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What are the risks of entering Thailand on a tourist visa if I plan to apply for a work visa from Laos shortly after?

ThailandVisa RulesTourist VisaNon-B VisaDependent VisaWork PermitImmigrationExpat Advice
Aug 2, 2023
a year ago
Clinton ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Hi everyone,

We are busy finalizing our travel plans for Thailand and would like to know if we are missing something.

My wife got a job to teach in Thailand and I'll be her dependent. We will fly into Bangkok one-way this Sunday on tourist visas, stay for 2 nights to collect documents from employer, fly to Laos to apply for work visa (appointments booked), then return to Bangkok on the right visa.

Are there any risks/downsides inherent to this plan? We would like to ensure we don't miss anything important.

Thanks in advance.
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The original poster (OP) plans to enter Thailand on a tourist visa for two nights and then travel to Laos to apply for a work visa based on their spouse's employment as a teacher in Thailand. Community members provide various insights, highlighting potential risks like needing an exit flight to avoid being refused boarding, delayed application times for dependent visas after the spouse secures a work permit, and the impracticality of using a tourist visa in this scenario. They also mention that South African passport holders face specific restrictions and must apply for visas in certain locations. Overall, there is a consensus that the OP should reassess their travel strategy to minimize complications.
Yumi *******
Hey
@Clinton *******
 did you say only 2-day processing for Non-B in Laos? Cuz I will fly from Shanghai as well, need to figure out the NON-B thing with shorter time. My agent said it probably will take 8 weeks for applying Non-B in China？
a year ago
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Clinton ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Yumi ******
 2 working days in Laos for non-B 🙂
a year ago
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Yumi *******
@Clinton *******
 Yes thank you Clinton, but I realized that it is much stricter for Chinese notional than other nationals after I searched the Thai embassy website. but thank you
a year ago
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Yumi *******
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Jo **********
why apply for 60 day tourist visa and stay only 2 days. that makes no sense
a year ago
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David ********
Where are you flying from?

My wife and I are in the same situation.

We got non immigrant type B for her and Type O for me and my daughter online..

Flying through Doha Sunday.

I have not heard about ability to start or get a work permit when out of Thailand.

How does this work?
a year ago
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Clinton ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@David *******
 where did you apply from David? We are vacationing in Russia and the Thai Embassy in Moscow takes 4 weeks. Since we are looking to get to Thailand faster, we plan to apply for Non-B in Laos (2 day processing).

Did you apply for Non-O together with Non-B? I heard we cannot, so I plan to apply for 60-day tourist visa.

Please advise.

We’re coming in from Shanghai Sunday, too.
a year ago
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David ********
@Clinton *******
 we got them all in one application.

Type B single entry 90 day

2 type O multiple entry one year
a year ago
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David ********
@Clinton *******
 we are in Cyprus. So things online go through the Rome consulate.

Took 5 days including requests for more documents.
a year ago
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David ********
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Clinton ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Thanks for all you advice and thought. It's quite sobering to hear the wide spectrum of opinions.

I will proceed with my best judgment and create a post end of next week detailing the course of events to help others who may face a similar situation.

Having lived in South Korea for 7 years, I'm not new to policies being made on the fly, but Thailand is a whole different beast itself.
a year ago
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Ron *******
South African passport holder can not apply for any visa in Savannakhet, you must book an appointment and go to Vientiane.
a year ago
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Chris *****
@Ron ******
 are you sure Vientiane accepts SA passports? I ask because they refused an Ethiopian passport for us. It looked like Pnom Penh would accept it but we didn't try.
a year ago
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Ron *******
@Chris ***************
 yes. Vientiane is the only place in Laos SA passport holders can apply for any visa
a year ago
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Ron *******
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Clinton ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Ron ******
 I applied in Vientiane for the 10th.
a year ago
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Ron *******
@Clinton *******
 I would ask them how long the turn around time is for a SA passport.

Some people have waited for 3 or 4 weeks for the visa
a year ago
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Clinton ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Alright, I’ll ask about the turnaround. So 60-day tourist visa it is.
a year ago
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Clinton ********
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Clinton ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Better to apply for 60-day tourist visa along with my wife’s Non-B? Or shall I try for Non-O dependent?
a year ago
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Ron *******
@Clinton *******
 you won't get any Non O dependant until your wife gets her Non B 12 month extension.

