Spending a few days out of Thailand and then flying back to thailand and trying to enter on visa exempt .....after working as a teacher for 1 year ....how risky?

[hydraides]

I've been working in thailand for a teacher for over a year on a Non-B/Work Permit

 

How risky is it to fly to dubai for a few days......and fly back to Krabi Airport to try and get a visa exempt (British Nationality).

 

Not sure how strict Krabi airport is but heard phuket airport immigration can be strict

 

What are the chances do you think are of getting denied entry?

[Gottfrid]

No probs. You are not working now, only enjoying life.

[timendres]

You need to be certain that your work permit and Non-B visa are properly terminated. If you do not take these important steps, it can cause problems in the future. If they are properly canceled, you should have no issues with the reentry visa exempt. Otherwise, get a reentry permit for the extension you currently have.

[edwardandtubs]

18 minutes ago, timendres said:

You need to be certain that your work permit and Non-B visa are properly terminated. If you do not take these important steps, it can cause problems in the future. If they are properly canceled, you should have no issues with the reentry visa exempt. Otherwise, get a reentry permit for the extension you currently have.

Total non-issue for a re-entry by air. The non-B is cancelled as soon as he leaves Thailand by air (there would only be a problem if he was exiting by land which he isn't) and the work permit is of no interest to the immigration officers at the airport either exiting or re-entering.

 

It is a good idea to make sure your work permit is cancelled if you're planning to apply for one in future but not relevant to the OP's question.

[bigt3116]

5 hours ago, edwardandtubs said:

The non-B is cancelled as soon as he leaves Thailand by air

Oh so wrong! The OP is on an extension of stay and both that and the work permit need to be cancelled correctly before leaving, and trying to re-enter the country.

 

Failure to do so can lead to huge problems and overstay fines should the OP ever want to work here again or apply for any other long term extension.

[edwardandtubs]

6 hours ago, bigt3116 said:

Oh so wrong! The OP is on an extension of stay and both that and the work permit need to be cancelled correctly before leaving, and trying to re-enter the country.

 

Failure to do so can lead to huge problems and overstay fines should the OP ever want to work here again or apply for any other long term extension.

What overstay fines when there's been no overstay? I agree that not cancelling the work permit could lead to issues with the Department of Employment if the OP wants to apply for another work permit but these are unrelated to overstaying.

[Chris Daley]

They will notice.  I recently had one woman go though every stamp from the first page to the current.  She pointed at a stamp (that was done in the same room a year ago) and said it is wrong.  She told me to leave the country within 24 hours or give her some money.  So I gave her the cash.

[Chris Daley]

19 minutes ago, edwardandtubs said:

What overstay fines when there's been no overstay? I agree that not cancelling the work permit could lead to issues with the Department of Employment if the OP wants to apply for another work permit but these are unrelated to overstaying.

A lot of Teacher Agencies refuse to cancel the work permit even after the work contract has ended / ran one year.

 

I had this problem.  They ignored my messages.  I called them and they hanged up.  I was starting work at one of the top ten highschools in Bangkok.  So those people called the agency and the problem was solved.

 

Apparently is illegal to not cancel the work permit for a teacher.

Edited October 10, 2023 by Chris Daley

[Freddy42OZ]

8 hours ago, bigt3116 said:

Oh so wrong! The OP is on an extension of stay and both that and the work permit need to be cancelled correctly before leaving, and trying to re-enter the country.

 

Failure to do so can lead to huge problems and overstay fines should the OP ever want to work here again or apply for any other long term extension.

 

Why is everyone assuming his job here has finished? 

Sounds more like he's just going on holiday for a few days.  In which case just needs to get a re-entry permit so his current extension of stay (and WP) don't get cancelled. 

 

[BritTim]

4 hours ago, edwardandtubs said:

What overstay fines when there's been no overstay? I agree that not cancelling the work permit could lead to issues with the Department of Employment if the OP wants to apply for another work permit but these are unrelated to overstaying.

It is potentially a major problem. The concern Immigration can have is that your employment might have ended weeks before you left the country. Having your employment formally terminated by the employer, showing the exact date of the end of your employment eliminates that possibility. If you leave when on an extension of stay based on working, and Immigration wants proof that you were always legally in Thailand, a formal termination letter from your previous employer showing the end date of your employment being on or after the date you left Thailand should be enough to satisfy them. Otherwise, especially if you left your employer under bad terms, it can become a real mess.

[edwardandtubs]

4 hours ago, BritTim said:

It is potentially a major problem. The concern Immigration can have is that your employment might have ended weeks before you left the country. Having your employment formally terminated by the employer, showing the exact date of the end of your employment eliminates that possibility. If you leave when on an extension of stay based on working, and Immigration wants proof that you were always legally in Thailand, a formal termination letter from your previous employer showing the end date of your employment being on or after the date you left Thailand should be enough to satisfy them. Otherwise, especially if you left your employer under bad terms, it can become a real mess.

But have there been any reports of immigration asking anyone at the airport to show "proof that you were always legally in Thailand"? In practice what they do is stamp you out which brings the visa to an end immediately and that is the end of that.

 

The OP is leaving by air so what happens at land borders is irrelevant.

[BritTim]

2 hours ago, edwardandtubs said:

But have there been any reports of immigration asking anyone at the airport to show "proof that you were always legally in Thailand"? In practice what they do is stamp you out which brings the visa to an end immediately and that is the end of that.

 

The OP is leaving by air so what happens at land borders is irrelevant.

It has never (so far as I know) been a problem at the airport. However, it can be a continuing sword of Damocles over your head whenever you have contact with Immigration in the future.

