Extension For Wp Paperwork?

[thaisomchai]

The last posts I made on this issue received a number of VERY helpful replies!

In fact the advice I have received here has proved very helpful indeed.

Thanks THAIvisa! Thanks to those who responded!

Here is my latest plea for suggestions from anyone with either the knowledge or the personal experience of being in such a situation.

I am going from a retirement visa to a non-immigrant B with a work permit.

The university has begun the procedure of vetting my degrees with CHE. I have been told that this can take a month, even though I taught at a Thai university for several years before retiring.

(I dont know the precise steps here, but the work permit application is also out there.)

I have a letter offering me the teaching position and a contract.

Problem: My retirement visa extension expires on September 20th. The CHE will most likely not respond in time for this to be a neat visa transfer.

I dont want to renew my retirement visa and then a week or two later, change it to the Non-Imm B. ( Too expensive to do this twice. Once is enough!)

Question: is there a temporary extension . .7 days? two weeks? that can be granted in this situation? Perhaps bringing in the contract, offer of employment and proof that the WP process has been initiated?

The University visa officer is in tight with the local Immigration office and seems very confident and reassuring . .but it is my ass that is on the line here!

Grateful for any insight!

[Mario2008]

if married to a Thai national you can get 60 days, if not only 7 days, or you extend for 1 year based on retirement. All extensions cost the same, so if you can exend for 1 year based on retirement based on money in the bank, that would be the easiest.

Note that it is not sure if immigration will convert to an extension based on work. They might require you to go abroad and apply for a non-B, but that also depends on the contacts of the university.

[digitalchromakey]

if married to a Thai national you can get 60 days, if not only 7 days, or you extend for 1 year based on retirement. All extensions cost the same, so if you can exend for 1 year based on retirement based on money in the bank, that would be the easiest.

Note that it is not sure if immigration will convert to an extension based on work. They might require you to go abroad and apply for a non-B, but that also depends on the contacts of the university.

Caveat Emptor - Some Regional Labour Departments will not accept the 60 day 'Visiting Thai Spouse' Extension (Police Order 777/2551 Clause 2.24) as a valid basis for a WP application, which will then necessitate a visa run to apply for a 90 Day Non Immigrant B Visa at a Thai embassy.

[lopburi3]

That might be because the 60 days was from a visa exempt entry? This 60 day extension can be obtained from any entry.

But have also seen several recent reports that application for work permit must be made by company while subject is outside of Thailand now (and WP3 emailed to him for visa issue) so not sure there is any standard to go by.

[thaisomchai]

That might be because the 60 days was from a visa exempt entry? This 60 day extension can be obtained from any entry.

But have also seen several recent reports that application for work permit must be made by company while subject is outside of Thailand now (and WP3 emailed to him for visa issue) so not sure there is any standard to go by.

Not married to a Thai national.

Somewhere in the discussions with our HR people I did hear mention of 7 days . . .so that will probably be it. That and hoping that the CHE doesn't dally.

So the 7 day extension will cost the same as a retirement extension?

I am also ready financially to go with the retirement visa renewal if that becomes necessary so I don't foresee any serious problems here.

I just would like to limit my out of pocket expenses and the extra paperwork. The University will pay for the actual extension/conversion to Non Imm B.

but I have to pay for the multiple reentry permit and the extension of my retirement visa if I have to go that route.

The University visa guy has been described as a "miracle worker."

[digitalchromakey]

That might be because the 60 days was from a visa exempt entry? This 60 day extension can be obtained from any entry.

But have also seen several recent reports that application for work permit must be made by company while subject is outside of Thailand now (and WP3 emailed to him for visa issue) so not sure there is any standard to go by.

In the case I cited, the 60 Day 'Visiting Thai Spouse' Extension was obtained when extending a Non Immigrant B Single 90 day Permission to Stay.

Note however that the refusal to issue 'due to invalidity of the visa extension status' was at Phuket Labour, where the current head of the Work Permit Section is fast developing a reputation as being stricter than strict - the unissued Work Permit Backlog in Phuket was recently unofficially quoted as being 100+