Non b visa from hell

This is a rant from Kirsty to the internet – never think that getting a work visa in thailand will be easy….

This is the long and complicated story of how I tried to getting a non b visa in Bangkok (work visa). It sounds pretty simple, all I needed to do was to get to the immigration office within 15 days of landing in Thailand and as long as I had all the right documents I would get my non b.

But obviously things in real life are never that simple! I held up my end of the bargain and went to the immigration office within 15 days, unfortunately work fucked up and didn’t send the papers…. STRIKE 1!

I was told it would all be fine, and that we would just apply for an extension near the end of my existing visa and then hey presto I would be fine.

So off we go back to the immigration office for the second time. OH NO, you can’t extend for more than 7 days on that visa madam, I’m afriad you won’t be able to get your non b today. STRIKE 2.

Now I had two options, I could go to Laos and apply for a tourist visa or I could fly in and out of the country and get another stamp. Both are pretty expensive, but I chose the latter. Right now I am regretting that decision but as the saying goes “hindsight is a wonderful thing”

I head back to the immigration office the day after I fly back into the country for the third time, I was thinking – this must be it, I have allll the documents and I have enough days on my visa…. NO! I’m sorry madam there has been a rule change, we need to see your original degree certificate for us to give you your new visa… STRIKE 3!

Grrrrrrrrrr……. photo credit: Nicolai Kjærgaard

Now by this point I am pretty pissed off, I have already spent over 8000 baht trying to get this all important non b visa! So I ring my Mum begging her to send over my degree certificate asap, it’s a three day national holiday here in Bangkok so it won’t be arriving for a week.

I sit tight, a week comes and goes, 8 days 9 days 10 days still no degree certificate! I must be having the worst luck in the world!

On the second to last day I can get the visa I try my luck at another immigration office, I already kinda know they won’t be able to do it, but figure what’s the harm. Within minutes they tell me I am in the wrong place and I need to go to the main immigration office in town… STRIKE 4!

There is one other final “maybe” option. I can got to my own embassy and get my degree certificate copy notorised by them. So on the last possible day I headed to the British embassy, a couple hours later 4000 baht lighter I come out with a lovely shiny seal of approval.

Now time to race back to the Thai immigration.., wait for three hours to be seen and finally get my non b????

Rant Over!

Title photo credit: Ev0luti0nary