Dear intelligent people of the TV forum,

I finished a contract on February 28, 2010, with a Thai company, and received notice from the visa manager at the company that they are going to be going to cancel my work permit this week. That is fine, but I'd like to know what will happen with my visa.

My visa is: a single-entry Non-B visa from Vien Tiane, Laos, issued on September 02, 2009. The enter before date is December 01, 2009 (of course I entered already). I have an 'extension of stay permitted up to August 31, 2010' issued on November 20, 2009. I just notified of my 90 days at the new Immigration office 2 weeks ago, being permitted to stay until May 19, 2010.

The visa manager told me that my visa will be OK until August 31. I remember hearing about 7days this or that, but wanted to make sure what the visa manager was saying is true - if my work permit gets canceled, will I be allowed to use the remaining 6 months on my visa???

Much thanks.

24 hours actually after your work permit is cancelled.

Since you are on an extension of stay based on your employment, your permission to stay ends the same day your employment ends. Go to immigration with a letter from your employer, stating when the job has been canceled and you can ask for an extension of stay of 7 days for 1,900 baht.

Your permision to stay expires on the day your employment ends.

You will need to exit the country on the same day or apply for a 7 day extension at Immigration. 1,900 Baht fee.

You extension of stay expires/expired on your last day of work regardless of when/if the work permit is returned. Any time after last day of work is overstay. The company needs to provide you a letter stating last day of work (if has not happened yet) and you take that to immigration to void your extension of stay. You can then leave or obtain a 7 day extension of stay for 1,900 baht.

One of the many visa regulations in Thailand that foreigners working here find absurd and counter-productive, to say the least...

Edited March 2, 201016 yr by eurasianthai

And that's why I don't work in Thailand.

Much thanks for the responses here. i also consulted with 2 Thai people who process visas for employees of companies here, and they said I had 2 choices. Firstly, I could go to Immigration as TV also recommended, and cancel my visa, get a 7-day extension, then proceed from there. Or, they said it would be OK for me to just do nothing, and stay on my visa for the remaining 5 months. While I accept that the most legal thing to do would be to cancel this, what happens if I don't? In other words, isn't it generally accepted that Immigration would not know if the Ministry of Labour has canceled a WP?

This is my last question on this topic - thanks for all your help!

. Or, they said it would be OK for me to just do nothing, and stay on my visa for the remaining 5 months.

This is my last question on this topic - thanks for all your help!

You would be on overstay. The fine is 500 Baht a day up to a maximum of 20,000 Baht.

You could also be arrested, put in the Immigration Detention Center and deported.

Not a wise choice.

And that's why I don't work in Thailand.

Sorry to spill the beans but to the letter of the law you are working when you respond, even when you're not payed for it.

Or do you stay outside of T.?

I see. That would be quite a risk. Do some people have Non-B's without work permits? Or must every Non-B be accompanied by a WP?

I see. That would be quite a risk. Do some people have Non-B's without work permits? Or must every Non-B be accompanied by a WP?

If you are over 50, you can get a retirement extension of stay, based on the same visa.

You will also have to pay an overstay fine, which I calculate is currently 2000 baht (4 x 500) and will be 2500 Bt tomorrow.

I see. That would be quite a risk. Do some people have Non-B's without work permits? Or must every Non-B be accompanied by a WP?

The problem is that you do not have a Non B Visa.

You have a 12 month extension of stay based on your employment.

When your employment ends the reason for the extension ends also.

If you had a Non B Visa you would be able to stay until the Visa stay expires.