Visa/ Wp Ridiculousness

[DamianMavis]

Hi, just wondering if this kind of thing happens all the time.

I work for a company and have a work permit, a lawyer that works for the company usually handles my visa/wp stuff and often holds onto my passport for months at a time. Anyway, with all the silly extensions and stamps my passport filled up and had no pages left, no one told me of course. So my work permit was finally in the last stage (yet again.... don't ask) and was going to be stamped for a year along with my passport but they refused to do it since I needed one full page to get the last 1 year visa stamp and they wont stamp the work permit without being able to stamp the passport...... So I'm told to go apply for extra pages for my passport as quickly as possible, I rush to my embassy (Canada) and find out they dont give extra pages, that I must apply for a whole new passport (that comes from Canada) that will take 3 weeks, 2 weeks longer than my visa expiring. Ok...... so now what....... I tell my embassy that I cannot leave the freaking country with no space in my passport for a stamp (I wont even be allowed) so what am I supposed to do? If I overstay my work permit is immediately cancelled. Uhm.... turns out there is absolutely no provision for this. I cant leave, Im forced to overstay and forced to lose my work permit simply because my passport filled up with all the stamps immigration keeps putting into it. Total ridiculousness. The woman at the embassy, apparently a lawyer, told me not too worry that there was this tiny corner on page 24 that has space.... SEE? Ya ok if you say so.....WRONG, why is someone in MY embassy giving me made up incompetent answers that are seriously going to hurt me? Its supposed to be Canada right?! And come to think of it... why, looking around at my tiny cheap embassy is there not an actual Canadian working there?! sonofa.... sometimes I hate my country. You wouldnt see this at the U.S or U.K embassies, geeze.

In the end I went to Japan as soon as I received the new passport and got a new visa and came back and sorted it all out but holy cow that was dumb. Is it the same for other people? If your passport fills up and your visa expries around the same time you are <deleted> and will lose your work permit because you are stuck in the country and forced to overstay?

Damian

[farangsay]

You leave your passport with somebody else for months at a time ?

When was the last time you saw it and looked at it ?

Did you check the stamps and perhaps notice that the last page used was a little close to the back cover ?

It's not your fault.

It's your mother's fault.

She should have known better than let you leave home on your own.

[cali4995]

In an attempt not to be condescending, I recently went to the U.S. embassy to get some supplementary pages added to my passport (one of the few countries that still does this apparently). The process took less than an hour but what I received back were pages literally industrially taped to the original binder, of a different size and so cheap looking I think higher quality work is available on khao san road. I guess new security measures are the reasons many countries refuse to issue additional pages but as your example points out, it can really leave you in a mess. I was on a visa run to Cambodia once and a farang girl with us got turned away for lack of available stamping space. It happens.

[astral]

You leave your passport with somebody else for months at a time ?

This was the case when I worked in Bangkok.

HR handled all my immigration and labour dept work.

The labour dept wanted to see me when I first arrived and 4 years later when I left......

The rest of the time the gophers handled everything for me.

[junkofdavid2]

Sunbelt handles my work permit for me.

I lend them my passport for a very long period of time... a TOTAL OF 2 DAYS they hold my passport and then I get it back as soon as my work permit application is put in. I already have my original passport back with me while the WP application/extension/renewal is being processed.

(Note: Lawyer only needs your passport on the same day that he/she submits the WP application. You can technically have your passport back on the same day after the application has been submitted... and Labor department only keeps a signed zerox copy of your passport while the WP is being processed. The labor department only requests to "see" the original passport when your lawyer submits the application, so that they can check that the original passport matches the zerox copy being submitted, and then the original is handed back to you immediately.)

Technically, you CAN GO TO JAIL for not having your passport. I keep a zerox copy but if ever a policeman wants to see the original, I can run back to my apartment (or have someone do it for me) to get the original.

