Work Permit Expired, Can't Get an Extension, Can't Get Out

[jacobsladder]

Our contracts ran out on August 20th and our visas ran out on August 31st. We've been here five years. We have new jobs in another asian country, but the borders are closed. We have work permits for the new school and contract copies.

 

Our hope was to get a visa extension to run after September 26th, but it seems this is only available for tourist visas. So, we are still going through the process of getting the embassy letters, but are pretty concerned it won't be enough. Ultimately, if we can't get an extension, we are going to have to overstay until we can get out.

 

Any solution to this? I know at least four other people, including families, in the same situation. Any advice grately received. 

Edited September 9, 2020 by jacobsladder

[ubonjoe]

The 30 day extension with a letter from your embassy can be issued for anybody it is not limited to tourists.

[DrJack54]

I'm sorry but your options are extremely limited unless you use agents and even that you left extremely late. You can obtain 30 day extension.

My first read of your post (I missed the "schools" reference). I had already guessed that you were teaching.

If you plan to move somewhere like Vietnam or even China to teach. It won't happen. Those countries will be closed for some time along with Thailand. 

I hope amnesty is extended however leaving your plans to this late is surprising.

 

Edited September 9, 2020 by DrJack54

[blackcab]

17 minutes ago, jacobsladder said:

...we are going to have to overstay until we can get out.

 

Is there a reason why you can't leave Thailand? Or are the borders of your home country closed to you?

[jacobsladder]

How is it late? The possibility of extension was only offered a couple of weeks ago as far as I know and we still have 17 days. 

[DrJack54]

23 minutes ago, jacobsladder said:

How is it late? The possibility of extension was only offered a couple of weeks ago as far as I know and we still have 17 days. 

Is that a joke. Anyone could see your window closing VERY quickly. 

Option to use agent was possible however now becoming difficult. 

You vaguely mention leaving and teaching in asian country. Good luck with that plan.

IMO I would have used agent (not a fan) to remain in Thailand at all costs.

[DrJack54]

52 minutes ago, jacobsladder said:

Ultimately, if we can't get an extension, we are going to have to overstay until we can get out.

Reckless statement at best.

[teacherclaire]

Our contracts ran out on August 20th and our visas ran out on August 31st. We've been here five years. We have new jobs in another asian country, but the borders are closed. We have work permits for the new school and contract copies.

 

But you knew that this would happen. I guess you also know the penalties once you get caught on overstay.

 

In my own humble opinion, you're a bit late to ask these questions.

 There are enough flights out, so nobody's holding you here.

 

An American friend who'd lost his job just left a few weeks ago.

 

I'm afraid that it will get more complicated so longer you are waiting.

 

  

[teacherclaire]

19 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Is that a joke. Anyone could see your window closing VERY quickly. 

Option to use agent was possible however now becoming difficult. 

You vaguely mention leaving and teaching in asian country. Good luck with that plan.

IMO I would have used agent (not a fan) to remain in Thailand at all costs.

That seems to be too late now. And if it works, it will not be cheap.

 

And the boundary to illegality is obvious. 

[DrJack54]

2 minutes ago, teacherclaire said:

I'm afraid that it will get more complicated so longer you are waiting.

Good point claire. I don't wish to sound like a bleeding heart but I don't think some folk realize the issues with limited options if amnesty not extended. 

Clearly ongoing 30 day extensions is one possibility if provided. I hope so.

 

 

[edwardandtubs]

Can you explain what you mean by "can't get out"? Emirates and Qatar have flights out every day to many destinations as do a number of other airlines. The fact that you would prefer to be in China or Vietnam rather than your home country is of no interest to Thai immigration.

Edited September 9, 2020 by edwardandtubs

[impulse]

If I were the OP, I'd be scooting down to Immigration as soon as they open to determine whether they qualify for a 30 day extension.  If they do qualify, they lose nothing, since all extensions start the day after the amnesty ends.  Hopefully, Ubonjoe is correct, and long stay expats will qualify.  Though every official announcement I've seen indicates the 30 day extension is for those on tourist visas, and there may (or may not) be some kind of announcement on Sept 15 for long stay expats who fail to qualify for a yearlong extension based on financial or other requirements.

 

 

And if he/she can't get that 30 days, I'd start looking for a flight.  If he/she can get that 30 days, I'd still be looking for a flight- with just a little more breathing room.  It may not be to his/her preferred destination (which may or may not open up to foreigners in 2020 or 2021), but there are flights.   

 

Any plan that includes a deliberate overstay is fraught with risk.  They may relax a little, or they may clamp down, or it may vary by locale.

 

Edited September 9, 2020 by impulse

[Skylight]

2 hours ago, edwardandtubs said:

Can you explain what you mean by "can't get out"? Emirates and Qatar have flights out every day to many destinations as do a number of other airlines. The fact that you would prefer to be in China or Vietnam rather than your home country is of no interest to Thai immigration.

 

I think the OP said they have another job in a specific Asian county lined up.  The difficulty must be getting out and to that specific country.

[khhainuui]

Feel you... I have company, was starting export to europe, no income since came back january from "visarun" 90d non b.

 

Got my small pension every month but not enough for requirements for other visas. Getting married soon but will take few months to have enough money for lawyer to make those 400k transfer tricks... 

 

 

Well sometimes in life <deleted> hits the fan and you just need to wipe that <deleted> and continue, no matter what.

 

Going to wait till day 15, if theres no ease, just manage somehow get ticket back to "home" and wait there and work 247 to support my family here....

