Why is my agency charging me 17,000 BAHT to switch my tourist visa to a Non-B visa?

Whatever happened to Dave’s ESL Cafe and Ajarn.com? If you just leave your current teaching job, and find new work in Khon Kaen or somewhere, at a school or ESL school with a reputation that processes visas for staff, is that an option to consider?

That's not really a lot of money for such a long term investment.

The company hire you, they should pay the fee for you..unless it's u collaborating with the agency to get a long-term visa and actually you are not working..

I'm currently a teacher married to a Thai woman with a Thai baby and I am in the process of getting a non-oviso. I will say is the school should be able to help you but you will have to do most of the leg work on your own. go in person to your immigration office, hopefully with someone from your school ask them how you do it. they're the only ones who know and each city has different officials who do different things and require different "payments." they should just give you a list of what they need and if you get it you can do it.

Never use an agency unless you have to. Your future status can be in jeopardy because you'll have to keep going to the same agency to "fix" your situation.

Quit the agency and get a proper job, there are plenty of schools looking and they will help you take care of your WP and visa. Agencies in Thailand are sharks and scammers generally, but not all. Before COVID you had to have a non-O to transfer for your WP, so if in a tourist visa you need a letter offering you employment which you would then take to the embassy or consulate outside Thailand to exchange for a 90 day non-O visa, which will allow you to start your employment while the school arranges your WP and visa. This may all be doable within Thailand with the current COVID situation, but you will need to check that. So my advise 1) get a letter offering you employment 2) exchange your visa for a non-O 3) start work and the school should apply for your WP and visa.

You can accept a job on a tourist visa?

Not so smart saying here u hv been working on a tourist visa-

This is thailand- u could be deported over a past argument just in revenge.

Fair price...

not allot

I had to pay 100K for my visa to work legal in Thailand😂

I was in a similar situation but with the customs dept when I had to import personal effects into Thailand back in 2012. A fee was paid without receipt and another with receipt.

My advise if you can -front the cash -do it everything has its price.

Technically now to teach you need a certified copy of your university diploma and transcript. You also need a hire letter on school letterhead that they are hiring you. The cost for the visa extension is bt1900, and your work permit, that you must have to legally work is another bt3800. If you have your certified diploma there are plenty of schools that will hire you, and help you get legal. This website will help you. Get as far away from that agency as you can. By the way, how much were they paying you?

It sounds like it's most or all company fee. But be careful. You may have to pay again after 90 days. Ask the visa duration.

The company should be paying to switch your visa. If they want you to work for them that should be a cost they cover.

You say "agency". Is this a teaching agency?

17,000 baht is coffee money, just pay it or get your ass back to your home country🤦🏻‍♂️

its cheap go for it or piss of so somebody else can have it illegal workers in this country course the visa problem

Work permit fees, agency fees, you need a hospital check up as well which will run you another 3k.

Do you meet the legal requirements for you position? If so then you don't need an agency to facilitate the visa change. A letter from your employer and a couple documents from them showing they can employ forigners is about it.

They are paying someone off basically and making a commission for themselves. To change my Tourist Visa to a Non-B I had to go to the Thai Embassy in Singapore. Think the cost of the 90 day non-B there was around a 100 USD. This was reimbursed of course as were all flights and hotels. When I got back to Thailand I went to one Stop shop and got my WP and visa extended for 2 years - no idea of the cost. This was pre-covid and for a BOI company.