Quittitng My Job Before The New One Is Ready

[Reluctant]

(UK passport holder)

I have a work permit that is renewed every Oct and that gives me my visa to stay here.

I want to leave my current job, but the new position in Thailand will not be available until Oct (5 months away).

If I understand, once I resign, my visa becomes invalid within 3 days (can be extended up to 7 days only).

If I wanted to remain in Thailand, I would need to leave the country, then apply for a 60 day tourist visa. That gets me into the country for 60 days, then I can extend it by another 30 days. Maximum of 90 days. So, that leaves me 2 months where I have to wait overseas before I can apply for a business visa to come to the country and then convert it to a work permit.

Option B would be to leave the country when my current visa expires, then renter for short periods, getting the visa on arrival each time - up to a maximum of 90 days within a 180 day period.

Is that all correct?

Or if I leave here when my current visa expires, does that mean I have to stay out of the country for 90 days to reset the 180 day timer before I can come here on a tourist visa?

Thanks for any comments/help.

[lopburi3]

Your one year extension of stay end the day your work ends - there is no 3 day later. You will need to obtain a 7 day extension of stay or leave - in your case I would leave for the tourist visa that day.

Your understanding of the tourist visa is correct - but you can have any number of them so there is no reason you would have to stay out of the country for any longer than it takes to get the visa. If you go to Vientiane you can obtain a two entry tourist visa which will cover you for almost six months with one trip across a border to get the second entry and the two 30 day extensions of stay.

That 90 days in a six month period no longer applies.

[Reluctant]

helpful stuff....

That 90 days in a six month period no longer applies.

Oh, that is good news.

So, when I officially resign and my employment ends, I should leave the country and then apply for a double entry, 60 day visa from inside HK (my country of choice). Then, extend it by 30 days here in Thailand.

Then, after a total of 90 days, I leave the country and come in again for 60 days, then extend by another 30.

Then, after those 90 days, I have to leave the country, apply for a non-imm visa in HK and come in and extend that to 1 year with a WP.

That seems pretty easy....less stressful than I thought it would be

I have to surrender my WP when I resign, don't I. I must make sure I take a few photocopies of it first

I owe you a beer

[lopburi3]

I said Vientiane for a reason - you may not be able to obtain a two entry at other Consulates. Vientiane is known as good for two currently. But if you can only get single entry you just have to make another trip after 90 days for new visa rather than just crossing border.

[Reluctant]

I said Vientiane for a reason - you may not be able to obtain a two entry at other Consulates. Vientiane is known as good for two currently. But if you can only get single entry you just have to make another trip after 90 days for new visa rather than just crossing border.

Yes, worst case, I take another short holiday for the second visa. Always good to have an excuse.

(though it is annoying that different consulates seem to have different interpretations of the rules. You would think that it should be standardised.....TIT)

[ubonjoe]

Hong Kong only gives single entries and will want to see a ticket out of the country within 60 days.

It would be nice if they all did things the same way but just can't seem to do it. Also some consulates have different rules for residents/citizens of the country where they are located and those who are not. The Singapore embassy is that way when it comes to multiple entry visas.

[Reluctant]

Hong Kong only gives single entries and will want to see a ticket out of the country within 60 days.

That's useful to know. So, if I go through HK, I have to buy a ticket that I may not use (unless I can get the date changed....which means a more expensive airline). Irritating.

It would be nice if they all did things the same way but just can't seem to do it. Also some consulates have different rules for residents/citizens of the country where they are located and those who are not. The Singapore embassy is that way when it comes to multiple entry visas.

It's the little things that really annoy:

I recall the London office refusing to issue a multiple entry non-imm visa, stating that they 'did not do them' - despite having it listed on their official list of visa fees on the wall next to the counter.

Then they insisted on a copy of the business registration of the company that was sponsoring....even though this was not listed on a) the application form or the official list of required documents that accompanied the form.

[ubonjoe]

I think if it was me I would forget Hong Kong for the visa.

If you are in the UK again trying to get a visa don't use the embassy in London.

Use one of the honorary consulates in Hull, Liverpool, Birmingham or Cardiff. They are a lot easier to work with and give good service. They accept mail applications also.