Re First Extension of Stay for Non-Immigrant Visa (w/work permit)

[tvqanda]

Hi! And thanks again in advance to those who can help with my question!

This is a query meant for anyone who's just filed for their first extension of stay with a Non-Immigrant B Visa (and who also has a new work permit).

I received my Non-I Visa on 22 May (in Singapore). In June my employer filed for my Work Permit which i received just a few weeks ago. He accompanied me to Phuket's Ministry of Labour (I live and work out of Patong) where I was issued the Blue Book on the spot.

According to the date of my visa and entry in May, I was due to report in on 20 August to file for an extension. My boss went to Immigration Phuket with my Passport on time and I was expecting a 90 extension, similar to what always happened when I had an ED visa.

When he came back however he said that I was granted a one month extension and that my visa extension application was "under consideration" until 20 September. (the stamp in my passport says just that too). Next month I'm to give him my passport again and he'll have to make another trip by 20 September at which point I'll apparently get the extension proper, except that the extension stamp given at that time will be valid until July of next year (2015), This means of course no more quarterly trips to Immigration Phuket this year and half of next until my current work permit expires at that time.

Being the worry bug I am I then started wondering if this was actually the case and had I been put on some sort of "black list" though of course I've done nothing to warrant that. Both my employer and a friend who helps people obtain ED and Tourist Visas here assure me that this was just the implementation of a new regulation that also covers newly issued ED Visas.

Just wondering if anyone on the TVF has also had the same happen recently and if they can shed more light to clarify things?

One side note: An additional piece of paper was stapled into my passport which requires me to update Immigration on 17 November 2014

of my current residence and address, but this wasn't the actual extension itself.

All a bit confusing....

Thanks for the clarity!