Getting A Propa Visa
Nonimmigrant B Visa:
To legally work in Thailand, one must possess a nonimmigrant B (business) visa. Obtaining a nonimmigrant B visa cannot be done without a stack of documents proving the legitimacy of an employer. Furthermore, obtaining a nonimmigrant B visa cannot be done from within Thailand's borders. Because most Thai schools recruit employees locally rather than internationally, the visa thing is a huge headache for English teachers.
Basically:
You have to have a job to have a nonimmigrant B visa. You have to come to Thailand to get a job. You have to leave again to get the visa. Hence, the visa run, a familiar routine for ESL teachers: catch a train or a cheap flight to a neighboring country on your day off, immediately rush to the Thai Embassy upon arrival, file a buncha nonsensical paper work, return to the Embassy the following morning, pick up your new visa, and return to Thailand in time for your next class.
Gripes:
As a a newbie to Thailand, it's really difficult to reconcile the high level of enthusiasm for English language education (both public and governmental) with all the bureaucratic roadblocks thrown before foreign teachers. This is a popular subject of debate among Thailand's expats. Some speculate that the difficulties in obtaining a proper visa are a misguided attempt to deter unqualified and illegal teachers. Some speculate that it's all just a weird money-making scheme developed by the government (visas cost the applicant 2,000B). But neither of these popular theories fully address the most confusing issue: why the hell do I have to go to Laos with a backpack full of papers before I can legally teach kindergarteners the ABC's?
Nonimmigrant B Visa:
To legally work in Thailand, one must possess a nonimmigrant B (business) visa. Obtaining a nonimmigrant B visa cannot be done without a stack of documents proving the legitimacy of an employer. Furthermore, obtaining a nonimmigrant B visa cannot be done from within Thailand's borders. Because most Thai schools recruit employees locally rather than internationally, the visa thing is a huge headache for English teachers.
Basically:
You have to have a job to have a nonimmigrant B visa. You have to come to Thailand to get a job. You have to leave again to get the visa. Hence, the visa run, a familiar routine for ESL teachers: catch a train or a cheap flight to a neighboring country on your day off, immediately rush to the Thai Embassy upon arrival, file a buncha nonsensical paper work, return to the Embassy the following morning, pick up your new visa, and return to Thailand in time for your next class.
Gripes:
As a a newbie to Thailand, it's really difficult to reconcile the high level of enthusiasm for English language education (both public and governmental) with all the bureaucratic roadblocks thrown before foreign teachers. This is a popular subject of debate among Thailand's expats. Some speculate that the difficulties in obtaining a proper visa are a misguided attempt to deter unqualified and illegal teachers. Some speculate that it's all just a weird money-making scheme developed by the government (visas cost the applicant 2,000B). But neither of these popular theories fully address the most confusing issue: why the hell do I have to go to Laos with a backpack full of papers before I can legally teach kindergarteners the ABC's?
posted by mike at 11:02 PM
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