Edited June 14, 2007 by junkofdavid2

[nonthaburial]

I guess the OP must have ignored the 90 day reporting rule many times also !!!! I believed that for this,the visa holder had to present hiself in person, not send a gopher !!

[lopburi3]

Anyone you designate can do the 90 day reports; or they can be done by mail.

[PeaceBlondie]

The US embassy and consulate are probably better than Canada's, from what the OP says here. The last time I was there, I overhead a story about a 15 year overstay that would curl your hair.

I was in Shanghai one day, on holiday, and my best friend noticed I only had about two pages left in my passport. Literally within hours, it was fixed, for free, at the consulate. But if he hadn't noticed it, I might also have been in a bind.

If you haven't looked inside your passport in over a month, go get it and examine it for anything that could possibly go wrong.

[funfun]

You leave your passport with somebody else for months at a time ?

When was the last time you saw it and looked at it ?

Did you check the stamps and perhaps notice that the last page used was a little close to the back cover ?

It's not your fault.

It's your mother's fault.

She should have known better than let you leave home on your own.

she was with him, well sort of, just getting him an ice cream actully!

[opalhort]

In the past, not sure if this is still the case, the German embassy issued the old green German Passports valid for one year if for some reason we could not wait for the EU PP (took 4-8 weeks) to come through. This temporary PP was issued locally in 1-2 days.

Regarding the OP's problem: what would have happened had he reported his PP stolen/lost. If he had copies of relevant pages would the Canadian embassy have issued a short term PP?

opalhort

[Badbanker]

Don't all embassies issue emergency travel documents in a couple of days for 7 months validity in such a bind. They do when you lose you passport.

Badbanker

[t.s]

Don't all embassies issue emergency travel documents in a couple of days for 7 months validity in such a bind. They do when you lose you passport.

Badbanker

the canadian embassy can issue emergency docs, but they are as expensive as the passport renewal.

they are also VERY reluctant to do so

[mikethevigoman]

Hi, just wondering if this kind of thing happens all the time.

I work for a company and have a work permit, a lawyer that works for the company usually handles my visa/wp stuff and often holds onto my passport for months at a time. Anyway, with all the silly extensions and stamps my passport filled up and had no pages left, no one told me of course. So my work permit was finally in the last stage (yet again.... don't ask) and was going to be stamped for a year along with my passport but they refused to do it since I needed one full page to get the last 1 year visa stamp and they wont stamp the work permit without being able to stamp the passport...... So I'm told to go apply for extra pages for my passport as quickly as possible, I rush to my embassy (Canada) and find out they dont give extra pages, that I must apply for a whole new passport (that comes from Canada) that will take 3 weeks, 2 weeks longer than my visa expiring. Ok...... so now what....... I tell my embassy that I cannot leave the freaking country with no space in my passport for a stamp (I wont even be allowed) so what am I supposed to do? If I overstay my work permit is immediately cancelled. Uhm.... turns out there is absolutely no provision for this. I cant leave, Im forced to overstay and forced to lose my work permit simply because my passport filled up with all the stamps immigration keeps putting into it. Total ridiculousness. The woman at the embassy, apparently a lawyer, told me not too worry that there was this tiny corner on page 24 that has space.... SEE? Ya ok if you say so.....WRONG, why is someone in MY embassy giving me made up incompetent answers that are seriously going to hurt me? Its supposed to be Canada right?! And come to think of it... why, looking around at my tiny cheap embassy is there not an actual Canadian working there?! sonofa.... sometimes I hate my country. You wouldnt see this at the U.S or U.K embassies, geeze.

In the end I went to Japan as soon as I received the new passport and got a new visa and came back and sorted it all out but holy cow that was dumb. Is it the same for other people? If your passport fills up and your visa expries around the same time you are <deleted> and will lose your work permit because you are stuck in the country and forced to overstay?

Damian

There there, dont hate canada because your passport was full, it was ultimatly your fault for not noticing,.

[DamianMavis]

My lawyer insists on holding onto it and the process seems to take forever, this just me?

