Still Have To Leave The Country 7 Days After You Finish Your Job?

[ladda]

I heard (purely hearsay) if you have a work permit, you don't have to leave the country 7 days after you finish your job. I always understood you had 7 days to get a new visa or leave after you finished your job. Apparently now the work permit runs until the date on the visa and you can stay until that date.

Anyone else on this?

[jstumbo]

If you are on an extension of stay based on your employment, then you need to leave immediatly after quitting your job. You can apply for a 7 day extension at immigration, but you are no longer given the 7 days free, from recent reports. If you are here on visas, or extension of stay for any reason besides your employment, then you can stay until your permitted to stay stamp is up.

[ladda]

i thought it sounded suspicious. If you could stay, then people would just get the work permit, then quit their job and not have to leave for a year.

So when you finish your job, you have to go back to doing the visa runs if you're planning on staying?

Edited April 22, 2008 by ladda

[Neeranam]

I got my WP renewed for 1 year and immediately left my job. I had a visa for 1 year still. Lots of others were telling me I had to get another within 7 days but I made enquiries and found out that no one can change your visa apart from an Immigration officer. The Labour Dept and the Dept of Immigration are NOT linked. However, when applying for a new WP, I was fined 1,500 baht for not teling them.

[ladda]

The other part of this I heard is that you have to leave on the day you quit. Apperently the 7 day period has gone, you have to get a letter from your employer with the date you quit and have to be gone that same day.

[Maestro]

...However, when applying for a new WP, I was fined 1,500 baht for not teling them.

I am confused. Fined for not telling what to whom?

--

Maestro

[Neeranam]

...However, when applying for a new WP, I was fined 1,500 baht for not teling them.

I am confused. Fined for not telling what to whom?

--

Maestro

For not handing my previous WP back to the Labour Dept.

The other part of this I heard is that you have to leave on the day you quit. Apperently the 7 day period has gone, you have to get a letter from your employer with the date you quit and have to be gone that same day.

Who told you that - a guy on a barstool?

Often an employer uses this 7 day to leave as a deterrent for leaving them.

[lopburi3]

There have been several recent reports here that there is now no free 7 day grace period and that a 7 day extension of stay must be obtained from Immigration at the end of employment or overstay is being charged.

[ladda]

Who told you that - a guy on a barstool?

A guy who's just gone to Laos to get a new visa for his new job. I'll report back here when he gets back and let you know what happened.

[jstumbo]

The other part of this I heard is that you have to leave on the day you quit. Apperently the 7 day period has gone, you have to get a letter from your employer with the date you quit and have to be gone that same day.

Who told you that - a guy on a barstool?

Often an employer uses this 7 day to leave as a deterrent for leaving them.

He is saying that they used to give you 7 days, but now they do not give you any at all. You need to leave the same day or go to immigration and pay for an extension of stay.

[ladda]

There have been several recent reports here that there is now no free 7 day grace period and that a 7 day extension of stay must be obtained from Immigration at the end of employment or overstay is being charged.

That's what I heard today from the Thai guy who does all the paperwork for foreigners with my employer. No more 7 day period. Cancel the WP the same day you're leaving or pay overstay.

He did suggest not cancelling the WP, if I leave, and just staying on with that, but that sounds very dodgy.

[smilia]

Hi, Just an update as friday I was at the Labour Dept to cancel the work permit and then straight to immigration. However I have no clarity to offer...

Went to the Labour Dept and canceled the work permit in about 10 minutes. They needed the usual copies of all the pages in the wp and my photo page in my passport. Service to cancel was free and painless.

Then went to immigration and waited foreve.. I told the officer I just cancled the work permit. he asked when I was leaving the country I said in 2 days. I had my receipt too for from the Labour Dept. He said dont worry about it, and that the receipt was JUST FOR ME wink wink.

So i said when i go to the airport I wil have no problems and he agreed. I did not have to pay for an over stay nor could I get a clear answer out of him. Didnt really want to press it if you know what I mea.

So I still have no idea what the official RULE/Regulation but ill post after I retrun from the visa run. Sorry my experience was not more helpful

[Maestro]

Smilia, what type of visa do you have?

