Ib Told Me To Cancel My Visa Before Extending It

[10years]

Edit: should read IB Told Me...

Went to Suan Plu yesterday to get a retirement extension, but Desk #1 in room 101 told me I needed to get my (non-immigrant) visa cancelled. I didn't notice but someone had written something in Thai on my last extension of stay stamp, referring to my employer. In fact, I think that they technically mean I need to get my last extension of stay - instead of my visa - cancelled.

It took me a while and several going back and forths before I got it that the visa could get cancelled at window #1 in room #101. However, there I was told I needed a letter from my employer before I could get the visa cancelled. (BTW does window #1 need a queue number?)

So now I'm stuck with a Catch 22 situation. What kind of letter do I need? What should it say? I'm still working at the company but they made me "resign" effective last August before I could come back. What if the company wants to refer to last August? I assume the company must have cancelled my work permit even thought they returned it to me.

If I get my current "visa" cancelled, how am I going to get it extended for retirement? I have the Bt800,000 kept in a time-deposit account in a local bank for more than the 3 months.

I took a week's overseas vacation last month. I had no trouble getting stamped out at Suvarnabhumi, but the immigration lady did ask me just before she handed back my passport if I still worked at the company. I said yes and she just smiled. I also got stamped in until the end of my last extension on my return to Suvarnabhumi.

Edited March 7, 2009 by 10years

[Mario2008]

Currently you are on overstay and illegaly in the country. Go to an embassy or consulate abroad and get a new non-O, then extend it when time is due based on retirement.

[10years]

So instead of bothering with a company letter, I should just leave and re-enter to apply for a retirement extension?

Can I do a one-day trip and come back in with a 15-day stamp, then change it in country to a non-immigrant visa and get a 360-day extension at the same time?

In other words, do I need to get the non-imm visa outside the country?

Thanks

[Mario2008]

So instead of bothering with a company letter, I should just leave and re-enter to apply for a retirement extension?

Can I do a one-day trip and come back in with a 15-day stamp, then change it in country to a non-immigrant visa and get a 360-day extension at the same time?

In other words, do I need to get the non-imm visa outside the country?

Thanks

You need to have at least 21 days remaining on your permission to stay to be able to convert your visa exempt entry into a non-immigrant visa. So a landcrossing (15 days) is not enough, but by air (30 days) it would be OK.

Alternatively you need to go to an embassy or consulate abroad and get the visa there. Normaly that would take 2 working days. (day 1 apply and pick up the next)

[Morty]

So instead of bothering with a company letter, I should just leave and re-enter to apply for a retirement extension?

Can I do a one-day trip and come back in with a 15-day stamp, then change it in country to a non-immigrant visa and get a 360-day extension at the same time?

In other words, do I need to get the non-imm visa outside the country?

Thanks

It depends on what kind of visa you're currently holding. If you're on a non-immigrant B visa and have a one year ext. your ext. expires on your last working day, and you have 24 hours to leave the country (immigration will give you a seven days ext. for 1900 baht) If your visa is a non-immigrant B multiple entry, and you do visa runs every 90 days, the visa is valid until the enter before day stamped in your PP (normally 12 months from the day it was issued).

So if your visa is of the non-immigrant B variety, and it is extended, the easiest way to cancel it, is to just to leave the country without a reentry permit. This will cancel your visa. If your visa is of the multiple variety, you can use the visa until it expires (enter before date) in this case you should go to the labour office (the ones that issued your work permit) and return it, since you're currently not working (can be some nasty surprices regarding fines/taxes if you don't), this also applies to your employer

If you're holding a retirement visa (non-immigrant O or OA)your visa is not linked to your work permit, and kinda runs it own life, and the only thing you need to worry about is the work permit.

Regarding border runs and visa exempt entries, over land you only get 15 days, and the rules says you need 21 days left on your permission to stay if you want to change it, so the only way to achieve this is to fly back in to Thailand to get 30 days.

Please state what kind of visa you're holding, it makes it easier to give you advice.

Hope this helps

Morty

[10years]

My visa is of the non-immigrant B variety, and it has been extended for one year for working. However, I also got a multiple re-entry permit, so I don't know if I can leave and then request a 30-day permission to stay instead of usig my re-entry permit.

Is it possible to do a border run and get 30 days, instead of only 15 days, so I can apply in country for a non-imm visa and extension for retirement?

If that's not likely, would it be better to fly somewhere and come back and get 30 days rather than having to waste several days and endure the hassle of appying for a tourist visa?

Any suggestions of where to go for a quick roundtrip international flight in the interest of saving money and time?

Thanks!

[Lite Beer]

My visa is of the non-immigrant B variety, and it has been extended for one year for working. However, I also got a multiple re-entry permit, so I don't know if I can leave and then request a 30-day permission to stay instead of usig my re-entry permit.

Is it possible to do a border run and get 30 days, instead of only 15 days, so I can apply in country for a non-imm visa and extension for retirement?

If that's not likely, would it be better to fly somewhere and come back and get 30 days rather than having to waste several days and endure the hassle of appying for a tourist visa?

Any suggestions of where to go for a quick roundtrip international flight in the interest of saving money and time?

Thanks!

If you have a Multi Re Entry Permit you can leave and return as many time s as you want until your extension expires

[Morty]

My visa is of the non-immigrant B variety, and it has been extended for one year for working. However, I also got a multiple re-entry permit, so I don't know if I can leave and then request a 30-day permission to stay instead of usig my re-entry permit.

Is it possible to do a border run and get 30 days, instead of only 15 days, so I can apply in country for a non-imm visa and extension for retirement?

If that's not likely, would it be better to fly somewhere and come back and get 30 days rather than having to waste several days and endure the hassle of appying for a tourist visa?

Any suggestions of where to go for a quick roundtrip international flight in the interest of saving money and time?

Thanks!

Since you're on a one year extension, that extension is based on your work/income of more than 65000 baht pr. month.

Normally your employer would notify the local labour office, if you have resigned/gotten fired, and you are supposed to hand in your work permit. I would think that the labour office would notify immigration that you are no longer working and as such your extension should be revoked (this is my understanding, but I have no experience with work permits in Thailand)If you're still working, you're ok, if you're not working you are technically on overstay from the day after you stopped working (24 hours). My guess is that immigration will not give you a retirement visa since you are currently holding a work permit (some immigration offices are ok with workpermits and retirement, some are not). I guess immigration want to see your resignation, so they can cancel your visa. Other than that I don't see why your visa couldn't be changed to a non immigrant O, since it has more than 21 days left to expiration.

Regarding your resignment paper, I've heard it's common for employers to get employees to sign an undated resignation, to avoid severance pay and other costs if/when they don't need them anymore.

You should also check you work permit validity, under normal circumstances the work permit is synced with your visa so that they expire at the same date.

So to sum it up, since you are still working and your extension of stay is valid. The only reason I can see is that immigration don't think you're retired (you're holding a work permit), so you can't have a retirement visa.

Morty

[Mario2008]

Since you're on a one year extension, that extension is based on your work/income of more than 65000 baht pr. month.

Morty

The income requirement for an extension of stay based on work depends on ones nationality. For westerners it is 50,000 a month.

[Morty]

Since you're on a one year extension, that extension is based on your work/income of more than 65000 baht pr. month.

Morty

The income requirement for an extension of stay based on work depends on ones nationality. For westerners it is 50,000 a month.

It certainly is, must have mixed up the numbers there, sorry bout that!

Morty