I’ve traveled to and worked  in Thailand for 2 decades having had work permits, extensions, visas, etc. The past 4 years I was not employed in Thailand but am married to a Thai national. I arrived in Thailand last year on a single entry non-o on the basis of being married. I subsequently received an extension of stay for 60 days for visiting Thai family. After that I left Thailand to return later on a visa exempt entry.

 

Now I am being offered a job for a BOI company. Their liason at immigration told them I will need to get a new passport and then apply for a non-ib visa, because I didn’t officially cancel my non-o visa from last year. I was told that BOI won’t issue the extension of stay if the passport shows a non immigrant visa which hasn’t been officially canceled before leaving the country. Is this a thing? First time I ever heard about this. 

30 minutes ago, Gulfsailor said:

I was told that BOI won’t issue the extension of stay if the passport shows a non immigrant visa which hasn’t been officially canceled before leaving the country. Is this a thing? First time I ever heard about this

You are being told nonsense.

You entered Thailand on a single entry non O.

Then obtained a 60 day extension. Subsequently exited and reentered visa exempt.

There is nothing to cancel. 

6 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

You are being told nonsense.

You entered Thailand on a single entry non O.

Then obtained a 60 day extension. Subsequently exited and reentered visa exempt.

There is nothing to cancel. 

That’s my assumption as well, and Bangkok immigration also says the non o is out of their system, but it is claimed that per official rules it should have been canceled and BOI  apparently is super strict, so they won’t process the extension request to immigration on a non-ib in a passport showing  an uncancelled prior visa. So I was told by immigration to get a new passport so BOI isn’t aware, as their systems won’t show anything wrong. So weird. 

Visas are not cancelled.

You had a single entry non O.

It was "used" upon entry to Thailand.

The stamp you were given was a 90 day permission of stay.

The subsequent 60 day extension to visit wife was another temporary permission of stay.

Nothing more to state on this topic.

Also a new passport does not erase any history. 

8 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Visas are not cancelled.

You had a single entry non O.

It was "used" upon entry to Thailand.

The stamp you were given was a 90 day permission of stay.

The subsequent 60 day extension to visit wife was another temporary permission of stay.

Nothing more to state on this topic.

Also a new passport does not erase any history. 

According to immigration there is no history to erase, so we all agree on that part. It’s just that according to them BOI will not forward the application for an extension of stay to immigration when they are aware there is an old uncancelled visa (although I’m guessing they’re actually referring to the subsequent extension of stay). So the proposed solution offered by immigration is for me to get a new passport in which case BOI wouldn’t be aware. 
That said it’s true that some extensions, for instance for reason of employment or education, do need to be officially cancelled by immigration before leaving the country.

A trip back to the homeland it likely is. 

@DrJack54 is perfectly correct.

Although the Non Imm O is used on entry, your status whilst in Thailand is as a Non Immigrant.

After a 60-day extension, you left, later returning as a Tourist on a VE entry.

 

Are they confusing it with not cancelling your work permit when you officially stopped working?

6 minutes ago, Gulfsailor said:

That said it’s true that some extensions, for instance for reason of employment or education, do need to be officially cancelled by immigration before leaving the country.

That is correct however that's not your situation.

I'm not all that familiar with BOI so hopefully others can advise you.

10 minutes ago, Gulfsailor said:

That said it’s true that some extensions, for instance for reason of employment or education, do need to be officially cancelled by immigration before leaving the country.

Curiosity, but what visa type did you have whilst working.

Non B with extensions of stay + work permit, or Non O based on Thai spouse with a work permit.

49 minutes ago, Liquorice said:

Curiosity, but what visa type did you have whilst working.

Non B with extensions of stay + work permit, or Non O based on Thai spouse with a work permit.

Non b with extensions of stay and work permit. None showing in my current passport. The only visa in my current passport is the used non-o from last year. 

Could the BOI perhaps want to see immigration's stamp USED across the old, used non-O visa? In the past, immigration sometimes put that stamp on single-entry visas of any type.

Example of a USED non-O visa:

 

16 hours ago, Gulfsailor said:

According to immigration there is no history to erase, so we all agree on that part. It’s just that according to them BOI will not forward the application for an extension of stay to immigration when they are aware there is an old uncancelled visa (although I’m guessing they’re actually referring to the subsequent extension of stay). So the proposed solution offered by immigration is for me to get a new passport in which case BOI wouldn’t be aware. 
That said it’s true that some extensions, for instance for reason of employment or education, do need to be officially cancelled by immigration before leaving the country.

A trip back to the homeland it likely is. 

Just get a new clean passport and make BOI happy; your single entry non-O visa was "cancelled" at the moment it was used for entry.