Anyway, if you are in Thailand based on a visa entry, not on an extension of stay for employment, there was no need for you to go to the immigration office. You can stay as long as your “admitted until” stamp says.

--

Maestro

[smilia]

Smilia, what type of visa do you have?

Anyway, if you are in Thailand based on a visa entry, not on an extension of stay for employment, there was no need for you to go to the immigration office. You can stay as long as your "admitted until" stamp says.

--

Maestro

I had a 90 day NOn B with an extensio for 1 year that was based on the 1 year work permit.

[Maestro]

Yes, it will be interesting to read your report after your visa run. Where are you going to apply for what visa on Wednesday?

--

Maestro

[fozzy58uk]

My experience last month was this. I had just finished my contract on Apr 30, my visa and wp both expired that day. I took my wp to Labour where the guy told me the new regs meant that i didn't have to return it. As it had expired it was considered discontinued. I asked about immo. He said if I was leaving there would be no problem. As i wasn't I went to immo. I asked for a 7 day extension. They refused as I did not have a letter from my employer stating I was leaving their employ. I begged a while but to no avail. Immo officer said just go out to get a tourist visa and pay the overstay. Didn't want an overstay in my passport so went back to work, got the letter and back to immo. Got 7 day ext for 1900 baht no longer free. Went to Vientiane on 5 May. Got a double entry tourist visa.

Hope this helps anyone in future.

[raro]

I have been informed yesterday afternoon by my former employer that they will finally return the WP to labour. Long story to that....

Anyways, this will happen on Monday in Bangkok.

I also learned yesterday by coincidence about the no more 7 days rule. Called my lawyer and he said he never heard about it and just recently (i.e. within the past two weeks) he had a 7-day case without any problems. That was Pattaya.

I am on a non-immi B and want to apply for another work permit as well. The paperwork is all complete and will be coincidentally also be submitted to labour in Chonburi.

Since I apply at the SAME day for a new workpermit what do I have to do at the immigration?

[stingray]

Smilia, what type of visa do you have?

Anyway, if you are in Thailand based on a visa entry, not on an extension of stay for employment, there was no need for you to go to the immigration office. You can stay as long as your “admitted until” stamp says.

--

Maestro

Maestro is right. First af all you have to return your WP by your self within 7 days after you quit your job. Not the employer, you have to return by your self. You have 7 days time to leave the country, (1900 Baht) if you stay on a Visaextention (one year). If you have a non imm B or multiple B you can stay until your stamp in the passport, like the end of the 90 days period.

But if you have prepared your self and if you own already a new company you can apply again withoot going out.

I done this before by myself, therefore i know.

[raro]

Now I quit my old job on March 15. The old employer had the WP and did not return it to me as we still had some issues to sort out. As those issues come now to a point that even my old employer realizes that it is ridiculous, they will return the WP on Monday.

I understand that I should have done that by myself before March 22. Not having access to the blue book, it was not possible for me.

What possible consequences might this have?

[lopburi3]

If you are here on a 90 day visa entry there will likely only be a small fine for late return of WP. If you are on a one year extension of stay for employment you have overstayed for almost three months so the max fine of 20,000 baht will be due and you should be prepared to leave the country with airline ticket.

[smilia]

Yes, it will be interesting to read your report after your visa run. Where are you going to apply for what visa on Wednesday?

--

Maestro

I was successful to get through immigration at the airport. I was worried as I had canceled the work permit yet did not apply for a 7 day extension, even though I went to immigration and he told me my pen wry since i was leaving in a few days and that the cancelation receipt from the labour dept was "just for me".

They did howver spend a while with my passport and it took 2 people to look at it. THey asked me if I needed a re-entry (as I had a year extension) and I said no I will get a new visa. then they looked at it again for a while before I heard the soothing sounds of the stamps.

In KL i had no problem getting another non-immigrant B.

[raro]

ok....just spend all day at immigration (Sri Ratcha) and Labour Dep (Chonburi).

