Why did I receive a 90-day Non-B visa instead of a 1-year Multiple Entry Non-B from the Thai Embassy in London?

@Robert ******

this is the problem. I assure you I’ve been to the schools lawyer, tasked her with going to immigration. She returned and said no. I’ve been there twice and asked them. To no avail. I do believe you and I’m going to take your advice and pursue it to the Nth degree, I just wanted to post my/our experience. As you said, people will learn. I am extremely grateful. It seems I have to ask a million times to get one, definitive answer. Apparently we are surrounded by people that have no clue then.

Robert Lagas finally a definitive answer. It may sound simple to some, but when you are in a different country listening to conflicting advice in a foreign language it can be confusing, even to the most intelligent amongst us. Especially when agendas are at play and it suits others just to let you bounce. The rules have changed now and I guess it’s forced people to question this issue. Maybe the change is a good thing. Certainly the criminal records check is, I’m all for that. It’s slightly embarrassing that a singular trip to Malaysia may resolve this problem combined with cooperation from one’s employer. I actually am married and have a child and don’t need to worry, but we’ve just had two really good teachers from an agency join us and they’ve been told nothing.. they’ve gone from being told ‘we’ll arrange everything’ to sort your own visa out - we’ll only do the work permit. The agency is just a THIRD variable in an un-sortable mess that had even the most hardy agency boss here scratching his head.

@Dar***

, Immigration has hand outs in Thai and English with the requirements, ask them and sit down with your employer to get all needed papers. You will find out what is wrong, it is not the consulate or the embassy or Immigration.

You have to bounce because your employer don't want or can't meet the requirements needed. Your employer needs to change his act.

It’s extremely frustrating.

@Robert ******

even a new agency today told two new employees that would have to bounce. We’ve used three maybe four, no one has put us right. A definitive answer appears to be very hard to come by.

Wrong system. First you apply for the Work Permit, than with application approved you go to Embassy or Consulate for the Non Immigrant B visa, on return in Thailand you pick up your work permit and start work, than after 60 days you apply for the Extension of Stay based on working.

The ‘lawyer’ has been tasked/asked many times to resolve this issue with local immigration. I’ve been to immigration three times. They know me by name. It seems I can’t make any ground.

It was more to protect the people I’m talking about, but whatever, it’s reached a critical point. The school we work for has not long stepped up from one teacher winging it on a tourist visa (a few years) to 4 teachers now. The method used by them for the last year or so (inclusive of their own lawyer) is for us to get a non imm b single, then arrange a work permit, then 90 days later go for a non b multi, then bounce every 90 days. A system that worked, for Penang, up until now. Now no multi. Hence the reason for reaching out.

If your Employer can't meet the requirements for the Extension of Stay, he/she has to change the company policy if they insist in hiring foreigners. It is not Immigration or embassy/consulate to blame.

I appreciate that.

Ok. That’s fine.

No, we keep it in the group. So every body can learn from it.

Ok to pm you Robert?

I don't see the problem, you get a 3 month Single Entry Non Immigrant B visa, get to Thailand and after 60 days you apply for the 1 year Extension of Stay based on working and if you got that you apply for the multiple re-entry permit.

But being is shareholder is NOT a requirement in London. Look at the requirements on their web page: -Non-Immigrant-visas.html

If you are an employee of a company you cannot have shares in then you cannot qualify for a multi? Chay is not a good example then..

@Robert ******

yes as a shareholder..

Look at the picture shown by

@Chay *****

, it is an fresh new Non Immigrant B visa valid for 1 year and has multiple entry.

Only the Thai Consulate in Penang requires that the applicant hold minimum 20% shares or is managing director for the 1 year multiple Entry Non Immigrant B visa.

@Robert ******

I’m getting conflicting info. I know Penang doesn’t, it appears that London didn’t and Kota Bharu is a maybe. Does anyone know Robert?

@Darren ********

This is not correct. Every Thai consulate or embassy is still issuing Non Immigrant B visa.

It’s a requirement now. Amongst daily limits and extensive police checks.

A significant issue here is that external embassies/consulates no longer issue the non-imm b multi’s to anyone unless they hold shares in a company. A real problem for some teachers, diving instructors and employees in general.

@Darren ********

I’m Director and Shareholder but I don’t recall that actually being on the list of requirements on the website, but it is quite a lot of documents they want even with a WP

On what basis? Company or employment?

@Tod ********

i also got cash back in the mail when i tried to apply for ME ED at london and only got a single.

@Lloyd *******

:O I didn't know that :/

Lucky to get any cash back -"***CHEQUES ARE NOT ACCEPTED. NO REFUNDS IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCES***" from the website.

@Si***

Well then they MEANT to give you a single entry visa :/ I was hoping they had kept the fee for the year long one and then you would know it was the wrong visa. :(

@Si***

they sent back CASH in the mail? :O

My first was one year.

Even when applying in your home country?

no one is even talking about that type of visa, so let's not start panicking just yet ;)

@Si***

There is no such thing as a one year single entry visa.

I would bet dollars to durian you don't have ANY vsia at all and instead are on year-long extensions of stays from the immigration office.

@Simon *********

They confirmed in an email a few days ago that we can still apply for 1 year Non-B

@Si***

. It certainly is confusing in the UK. I believe if you own the business you can get the 1 year multiple entry non B in Penang.

This is for the non imm O based on marriage, the ED visa B the same. It is confusing as the London website says they're available. But they rarely update the info on the Embassy website in London

@Si***

that's only the non imm OA

@Si***

. 'Single entry' non imm visas are only 90 days.