Are staff photos still a requirement for work permit visa extension?

[yuri48494]

Hi,

I'm currently working on renewing my work permit (successful) and getting a new visa extension in my passport (ongoing).

Each year, the company I work for has all the staff come together to take a photo together in order for me to show my working address / working situation.

Due to Covid we have mostly been working from home and not in an office environment, as per government recommendations.

However, it seems a bit strange if we will have to bring everyone back to the office just to take photos together. This doesn't seem very wise due to the current situation we're all in.
 

We've tried calling immigration about this but couldn't get anyone from the numbers we had available.

Does anyone know if there is any leniency here, or someone who has recently extended a work permit (the visa part) without these photos?

Thank you in advance!

[BritTim]

I wonder if a photo of a large monitor showing all the employees together on a Zoom call might be acceptable. You can make a good case that a virtual office is where you are all working, as mandated (more than just recommended) by government regulations.

[yuri48494]

Thanks for the reply, Tim.

It would be so nice to be able to contact someone before we take all the photos etc. 

[Misty]

1 hour ago, kishnanakishna said:

Thanks for the reply, Tim.

It would be so nice to be able to contact someone before we take all the photos etc. 

Have you tried the Immigration helpline - x1178?  If you find anything out, please post back

[OneMoreFarang]

Over many years our visa and work permit agent made pictures of each of us sitting on a PC and standing near the office entrance with the company sign next to us. But as far as I remember this were always pictures with just one person in the picture. I don't think we ever made a company picture with all or even many employees. 

[Tropicalevo]

This may differ depending on location.

In May (or June) I had to go through the photo op with all of my staff (for the 20th year!).

I am on Koh Samui.

[Misty]

9 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

This may differ depending on location.

In May (or June) I had to go through the photo op with all of my staff (for the 20th year!).

I am on Koh Samui.

Agreed. The situation is a bit different in "deep red" Bangkok where company staff may need to travel a fair distance by public transportation to get to work, and not everyone has been able to get even a single dose of vaccination.

[Bangkokhatter]

In 12 years i have never had to pose for any pictures for work permit application, company is under BOI so this may have an effect.

 

Why would you contact immigration for work permit anyway, is this not covered by the labour office ?

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, Bangkokhatter said:

In 12 years i have never had to pose for any pictures for work permit application, company is under BOI so this may have an effect.

Why would you contact immigration for work permit anyway, is this not covered by the labour office ?

You need to read the OP again. He was asking about applying for a one year extension at immigration not his work permit.

[dkg224]

I’ve had to take group photos of my staff and I in front of the company sign every year for my 1 year visa extension. 
but what is the actual price for the 1 year visa?  Like what you pay to immigration, not the absurd amount lawyers want. My first lawyer a few years ago told me it was 55k, I switched lawyers but they all seem to charge around 30k for it 

[Eaglekott]

I recently did the renewal and at least here in Bangkok you still must have the pictures, but it does not have to be all staff, 4 Thai is enough to show that there is at least 4 Thai in the company.

 

BOI do not need pictures of Thai because there is no minimum of 4 Thai employees under BOI regulation.

 

 

[Misty]

On 8/23/2021 at 10:38 PM, OneMoreFarang said:

Over many years our visa and work permit agent made pictures of each of us sitting on a PC and standing near the office entrance with the company sign next to us. But as far as I remember this were always pictures with just one person in the picture. I don't think we ever made a company picture with all or even many employees. 

Since the 4:1 ratio was instituted for service companies sometime in 2007, specifics regarding the photo requirement has changed - how the photo is taken, who is in the photo, people smiling or not smiling, looking at camera or not looking at camera, where in office picture taken, outside office with sign, etc etc. 

[Misty]

On 8/23/2021 at 5:32 PM, kishnanakishna said:

Hi,

I'm currently working on renewing my work permit (successful) and getting a new visa extension in my passport (ongoing).

Each year, the company I work for has all the staff come together to take a photo together in order for me to show my working address / working situation.

Due to Covid we have mostly been working from home and not in an office environment, as per government recommendations.

However, it seems a bit strange if we will have to bring everyone back to the office just to take photos together. This doesn't seem very wise due to the current situation we're all in.
 

We've tried calling immigration about this but couldn't get anyone from the numbers we had available.

Does anyone know if there is any leniency here, or someone who has recently extended a work permit (the visa part) without these photos?

Thank you in advance!

Hi OP, have you found out anything more about this?  We've been told that the photos must be in the last month (near impossible in "work at home" circumstances with most employees having at best only one jab to date), and not the stated requirement of within the last six months (which we have already).

[yuri48494]

 

On 9/5/2021 at 9:34 AM, Misty said:

Hi OP, have you found out anything more about this?  We've been told that the photos must be in the last month (near impossible in "work at home" circumstances with most employees having at best only one jab to date), and not the stated requirement of within the last six months (which we have already).

Just to update this thread as someone might see it in the future.

We did indeed have to have everyone together and take new photos. At least that's what we were told when we went to immigration by an officer, so we did exactly that.