Friends, I need your expert advise in this.

I am a foreigner holding a Non-Immigrant Visa B and work permit, both will expire April 23, 2009. I am working in a private company and I will resign from it effective June 1, 2008 to start with my new job in another company effective June 4, 2008.

I understand that I need to surrender my work permit in the registrar within 7 days from the date of resignation, June 1. But I just need to have some input, what if:

1.What will happen to the expiration date (April 23, 2009) of my Non-Immigrant Visa if I surrender my work permit to the Immigration Officer 7 days (June 8) after my resignation? How many days are they going to give as extension?

2.What if I will not surrender the work permit within 7 days and I will just leave the country on April 23, 2009, which is the expiration date of the permit. Would that be OK?

3. What if I will not surrender the work permit within 7 days and my new employer will get a new work permit, let's say September 2, 2008. Will the Immigration Office be able to track that I still have the unsurrendered work permit? What would be the consequences if they found out? How much is the fine?

Please answer my questions in numbered too. So I can easily understand.

Thank you so much for the help....Ciao

...I am a foreigner holding a Non-Immigrant Visa B and work permit, both will expire April 23, 2009.

When you say “non-immigrant visa B...will expire...” do your really mean “visa” or do you mean “extension of stay”? This makes a big difference in answering your questions.

Whichever is the case, you should definitely turn in your work permit as otherwise you can be fined. Separately, your employer will have to notify the labour department of the termination of your employment.

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Maestro

If you are on an extension of stay you should surrender work permit and leave on the 23rd. As you will be seeking new work permit any oversight will be detected. If you are on a 90 day visa entry just need to surrender the work permit.

If you have extension of stay and need new visa and have complete paperwork for new job (less the work permit application receipt) recent reports are that Vientiane may issue a non immigrant B visa without that requirement if you want to try. Otherwise a border run for a 30 day visa exempt would seem in order.

1. There is no extension from recent reports - you cease employment on an extension of stay it ends that day and you have to make application for a new 7 day pack out extension if you do not leave - otherwise you are on overstay. Best to immediately leave for you.

2. It needs to be returned as will be found out when you apply for new one and fine imposed.

...I am a foreigner holding a Non-Immigrant Visa B and work permit, both will expire April 23, 2009.

When you say “non-immigrant visa B...will expire...” do your really mean “visa” or do you mean “extension of stay”? This makes a big difference in answering your questions.

Whichever is the case, you should definitely turn in your work permit as otherwise you can be fined. Separately, your employer will have to notify the labour department of the termination of your employment.

--

Maestro

Dear Maestro,

Thanks for the reply. To answer your question, I'm in a "extenstion of stay", valid until april 23, 2009. Basing from your response, that means I need to turn over the work permit within the alloted 7 days to surrender it. Then I need to leave the country within 24 hours or apply for 7 days extenstion (1,900 THB) if I wish to stay....Is my understanding correct?

As the rule seems to be 24 hours and out from end of work do not believe you have 7 days to return the work permit available anymore.