We learned:

1. if your visa is still valid for more than 7 days on the day you cancel your WP, you are allowed to stay for another 7 days (including the day you cancel the WP) if you bring the TT10 document (that is the receipt from Labor Dep. confirming that your WP is cancelled) to the immigration. You pay 1,900 Baht for that extension and get a stamp in your passport. This must be done within the 7 day period on any day. So basically, the only new thing here is the extra 1,900 Baht fee.

2. If you return your WP on the day it expires, you have to leave on the same day the country or proceed as above and get a 7 day extension. The difference to the above is, you have to do that on the very SAME day (which is quite logic....)

3. I have no clue what heppens if your visa is still good for less then 7 days when you cancel you WP....

4. Within those seven days you either leave the country or apply for a new work permit.

5. In the latter case you go back to Immigration and get a 30 days under consideration (as usual and always been...) and once the WP is granted and you get your 1 year visa, you pay another 1,900 (couold also have been that you pay when you apply in the first place....whatever,.....you pay!)

6. you can have as many jobs on your workpermit as you like. For each one of them, the full set of criteria (salary, staff etc.) applies.

[Maestro]

...

In KL i had no problem getting another non-immigrant B.

Was that single-entry or multiple-entry?

--

Maestro

[smilia]

...

In KL i had no problem getting another non-immigrant B.

Was that single-entry or multiple-entry?

--

Maestro

Single entry as I will proceed to get a 1 year extension after my work permit is approved. I dont want a multiple because then I will have to leave every 90 days.

[beerbelly]

perhaps not totally on topic, but didn't any of you guys had to show tax documents at either Labor office or immo?

[raro]

Update...the saga continues.

Went yesterday morning to Jomtien immigration as advised by the Sri Ratcha Immigration the day before. Their reaction could be best described with:

As the visa was made in Bangkok, in can only be canceled in Bangkok. So I get in the car, go to Suan Plu and wait for my queue...about 3.5 hours. They want to see a document from my former employer that I am no longer working with them. I do not have such document. No big deal, I write on a piece of paper that I resigned effectively on the same day and that the WP has just been returned. Immigration happy, my visa is canceled. They give me a print-out in Thai with details of my old employer.

Because I live in Pattaya, they cannot give me a new extension, only the immigration in Jomtien can do. As it is 4 in the afternoon now, I have no other choice but going there the next day and having one day overstay.

This morning to Jomtien immigration. They tell me that I could have done the extension in Bangkok, as they are the Immigration head office.

Anyways, got the 7 days stamp, paid 500 Baht extra for the overstay and can pick up the passport in the afternoon.

Will keep you posted.

[raro]

The wife went to Chonburi Labout department this morning, submitted the documents for the WP, everybody was nice and smiling...we can pick up the WP in seven days. Will keep you posted.

[stingray]

Update...the saga continues.

Went yesterday morning to Jomtien immigration as advised by the Sri Ratcha Immigration the day before. Their reaction could be best described with:

As the visa was made in Bangkok, in can only be canceled in Bangkok. So I get in the car, go to Suan Plu and wait for my queue...about 3.5 hours. They want to see a document from my former employer that I am no longer working with them. I do not have such document. No big deal, I write on a piece of paper that I resigned effectively on the same day and that the WP has just been returned. Immigration happy, my visa is canceled. They give me a print-out in Thai with details of my old employer.

Because I live in Pattaya, they cannot give me a new extension, only the immigration in Jomtien can do. As it is 4 in the afternoon now, I have no other choice but going there the next day and having one day overstay.

This morning to Jomtien immigration. They tell me that I could have done the extension in Bangkok, as they are the Immigration head office.

Anyways, got the 7 days stamp, paid 500 Baht extra for the overstay and can pick up the passport in the afternoon.

Will keep you posted.

Typical!!! the left hand don't know what the right hand do!

Edited June 12, 2008 by stingray

[raro]

Typical!!! the left hand don't know what the right hand do!

I tend to believe the version from Suan Plu. There I spoke to a higher ranking officer and she spoke fluent English and was quite open. She came across more like a business person than a goverment officer.