Presumably the above means a visit to Labour Office to apply for an O visa.

 

Does the HR of the new firm need to do it all (or will they?). From my experience of years ago, they need to sign something and take me there.

 

Will this also mean a trip to the embassy in Penang? If we are allowed to go?

 

Eddy

2 minutes ago, pauleddy said:

Presumably the above means a visit to Labour Office to apply for an O visa.

The Labour Office issues Work Permits, not visas. In my experience (more than 10 years ago), the tricky part is changing from Retirement 'O' to 'B' - you can't do it directly. In my case it involved travelling to the border with my "Employer" where a compliant officer cancelled my Retirement visa and gave me a 30-day stamp, which was subsequently converted to 90 days as WP applicant and then 1-year 'B' extension. If your HR department is any good they can swing all this for you.

You cannot change non immigrant visa categories while in the country at immigration. The only way is to leave the country to get a non-b visa or enter visa exempt and apply for it at immigration.

You could change the reason for your extension from retirement to working. But the problem is getting a work permit application done to get a work permit application approval document to apply for the new extension while on a retirement extension.

I had to go to Singapore to change my O tourist visa too B work visa.

Had to pay for visa, flights and hotel myself. Was not cheap.

Not sure about current insurance requirements coming back in on B Visa.

Then at the end of it all, you have to leave Thailand within 7 days of your employment ending (or be on overstay) to convert back to O or OA before returning and starting the retirement procedure all over again all at your own cost.

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

You cannot change non immigrant visa categories while in the country at immigration. The only way is to leave the country to get a non-b visa or enter visa exempt and apply for it at immigration.

You could change the reason for your extension from retirement to working. But the problem is getting a work permit application done to get a work permit application approval document to apply for the new extension while on a retirement extension.

Agreed.  When I did it in 2016, I had to leave the country.  I don't know if there has been any relaxation on this re Covid.

I held two work permits with different companies in both cases the company handled my Visa as well as mine work permit and everything that it had to do with getting it. I would think if they want you bad enough they will do this as well

Thanks to all. I’m still confused cos about 12 yrs ago I quit a “top 3” university and retired on the extension. When the university asked me to return p-t 6 months later they took me to a small room in San Phlu and changed me back to 0 in 3 minutes, but I did need to go to the Labor Office the next day.

 

20 years ago, as a newbie, a respected southern university commanded me to head to Penang asap to get a real 0 instead of my 60 or 90 day tourist visa from Gibraltar. Luckily I turned that place down and went to Bkk where my new HRD said “rubbish” and got me all pukka in 4 hours.

 

To this day, I still wonder why some guys have to go to Penang or Hcm (I know Pinoys have to) while others don’t. Btw I’m a Brit.

 

Eddy

 

 

 

 

 

23 hours ago, pauleddy said:

Thanks to all. I’m still confused cos about 12 yrs ago I quit a “top 3” university and retired on the extension. When the university asked me to return p-t 6 months later they took me to a small room in San Phlu and changed me back to 0 in 3 minutes, but I did need to go to the Labor Office the next day.

 

20 years ago, as a newbie, a respected southern university commanded me to head to Penang asap to get a real 0 instead of my 60 or 90 day tourist visa from Gibraltar. Luckily I turned that place down and went to Bkk where my new HRD said “rubbish” and got me all pukka in 4 hours.

 

To this day, I still wonder why some guys have to go to Penang or Hcm (I know Pinoys have to) while others don’t. Btw I’m a Brit.

 

Eddy

 

 

 

 

 

I guess some guys comply with the laws and others pay agents.

As I am sure you know, that does happen from time to time.