The Canadian embassy issues emergency documents? I specifically asked them for something, ANYTHING like that and the Thai people working there said there was no such thing. Should I be surprised this was another lie/made up story by my embassies employees? Im not but Im starting to wonder what exactly the embassy is for if not to help it's citizens properly.

Farangsay, pages in your passport get filled up in order by Thai immigration?! Mine seem to get filled up all willy nilly all over the place as uneconomically as possible in no order whatsoever. Don't talk about my mother.

Damian

Edited June 14, 2007 by DamianMavis

[cali4995]

The U.S. embassy does have provisions to issue a limited validity passport for emergency travel (see below) I think this only takes 1-2 days. I guess increasing security tensions have made this more difficult or unavailable at some embassies.

There are mostly Thai people working at the American Citizens Services Unit, They're all nice and polite but it does make you think, shouldn't there be Americans here?

Those visa pages get filled up fast, a trip to Laos for a tourist visa is 3 pages. 1 for Laos on arrival visa, 1 for Thai tourist visa, nearly another full page for entry / exit stamps. In the end you got your new passport and got it sorted out but what if the thing had been lost or stolen? and your visa expired in 1-2 days? Surely they have emergency docs?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Replacement passports generally take two weeks to process. In cases of emergency travel, where waiting two weeks for the passport will cause undue hardship, the Consular Section is authorized to print a limited validity passport that cannot be extended.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Maestro]

My lawyer insists on holding onto it and the process seems to take forever, this just me?

After this experience, you may want to consider changing lawyers, at least for immigration and work permit matters.

--

Maestro

[jetjock]

About two months ago, my friend went to the Thai embassy in Los Angeles to get a retirement visa. They wanted him to have 6 empty pages in his passport before they would issue him a visa ! He had only 3 empty pages so he went to the US embassy and had to get another passport issued which took less than a week. I have learned from his experience that there is no such thing as too many pages and the next time I renew my US passport, I will apply for the passport that has extra pages in it which only cost a little more. I am not sure if other countries also have this option of a passport with more pages.

[endure]

About two months ago, my friend went to the Thai embassy in Los Angeles to get a retirement visa. They wanted him to have 6 empty pages in his passport before they would issue him a visa ! He had only 3 empty pages so he went to the US embassy and had to get another passport issued which took less than a week. I have learned from his experience that there is no such thing as too many pages and the next time I renew my US passport, I will apply for the passport that has extra pages in it which only cost a little more. I am not sure if other countries also have this option of a passport with more pages.

The UK doesn't allow you to add pages but you do have the option of either a 32 or 48 page passport when you apply.

[DamianMavis]

I have changed lawyers 3 times.... I'm assuming at this point that they all steal, scam and delay as much as possible, am I wrong? If someone has an honest lawyer please pm me as I would love to deal with them. I have alot I need to do with a lawyer but have been putting it off because I dont trust any of them. I always thought it was a matter of finding one that steals less than the others and makes less mistakes, anyone got one of those?

I was given the option of the passport with double the pages and I'm now the proud owner of a fat juicy double decker passport with barely anything in it. Feels nice after all the problems.

Damian

[Maestro]

If someone has an honest lawyer...

Sorry to hear about your bad experience with lawyers. A lot of good things have been said on this forum about Sunbelt Asia, who also happen to be a sponsor of this forum.

--

Maestro

[backflip]

"My lawyer insists on holding onto it and the process seems to take forever"

Are you talking about your passport, or a dating situation?

[DamianMavis]

You bad man!

Damian

[bendix]

Why on earth wouldn't you question why the lawyer needed to hold on to your passport? What happened if you wanted to go on holiday or leave the country? Do you have to ask their permission?

Honestly, this is your responsibility. It doesnt take a genius to know the passport is yours and that you are responsible for it.

I give my passport to my WP lawyers for two days every year . . that's all. They send me an email every now and again so they can renew reporting requirements, but as I'm in and out of the country all the time, I've never had to worry about that.

