Just Got My Work Permit. It Expires In Ten Days Time!

[ranma500]

I'm confused!!!

On 5th April 2005, I was in the U.K. I applied to the Hull Thai Consulate and received a one-year multiple entry non-immigrant B visa, expiring on 5th April 2006.

I have been in and out of Thailand a few times. The last date of entry was 11th Jan, with an expiry of 10th April.

I have recently found employment, and applied for a work permit.

I collected the work permit today - work period: 1 year.

All is fine.

Except:

My Visa is due to expire in about ten days time.

And...

In the work permit book, it has a red stamp saying:

"Must extend before 3/4/06"

Reading other posts and the main site, it would seem that I must now apply for a visa

extension, and then go and update the work permit.

But will I get a one-year extension?

What do I need to take to Suan Phlu, apart from my passport and my work permit book?

My situation is complicated a little by the fact that on around 20th April I will go on business to the U.K. for one month connected to my new job.

If I only get a 30-day extension, this won't work.

Any advice?

Thanks.

[Guest deltakid]

i got my work permit 20 days ago and have to extend it before the 8th of april. i will do that three times and get an extension for the rest of my extended one year visa.

you have to extend your visa together with your work permit as far as i know...

[astral]

I believe you can go to immigration with the work permit, and your visa will be extended to match the work permit.

[bubba]

I believe you can go to immigration with the work permit, and your visa will be extended to match the work permit.

Exactly. I am sure there are others here who are more competent legal experts, but the visa expiration date dictates the expiration date of your work permit. When your visa is extended, your work permit has to be extended, and you better do it before it expires or the whole circus starts all over again.

Also, if you are unlucky enough to have Immigration ask report back over and over with 30 day extension stamps while they consider your next extension, your work permit has to go back over and over for extensions. Sometime last year I heard that someone had a huge brainstorm and came up with the idea for Immigration to set up a presence at the Labour Department so that everything could be done at one place, just like the One Stop Centre. As you probably know, it can take an hour just to drive from Immigration at Suan Phlu to the Labour Department. Apparently, that was actually going for a while, but I heard later than it was no more. Anyone know for sure?

[thebear]

I believe you can go to immigration with the work permit, and your visa will be extended to match the work permit.

Exactly. I am sure there are others here who are more competent legal experts, but the visa expiration date dictates the expiration date of your work permit. When your visa is extended, your work permit has to be extended, and you better do it before it expires or the whole circus starts all over again.

The WP rides off the visa. A few years ago I had a 2 year contract and due to trips out every 3/4 months on business I completed the work assignment but never did get a WP that was stamped through to the end of my contract.

[Richard Hall]

I believe you can go to immigration with the work permit, and your visa will be extended to match the work permit.

No, the visa/staying permit NEVER follows the work permit but only the other way around. Example: I have extended my work permit for one year in basically 10 minutes but the decision on the one year staying permit extension usually takes about 2 - 3 months.

Therefore, although the WP is already granted for a full year (scribbled handwrittenly) I have still to extend the WP in 1 month intervals until the 1 year staying permit is eventually granted.

Pattern:

Apply for 1 year staying permit extension and receive a stamp indicating please call again on... (usually 30 days after application). Go to Labour Department to receive the WP extension. If your paperwork is alright they grant you 1 year right away but stamp that you have to extend on .... date (the 30 days when you have to see Immigration again).

When the 30 days are over one usually gets another stamp indicating "decision making still in process" please call again in 30 days. Back to Labour Department to receive another 30 days extension at a fee of 750 Baht.

Finally, when Immigration grants you the staying permit for the remainder of a full year the WP will follow after payment of 3,000 Baht.

These extensions in those monthly intervals is called "WP extensions following the visa". Although you have already the full year work permit they can only stamp you those 30 days in accordance with the permit to stay in Thailand.

Means one has always to do the visa/staying permit first and then the work permit and never the other way around.

If a multiple non-immigrant visa expires one has to leave the country to get a new one that will be directive for the WP stamp.

If someone holds single entry non-immigrant visa leaving the country is NOT necessary but the staying permit for a full year can be applied for inside the country in the 1 month at a time procedure as described before.

Situation changes if someone works for a BOI supported company. In this case staying permit and WP permission can be extended within a couple of hours at the one stop service center but otherwise WP and visa/staying permit are two different shoes with two different ministeries in charge.

Cheers,

Richard

[Sunbelt Asia]

The responses were if your Employer employs 4 Thai employees at least 5,520 Baht per month, per work permit- ( Consultant would be 1 Thai employee per work permit) and that you are getting the minimum salary required for your nationality of 50,000 Baht per month( or they are least filing tax at that level)

If your Employer cannot meet that criteria, simply take a visa run and get a fresh 90 day visa before April 3rd. You then can simply revaluate your work permit for more 90 days when the Labor Dept sees that stamp.

My situation is complicated a little by the fact that on around 20th April I will go on business to the U.K. for one month connected to my new job.

If the Employer can meet the criteria of your salary and Thai employees... if you are going to be out of town when you are schedule to hear the result of your application for extension of stay based on business. You show them the airplane ticket and they will book it for 5 days after you are scheduled to arrive back. Your work permit stamp will follow that stamp. Be sure to obtain a reentry permit before you leave or you will have to start the whole process over again.( No need if you use the option in the second paragraph about having a visa run and your multi- entry non immigrant visa from the UK)

www.lawyer.th.com