Exit With Expired Work Permit And Visa

[cbm826]

I am not quite sure if everyone knows about this. But today my work permit and visa expire. I was planning to just go do a border run and exit and then re-enter because I will work for a new school. I was informed by the Thai Visa Tour group that if you have a work permit and visa when you exit you MUST have a letter from your employer or school stating that your contract is over and completed. This came as a big shock to me and it is impossible for me to get a letter in one day. If you go to the border they will not let you exit with out the letter. This new rule is in response to several schools complaining to immigrations about how teachers are just staying a month or two then quiting and just stay in country. After hours of phone conversations I have been able to find out that if you fly out then you are not asked for the letter. I am not sure if this is 100% true but I will find out tomorrow.

Just another new rule that has been put into place and immigrations NOT telling anyone. Good luck to all and to me as I wll fly to Penag tomorrow and hopefully return Thursday evening.

[lopburi3]

You are aware if on an extension of stay for work it ends the day your work ends and you must immediately leave visit immigration with a letter from employer to cancel the extension? You must then leave. Staying longer is overstay unless you obtain a new extension.

[cbm826]

Yes I do understand, but I only found out about this new rule on tuesday. It is not listed on any immigration site. And as I have found out, they will not let you leave until you have this letter and they do not care about overstay, as they said it is my problem.

[Mario2008]

Officially you need to cancel your work permit if you lose your job. If you are on an extension of stay based on your employment, you must also visit immigration to cancel your permision to stay. For that you need a letter from your employer. Nothing new here. You do not need to take a letter to the border.

If it was an official rule, why on earth would you not need it if you fly out?

[lopburi3]

It is not a new rule - the only change (several years ago) was that you do not automatically have 7 days of grace to leave unless you pay for an extension of stay. It has been a document you must sign for any extension of stay for at least the last year here in Bangkok (your understanding that if your qualification for extension ends the extension ends). At the end of employment your employer is required to provide you a letter to immigration to end your extension of stay.

[jackdawson]

teachers are just staying a month or two then quiting and just stay in country

Darn cowboy English teachers ruining it for everybody else.

[Gone]

This is not new news at all my friend. If you say you have another job to go to I hope you know that while you are in Penang or wherever you fly to, you will also need the proper paper-work from your new employer in order for you to get another Non-B visa. (although Penang is not the best place to get Non-B visas these days)

[cbm826]

Thank you superb member, I am not new to working here in Thailand. I did not leave or quit my job, I finished my contract. I have been at this school for over 2 yeras and didn't have to leave Thailand as my work permit and visa were renewed at Laksi. But on the 28th I completed my job and next month i will work with another school. That is when I found out about this letter, and my school did not even know about this rule.

I have found out it is enforeced, weither new or old rule, because many backpackers come here to teach for just a few months and then leave after getting ther 1 year visa and just stay and party for 9 months. So some schools complained to immigrations about this and now they want to make sure you have completed your contract with the school you were working at.

I am not the bad guy here Superb member. I completed my contract.

[Mario2008]

if your work was completed at the 28th, your work permit and permisison to stay also ended that day.

For a few years Bangkok immigration has the following warning on its site:

Attention

If the alien granting extension of stay permit in The Kingdom for the reason of working at a business company/organization etc., resigns from such company / organization, his/her stay permit will be immediately terminated. As a consequence, The stay permit of his/her dependents will be terminated as well. Work Permit and Stay Permit must be revoked by competent officials.