Checking Visa Status?

[TAWP]

So before I decide if heading to Cambodia (for first a 15 day) or Penang (get the 1 year, hopefully, Non-O) again after the extension was supposedly canceled due to leaving one work place to join another (and them canceling it on their own instead of coordinating anything with me), I would kinda need to know if the Visa is indeed canceled, if they did the paper work correctly (new staff in HR, that had never done it before) and how many days overstay it not is, might be around 6...

Any way to check this without getting into trouble? Sunbelt has any walk-along service specifically for this?

[lopburi3]

If you fly out it likely will not even be noticed but on a land exit without a re-entry permit they are likely to try and be helpful and this could result in your being told to return to cancel the extension of stay (at least one recent report of that happening) and extra days of overstay.

If you were on an extension of stay for work it would end on end of work and you are supposed to visit Immigration that day to cancel it. Not sure what status you would use to obtain a multi non immigrant O in Penang as they seem to be very rare these days - even in KL it will likely require show of marriage plus 100k in a bank account.

Overstay would start the day after employment ends.

[TAWP]

I'm not sure I understand. If I exit with my PP that has the extension of stay (that might be canceled) they might not notice it is canceled? What will they do when I return then? I have multi-re-entry permit, so I suppose I would have to 'know' that I then got 15 days even if they stamp me in for 90? Or they would detect that the Visa was canceled and give me the 15 day stamp?

Penang has become hard for Non-O again? Wonderful... and KL req. 100K in bank-acc? *sigh* Being young and married here and trying to be legal sucks.

[monty]

Only way to know is to ask your employer.

Normally it is yourself who has to go to immigration together with the resignation letter issued by your employer, and cancel your extension. You will then be given the option to get a 7 day extension (1,900 Baht) or leave Thailand on the same day.

If your employer can confirm that they have not yet been to immigration, then ask them to draw up a resignation letter for you, dated on the day you plan to go to immigration, and do as above.

Without doing that, you might get away with leaving Thailand without being fined, but on re-entry they will stamp you in again as per your re-entry permit and you'd still be illegal!

Plus it is unlikely that an embassy or consulate will issue you a new visa while according to the stamps in your passport you are holding a valid extension along with re-entry stamp.

[TAWP]

I asked my employeer and they did not seem to have a proper clue about much.

Exerp from email:

The "norm" for [company name] is that we do the document submission to let the BOI and immigration office know when anyone no longer works for [company name]. I believe this is the company's duty. I don't know which lawyers you are talking to. However, shall he/they have any questions, please have them contact me directly so that I could direct to our lawyer. In any case, I don't think [company name] needs to take the norm from anywhere else.

As you might read from the text, they always try to be as annoying as possible as they can to former staff. One of the reason several others have left them recently too.

My fear is kinda that I would be stamped in as still on extension, think everything is fine and then get hit by it. How could this be avoided? Tell them to stamp me in at 15 days etc? My PP needs to be updated with some info? I still have the work permit here too...

[lopburi3]

I would take what you have, including that email, and visit immigration to cancel your extension of stay explaining the problem that you can not obtain an official letter. You will probably have to pay a few days but either they will provide a letter your former can not avoid answering or do without. At least you will be in the clear and free to obtain a new visa to start your new employment.

Single entry is easy but multi entry O visa very hard in local area now and KL, even with the 100k, is considered the best bet. They may issue with less and they have in the past and one report today that they did yesterday so I would give them the run and have copy of marriage certificate/wife ID card/wife home register and a note from her asking for visa to be issued. If they accept without the 100k they will likely tell you to have for the next extension of stay.

[thaiphoon]

Would agree to get current permission to stay/multiple re-entry permit cancelled to avoid potential problems on re-entering the Kingdom. And, as said, that would leave you clear to apply for new visa.

[TAWP]

Thanks for the advices. So while it might be temping to fly out and not being fined it might be the safe route to go to immigrations and pay the fine, make sure the extension and WP is properly canceled in my PP too to avoid future issues...

Sadly the 'walk-along'-prices I was quoted by a sponsor here was basically equal to the fine + extension cost, so that kinda prohibits me to use them...out of the budget atm. Then I rather just go there and hope for the best... *sigh*

[TAWP]

So...I went to the immigration at Chaeng Watthana. Tip, be clear to the cab driver that you wanna go to building B, not just immigration...cost another 20baht and bike-ride to get there as it is too long to walk there in this weather.

If you forget to get 4x6cm photos there is a shop one stairs down for 100 baht (4 photos), as I did...

The immigration officer at the ticket cue desk took a look at my PP, listened to my story and could deduct 2 things:

- Leaving the country without properly canceling the extension in the PP, even if the border stamped me in on a 15 day etc, would still leave my extension 'active' and make it impossible to get another Visa until it is canceled (or the renewal date is passed I guess) and it would still be counted as if being on overstay. So make sure to cancel the extension (and work permit) in your PP properly even if the company says they did 'it'.

- As the company was a BOI, I cannot go to immigrations but have to go to the moved BOI One Stop Visa Center...argh. One day gone, new try tomorrow...

[astral]

IME, but it was a long time ago, the revised status was stamped in my passport......................

[TAWP]

Went to BOI One stop service, BOI (get paper), one stop center again and then to Immigration, and finally my extension is canceled, overstay payed and new extension (7 days) received.

And the extension in my PP is now clearly marked VOID.