Visa/permit Relationship - Another Case

[spoc]

I have read the previous thread on this and it does not help much - basically everyone says you can do everything.

Here's my scenario:

Have worked in Thailand for thai company since march 2003

I have a work permit and multiple entry visa (arranged by employer).

I renewed my work permit on 3/9/04. It says on stamp that it is renewed until june 2005

I renewed my visa (multiple entry) and it is also valid until june 2005.

By law, if i do not leave thailand every 3 months and re-enter I have to notify immigration that I'm still here. The next date to notify them is in november. There is a form I can fill in and post to them.

Please note both my visa and wp would have been valid until 3/9/05 however my passport was stolen in Australia and I was issued a one year passport valid until june 05. Hence I can only be given stamp for that date.

I have now resigned - my last work date is 31/10/04.

I will hand my work permit to my company when I leave and they will contact the necessary authorities to cancel it. I will not give the company my passport and I will not take my passport to immigration.

What will then be the status of my multiple entry visa and why?

Will I have to leave the country within seven days (or however long) or will I simply have to notify immigration in November (see above) that I am still here to obtain another 90 days beyond november?

My employer's HR department says that it is very unlikely that there will be any correlation between visa department and wp department and that when I leave at xmas I should have no problems at customs (i.e. no penalty).

Can someone give me some concise advice. If you mention "extensions" please explain what you mean.

Also consider that all I want to do is ideally not leave the country until 20 december 2004 (holiday time on island). After that I am not concerned.

[kenkannif]

You should go to Imm and they'll give you the 7-14 days (or whatever it is), otherwise when you do leave you risk being fined for overstay!

Stickman mentioned a little trick a while ago to avoid it, but I'm not sure if it would work personally, and it's really against the law so you should be a good lad and do as you're supposed to really!

You might get away with it you might not (I know people that have and haven't!)....so as they say here....up to you!

Good luck!

[Sunbelt Asia]

You will have 7 days to turn in your work permit and 7 days to leave the Kingdom.

The reason why...You have entered into the Kingdom with a 90 day visa and you had applied for a One Year Stay Permit based on employment. (You simply did not have to leave every 90 days, just report in) Your permit is tied to your work permit. You were given "an extension" based on being employed. When your employment is over, so is your permit.

This is NOT in the case of a multiple entry One Year Visa where you MUST leave every 90 days. (With this visa, it is not tied to the work permit)

Confusion lies in "One Year multiple re-entry Permit" and a "One-Year Multiple-Entry Visa." The only difference is the re-entry and difference between " Permit" and "Visa" :-)

www.sunbeltasia.com

[spoc]

Thanks for the quick response. Do you have the link to stickmans comments/advice?

Basically if I'm a good lad I will have to leave and get a 30 day visa or a 3month visa or whatever to last me until 20th december 2004.

If I simply notify them in november I may get away with it. My thoughts on this is that the thai departments won't have a clue and will just simply stamp it on the way out. However you never know.........dam

[kenkannif]

http://www.stickmanbangkok.com

[spoc]

I think you've hit the nail on the head with the confusion. OK, so I've got a one year non immigrant re-entry permit, annoyingly tied into my work permit NOT multiple entry visa.

Dam, I'll have to leave the country.

[spoc]

I get the impression that once your of no use, your out. And I thought they may actually want me to spend my hard earned thai income in thailand.

Theres is definately nothing I can do here in bkk to extend my stay? seems a little excessive to kick me out so quickly.

[kenkannif]

You mean a multiple re-entry permit on top of your extended Non-immigrant Visa? Not a Non-immigrant re-entry permit per se (I don't think there is such a thing as you can use a re-entry permit on a tourist Visa if you want to).

Either way if you're Visa is extended by your WP you'll need to leave and come back in (or get another Visa from a Embassy/Consulate!0.

[spoc]

Kenkannif,

I have, in my passport, a non immigrant multiple re-entry PERMIT valid until 9 june 2005 given to me (via my employer) by the "one stop service center for visa and work permit". That is exactly what it says.

No idea about extensions of non immigrant b etc. Still not sure about the concept of extending - I thought I was simply given a new visa when the old one was about to expire. Is this what you mean by extension?

I did get a 3 month business visa in june because my passport was stolen with previous visa, re-entry permit or whatever it was. That expired after I renewed my wp and got the non immigrant multiple re-entry PERMIT (a bit of overlap for obvious reasons).

[kenkannif]

It's a multiple entry Non-immigrant B to me, when you say re-entry it means to me one of those doodahs (a re-entry permit basically) that means you can leave the country and put your Visa on hold while you do. That to me is a re-entry permit, not a Non-imm B multiple entry!

If you didn't leave the country when you got your 'new' Visa again to me it's not a new Visa it's an extension (which we have to apply for every year!) of your current Visa.

Have a look at your (I've just checked with some of our staff here) Visa and you'll see it says number of entries, or good for multiple entries, or something like that, I don't think it should/will mention re-entry anywhere on it?

I'm pretty sure you are extending your Visa with your WP (if the last time you left the country was June) so yes you'll still have to leave and come back in mate!

Edited October 20, 2004 by kenkannif

[spoc]

The visa I had was issued in Australia after my passport was stolen (complete with my work permit and other visa stamps etc). It was a single entry type B and its purpose was to get me back in the country to continue legal employment (valid for 3 months) while my company arranged a new wp (i.e. informed officials of the theft as well) and the non immigrant multiple re-entry permit.

Anyway, I know what I have to do now - get my company to make my "official leaving date",as far as the authorities, to be 20th december (when i want to leave the country) and my company then simply doesn't continue paying me from the point of the "unofficial leaving date" which is 31st oct. All I do then is report to immigration when they require it in november by sending them the form.

I can't see this been a major problem knowing and seeing the ethics of thai business to date

Problem solved.......I hope.

[kenkannif]

Okay call it what you want mate! I cannae be bothered!

Yeah if they're willing to play ball with you and not cancel your WP right away, you should be fine!

[opalhort]

Anyway, I know what I have to do now - get my company to make my "official leaving date",as far as the authorities, to be 20th december (when i want to leave the country) and my company then simply doesn't continue paying me from the point of the "unofficial leaving date" which is 31st oct. All I do then is report to immigration when they require it in november by sending them the form.

I can't see this been a major problem knowing and seeing the ethics of thai business to date

Problem solved.......I hope.

This is the way to go if your employer co-operates. Stay on their payroll until mid Dec. but you'll have to pay for the expenses (taxes etc.). Date the resignation letter accordingly.

opalhort