Job Discussion Forums

torrentstorm · Joined: 12 Nov 2008 Posts: 20

Friends,

I read elsewhere on this board that a 1 - year visa in Thailand is cheaper and easier to get than a work visa. My question is: how do I do this? Let's begin with the basics: I arrive on a 30-day tourist visa (or is it 60 - 90 days?). Where do I go from there?

That being said, suppose, upon arrival, I only have a 1-way ticket. According to the norm I've heard, you need to show a return ticket. Question is, again: how do I arrive on a round-trip ticket and not use the return portion, if intending to stay 1 year? That's pretty costly. Some Airlines will allow me to buy a differed open-ended ticket, but I doubt Thai immigration would accept that. May I ask, how would you seasoned vets do this, if you'd be so kind? Smile

throwdownyourcrutches · Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 8:13 pm Post subject:

There are two other forums that you should check out and both have sub forums devoted to Thailand visa questions:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/

http://www.ajarn.com/

torrentstorm · Joined: 12 Nov 2008 Posts: 20

Bangkok Hound · Joined: 28 Oct 2006 Posts: 66 Location: Bangkok

There is really no such thing as a one year visa or a work visa. There is a Non-Immigrant 'B' visa (the 'B' stands for business) that most people get if they want to work and apply for a work permit.

Most embassies and consulates will only give you a single entry (3 months.) Some honorary consulates will give you a multiple entry visa. Each entry is good for a 3 month stay. So you have to leave and re-enter Thailand every three months. This will give you about 15 months of cover. But again you have to leave and re-enter roughly every 3 months. For a Non-B, you need to show certain paperwork.

Once you have a Non-B visa and work permit you can get an extension of stay. I've been in Thailand for almost three years and I've only had one visa. I get it extended each year. I don't have to leave the country. I just have to report my address.

torrentstorm · Joined: 12 Nov 2008 Posts: 20

roguegrafix · Joined: 30 Jan 2007 Posts: 125

Generally your employer will assist you in getting your visa extended and work permit. Actually it's a fairly good check to see if they are legit themselves. If they don't help you, they are a tad dodgey and you will end up teaching illegally. You could arrive in Thailand, seek legitimate work, get your WP and away you go. I think that you can even change your tourist visa into a Non-Imm without leaving the country but check on that. If you can't, then it's a short trip to a neighbouring country to get a Non-Imm and your school will help you with the paperwork.

As far as I'm aware, no one really worries if you have a return ticket or not. It's never been an issue with me and I've been here over 10 years.

torrentstorm · Joined: 12 Nov 2008 Posts: 20

roguegrafix · Joined: 30 Jan 2007 Posts: 125

Yes that is correct. Bear in mind that we are about half-way through school terms here so most positions have been filled. By the middle of March, semester/term would have finished and there is roughly 2-3 months of holidays. Not much work in schools/unis then but there will always be work in Bangkok in some language schools.

You might end up teaching illegally--off and on--until about May. But that's OK -- chances are you won't be caught (but how would you know). So a tourist visa is fine. Actually without letters from the school/uni, I suspect trying to get a Non-Imm visa before you arrive is very difficult. And once you do get a legit job, for the first year there is generally some problem with WP's matching Visa dates which generally means you'll end up paying for something twice--but that's another story.

Thailand is a very day to day sort of existence, so is job security. It sounds like extreme "winging it" but that's just the way it is. Something always seems to come up. It's not really that scary.

Good luck.

torrentstorm · Joined: 12 Nov 2008 Posts: 20

frankly speaking · Joined: 16 Oct 2005 Posts: 54

If you are going to come in, make sure that you get a tourist visa first. Don't get a 30 day stamp at the airport, that can only be extended for 15 days. Better to get the 60 day tourist visa, (perhaps UK citizens get 90 but US citizens get 60.) otherwise you will have to do border runs every 30 days.

While you are here in Thailand, you then can just fly down to Malaysia or hop up to Cambodia for the Non immigrant B visa.

Many part time workers work without either the proper visa or work permit. Not a big deal if you are working for a few months.

As for the return ticket, Last March immigration cracked down and did require it but that was only about 1-2 months. It created such a storm of problems that they relaxed it again. If you get a problem with that, just tell them that you are planning on taking the train to Malaysia. If you have some cash, they don't hassle you. Dressing slightly upscale helps.

Make sure that you have copies and originals of all you certificates and credentials. Some teaching jobs are harder to please then others.

Good luck

torrentstorm · Joined: 12 Nov 2008 Posts: 20

Bangkok Hound · Joined: 28 Oct 2006 Posts: 66 Location: Bangkok

torrentstorm · Joined: 12 Nov 2008 Posts: 20

Oh yes, that is what I meant. The part that I find a bit confusing: what is the difference between 3 month validity, single entry tourist visa and 3 month validity, single entry non-immigrant visa? Is it just that the former can only be extended for 30 days before having to make a visa run to get another, whereas the latter can be extended up to 1 year (but you still have to make visa runs every 60 days, if I understood right)? The way they state this, it seems Thai law implies that the 3 month non-immigrant cannot be renewed in any way after 1 year, unless heading back to one's origin and getting a new visa. However, other posters seem to indicate they got theirs extended up to 15 months, and then simply went to Laos or Cambodia and returned with a new one.

I understand by now that Thai law is chaotic, and not clear cut in any way. That is why I started this thread so real experts like you and rogueafix can properly advise me, and believe me when I say I truly appreciate this!

frankly speaking · Joined: 16 Oct 2005 Posts: 54

The non immigrant visa can be extended for 1 year, with a work permit from the labor department, a letter from your school and some other paperwork depending on the school. You do not have to leave the country if you get a 1 year extension. You do have to report to immigration every 90 days and sign some form that states your current address in Thailand.

If you get a non immigrant visa from your country before coming over, it is for 90 days, but some consulates, will give you a multi entry with a 1 year expiration date. Then you only need to go to the border every 90 days. You don't need to pay for the visa extension. Many people do this if they don't get a work permit. They are working illegally but many don't seem to mind.

Good luck. And yes, Immigration is different in every office and depending on the mood of the officer things can change. For example one immigration office that I went to had a sign that said that marriage visas can be extended if you have 400,000 baht in the bank but when you talk to them they said that the law was changed last year so they only accept a work permit. Why don't they change their signs?

torrentstorm · Joined: 12 Nov 2008 Posts: 20

LOL - yes, I see what you mean.

I was just about ready to begin preparations to go, but now I see, once again, my plans are forfeited with the recent events and these airport shutdowns. I don't know why it is every time I think of Thailand, something happens that prevents me from going.

Also, with this state of confusion, it becomes even more imperative that I first make contact with someone to meet me upon arrival and assist in various things. I posted a note in another Thai board requesting a possible local meet-up, but with prior contact via email to be comfortable with each other before that. But the note was misconstrued to mean I was asking for a date, and the post was closed.

I guess the signs are clear: Forget Thailand. This is so disappointing. Sad