[edwardandtubs]

35 minutes ago, BritTim said:

It has never (so far as I know) been a problem at the airport. However, it can be a continuing sword of Damocles over your head whenever you have contact with Immigration in the future.

Can you explain how? I mean if you've exited the country and the visa has come to an end, is it really a concern to them months or years later? Have there been any reports of anyone having any issues at immigration because of this?

[bigt3116]

19 hours ago, edwardandtubs said:

What overstay fines when there's been no overstay? I agree that not cancelling the work permit could lead to issues with the Department of Employment if the OP wants to apply for another work permit but these are unrelated to overstaying.

It is the non-cancellation of the extension of stay that COULD lead to overstay fines, depending on then the OP finished work and when the OP leaves the country.

 

[bigt3116]

16 hours ago, Freddy42OZ said:

Why is everyone assuming his job here has finished? 

Because he mentions re-entering on a visa exempt entry.

[bigt3116]

10 hours ago, edwardandtubs said:

But have there been any reports of immigration asking anyone at the airport to show "proof that you were always legally in Thailand"? In practice what they do is stamp you out which brings the visa to an end immediately and that is the end of that.

The OP does NOT have a VISA,  and you do not know what you are on about. The problem with an un-cancelled extension/work permit comes if the OP ever needs to visit immigration or Labour in the future.

[edwardandtubs]

3 hours ago, bigt3116 said:

The OP does NOT have a VISA,  and you do not know what you are on about. The problem with an un-cancelled extension/work permit comes if the OP ever needs to visit immigration or Labour in the future.

I'm not "on about" anything, I'm simply asking a question. I'm aware of the semantics surrounding extensions but as you think "extension/work permit" is a single thing it appears you are the one who doesn't know what he's on about.

[bigt3116]

4 minutes ago, edwardandtubs said:

I'm not "on about" anything, I'm simply asking a question. I'm aware of the semantics surrounding extensions but as you think "extension/work permit" is a single thing it appears you are the one who doesn't know what he's on about.

Where has anyone said the they think a work permit and extension are the same thing? In my post they are written as an either or both. This is reinforced where I mention both immigration and the labour department.

 

Using the correct terminology when giving advice is paramount to giving the correct advice, it is not "semantics" or pedantic, it is vital.

 

Maybe you should reflect on your reading skills and immigration policy knowledge.

[edwardandtubs]

4 hours ago, bigt3116 said:

Where has anyone said the they think a work permit and extension are the same thing? In my post they are written as an either or both. This is reinforced where I mention both immigration and the labour department.

 

Using the correct terminology when giving advice is paramount to giving the correct advice, it is not "semantics" or pedantic, it is vital.

 

Maybe you should reflect on your reading skills and immigration policy knowledge.

Yet neither you nor anyone else has answered the question about whether anyone has in fact had any problems with immigration after exiting the country and returning. This is about actually helping the OP rather than being smug about your self-proclaimed immigration policy knowledge. There have been reports of problems obtaining another work permit but I've never seen a report that not cancelling the extension, leaving by air and then returning by air has been an issue at immigration. Have you? If so please chill, avoid the need to seek to big yourself up and belittle others and just provide the facts.

[bigt3116]

14 hours ago, edwardandtubs said:

Yet neither you nor anyone else has answered the question about whether anyone has in fact had any problems with immigration after exiting the country and returning. This is about actually helping the OP rather than being smug about your self-proclaimed immigration policy knowledge. There have been reports of problems obtaining another work permit but I've never seen a report that not cancelling the extension, leaving by air and then returning by air has been an issue at immigration. Have you? If so please chill, avoid the need to seek to big yourself up and belittle others and just provide the facts.

This is from a Mod on this very site.

 

"

To relate a story about the perils of NOT canceling an extension;

One person I know had a Non-B extension, quit work, left the country got a tourist visa, extended it, left the country, got another tourist visa, extended it, then went and got a new 90 day Non-B visa from a consulate.

When they went to get their extension they were fined 20K baht for not canceling their earlier extension even though it was over 9 months ago and they had TWO tourist visas and two 30 day extensions in the mean time."

[problemfarang]

OP

just be sure your work permit is cancelled. Plus its not for your re-entry to country but its for your next work. If its not cancelled you will have lot of issues.

 

then you have no risk at all.

Edited October 12, 2023 by problemfarang

[Freddy42OZ]

On 10/11/2023 at 7:20 AM, bigt3116 said:

Because he mentions re-entering on a visa exempt entry.

Maybe he doesn't know that he can get a re-entry permit? 

I presume the guy is a teacher in which case they have their midterm break coming up (my GF does).  I presume he's still go a job but doesn't want to spend the whole 11 day break here in Thailand.

 

[Sigmund]

Never seen a country that harasses foreigners as much.

[BritTim]

5 minutes ago, Sigmund said:

Never seen a country that harasses foreigners as much.

The bureaucracy here is annoying, but Thailand is nowhere near at xenophobic as many other countries.

[bigt3116]

22 minutes ago, Freddy42OZ said:

Maybe he doesn't know that he can get a re-entry permit? 

I presume the guy is a teacher in which case they have their midterm break coming up (my GF does).  I presume he's still go a job but doesn't want to spend the whole 11 day break here in Thailand.

 

"after working as a teacher for 1 year"

 

I take the "after" to mean that he is no longer working as a teacher.

[BritManToo]

2 minutes ago, BritTim said:

The bureaucracy here is annoying, but Thailand is nowhere near at xenophobic as many other countries.

More xenophobic than Philippines, Cambodia, Vietnam and China.

Less xenophobic than Laos.