She cannot get any Non B 12 month visa
a year ago
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Ron *******
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Graham ******
Why fly in on a Tourist Visa then leave after 2 days if you have UK passports? A waste of money,
a year ago
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Clinton ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Graham *****
 we can both enter visa-free for 30 days. My wife starts working August 21st. What do you recommend is the best way to get the Non-B?

We thought of entering to collect the right documents and immediately do the “visa run” to apply for working visa, rather than wait to do it later.

Please advise on the best way forward
a year ago
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Jo **********
@Clinton *******
 then why do you enter with a tourist visa?
a year ago
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Clinton ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Jo *********
 I was told I cannot apply for Non-O at the same time she applies for Non-B... Thus I'm applying for Tourist visa first, then Non-O later.

Or can I apply for Non-O with her Non-B same day? This group is full of conflicting advice...
a year ago
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Clinton ********
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Clinton ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
So can she work on a tourist visa before the Non b application?
a year ago
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Ron *******
@Clinton *******
 no. She's needs the Non B visa AND the work permit or risk being fined and likely deportation
a year ago
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Clinton ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Ron ******
 She'll get the Non-B before starting work
a year ago
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Clinton ********
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Graham ******
@Clinton *******
 So you're not on a Visa and your wife's employer can best advise on her Non-B and your dependent Visa as they need to support it
a year ago
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Graham ******
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Stuart ********
Always a risk with the airline not allowing you to board the plane to Thailand if you don’t have an exit flight within 30 or 60 days depending on what tourist visa your entering on.

But if you have that flight to Laos already booked then you can show them that.
a year ago
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Milan *******************
Your wife can just apply for the initial work-permit online or in your countries Thai embassy. There is no need to fly in on a tourist visa for her & then fly out again. Seems like a waste of time & resources.

For your depend visa.. you won’t be able to apply for the visa for at least another 45 days after your wife got hers.
a year ago
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Clinton ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
I don't understand why I have to wait 45 days before applying to for the Non-O as her dependent. Can't we submit the Non-B and Non-O application together in Laos and get it the next day?

You're right about the resources, but we're trying to save time as the local Thai Embassy takes 4 weeks to process.
a year ago
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Steve **********
@Clinton *******
 Don't EVER try to understand 'why ' in Thailand .

You never will, just enjoy it.
a year ago
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Braulio *********
@Clinton *******
 TIT
a year ago
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Clinton ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
I am from South Africa, a visa exempt country for 30 days. What's the best way forward?

My wife is also from a visa exempt nation. Best to enter on tourist visas, start teaching, and later convert to Non-B, or what is the best way forward?
a year ago
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Clinton ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Ooh now it's getting interesting. What if instead of Non-O, I apply for 60 day tourist visa from Laos, then later on convert it to the Non-O?
a year ago
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Milan *******************
@Clinton *******
 yes there is no other option for you I believe unless you come from a qualifying country that allows a visa exempt to Thailand. My wife had to leave Thailand for a re-entry, and entered again on visa exempt.

You will then have to leave again Thailand to apply for the non-O visa. Unless you find a very good agent / lawyer than can do it inside the country. (We paid around 38,000 THB to my lawyer so my wife didn’t have to fly out & apply for the non-o abroad).

Make sure your wife’s employer pays for the expenses, we spend around 100,000 THB for both our 1 year visa fees including some travel expenses.
a year ago
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Milan *******************
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Milan *******************
@Clinton *******
 I thought exactly the same when I arrived 5 months ago..

The way it works: Your partner will get the Non-B visa which will be valid for 90 days in Laos. She will have to let 50% of her visa expire meaning 45 days before she can apply for the 1 year non-B visa.

Once she received the non-B visa 1 year.. her company can provide the paperwork for your application.

So you are looking probably at 50-60 days before you can apply for your Non-O visa as her spouse.
a year ago
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Brandon ************
@Milan ******************
 you don't wait for 50%. You have to wait until the rules in your province allow you to apply for the 1 year extension. Most offices allow you to apply only when you have 30 days or less left meaning you'd need to wait 60 days. But Bangkok, Phuket and ChiangMai allow you to apply for an extension when you have 45 days or less left.

Also there's no 1 year non-B visa. The 90 day from the embassy is the visa, the 1 year is the extension. There's a difference between a visa and an extension.
a year ago
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Brandon ************
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