Advice Please - End Of Work Permit & Residency Application Pending

[fcbkk]

a bit complicated, appreciate any advice you may have

situation

- employment in BOI status company comes to an end with last payment/tax late May

- assciated Work Permit and multiple entry "B" Visa will therefore end too

- permanent residency application under category "working/business" was accepted Dec-2011 and is pending

i am obviously keen to not inadvertently interupt the PR application process. Immigration case workers confirmed PR is in process, the commision may or may not ask for further info, or approve/reject, but when either may happen noone knows. As there is only 1/2 weeks left it's likely that current WP and Visa will have ended by the time i do hear about the PR application.

- anyone been in a similar situation before, any advice what best next steps to take?

- what options and requirements are there? inform Immigration about the end of employment and hand in the WP, then obtain tourist visa?

Thanks

[sas_cars]

I am not really sure but I guess that if your application for PR was accepted in December 2011 and if you've already gone through the thai language test+ interview, then I don't think that ending your employment will hamper anything. You will already have the PR Accepted Stamp in your passport indicating the length of your current extension, so you are good to stay till that date, and once it expires, go to the PR Department in the immigration and get new extension of stay every six months till your PR application is decided. However, that's just what I think and it may not be the case so consulting with the PR department will be your best bet for most accurate information in your case

[samran]

I am not really sure but I guess that if your application for PR was accepted in December 2011 and if you've already gone through the thai language test+ interview, then I don't think that ending your employment will hamper anything. You will already have the PR Accepted Stamp in your passport indicating the length of your current extension, so you are good to stay till that date, and once it expires, go to the PR Department in the immigration and get new extension of stay every six months till your PR application is decided. However, that's just what I think and it may not be the case so consulting with the PR department will be your best bet for most accurate information in your case

Not trying to be pedantic, but shouldn't one go to get the 6 monthly extension BEFORE the previous 6 month extension expires?

[Arkady]

I suggest that you get someone to contact Immigration on your behalf to clarify matters without disclosing your identity and try to get a new job with a WP as soon as possible. If you haven't been interviewed by the panel yet, you will definitely have to do this and they will definitely ask you about your job, although I don't think they will ask to see your WP at that time. Although not clearly specified in the regulations, it stands to reason that they could reject someone on grounds of unemployment subsequent to the application and inability to support himself through work in Thailand.

[fcbkk]

I am not really sure but I guess that if your application for PR was accepted in December 2011 and if you've already gone through the thai language test+ interview, then I don't think that ending your employment will hamper anything. You will already have the PR Accepted Stamp in your passport indicating the length of your current extension, so you are good to stay till that date, and once it expires, go to the PR Department in the immigration and get new extension of stay every six months till your PR application is decided. However, that's just what I think and it may not be the case so consulting with the PR department will be your best bet for most accurate information in your case

Thanks sas_cars.

Yes all process completed incl test+interview and PR extension stamp in the passport. However, the PR stamp they made is longer than what i believe is the normal standard extension of 180 days, they did stamp extension until August 2013, which coincides with the current Work Permit and Visa, presumably because PR application was made under category "working/business"?

Now if both WP and current Visa are invalidated at the end of that employment then i wonder if the PR stamp also ends. Strictly speaking it should revert to the standard 180 day extension, but this seems such a special and complicated situation that i guess noone incl Immigrations have defined textbook answers. If it does revert back to the 180day stamp then i suppose another stamp should be possible upon the end of the first 180 day period.

Consulting with the PR department is the only way i suppose even if they don't really know to judge from phone enquiry, will go there in person on Monday and hope

I suggest that you get someone to contact Immigration on your behalf to clarify matters without disclosing your identity and try to get a new job with a WP as soon as possible. If you haven't been interviewed by the panel yet, you will definitely have to do this and they will definitely ask you about your job, although I don't think they will ask to see your WP at that time. Although not clearly specified in the regulations, it stands to reason that they could reject someone on grounds of unemployment subsequent to the application and inability to support himself through work in Thailand.

Thanks Arkady.

interview in front of panel+commission already happened back in March, they only made a brief enquiry about work, and no there was no need to show WP again.

I tried to call them for advice, but received contradictory responses and my feel is that indeed this case is so special there is no clear textbook guideline.

I suspect you are right that they might view end of employment in a negative way no matter what other means of support i can show them - at the very least it complicates matters for them and they might choose the "easy way out" by choosing not to answer hence reject the application.

best approach i see is to go there in person and try obtain the extension stamp as in above response to "sas_cars" - at least that is one fact that is stated in the immigration documents that i can find.

obtaining different job with WP well yes that would be a way too but will obviously not happen in time i guess, unless someone has an urgent flexible opening :-)

any other ideas folks?

Thank you

[howzat]

I was a 2006 applicant and just retired two weeks ago. They stopped stamping the residency application 6 month extension a couple of years ago as was told not necessary whilst have WP. New rule apparently.

Last week I completed my retirement visa and also had my residency extension re started so actually now have both. Seems no problem and I least I keep on the residency application radar.

[fcbkk]

I was a 2006 applicant and just retired two weeks ago. They stopped stamping the residency application 6 month extension a couple of years ago as was told not necessary whilst have WP. New rule apparently.

My PR application was accepted Dec-2011 including extension stamp in my passport despite holding WP.

This process itself matches what Immigrations write in their documentation "detailed info for PR" available here: http://www.immigrati...?page=residence

However they did not stamp a 180 day extension, but far longer (20 months), to coincide with the date that my current WP and Visa end.

Last week I completed my retirement visa and also had my residency extension re started so actually now have both. Seems no problem and I least I keep on the residency application radar.

Enjoy and Good luck for the PR