Changing Jobs: How To Change Work Permits And Visa From Old To New Job?

[bombis]

My problem is this: I worked at a company that gave me a work permit. When i got it I went to Singapore with company letter to enter Thailand on a Non Immigrant B type visa, then afterwards they applied for work permit for me.

Now I am changing jobs and I have a bit of conflicting information from both sides which makes me unsure.

First thing is that I was told after resigninng my visa will expire within 7 days so I have to reenter the country in that time. Now normall I thought I have to through the same process again:

1. Get company letter

2. Go to Singapore (or wherever else it is possible)

3. Show letter and invitation to work, obtain a non immigran type b visa for 3 months.

4. Come back to Bangkok and apply for work permit thorugh new company.

But now my new copany told me I can just reenter the country on a tourist visa first! Now this is new to me. I was always pretty sure that on a tourist visa it is impossible to apply for a work permit.

Can somebody please clear this up and tell me if this is true or complete BS. What exactly will be the process for me. I hope that I can get an answer here as the 7 days (if it is really true) are approaching fast.

Also, what are the fees now for the business type b visa?

Thanks a lot in advance.

PS: I did see this post :

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=134178

but it only answers my question partially as I have never heard of having to leave the country 2 times before, so this also sounds a bit strange to me.

Edited August 9, 2007 by bombis

[FatBoyEric]

Just to confuse you, I understood that you can merely get the WP transferred from one employer to another within the 7 day period. No need to leave the country. Leastways that's what I was told last year when I switched jobs. I only found this out after I did a visa run to Cambodia, re-entering with my still valid Non-B.

[bombis]

i see. i didnt know that, too. And apperently my company also didn't know that. ######. So now my old work permit just got cancelled. I gotta leave the country basically and apply for new business visa with necessary documents from my new job. Then reenter Thailand and have them get a new work permit for me.

I mean, the 7 days will be a bi too short now to have my work permit switched....

[lopburi3]

You have not made it clear what type of stay you presently have. If you are on a 90 day permitted to stay stamp from an entry into Thailand you can continue to stay using that stamp until the original date on your stamp. The seven days to leave Thailand only applies for immigration extensions of stay - not for visa entry.

If you are on an extension of stay then you must leave within seven days.

[bombis]

i got a 1-year visa extension this year ( I already work here for 2 years). So my visa runs still until next year, same as my work permit (which will be cancelled now though from my old company). So that means what. I dont have to leave the country at all and the visa is going to be still valid until next year? So I can just wait until the application for the new one is through?

The seven days to leave Thailand only applies for immigration extensions of stay - not for visa entry

I dont quite understod what the above means. What do you mean by immigration extensions of stay?

[lopburi3]

If you had been here on a 90 day visa entry you would not have to leave. But you say that you are here on a "one year visa extension" which is an immigration extension of stay so you must leave within 7 days from date of employment ending.

You have to leave and obtain a new visa.