How to Get a Non-Immigrant B Visa for Thailand
I am going to start this post off by saying that getting my single entry Non-Immigrant B Visa was way easier and faster than I expected. I imagined it being a difficult process that was going to cause me a ton of stress. I planned on this being a lengthy blog post with tips and advice on how to make the process easier. Fortunately, I have little to write about because everything went smoothly and quickly.
I went through the Portland Embassy and highly recommend that you do the same. They have step by step instructions on how to complete your visa application. It does not matter where you live, you can go through whichever Embassy that you want. I live in Tennessee, but I read from several sources that Portland was the easiest office to go through.
Required Paperwork
Everything is very clear on the website, but one thing that I think was crucial to being able to get my visa was the paperwork that Greenheart Travel sent to me. They sent me 3-4 official documents that proved I was going over to Thailand to train to be a teacher (TESOL course enrollment) and that I would have a job after completing the course. I do not know if I would have been issued the Non-immigrant B Visa without it. I also do not even know what the documents said because they were all in Thai!
If you are going to Thailand without the aid of a company, then I am unsure if you will be issued anything other than a Tourist Visa. If you already have a job lined up, then the school should be able to send you documents that you can include with your visa application.
Single Entry vs. Multi-Entry
I applied for the Non-Immigrant B Single Entry Visa for 2 reasons.
- It was $80 instead of $200 and I did not want to spend the extra money when I am not even sure if I am going to travel outside of Thailand. I can also apply for a re-entry visa once I am in Thailand if I change my mind.
- The Embassy website stated that they were only issuing single entry. However, I spoke with several people who applied for the multi-entry visa through the Portland Embassy and they all said that they were issued it with no problems at all.
So, if you have an extra $120 and/or you know that you are going to want to travel outside of Thailand, then I would go ahead and apply for the multi-entry.
How long was the process?
Technically it took 13 days for me to ship everything to the Embassy and then have it returned back to me. However, it typically takes only 1 week. I was stupid and didn’t pay attention to the fact that the Embassy was closed from Aug. 10th-13th. I mailed my paperwork and passport on Friday (August 7th). My package stayed in USPS limbo for a week before it could actually get delivered to the Embassy. Just pay attention to the dates the office is closed, it is listed on their homepage.
I wish I had legitimate advice to give you, but everything is already written out in steps on the Portland Embassy website. I just wanted to write a quick post to put people who are nervous about applying for a visa and shipping their passport at ease!
Comment below with any questions or advice that you have about this process!