Change Of Extension To Tourist Or Non Imm O?

[galamaleo]

Thank you ver ymuch for tones of useful information! I'm a Russian citizen. I've worked in a school in Chiang Mai for 2 years. My Non-Imm B Visa Extension is valid till Dec, 31, 2010. My work permit expires on Dec, 21. I'm planning to stay in Thailand till mid Feb, 2011. Then leave for two months. Coming back to Thailand at the end of March for another 2-3 months. I'll very likely be back in Thailand for 1-2 months later this year.

During these 2 years I didn't need to worry about all these visa/ boarder runs. Now I gotta get one. I'm planning to use the service of a company to do a visa run to Laos.

I'm currently staying in Bangkok. I've studied through a number of forums but want to clarify a few points. I hope you can help me.

1) Would Tourist Visa be enough to cover me taking into account the plans stated above?

2) Or shall I obtain a letter from an NGO I plan to partner with to apply for a Non-Imm O visa?

3) I have my work permit which I got in Chiang Mai on me. Do I need to send it to my employer so that they would cancel my visa? (My guess though is that they won't do it right away). I'm familiar with the procedure of canceling work permit+visa. Yet I wonder if I can just leave the country before my visa expires (within the 7 days from my work permit expiry date) and change a visa type? Or do I need to go to the Immigration/ Labor Department in Chiang Mai in person?

Thank you very much for your time.

[klauswernst198]

For your stay from the Dec, 21. I'm planning to stay in Thailand till mid Feb, 2011 get a tourist visa in Laos (Vientiane) very easy to do it yourself and if speak a few words of thai this is the best way.

If you are going to work (even if it is for a NGO) you need the right papers for it and you can't do it on a tourist visa legally.

Probably your employer will ask for your work permit and than make the cancellation immigration related process for you, If not you need to do it yourself. Always get a copy of the work permit for yourself before canceling it because you might need that in the future. Once your work permit is canceled you will need to leave the country inmediatly or apply for a extension for a fee

For each other stay in Thailand if you plan to stay longer than 44 days you need to get a tourist visa outside at an embassy or consulate. if you plan to stay 44 days or less a border run to cambodia might be easier and give you what you need as well ( When you arrive by the airport you get stamped with 30 day and when you do the border run you get stamped for 14 days) This is specially true since from March onward tourist visa wont be free anymore

[galamaleo]

Thank you so much for taking time to reply!

Do you know if I have to cancel my work permit in Chiang Mai only where I'd got it or can I do it in Bangkok where I'm currently staying? There are curcumstances which make a trip to CM a bit hard at the moment. Is it at all possible without consequences to not get the work permit cancelled but just leave the country on my valid visa, "close it" and apply for a tourist visa? Thank you

[lopburi3]

There may be issues if you decide to apply for another work permit but they are not likely to stop you are the border for failure to do so.

[galamaleo]

Thank you!

[klauswernst198]

Cancellation of work permit need to be done in the labour department office responsible of the area where your company is located

Cancellation of Visa need to be done at the immigration office responsible for the are you lived*

* (normally same area like for the work permit but not necessary specially in Bangkok some people work in Bangkok but live in Nontaburi and need to do the immigration related stuff at Nontaburi immigration offices)

[galamaleo]

Thank you.

As I've explained above, there's an obstacle for me to go to Chiang Mai where I'd got my papers. So I wonder how much of a risk and is it at all possible to skip the cancellation part in the CM Labor Dep-t and CM Immigration and go straight to the boarder and apply for a new type of visa in Laos?

[klauswernst198]

if you wanna get a work permit in the next one or 2 years the risk is very high that your work permit is rejected.

if you are planning to come back and stay as a tourist there shouldn't be any problem for you if you leave within the time frame (the day you employer stops paying taxes and salary for you is the last day you can leave)

Edited December 12, 2010 by lopburi3
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