I'm a 40 yrs old Filipino with BOI promoted visa/work permit

since 1998. My visa/work permit is due to expire on April 30.

I did not go to the BOI office to renew by visa/work permit

because documents are still to be completed. I went first to

Suan Plo immigration on April 30 and was granted visa

extension till May 15.

When I went to the BOI office in Radchadapisek today

(May 9) to submit completed documents i was told that

since my work permit has expired I need to apply for a

new one and the one I am having cannot be extended anymore.

My question is :

1. Is it really necessary for me to apply for a new work

   permit even if I am only 9 day's late? If so, are there

   any law firms capable to just 'extend' my visa/work

   permit since applying for a new one is pretty laborious.

2. If worse comes to worse and I really need to re-apply

   for a new work permit can i still apply for a residency

   visa this year with my non-immigrant visa alone vouching

   that i have a continued stay in Thailand for the past 5

   years? Is the work permit related to this?

Anticipating with thanks your urgent inputs as i am really

at a lost what to do next.

1. Is it really necessary for me to apply for a new work permit even if I am only 9 day's late? If so, are there

  any law firms capable to just 'extend' my visa/work

  permit since applying for a new one is pretty laborious.

Consider your work permit gone! Labour Department can give up to a week respite if you ask them BEFORE it expires, but you was too late.

2. If worse comes to worse and I really need to re-apply

  for a new work permit can i still apply for a residency

  visa this year with my non-immigrant visa alone vouching

  that i have a continued stay in Thailand for the past 5

  years? Is the work permit related to this?

Re-apply for work permit before your visa extension expires, get the receipt from the Labour department and take it to the Immigration. They can the give you a temporary extension until your new work permit is ready.

If you are really quick you can fix this, otherwise you are on "square one" again with your one year visa, have to travel out for a new Non-Immigrant visa AND you have to wait another 3 years before you are eligible to apply for residency.