Late Work Permit Renewal In Bangkok

[edwardandtubs]

Does anyone have up-to-date information on whether the Bangkok office of the Department of Employment will accept a late work permit renewal application when the work permit expired on a weekend or public holiday?

[Sydebolle]

No, they will not - you are well advised to rather go a few days earlier. If not possible then inform them that you cannot show up on the expiry day/week and get a temporary extension of a few days/week(s) until you are back. Otherwise you risk being put back to square one and go through the entire thing again. So happened to my wife.

[marinediscoking]

You have 21 days to renew after the date in your book, otherwise you will have to apply for a new work permit. I had to get a new one last year because of incorrect information from my lawyer while i was back home. Having said that you should always try to renew as soon as your visa is extended.

[edwardandtubs]

You have 21 days to renew after the date in your book, otherwise you will have to apply for a new work permit. I had to get a new one last year because of incorrect information from my lawyer while i was back home. Having said that you should always try to renew as soon as your visa is extended.

Are you sure about that? The doe.go.th website is clear that if the work permit has expired you need to apply for a new one. The 21 day rule relates to how many days must be left on your visa when you apply for a work permit.

Here's another question though. From what date are work permits valid? I went to the Department of Employment with an HR officer to collect my work permit and then we went straight to immigration to get the one year extension. I would have thought the work permit and visa would expire on the same day but now I'm told the work permit has already expired (one week before the visa expires). Is this possible? Maybe the HR officer made the application a week before we collected it. Would it then expire a week before the visa expires? Of course I just have to look at the work permit to check but it's currently at work and it would be a hassle to go in and check.

[lopburi3]

Extensions of stay should be for one year from date of application. They are not tied to each other as used to be the case so indeed appears work permit was active for a week before extension of stay was issued. Be sure to renew work permit on its due date as extension becomes invalid if work permit expires on a work extension of stay.

[edwardandtubs]

So my work permit was active for a week before I'd even set foot in the offices of the Department of Employment? So what was all the waiting around and meeting with an official there all about? I assumed that was part of the application process and my work permit was valid from the date they actually gave it to me.

[marinediscoking]

You have 21 days to renew after the date in your book, otherwise you will have to apply for a new work permit. I had to get a new one last year because of incorrect information from my lawyer while i was back home. Having said that you should always try to renew as soon as your visa is extended.

Are you sure about that? The doe.go.th website is clear that if the work permit has expired you need to apply for a new one. The 21 day rule relates to how many days must be left on your visa when you apply for a work permit.

Here's another question though. From what date are work permits valid? I went to the Department of Employment with an HR officer to collect my work permit and then we went straight to immigration to get the one year extension. I would have thought the work permit and visa would expire on the same day but now I'm told the work permit has already expired (one week before the visa expires). Is this possible? Maybe the HR officer made the application a week before we collected it. Would it then expire a week before the visa expires? Of course I just have to look at the work permit to check but it's currently at work and it would be a hassle to go in and check.

I have never heard of your work permit being valid longer then your visa. The only time i have seen that is when you first get a work permit, they usually give you 6 months validity after showing a 3 month non-B visa, which is what happened to me on my second WP. I was surprised the wp exceeded my visa that case. The valid/renew dates are clearly printed in your wp so you don't have to take your HR's word for it.

As to the 21 days. I was given my re-entry permit for my visa back 2 hours before my flight back home, my lawyer told me i have 21 days to return to update my wp or i would lose it, this after giving him 2 months a head of time to do. To make a long story short I was not able to return before the 21 days. Also the people at the labor office confirmed this. My visa still had 10 months validity though.

Since then I handle renewing my visa and wp on my own. After the incompetence from my business consultant then my lawyer failure in these matters.

If you are in the country just go in on Monday as it is better to pester them a little if your are not sure, then to wait until it is too late.

[Tywais]

I'm not sure where the 21 days as mentioned is possible. My own experience indicates otherwise. A few years ago, due to the university not having one document ready until the last day of extension/WP expiration, I was not able to get to labor after the extension was stamped in due to it being too late to get there on time.

I went the next day to labor and it was pointed out to me that my WP had expired and I would need to apply for a new one. I explained the circumstances to her (with panic in my eyes) and she agreed to let it go this time but made it clear there would not be a 2nd time.

Perhaps the rules have changed since?

//edit - at that time my extension and WP were required to be in lock-step.

[edwardandtubs]

I'm not sure where the 21 days as mentioned is possible. My own experience indicates otherwise. A few years ago, due to the university not having one document ready until the last day of extension/WP expiration, I was not able to get to labor after the extension was stamped in due to it being too late to get there on time.

