Answered2 years ago

Can an Australian teacher and their child re-enter Thailand as tourists after losing their work visa?

Visa Exemptions Work Permit Cancellation Thai Immigration Rules Education Visa Tourist Visa Australian Passport

Ellen *************

asked Nov 18, 2024

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Asking for a friend- summarized at bottom. It’s a bit long, but it’s also a bit intricate so everything needs to be mentioned. I’m not AUS so I don’t know, hoping to get some useful answers here. Friend was teaching and had a WP- school was scandalous*shocker* and says they will be cancelling it. Friend is feeling like they might even get ripped off for their last paycheck 🤦🏻‍♀️  traveling w/young child the school didn’t attach to friend’s visa… they put the tot on an Ed visa.

I know some schools threaten to cancel the WP, but in some places it costs money so they just threaten but don’t actually do it.

They have another job lined up elsewhere and just need to sit tight til Jan 1. Can they exit and re enter as tourist? Does AUS have any exempt period? How exactly is it done? Buy evisa or what?

I haven’t gone out and come in in awhile. Plot twist- the tot has UK passport.

Long and short- AUS teacher w/ proper visa status fired, young tot on Ed visa and has UK passport. Can teacher and tot exit and reenter as tourists? Any exemption time?

Steps to do? School said WP will be off by 29 Nov 🙄 

so of course they’re panicked. Only need to be in Thailand until Jan 1. Thanks

Answer summary

An Australian teacher, whose work permit is being cancelled, is concerned about the implications for their visa status, specifically regarding their child's education visa. They are exploring options to exit Thailand and re-enter as tourists before starting a new job in January. Comments indicate both the teacher and child can enter Thailand under a 60-day visa exemption with the option to extend for an additional 30 days. It is essential for the teacher to officially cancel their work permit with the employer before leaving the country to avoid complications with future immigration status.

13 repliesnewest first

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Ally ************

It's never advisable to have an overstay stamp on your immigration record.. what you think is unimportant now can become very important at a later date.. it can mess up any future visa application or even create issues in trying to enter as a tourist one day.. nobody knows where life will take them in the future.. so it could come back to haunt you.. and you would be alerting every other border control that you may not respect their regulations either!

2 years ago

David ********

Do the visa exempt 60 days + 30 day extension. The employer has shown their true colors it's about control. Had the same issues so l got 60 days. The employer must cancel the work permit technically when employment ceases. It's their responsibility once you do your 60 days notify them but email to cancel it they will get fined. My employer tried to make me pay 2000 bht but l stood my ground as my new employer was going to step in. But if you are not going back to teach in Thailand it's only an issue if you want another work permit. No affect on immagration different department

2 years ago

Ellen *************

@David *******

it’s cheaper to pay an overstay fine for three or four days than it is to do a visa run.

2 years ago

David ********

@Ellen ************

overstay goes on your immigration record if you're ok with that go for it

2 years ago

Ellen *************

Thank you

2 years ago

Cissi *********

@Ellen ************

there is another worry about overstays... If they end up in any interaction with the police during those 3-4 days, i.e. random police check or immigration raid, they risk getting arrested, detained at IDC, prosecuted and banned to enter Thailand for 5 years plus they will have to pay for the deportation flight (chosen by immigration).

2 years ago

Ellen *************

@David *******

yeah it’s likely they won’t even be stopped at all, but they aren’t coming back. It’s not a gamble I would worry about -

3 or 4 days 🤷🏻‍♀️

2 years ago

John **********

They can leave and return on 60 day visa exempt and they can extend for an additional 30 days at immigration. But before they do the WP holder who i assume is on an extension of stay, needs to cancel that extension of stay. Which means they first need to cancel the work permit and that requires paperwork from the employer

2 years ago

Ellen *************

@John *********

exactly. The employer is saying they are going to cancel it and then they said oh they’ll be nice and extend it another month. They aren’t going to cancel it. It costs them time and money to do so and they have shown that they don’t do much that requires effort from them. I wrote an explanation in the comment above. Will be a 3-4 day overstay only if they cancel it when they say they will. There’s a 7 day grace period after that and then they will be leaving anyway 3 or 4 days later. Forget a visa run they will just be prepared to pay overstay of 3 or 4 days at the airport.

2 years ago

John *******

@Ellen ************

- You should never overstay, as that overstay stamp can haunt you into the future.

2 years ago

John **********

@Ellen ************

there is no 7 day grace period. If their employer is being nice ask them for a letter confirming their last day of work and use that to cancel the work permit and extension in advance then leave the country on or before that date. Overstaying is a really stupid idea

2 years ago

Wayne *********

Both get 60 days exempt when entering Thailand on AU and UK passports

2 years ago

Ellen *************

@Wayne ********

the school is saying a lot of half truths and scare tactics. Really muddying the waters. With all information in now, tbh it’s best they just sit until the ‘new date they will cancel her WP’ (because they’re so nice 🙄- saying they will extend the WP that extra month 😂)

There’s a 7 day grace period after the date school said it will be canceled-and max 4 days after that when they would be leaving to a proper job on 1 or 2 January.

They will still have that visa that says Aug 2025 and many teachers will be coming and going for winter break at that time. Seems possible they will just fly right out… no need for a visa run. They will carry the overstay fees for the 3 or 4 days and arrive early at the airport in case there’s any sort of situation.

SEA is just garbage for 80% of teachers, it’s just not right.

At the end of the day they grabbed something not knowing any better because they really needed to leave ‘home’ and now have already secured a true legit job and elsewhere.

2 years ago