Any Ideas What This Is About?

[John@KSR]

Hi

The lawyer's employed by the company I work for recently arranged to renew my work permit in April, rather than when it expires in May. After asking a lot of questions as to why, they finally gave me some reasons. They are, verbatim, as follows:

1) Immigration Dept. will move to Laksi (Chaengwattana Rd.) in May and it may cause you a difficulty getting there.

2) In May, Immigration Dept. will issue more new regulations that will cause more difficulties for a foreigner who extends their visa.

3) If you extend your visa in March your passport it will be stamped "May 23,2009" as your next year's expiration date.

I am assuming 1) to be the case, but has anyone any idea what the changes are going to be in May that will “cause more difficulties for a foreigner who extends their visa”? In addition, I have only ever renewed my work permit in the month it expired. If I renew early, will I get the full year as suggested above, or will the full year start from when (the date) I apply for it (which seems more logical).

John

[lopburi3]

I suspect you are talking about renewing your one year extension of stay/combination as Immigration has nothing to do with work permits. It has been reported they will move but the time, and indeed extent of move does not seem to have been finalized yet. From some reports Suan Phlu will continue to operate. As for new "regulations" the only change we have heard of is a high increase in work permit fees but that, again, is not the final word yet and only a proposal at this point. Your new extension of stay should be one year from current date of expiry - as work permit follows visa/extension stay expect it will be the same.

[Sunbelt Asia]

Hi

The lawyer's employed by the company I work for recently arranged to renew my work permit in April, rather than when it expires in May. After asking a lot of questions as to why, they finally gave me some reasons. They are, verbatim, as follows:

1) Immigration Dept. will move to Laksi (Chaengwattana Rd.) in May and it may cause you a difficulty getting there.

2) In May, Immigration Dept. will issue more new regulations that will cause more difficulties for a foreigner who extends their visa.

3) If you extend your visa in March your passport it will be stamped "May 23,2009" as your next year's expiration date.

I am assuming 1) to be the case, but has anyone any idea what the changes are going to be in May that will “cause more difficulties for a foreigner who extends their visa”? In addition, I have only ever renewed my work permit in the month it expired. If I renew early, will I get the full year as suggested above, or will the full year start from when (the date) I apply for it (which seems more logical).

John

Since Feb 22nd, already much tougher to get a work permit unless you have 4 Thai employees per wp. Before that date, only Immigration required it. Now the Labor Dept has this requirement as well especially if you are a consultant. Exceptions are made in some cases with SOME start-ups or if you are an export company. But the tide in the ocean has changed with more signatures required by officials to get a work permit issued.

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