immigration officer at Phuket airport asking for work permit

[keestha]

A friend of mine arrived at Phuket airport on January 19 on a flight from Berlin, and on presenting her passport with non imm B visa, the immigration officer asked her also to produce her work permit. I don't think this is official policy, just a smartaßß immigration officer doing his/her own thing, that's why I post here and not in the visa/work permit forum. The last thing I want to be is somebody starting a rumour, it is just that non imm B holders entering the Kingdom through HKT should be aware this can happen..

[Mario2008]

It is not policy. You must be able to produce your WP at the place of work, there is no other requirement to carry it with you.

[NomadJoe]

Correct. Not a requirement, but officers can of course ask for anything they like. But that doesn't mean that if you don't have it they won't let you in.

Almost 13 years here now and I have entered and exited Thailand many, many times on a Non-B 90 day, one year, and while on extensions. Never have I been asked for my WP.

[phuketrichard]

i entered last year with my gf at Pailin from Cambodia, MY Cambodian gf has a 1 year nnn b visa and WP

I have a retirement extension;

He asked me where her wp was I told him she does not need it when she travels, he asked me are u sure I said Yes

than he took my passport an asked where my 90 day report was, i said i don't need one as i am coming into Thailand ( i always rip them out of my passport when i leave) he than again asked me, are u sure?? Never been asked before

i was almost laughing at how he was trying to get a "tip"

[hkt83100]

One answer to the officer might be: "I don't have it with me, because I am not allowed to take the work permit out of the country." Just read what is written in the conditions, somewhere in the blue book.

[NomadJoe]

One answer to the officer might be: "I don't have it with me, because I am not allowed to take the work permit out of the country." Just read what is written in the conditions, somewhere in the blue book.

Can you please provide a scan of those conditions. I am not able to find that in my WP.

Carrying your work permit

"When I collected my work permit at the Employment Office in Phuket Town, I was informed by the officer that it is illegal to take my work permit book out of the country.

Since I received my work permit, I have left the country several times mostly for my visa run as I have a non-immigrant B multiple-entry 90-day stay visa for a year.

I arrived back to Phuket from Kuala Lumpur on August 22 only to get a rude immigration officer at the airport who asked me what kind of job I did in Phuket.

I told him what I did and he insisted that I provide him with my work permit.

I told him I did not have it with me as I was flying back from outside Thailand, but he started getting rude and yelling at me telling me that he would not stamp my passport and I would be deported.

I informed him that I was informed by the Employment Office in Phuket that I cannot take my work permit out of the country, but he kept yelling at me and refused to stamp my passport.

I gave him a photocopy of my work permit but he keep insisting to see the original.

I asked to speak to his duty officer, but he just walked off from the counter.

I rang my Thai lawyer who set up my company and my work permit and had her talk to this immigration officer in Thai he hung up the call twice.

On the third call, he informed my lawyer that I have to apologize to him before he would stamp my passport. I was not ready to apologize for something I did not do wrong.

I stood there looking at him till he finally stamped my passport.

So can anyone clarify what the correct procedure is in this situation?"

Jack, Patong Thursday, October 25, 2012 10:58:15 AM

"It is not against the law to bring your work permit out of the country. It is suggested to keep it with yourself at all time.

The question the Immigration officer asked about the work permit was a normal question to ask a non-immigrant type B visa holder.

People who have work permits must have them available at all times to present when requested by officials."

Thursday, October 25, 2012 10:58:15 AM An Immigration Police officer at Phuket International Airport.

http://www.phuketgazette.net/issuesanswers/details.asp?id=1356

That last comment contradicts this one:

A work permit needed to drive in Phuket?

A foreign friend, with a current driving license and work permit, was recently stopped at a police checkpoint and asked to produce her driving license, passport and work permit, all if which were eventually produced.

The officer then informed her that she can only work in the office and cannot drive from one location to another.

Is this the police or Labor Department’s interpretation of having to “work” at the location prescribed in the work permit, or perhaps both?

Her Thai manager claims that nowhere does it state in the work permit that she can only work at the office and cannot drive during working hours.

T Mounay, Phuket. Thursday, September 26, 2013 10:48:48 AM “This is not our interpretation of the law. We can only arrest someone who is acting illegally or under suspicion of acting illegally. For example, a police officer cannot fine an illegal taxi driver when they are not carrying passengers around – they must be caught in the act.

This is the same situation. If all your friend’s paperwork was in good order, we could not arrest or fine her. However, if we find a person working at a location or in a job that is not stipulated in their work permit we have cause to arrest or fine them.”

