Did I just screw myself on my work permit/visa??

[puukao]

i've been here for 19 months....nothing surprises me.  this doesn't surprise me.

 

if i'm in vietnam next week, it won't surprise me.

 

55555.

 

it's in the past, so i have to try to laugh about it and move on.  

 

maybe destiny wants me to go back to Laos......

 

obviously, it's not fun......and i'm even surprised tonight it just clicked that i should check my passport and getting the WP renewed wasn't enough.

 

 

 

[Slip]

You should try to raise someone from the school to help asap.  But don't hang around too long on overstay.  11 days until the 15th seems a bit long to me. Many school administrators are not that skilled in this area either in my experience.

[puukao]

i'll definitely go to the school tomorrow, but i'm 90% sure nobody will be there tomorrow to help.  next week for sure.

 

i will have someone call immigration tomorrow for me..... and get an idea.

 

 

 

 

[Slip]

Again in my (limited) experience- if you go to immigration and explain your position they will give you advice.  They may even give you an extension for a week to deal with it (unlikely), but they will tell you what you need to do (that you need to leave now etc) without arresting you.  Dress well and be humble.  Good luck.

[BritTim]

In my opinion, you should take every scrap of paperwork you have handy to immigration in the morning. I appreciate that it is a bit of a trek to get there, but they will be more inclined to help if you are 4 days late than a week late. With the old and new contracts, the updated work permit, your other supporting documents, and your explanations, you may get out for 1,900 baht and a 2,000 baht fine, and the extension done. Even if you cannot sort in out without the school's help, the fact that you tried will be helpful later. If you wait, it will certainly get more expensive, and I would not rely on the school footing the bill.

 

It goes without saying that you should dress nicely, and be polite and friendly. If immigration is helpful, buy them a nice food item to share.

[PoorSucker]

BritTim says it, go to immigration, they can be helpful. 

[jenny2017]

4 hours ago, puukao said:

i'll definitely go to the school tomorrow, but i'm 90% sure nobody will be there tomorrow to help.  next week for sure.

 

i will have someone call immigration tomorrow for me..... and get an idea.

 

 

 

 

Don't you know the head teacher's phone number, anybody from the English department who can be of help? As already stated, it's important to contact Immigration, no matter if you reach somebody from school, or not.

 

    Schools usually have a "special connection" with Immigration and you might be lucky. But do not waste more time, four days is enough, might cost you a few baht, but it can be done.

 

   First, you should start to think positive, drive to Immigration well dressed and of course well behaved, maybe have a little present for them and explain that you couldn't reach anybody from school.

 

P.S.   A 7 day visa should be possible, considering that your work permit is okay. 

 

   What kind of documents do you need from school? 

Edited May 3, 2018 by jenny2017

[jenny2017]

5 hours ago, puukao said:

sorry, i got a NEW contract.  and a work permit extension.

 

my OLD contract expired.  

You wouldn't have the work permit extended without a new contract. Should you not reach anybody from school, you might get needed documents from the labor department.

 

   But you've got to see the Immigration, so please try to find somebody from your school first. If not, go straight to Immigration with what you've got.

 

   They've got cameras, so you might not even need photos. Good luck!! 

 

   

[puukao]

yea, i'll first try school.  try to get copies.  if so, then go to immigration and pay fines.  then i'm sure i will have to go back next week.  of course, i'm the only one in this process who can speak English....makes it a little more challenging.  

 

i'm not going to blame the school, but it's "funny" we take a zillion copies of my passport and nobody says anything about that big red date.  

 

and i was convinced i need the WP done first, and the day after that was done school closed.  and i vaguely remembered a date in my passport for June, and then last night i realized that's only for the address......

 

oh, they know me at immigration. only two people work there who stamp your passport (more people obviously work there and do other stuff), and maybe they see only 1 or 2 other Americans with a work permit.  

 

again....relax, try to fix it, move on.  

 

 

[TerryLH]

5 hours ago, BritTim said:

In my opinion, you should take every scrap of paperwork you have handy to immigration in the morning.

Probably better wait until they're open.

 

4 hours ago, jenny2017 said:

P.S.   A 7 day visa should be possible, considering that your work permit is okay.

It's not a 7 day visa.  It's an extension.

[puchooay]

He says the school can't help but then says he has a new date in his WP. 

 

Someone somewhere has produced documents for a WP. Take a copy of the same documents to immigration. Explain the situation. If you are lucky they will charge you 500 a day overstay and tgen give you your 1year extension. 

Edited May 4, 2018 by puchooay

[Kasset Tak]

Take all your documents to immigration today, explain to them that you mixed up the dates and hopefully they will just slap you with a fine (but you will not get the 1 year extension, maybe 7 days if they are "HAPPY") and then return with all documents needed from the school and school district next week. In a worse case scenario you will have to go to Laos to obtain a new non-B visa but you should have no problem with keeping your WP if it's already stamped for a year.

[puukao]

Quick Update:   School at 7, get copies of everything.  Immigration at 9:30.  missed 2 forms.  another 1.5 hour trip back... 

