Late Renewal Of Work Permit

[scorecard]

Suddenly the signatory to my work permit renewal is out of Thailand and return has been delayed.

Best scenario looks like the documenst for my WP renewal will be submitted one week after the current expiry date.

Anybody had any previous experiences with late submission for renewal?

Any advice appreciated, with thanks.

[InterestedObserver]

Just the obvious, don't get caught. The rules say to apply for renewal "Prior to the expiration of a Work Permit". So I guess that you would be technically working without a valid WP.

Edited March 19, 2010 by InterestedObserver

[NHJ]

either use a power of attorney and get everything in time or apply for a new WP, if you were on extension of stay, the day your work permit ends you have to go out of the country of get 7 days extension at immigration.

[TerryLH]

This happened to me about 5 years ago. I had given the office all the stuff they asked for, but they didn't do anything with it. When they did, they were told at the labor office that I had to go to the police station and either pay a fine or go to court for being late renewing. (Actually for working without a valid WP).

As soon as I found out about what was going on I went to the labor office and was able negotiate a peace.

One thing you might try is submit the paperwork without the signatures. Just drop the package on the desk and leave. It might be that they'll just notify you that the person needs to return to sign them, but count it as being submitted on time.

Whichever way it goes, good luck.

[opalhort]

What I would do is to take all papers (even without all required signatures) to Labor BEFORE your WP expires and also have a letter from you company explaining the situation, giving a firm date when signatures will be available.

They will probably put your application on hold and you'll be safe.

DO NOT submit after expiry date! Your WP will be dead.

opalhort

[thaiphoon]

Agree with opalhort, take papers to labour office before WP expires and see what happens. I was in a situation with WP renewal where there was a delay in getting copy of audited accounts. Everything else was submitted before WP expiry and audited accounts followed a few days later after WP had expired. Was not a problem, but every labour office can be different.

[scorecard]

Agree with opalhort, take papers to labour office before WP expires and see what happens. I was in a situation with WP renewal where there was a delay in getting copy of audited accounts. Everything else was submitted before WP expiry and audited accounts followed a few days later after WP had expired. Was not a problem, but every labour office can be different.

Thanks for all the replies.

I'm realizing now that I should have given a little more detail in my original post:

• - My WP is from a high profile Thai university
  
• - I have PR status, so luckily I don't have any visa complications.
  

Thanks again.

[opalhort]

^^^

You should not have any problem as long as you submit all the papers you have available to Labor BEFORE your WP expires.

opalhort

[TerryLH]

If it does expire, just don't work until you get a new one.

[pontius]

I was late 4 or 5 days (twice already) and they refused twice to renew it, I had to apply for a new one. The second time, I used the same Non-B Visa I was on, they did not comment on it, nor the fact that I stayed on the same Non-B for ~2 months till the new work permit was ready.

As someone else said, just don't get caught working.

[Arkady]

I once had something missing from the renewal application (I think the company's affidavit was a few days out of date) applying just before it expireed and I was given an extra two or three working days to get it. If you submit the docs pretending you hadn't noticed it had not been signed, you will probably get the same treatment but I doubt that you would get more. If the company has an alternate signatory, that would be a way out. The form used to available online. If it still is, you could email soft copy to the signatory and get him to courier the signed copy back. The Ministry of Labour has offices in each province that have their own websites. I once found a form I needed on the Songkla website, while the head office website had it too but it was a broken link. Before doing anything, get some one to call or visit the DoE without giving name of comany or yourself and explain the situation and ask what options you have. Worse case would be resigning the job, getting a short term visa extension and applying for a new book. Of course your severance pay entitlement goes back to zero that way. Good luck.

Edited March 21, 2010 by Arkady

[jongkolkhoo]

I was late 4 or 5 days (twice already) and they refused twice to renew it, I had to apply for a new one. The second time, I used the same Non-B Visa I was on, they did not comment on it, nor the fact that I stayed on the same Non-B for ~2 months till the new work permit was ready.

As someone else said, just don't get caught working.

Me too. was late twice and got my wp extension as usual. There is a way . email me for more info.

[opalhort]

Me too. was late twice and got my wp extension as usual. There is a way . email me for more info.

Please DO NOT promote any illegal activity. Yes there are ways to work around the OP's problem but none of them are stated in the official rules!

We all know that in Thailand almost everything is possible, and it may even work for some time but it will certainly backfire and cause a lot of problems in the future!

Please stick to the rules!

Government officers here can be very helpful in many ways if an applicant has some reasonable and verifiable reason for not being able to comply with every written rule.

opalhort

[SteveB2]

^^^

You should not have any problem as long as you submit all the papers you have available to Labor BEFORE your WP expires.

opalhort

Agreed - the key thing is to apply for renewal before the WP expires, even if all the paperwork is not completed. Our local WP office issue a receipt acknowledging that the renewal process had been instigated prior to WP expired... no doubt this important little bit of paper is necessary to show during any surprise official visit by immigration/WP inspectors at my place of work, when an out of date WP would definitely not be of any use at all in preventing my likely incarceration in IDC, and a 230K sweetener changing hands to ensue my release from a 4x5 cell full of lady boys in their underwear eying me up

However, no one is perfect, and I guess it is inevitable that if you stay here long enough, then you will eventual miss the renewal date and discover that you have just accidently entered the twilight zone. This has happened to me a couple of times in the last 15 years.

In my own case(s) thankfully the good relationship between my lawyers and the local WP office staff saved the day - though even their influence was (in their own words) was only good up to a around a 10 day late renewal, and then the whole WP application had to begin again. (dam_n)

Don't even think of working without either (1)a valid WP, (2)a WP application receipt in your hand (3)WP renewal applied for under consideration receipt in your hand else you stand a good chance of getting locked up if caught.

[Tywais]

Due to delays for paperwork at the university I only got the documents on the last day. Had to go to immigration first for the year extension and by the time they were done it was too late to go to the Labor Department. Was one day late and got the 3rd degree. She made it clear she would let it go this time due to my explanation but there wouldn't be a 2nd chance.