Thursday, September 26, 2013 10:48:48 AM Capt Angkarn Yasanop, Phuket Immigration.

“This seems absurd. Every worker has the right to go where they want. They can go shopping on their holidays or leave the office to go out for lunch. I cannot imagine a police officer handing out a fine or arresting someone with a work permit for driving a car during working hours.” Thursday, September 26, 2013 10:48:48 AM

Yaowapa Pibulpol, chief, Phuket Employment Office.

http://www.phuketgazette.net/issuesanswers/details.asp?id=1448

It pisses me off when they expect us to know these rules when the government officials themselves can't even seen to agree on what the law is.

Edited January 22, 2014 by NomadJoe

[hkt83100]

One answer to the officer might be: "I don't have it with me, because I am not allowed to take the work permit out of the country." Just read what is written in the conditions, somewhere in the blue book.

Can you please provide a scan of those conditions. I am not able to find that in my WP.

I returned my work permit in 2544, and I don't have a scan of this page, sorry. But I am very sure, there was a paragraph about this somewhere in the famous book.

[stevenl]

One answer to the officer might be: "I don't have it with me, because I am not allowed to take the work permit out of the country." Just read what is written in the conditions, somewhere in the blue book.

Can you please provide a scan of those conditions. I am not able to find that in my WP.

I returned my work permit in 2544, and I don't have a scan of this page, sorry. But I am very sure, there was a paragraph about this somewhere in the famous book.

Just checked mine, nothing of the sorts.

[LivinginKata]

One answer to the officer might be: "I don't have it with me, because I am not allowed to take the work permit out of the country." Just read what is written in the conditions, somewhere in the blue book.

Can you please provide a scan of those conditions. I am not able to find that in my WP.

I returned my work permit in 2544, and I don't have a scan of this page, sorry. But I am very sure, there was a paragraph about this somewhere in the famous book.

Just checked mine, nothing of the sorts.

My WP was issued in 2544 and there are only 4 warnings (page 31) - there are no conditions. There is nothing about not taking out of the country. What it does state is that the WP should be keep at the place of work during work hours. Therefore the WP holder should not be holding the WP at any airport.

[WitawatWatawit]

One more experience to throw into the mix. I've had a work permit for almost a quarter of a century. Not once have I ever been asked for it - not by the cops, immigration at the airport, nor at the immigration office. Only one time, many years ago, did immigration officers come to my office to check, and then it was a very cursory visit and more of a show-the-flag exercise. As the boss of the foreigners, I was introduced to the senior officer who seemed more interested in the computer program I was using than anything else. That's it. As an aside, I last left the country a year ago, and on my return was greeted at Suvarnabhumi by a polite and friendly immigration officer and short queues. No questions were asked by the officer about anything, just a smile and a "thank you, sir". I think the OP's friend was unlucky to meet a little big man type - well documented (and well cursed) in this forum.

[NomadJoe]

Can you please provide a scan of those conditions. I am not able to find that in my WP.

I returned my work permit in 2544, and I don't have a scan of this page, sorry. But I am very sure, there was a paragraph about this somewhere in the famous book.

Just checked mine, nothing of the sorts.

My WP was issued in 2544 and there are only 4 warnings (page 31) - there are no conditions. There is nothing about not taking out of the country. What it does state is that the WP should be keep at the place of work during work hours. Therefore the WP holder should not be holding the WP at any airport.

Don't you think that they mean during the workers working hours? If the holder is at the airport I think it's safe to assume they aren't working. Otherwise you are saying that all foreign workers work permits must be kept at the workplace 24/7/365. I am pretty sure that is not what they intend to convey.

[EBlair48]

If you are on an Extension of Visa, Based on Employment, seems reasonable to me for Immigration to request a valid WP.

Seems to be a bit of a quandry

There was ajust a thread on it two days ago in the visa forum

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/699158-expired-work-permit/

Post # 4

If your visa is still valid, then you will get in.

Now, if your visa was expired and also you had an extension based on employment with no Work Permit or if in that case your Work Permit (an therefore you employment extension were also invalid) ..... then immigration would stop you at the border.

But as long as your visa is still valid, they won't stop you.

So would this indicate when travelling on a visa extension the WP should be carried ?

Post # 7

There have been numerous reports of people with Extensions of Permission to Stay having Work Permits checked at land borders (particularly teachers).

This is because Immigration know that an Extension based on work must be cancelled before exiting Thailand, if the Work Permit is no longer valid.