 

 

 

 

[jacobsladder]

I had already been to immigration when I wrote the original post. They said we need the embassy letters and proof of accommodation during the extension, including a hand drawn map of the area around the accommodation. It  cannot be a Google map (!?@#?!), it has to be hand drawn.

 

Embassies have been contacted and letters are in progress. 

 

However, a friend in the same position was told the extension was only for tourists. We're just going to have to see what happens when we return.

 

Thanks for the info. One effect of responses has been to look at returning home, a place we haven't lived for 12 years and have nowhere to stay. But, once we started looking at it it started turning into a mini adventure. Its definitely bottom of the list,  but we need to prepare for that eventuality just in case.

Edited September 10, 2020 by jacobsladder

[Matzzon]

24 minutes ago, jacobsladder said:

I had already been to immigration when I wrote the original post. They said we need the embassy letters and proof of accommodation during the extension, including a hand drawn map of the area around the accommodation. It  cannot be a Google map (!?@#?!), it has to be hand drawn.

 

Embassies have been contacted and letters are in progress. 

 

However, a friend in the same position was told the extension was only for tourists. We're just going to have to see what happens when we return.

 

Thanks for the info. One effect of responses has been to look at returning home, a place we haven't lived for 12 years and have nowhere to stay. But, once we started looking at it it started turning into a mini adventure. Its definitely bottom of the list,  but we need to prepare for that eventuality just in case.

Good Luck! ???? 

[Sheryl]

If necessary you could also consider waiting it out in Cambodia. It is possible to enter though you'll need a (non tourist) visa and have to undergo testing and 14 day quarantine on arrival and pay a (refundable minus testing costs) $2,000 deposit each. And fly a somewhat circuituitous route (e.g via Soeul or other 3rd country that alliws transit passengers) as no direct flights from Thailand and land  borders are closed.

 

After entering on a regular visa you can easily get a one year extension on basis of looking for work. And as schools are reopening there you might even find work...

[OffshoreMig]

You have to apply for a new visa. A Ed Visa, Tourist, Business visa, etc. You most likely will not be allowed to work. 26 Sept Extensions do not apply to non Tourist Visas. The Thai athorities have been warning of this. September 14 would be the last day to scrape in. 

[OffshoreMig]

19 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

The 30 day extension with a letter from your embassy can be issued for anybody it is not limited to tourists.

I am not sure about that Joe.  Can you provide a link I was under the understanding that it only applied to Tourist visa listening to the Australian Ambassadors reports..  Note I do not support Thai Visas.

 

Edited September 10, 2020 by OffshoreMig

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, OffshoreMig said:

I am not sure about that Joe.  Can you provide a link I was under the understanding that it only applied to Tourist visa listening to the Australian Ambassadors reports..

The infographic that immigration posted was not clear about it.

But a notification from them is a little clearer.

It primarily mentions tourist for the 30 day extensions.

But for those on non immigrant visa it states the would apply under a clause under immigration order 327/2257.

The 30 day extension with a embassy letter is clause 2.28. 

I am sure immigration will do a extension under clause 2.28 for anybody that has a letter.

Since you mention the Australian embassy the UK embassy are saying they will only do them for those with non immigrant visas.

 

[jacobsladder]

Original poster here.

 

So, we went to immigration on Tuesday and the woman said we need letters from the embassy and a copy of housing book (we rent a house) to prove where we live.

 

We now have the embassy letters and our landlord is copying the housing (blue/yellow?) book, however, our names are not in it. Our written housing contract ran out at the end of June, when we were supposed to leave, and we've been paying month to month. She is making a new contract to cover September to end of November. How much of a problem is the lack of names going to be? How easy (assuming she wants to do it) would it be to get us in there? I've offered to cover any costs. Would it be better for us to rent an AirBnB for Sept 27 to Oct 26 and submit that instead? 

 

Thanks for all the advice.

[Neeranam]

On 9/9/2020 at 9:53 PM, teacherclaire said:

That seems to be too late now. And if it works, it will not be cheap.

 

And the boundary to illegality is obvious. 

It's not too late to use and agent. Anything is possible here if you show some cash.

[Neeranam]

32 minutes ago, jacobsladder said:

Original poster here.

 

So, we went to immigration on Tuesday and the woman said we need letters from the embassy and a copy of housing book (we rent a house) to prove where we live.

 

We now have the embassy letters and our landlord is copying the housing (blue/yellow?) book, however, our names are not in it. Our written housing contract ran out at the end of June, when we were supposed to leave, and we've been paying month to month. She is making a new contract to cover September to end of November. How much of a problem is the lack of names going to be? How easy (assuming she wants to do it) would it be to get us in there? I've offered to cover any costs. Would it be better for us to rent an AirBnB for Sept 27 to Oct 26 and submit that instead? 

 

Thanks for all the advice.

This is something your employer should sort out. In 25 years, I've never been asked for  a copy of the house book. 

If your employer doesn't want to help here, find a new job.

If you are friendly with a Thai person, ask them to go to immigration with you as there is specific language used in Thai to overcome obstacles and they don't like using this language with most foreigners.

Edited September 11, 2020 by Neeranam

[jacobsladder]

I don't have an employer. My contract ended August 14th.

[jacobsladder]

Just thought I'd follow up. I'm the OP. After three trips to immigration we were given 30 day extensions from the 27th. We spent four hours in immigration yesterday and had to make about 150 photocopies for the four of us. Happy its over.........for now.