What should I do if my Thai teaching visa application requires a work permit before the visa is issued?

Jun 11, 2021
3 years ago
Jessica *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
I am trying to get my visa to teach in Thailand. The school sent me all the paperwork and I sent it in to the Los Angeles consulate. Now the consulate is asking for a work permit before they issue the visa.

The school says they have never had to do it this way before usually the visa is issued and then the work permit. They are trying to get a work permit but they need copies of all the pages of my passport... which is at the consulate. I called the consulate and they were very rude and told me they will not issue a visa without the work permit. They said they would send the copies of my passport but it’s been a few days and they haven’t done it yet.

I don’t know what to do next and I am very frustrated. Any suggestions.
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The user is facing challenges with the Thai visa process for teaching. The Los Angeles consulate requires a work permit (WP3 letter) before issuing the visa, whereas the user's school claims this is a new requirement. Comments suggest that the school must apply for the WP3 letter from the Ministry of Labor. The consulate has been unhelpful, leading to confusion and frustration. Suggestions include seeking a tourist visa as an alternative and ensuring that the employer handles the WP3 process efficiently.
Angela *******************
A WP3 is a Letter of Consideration that must be applied for by the employer or their representative/accountant etc. It must applied for, approved and issued by the Department of Labor prior to the prospective employees application for a Single Entry Non Immigrant B at a Thai Consulate outside Thailand together with all the other supporting documents that the employer will provide. A WP3 take approximately 2 weeks to be approved and issued by the Department of Labor 🙏
Tod *********
@Angela ******************
actually an employer that has their shit together can show up at the MOL and apply for a work permit on the spot. It's mostly clueless employers or ones brokering their stuff thru agents that give you that b/s 2 week processing story
Angela *******************
@Tod ********
yes for sure 😊 it’s not difficult to apply for at all 🙏
Greg ********
@Tod ********
Exactly. We are quite a large company (15K employees in Thailand) and we do not use agents for the foreign staff. It is basically a HR admin girl from one of the factories that does everything. She is very good and extremely efficient. Lucky to have her.
Angela *******************
@Greg *******
exactly 😊
Thao **********
Yes, you need a WP3 or permission to work letter issued by the Min. of Labor. You should have received from the employer their school registry/license, school info, and a WP3/Permit to lettter to work. The school should have helped you apply for the WP3/ Permit to Work letter, which is 1 page with a large emblem on top, all in Thai, and states who you are and what you'll do as an employee, for whom, etc.

Did you make copies before sending it all in? It really isnt hard to miss, if the embassy is requesting for it, you likely didnt get it.

I always tell folks to make copies of everything, and simply use the translator app to get an idea of what is being sent in.

Get your employer to process a WP3 or permission to work letter for you ASAP.
Moomin *********
You need a WP3 letter not a work permit, work permit is a blue book that you receive from the labor department after you enter Thailand on a Non-b issued by the consulate. They are simply waiting for that letter since it's a requirement for them to stamp your passport with a sticker. Ask your school to process the work permit letter from the labor department, it takes a copy of your degree and the copy of all pages of passport. Usually the embassy should return the application to you if it's not complete, giving you a chance to complete it, but I don't understand why they are being non-cooperative here. I think this covid shit has medeled with their brains or something
Jessica *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Moomin ********
that’s what’s confusing is the consulate keeps asking for a work permit. And they are not sending me the copies of my passport.
Frédéric ******************
@Jessica ********
WP3 is like a work permit pre-approval.
Moomin *********
@Jessica ********
ok! Pardon me if I am wrong, thais don't speak english very well, when they say work permit they might be referring to a WP3 letter. I have seen lot of people calling both the letter and WP3 as same "WORK PERMIT". The question is why they are not letting you fix the application?, as i said everything is a headache here all the paperwork, my suggestion, look for some nice county where people understand basic english and paperwork process is not a big hassle.
Tod *********
I think your school doesn't have a clue what they're talking about :/ BUT be that as it may you might be able to just get a single entry tourist visa, enter the country on that and then apply for an in country 90 day Non-B visa. Ask your employer if they can get the Non-B issued inside the country from the immigration office. <- the reason I say ASK is that not all employers can meet the documentation requirements to get the 90 day Non-B issued inside the country (because it's much more stringent than the documents to get a Non-B from a thai consulate)
Moomin *********
@Tod ********
Exactly and if anyone enters Thailand on a tourist visa with an intension of converting it to a Non-b inside Thailand needs all his degrees and diploma's notorized. Isn't that right?
Tod *********
@Moomin ********
that is between you, your employer and the immigration office depending on the job you're comin' here to do.
Nigel *********
Yup. Sounds like you're missing the wp3. Without tgat the embassy will be looking for a work permit.
Jessica *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Im pretty sure I sent the WP3 letter. I’m not quite sure what was what because it was all in Thai but the school sent me a bunch of stuff that I had to send.
Tod *********
@Jessica ********
Umm, the WP3 is actually got ENGLISH written on it too :P

It's a receipt like this ;)
Jessica *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Tod ********
awesome. Thank you for your help. No that was definitely not included in the paperwork from the school.
Greg ********
Are they not asking for the WP3 letter from the Labour Dept? This is the letter your employer applies for. Basically saying we are applying for a WP when this person gets to Thailand. You then apply to the Embassy or Consulate with this letter and other papers for your Non B. Then you travel to Thailand and WP issued at Labour Dept. This has been process for quite some time. Not new for Covid
Garrett ***********
It's a new process since covid. Your school needs to apply for a WP3 from the Ministry of Labor. It's a digital work permit, same process as the old work permit though.
Garrett ***********
I stand corrected then, not new for covid.
Gabriel ********
I just got the wp 2 days ago....visa was issued 1st, then I had to go to work permit office to sign for and recieve wp...in BKK
Darren *******
@Garrett **********
not new, I needed a WP3 back in 2019
Tod *********
@Garrett **********
not a new process since covid. EVERYONE who used to be sent out of the country to apply for a 90 day Non-B visa in Penang or nearby countries was required to have proof that the employer applied for a work permit (usually by presenting the WP3 work permit application receipt)
Greg ********
@Garrett **********
WP3 was pre covid too?
Garrett ***********
@Greg *******
If it was it must have been the month before covid I was taking a break from FB. I'd never seen anyone need a WP3 for a Non-B until only Non-B holders and Thais could get into Thailand.

I could be wrong though.
Greg ********
@Garrett **********
I am sure that letter was among the bunch I took to Singapore in September 2019. Part of basis the B is based on. Shows the company is going to employ you and has started the WP process.
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