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Should I change my Non-Immigrant O visa to a Work Visa for teaching at an international school in Thailand?

Non-Immigrant O VisaWork VisaVisa TypesWork PermitTeaching in ThailandVisa RegulationsExpat AdviceInternational Schools in Thailand
Jun 13, 2023
a year ago
Matthew **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
I’m an American, married to a Thai citizen, here on a Non-Immigrant O visa. An international school is interested in hiring me to teach. However, they asked me to change my visa to a Work Visa, as it would be a less difficult process for them in hiring me. Your thoughts?

Update: I just did some research on the school. So many former employees give bad reviews of the place!
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TLDR : Answer Summary
An American expat married to a Thai citizen currently holding a Non-Immigrant O visa is considering a job offer from an international school that prefers them to switch to a Work Visa. Comments from the community indicate that it may not be necessary to change the visa, as the Non-O visa allows for a work permit based on marriage. Many contributors express concerns about the school's intentions, suggesting they might want control over the expat's visa status. There are also warnings regarding negative reviews about the school, leading the original poster to reconsider the job opportunity.
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Vontrel *******
Remember that people almost never leave a review when they had a good experience it’s only when they’re bitter, so of course most of the reviews are negative
a year ago
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Mike *******
@Vontrel ******
 yes, and who can say if the negative reviews are actually true?
a year ago
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Mike *******
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Glen ********
Do you mind me asking where the school is? What city? Please.
a year ago
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Matthew **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Glen *******
 Can’t tell you. The libel laws in Thailand are very severe. I’ll just say, look at those sites where employees review their employers before taking a job.
a year ago
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Glen ********
Fair enough. Thanks.
a year ago
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Glen ********
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Sam *********
I hold a work permit with a non O based on marriage. I extend every year. Can be done, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise
a year ago
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Darren *********
There's absolutely no need to switch the reason for your extension - marriage to working. Perfectly ok to teach/hold a WP whilst on a marriage extension.
a year ago
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John **********
You can definitely get the work permit you need while you are married to a Thailand National. There is no need to switch your Visa at all unless they want to control you. A prime example of this would be you switching your visa to a work visa now they control your Visa status and if they fire you they can cancel your Visa status and they will use that to threaten you
a year ago
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Matthew **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@John *********
 my thoughts as well. I’m passing on this one.
a year ago
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Matthew **********
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John ***********
Are we talking a real international school or one of the many calling themselves such when they in fact aren't? A real international school would be paying you so much that you wouldn't bother questioning the conditions of your employment.
a year ago
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Matthew **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
It’s a bit of an unusual situation. The pay is not bad, but looking at one of those sites where employees post about their employers the school is highly criticized. I’ll be passing on this one.
a year ago
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Matthew **********
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Mike *******
One of the teachers at my international school was on a Non-O visa and was able to get a work permit easily. The only problem was he had to leave the country every 90 days whereas with a Non-B you can do the 90 day reporting in-country. This caused a bit of disruption in his classes, maybe this is what the school means?
a year ago
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Steve *******
@Mike ******
 Different scenario. The teacher doing 90 day reports was on an extention of stay not a visa and the one leaving the Country every 90 days was on a multi-entry visa.
a year ago
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Mike *******
@Steve ******
 ah ok.
a year ago
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Mike *******
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Brandon ************
@Mike ******
 the person you're referencing had a multiple entry non-O. I doubt the op has that.
a year ago
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Brandon ************
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Nigel *********
What what non o are you on precisely. Retirement or married to Thai.
a year ago
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Graham ******
@Nigel ********
 The OP states that he is married to a Thai and you cannot get a Work Permit on a Non-O retirement anyway
a year ago
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Graham ******
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Brandon ************
In order for you to get the non-B, you would need to leave Thailand and go to Laos or another nearby country and apply at a Thai consulate. That's a lot of hassle for you for the company to supposedly want an easier process for them. If they tell you that you don't have to leave the country to switch to non-B, then they are 100% lying to you because it requires a massive amount of paperwork to convert to Non-B inside of Thailand, so much so that most companies actually cannot produce the paperwork needed.
a year ago
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Gabriel ********
Brandon Thurkettle I agreed with your initial statement but any international school can and has converted to non b inside Thailand….it’s very routine and HR knows exactly how to do it
a year ago
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Brandon ************
@Gabriel *******
 it's a lie because it's not easier than just applying for a work permit based on him already having a work permitted visa. It may be routine but it requires a lot of paperwork and is definitely not easier.
a year ago
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Gabriel ********
@Brandon ***********
 I agree with all of that ….just important to comment w fidelity so readers don’t misunderstand-a non b conversion within the kingdom can and is done daily and all legitimate international schools know how to do it w relative ease
a year ago
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Gabriel ********
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Onne ***********
Without work visa you not can work
a year ago
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Jeffrey **********
@Onne **********
 Incorrect

The non O based on Marriage is OK to work
a year ago
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Brandon ************
@Onne **********
 You don't need a work visa, you simply need a visa that is not work restricted. Non-O based on marriage, or supporting a half Thai child, are both not work restricted and allow working with a work permit.
a year ago
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Brandon ************
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Mikkel *******
As
@Brandon ***********
 said, there is a high chance they just want the control. You are eligible for a work permit on your non o based on marriage. It is even less paperwork for the school as they don´t have to provide paperwork to support your visa too. Only the work permit. Thing is, if they can´t control your visa, like in threatening you for example that if you don´t do this and that, they will cancel the visa, they lose that option.

Seeing as they already play that card, I would avoid working for them altogether! Find another school!
a year ago
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Matthew **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Something about the interview didn’t seem right and the visa request was strange. I told them I would talk to my wife before making a decision.
a year ago
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Mikkel *******
@Matthew *********
 Without knowing what school, it could just be typical thai admin. Always a mess 😂So they might back-pedal if you question it. Only having said it because they don´t know. It´s easier to say no, so you don´t have to cover your *ss later for having said yes, when your superior asks why you did that. Anyway, it is a big red flag,
a year ago
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Matthew **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Mikkel ******
 I have a bad feeling about the situation. I’m curious to go to the in person interview, just to see what is going on there.
a year ago
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Matthew **********
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Brandon ************
They're lying to you. They want to have control over your visa so they have power over you. Then they can threaten to fire you or cancel your work permit at any time which will revoke your non-B and force you to leave the country. Tell them you're already on a visa that allows working (Non-O based on marriage to a Thai allows work with a work permit) and all you need is a work permit. It's not easier for them at all.
a year ago
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Ann **************
@Brandon ***********
 Walk away (politely decline). Those bad reviews are waving red flags, and, as mentioned, they're already not playing fair by attempting to compromise the good visa you already have.
a year ago
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Matthew **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Brandon ***********
 I suspected as much. Thank you.
a year ago
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Kool *******
@Matthew *********
 they're just telling you that because they've never dealt with it before. They don't know that there is no difference. They've just never done it before with a marriage visa extension. The best thing you can do is get all the details from the labor department, then guide them through how to do it, but nicely so they don't lose face. It is quite simple. Their requirements are the same.
a year ago
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Gabriel ********
@Matthew *********
 100% Brandon is correct
a year ago
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Gabriel ********
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Peter *********
@Brandon ***********
 completely agree - my WP was easy
a year ago
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Peter *********
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