the Police Clearance Certificate centre.

1) Go in the door, and go to the information desk on your right. They look at your passport, and ask for a photocopy of it also. (If you didn't get one, there's a bookshop round the corner that has a photocopier which the information desk will give you directions to.)

2) Fill out the form that is given to you.

3) Go to the fingerprinting desk, where in under a minute, they will deftly fingerprint both your hands twice.

4) Go to the photo room to have a digital photo taken.

5) Take paperwork back to information desk, and you will be directed to an officer.

6) Fill out whatever paperwork the officer gives you, and you will be given a receipt for pick up.

This process (unless you forget your passport copy) takes 15 minutes.

It clearly says that:

a) No charges for the certificate

7 business days to process

However, as someone else in this forum pointed out, the boss seems to be on holiday from time to time. Despite the 7 day sign, I was told to come back in 3 weeks as the boss who signs the paperwork is away. I tentatively asked if there was any fee to speed up the process, but the officer shook his head. (Thought it was worth a try.)

As the 3 weeks are not up yet, I am unable to say whether the pick-up date on my receipt is accurate at all.

I had read previously that 1x2 inch photos would be necessary, and this was not the case. Also, much speculation about how much this costs, especially to speed up the process. Perhaps it is still possible to pay to get it done quickly, but in my case (unfortunately) it was not possible.

Also, for those who are unaware of such things such as I, there are occasionally government holidays that are not public holidays. On such days, they are not open, as I found the first time I went. Also, I don't know whether the people who pick up the phone speak English, but on a government holiday, they certainly didn't. (I was hung up on twice in succession with "No English" and then a dial tone.) I am not dissing their lack of English - I understand that I am at fault for not learning to speak Thai. However, I had hoped they might speak some English, as it is the number listed everywhere for police clearance certificates, and I'm sure plenty of foreigners request them.

Just my own experience in hopes that someone might benefit from the above information.

[Boatabike]

Do we still need this check? The school i was working at last term, was sent a paper from MOA saying that it is required. After having left the job with a view of leaving the country, i have now decided to give it another year and see how the land lies at the end of that. Having been asked back by the school, they tell me i need to get a blacklist check done in Bangkok. The police check has not been mentioned at all and when I asked about it they seem to think the blacklist check is instead of the police check, not as well as. Does anyone know anything more on this development? If indeed it is any sort of development at all? I am now thinking perhaps leaving was the right way to go after all.

The school is shaking their heads and saying how much harder it seems to hire foreign workers this year, but when asked what do i need to do, they still have no idea at all.

Thanks for any info that relieves shaking head syndrome.

Edited May 18, 2007 by Boatabike

[PeaceBlondie]

boatabike, next thing you know, they'll be sending you to the urologist for a "short-arm check" (don't go ). What will they think of next? The somtam certification? A course in Lanna shirt wearing?

Ask them questions until they give up. Where is this? When do you need it? Can I see the official paper from the ministry? Can you give me a copy so my girlfriend's old boyfriend can translate it? What is the phone number, address, and the name of the person to contact, including her dress size? Does a Black man need to see if he's been blacklisted? Is there a pink list, also?

boatabike, seriously, you're the first one on any forum I read, who's been asked to verify that he's not on the blacklist. You don't know, you can't know, you won't know. Thai people have blacklists; farang ajarn don't. Besides, aren't you working way out beyond the outback somewhere? How would they know?

[the scouser]

Thanks for your contribution, mamastar. What you have written might be of best use to those looking to sort out their immigration status in Thailand, so I'll move this to the visas for Thailand sub-forum.

Scouse.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Hi

I was enquiring about that topic yesterday at the local garda station and it can be done only if your travelling or for instance teaching in Thailand. You just need to bring ID and a self adressed envelope. The garda i spoke to said it would take about 3 weeks. The certificate is required for any form of teaching in Thailand but as far as i am aware only certain schools and institutes ask to see it. I am no expert on the matter thats just from what i have been reading here and on other websites.

Primary and secondary schools only require them. Teachers at universities do not require a police clearance certificate.

[lopburi3]

Again thanks for the report and will provide a link from the teaching forum. I suspect you called on the 10th which was a holiday and phone was probably answered by a guard so that likely accounts for the lack of English.

[lopburi3]

This link provides a current account of procedure/location for police clearance.

[wpcoe]

The Royal Thai Police Headquarters is located diagonally opposite Paragon, short walk from both National Stadium station and Prom Pong station. If you cross over the road via crosswalk attached to the latter station, and with your back to Prom Pong station, go left and walk along the crosswalk. You cross over a road 50m (not good with distance, basically - a short distance) once you leave the station behind you, and on the right is a large building complex. Come down the stairs off the crosswalk, and there is a gate to the complex.

Are you sure it was Phrom Pong station? That's the one at Emporium around Sukhumvit sois 22 and 24.

The stations nearest Paragon/Police HQ are National Stadium and Chitlom, aren't they?

[sungod]

Further to this post I would like to add that I also had no problems at all, the staff were extremely helpful. One thing that may be of help to anyone such as myself who does not live in Bangkok is that if you go to a desk at the far right of the room as you enter, there is a facility for the princely sum of about 50 baht for them to register post to you, thus not having to show up again for collection. I had it back in under 2 weeks.

[grtaylor]

The Royal Thai Police Headquarters is located diagonally opposite Paragon, short walk from both National Stadium station and Prom Pong station. If you cross over the road via crosswalk attached to the latter station, and with your back to Prom Pong station, go left and walk along the crosswalk. You cross over a road 50m (not good with distance, basically - a short distance) once you leave the station behind you, and on the right is a large building complex. Come down the stairs off the crosswalk, and there is a gate to the complex.

Are you sure it was Phrom Pong station? That's the one at Emporium around Sukhumvit sois 22 and 24.

The stations nearest Paragon/Police HQ are National Stadium and Chitlom, aren't they?

Not Prom Pong. Walk in a Sukhumvit direction from Siam station, and its on the right, after Henri Dunant Road.

This information is useful also to those leaving the Kingdom to take up employment in another country. Two colleagues of mine left last year - one to teach back in the UK, and the other in Belgium. Both needed Police Clearance Certificates here for their jobs there.

G

[Ijustwannateach]

Thanks indeed! I'll link this to our ever confusing (but now maybe slightly less confusing) police clearance thread in the Teacher's room....

Ah- Lopburi beat me to a link there, but we'll keep it in the ongoing Police Thread for now where there's already a lot of activity.

[Ijustwannateach]

Thanks, Lopburi- lest this get lost, I'm merging it into our long, rambling police clearance thread.