 

Good news;  They said just pay 2000 overstay and 1900 for extension, they didn't seem too bothered.  but they said i must come back before 5 p.m. with the proper forms.  

 

one form needed to be done by some education department, all in thai.

 

finally i could go pick up the form at 2:30.  back to immigration.  get there 4:30... they say closed.  5555.  

 

they seemed to laugh and said just come back Monday, i'll be number 1.

 

555555.

 

I had them look at the forms, they said they are correct.

 

So, yea, it turned out to be about a 3000 baht mistake.  

 

It's almost never about the money.  it's always about the game.

 

i smiled and left....i don't care.  i tried my best and i got a raise of 10,000 per month for next term.  and 5000 for end of last contract, and 5000 for another bonus.

 

yea, i'm not done.... but it feels done.

 

lesson learned.

 

there will be more...

 

 

Edited May 4, 2018 by puukao

[Slip]

You have been fortunate I think which is great news.  Some immigration offices would have been no help at all and happily hung you out to dry.  Plus a 10k a month raise?  How much were they paying you before!?  You should buy a lottery ticket mate. 

[BritTim]

The news is pretty good, but be prepared for possible irritations on Monday. Whatever happens, keep smiling and talking quietly. In particular, do not be surprised if they tell you Monday that the fine is 3,500 baht (7 days overstay). If they do, explain that you had to get extra forms, but were told you could return before 5:00 pm Friday to only face a 2,000 baht fine. Since you were there at 4:30 Friday, say you think it would be fair to backdate the extension to Friday. If they say they cannot do that, keep smiling and do not argue.

[puukao]

I am aware that they will likely get me for 1500 more baht, even though I was there on Friday before the doors locked.  I'm also prepared there is some other problem that might extend this even longer, but if that happens then i'll definitively demand staff at the school to come with me.  I'm also due for a new passport next year.  In life, we all choose things to stress over, and things to not worry about.  Strangely, I don't worry about this.  Seems counter-intuitive, and it even surprised myself....but i didn't lose any sleep last night over this.  

 

many people told me not to go to immigration, but i did.  i do think there can be different outcomes for different people, so not sure if this lesson will help others.  but a border run would 100% get rid of my work permit, and immigration gave me a small % chance to keep it.  i forget the cost of a border run to Cambodia, but it's not free, so there's that as well, plus the overstay, plus the new work permit cost, plus more travel.  and getting arrested just didn't seem like a possibility, but i'm sure it happens.  

 

i wish this will be the last of me running around like a chicken with it's head cut off, but we all know it won't.  

 

OK, off to the beach.  

[ubonjoe]

A post promoting an agent has been removed.

[falangjim]

On 5/3/2018 at 11:11 PM, puukao said:

It was only for my address......

 

So now I must go tomorrow and see what happens....

 

I'm on overstay and i'm guessing I'll have to leave and then lose my work permit and do the entire process over.  

 

even if i lose it all, job and everything and go work in another country........it's OK....  i'm not that worried.  but this was my mistake.  

Your post is confusing, but then again, the BS process of living and working here is, too. I would take part of the responsibility, but I would also put some of the blame on your school. We have admin who help with these matters whether school is in session or not. Someone should have been helping you along. Just my 2 cents. Good luck. 

[puukao]

end of this chapter.  paid the fine, sat in the chair for ONE HOUR as they stamped and wrote and copied and i signed and whatever....sorry for everyone who had to wait.  it was raining, not the best time to go to beach anyhow.

 

it doesn't hurt me financially, but i'm still rather frustrated nobody understood what i needed. i guess i just know something else with come up and i'll be stuck trying to figure it out on my own..

 

i gave that lady like 60 pieces of paper.  she had me sign about 10 new forms.  

 

i'm not surprised, but yet frustrated.  ah, i'll get over it.  

[BritTim]

4 hours ago, puukao said:

i'm not surprised, but yet frustrated.  ah, i'll get over it.  

The thing to remember after an experience like this is that the consequences were less severe than your worst fears. You handled it appropriately. The officials insisted on every piece of paperwork being correct. If you had been really lucky, they would have processed the extension Friday based on a promise that you would drop off the missing forms after the weekend but, as you say, their reactions were not a big surprise. I do not think anyone (apart, of course, from you) was upset by the situation. Time and money wasted, but no serious damage. Well done!

[puukao]

well, i made it very clear to the director (I'm friends with the director) that the process needs to be streamlined for other farangs so they are not frustrated.  they ask me all the time, 'how do we get a good English program?"  Well, for one, handle the paperwork.

 

why did i tell the director?  well, i think we are losing the only other farang because of frustrations slightly similar to mine.  and i try to say things like, "i don't care about the money or time, but it would be nice if someone in the school can go with me.  thanks."  nothing too harsh, i don't think.  

 

i'll go into school soon and i'll try my very best to act like it's no big deal, but they will make a copy of my overstay slip.  LOL.  so they will know that's a result of team work gone bad.  i would like to think now everything will be super smooth, but when they find out the other farang is leaving.....well, the stress will rise.  not for me.  lol.