[samran]

I have changed lawyers 3 times.... I'm assuming at this point that they all steal, scam and delay as much as possible, am I wrong? If someone has an honest lawyer please pm me as I would love to deal with them. I have alot I need to do with a lawyer but have been putting it off because I dont trust any of them. I always thought it was a matter of finding one that steals less than the others and makes less mistakes, anyone got one of those?

I was given the option of the passport with double the pages and I'm now the proud owner of a fat juicy double decker passport with barely anything in it. Feels nice after all the problems.

Damian

Sunbelt of course.

Dej Udom in the past handled all my wife's stuff via my work. I can recommend them too.

[DamianMavis]

I question people all the time in this country as to why they are doing things a certain way, and I always get a nonsensical answer.... should I just call them liar to thier face and possibly lose my work permit progress and have to start over? I have always used the "bend over and take it with a smile" approach to get things done. It eventually gets done. Is there another way to do things here? Complaining just seems to piss them off.

Thankyou, does Sunbelt handle setting up businesses in Thailand too?

Damian

[junkofdavid2]

Thankyou, does Sunbelt handle setting up businesses in Thailand too?

Damian

Yes, and they are excellent when it comes to setting up businesses and getting work permits etc.

They have legal and accounting departments, and from experience their LEGAL department is excellent.

Edited June 15, 2007 by junkofdavid2

[gk10002000]

Don't all embassies issue emergency travel documents in a couple of days for 7 months validity in such a bind. They do when you lose you passport.

Badbanker

the canadian embassy can issue emergency docs, but they are as expensive as the passport renewal.

they are also VERY reluctant to do so

The US embassy will only issue an emergency passport that is only good for one trip immediately back home. They do not issue any passports at overseas embassies.

[lopburi3]

The above post is misleading. The US Embassy acts as a passport office and forwards the paperwork to the USA for the passport and it is returned to the Embassy for issue to the traveler. The time involved is about two weeks. If it is a case of lost passport and the traveler does not have time to wait for this the Embassy can issue a local stock one year validity passport.

PASSPORTS

How much does it cost to get new pages in my passport?

Passport supplements are free and usually only take a few minutes.

How much does it cost to get a passport or have it renewed?

US$ 82.00 for a minor (under 16 yrs. of age)

US$ 67.00 for an adult renewal

US$ 97.00 for an adult first time issuance or replacement

How long does it take to renew a passport?

Passport renewals usually take about two weeks to complete after the application has been approved.

My passport was stolen/lost. Can the embassy issue an emergency passport? What is the cost?

We can issue you an emergency passport, valid for one year, within 24-hours. Please bring the police report for the lost passport, picture identification, passport pictures (2x2) on white background and $97.00 (in US or Thai currency, or you can pay with a credit card) during ACS Office hours.

You can find more information on passport related issues at

http://www.travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html

[issanpaul]

You leave your passport with somebody else for months at a time ?

When was the last time you saw it and looked at it ?

Did you check the stamps and perhaps notice that the last page used was a little close to the back cover ?

It's not your fault.

It's your mother's fault.

She should have known better than let you leave home on your own.

[bina]

israeli embassy issues a sort of travel document only if u can provide police record that passport was stolen; and if it was lost, the story better be good (witness to a couple of flipflop guys saying their passport was stolen what to do? answer by thai staff (own country staff dont seem to deal with window work but stay in the back office for the most part) was: prove it, get a police theft report and come back.... pay money, get temporary travel document. and they are fined for losing/miss placing passport unless they reported a mugging or breakin with passport stolen.

as for thai people here, immigration here requires that thai passport must be valid for at least five years when getting issued visa. husband just paid for thai visa (took one month to receive new one) now must redo workpermit/permission to stay stamp for more money. husband got new passport with new number (why !?) and now have to fill out lots of forms to 'move' the permit/visa into new passport.