I went the next day to labor and it was pointed out to me that my WP had expired and I would need to apply for a new one. I explained the circumstances to her (with panic in my eyes) and she agreed to let it go this time but made it clear there would not be a 2nd time.

Perhaps the rules have changed since?

//edit - at that time my extension and WP were required to be in lock-step.

I'm sure you're right. When the work permit expires, that's it you have to apply for a new one. I suppose if you get lucky the official may make an exception. The 21 days that marinediscoking is talking about is a completely different issue and doesn't help me at all.

I still can't work out how my work permit could have expired a week before my visa extension when I received them both on the same day. Is it normal for the Department of Employment to issue the work permit before the applicant has actually visited them?

I now have to decide, should I waste time and money getting a new medical and photos so I can make a new work permit application or should I just turn up at the Department of Employment and hope they'll make an exception?

[opalhort]

I think this 21 days issue originates from the time when the WP expiry was still tied to the current permit to stay.

In the distant past I did not qualify for an extension of stay and had to get a new double entry Non-IMM-B whenever needed. The WP was approved for one year but only endorsed to match my permit to stay.

Whenever I had to leave Thailand to get a new visa I had to submit the WP prior to departure to Labour and they kept it, issued a receipt which stated PP (pending passport) and that I will have to show a new permit to stay within 21 days or the WP will have expired.

These days you have to submit your renewal application before or on the due date! If you don't have all required documents ready but you submit before due date they would give you a grace period depending on your situation.

I still can't work out how my work permit could have expired a week before my visa extension when I received them both on the same day.

Have a look at the date when your original WP was issued. They usually go one year at a time and are no longer linked to your extension of stay.

My WP is due every April 20 but my extension renewal is due on July 6. Both run for one year but on different dates.

opalhort

[edwardandtubs]

I still can't work out how my work permit could have expired a week before my visa extension when I received them both on the same day.

Have a look at the date when your original WP was issued. They usually go one year at a time and are no longer linked to your extension of stay.

My WP is due every April 20 but my extension renewal is due on July 6. Both run for one year but on different dates.

I will look as soon as I get to the office! I still have to decide whether or not to faff around this Sunday getting the medical and photos.

I appreciate that the work permit is not linked to the extension any more. The reason I'm confused is that I distinctly remember getting my work permit and visa extension ON THE SAME DAY LAST YEAR. So why on earth has the work permit now expired a week before the the visa?

[opalhort]

So why on earth has the work permit now expired a week before the the visa?

You probably renewed your permit to stay extension one week before the due date and the one year was added to the then expiry date whereas you renewed the WP exactly on it's expiry date and got one year based on that date.

opalhort

[edwardandtubs]

So why on earth has the work permit now expired a week before the the visa?

You probably renewed your permit to stay extension one week before the due date and the one year was added to the then expiry date whereas you renewed the WP exactly on it's expiry date and got one year based on that date.

opalhort

I received my work permit and visa extension on 20 August 2009 so it's a mystery why supposedly my WP expired on 13 August 2010.

[marinediscoking]

So why on earth has the work permit now expired a week before the the visa?

You probably renewed your permit to stay extension one week before the due date and the one year was added to the then expiry date whereas you renewed the WP exactly on it's expiry date and got one year based on that date.

opalhort

I received my work permit and visa extension on 20 August 2009 so it's a mystery why supposedly my WP expired on 13 August 2010.

So if I was in your possition I would go in monday take as much paperwork as you have. If the officer tells you it is too late to renew, i would ask for a application for a new work permit and start filling it in while you are there in their field of vision so they see that they cannot just dismiss you. That way, usually the paper work will have to go to a supervisor to check your old wp. He or she should be able able to put your situation together if it is not too late to renew your original wp.

The last time i was at immigration extending my visa i heard the immigration officer chastising a lower immigration officer for not being able to his job and inspect the dates correctly. I am fluent in thai and understood everything they were talking about. The point is don't let them just turn you away if you think you are correct. Just be courteous while doing it without being rude or disrespectful. Making a new wp is a big pain the ass.

Having said that..... as long as you have a wp for a possition that is legitimate(not for a grey area like a bar or something).

[edwardandtubs]

Thanks but I know exactly what to do if my WP has in fact expired. I'm just wondering how it's even possible for my WP to have expired given the facts I have outlined above.

[opalhort]

I received my work permit and visa extension on 20 August 2009 so it's a mystery why supposedly my WP expired on 13 August 2010.

What is the original date of issue in your WP (see page 3 of WP)? All extensions start counting one year from that date.

If it is 20 August Labour made a mistake, if it is 13 August then the WP extension is correct.

opalhort