Answered4 years ago

Can I leave Thailand without cancelling my visa and return without a fine after a few years?

Non-B Visa Visa Cancellation Thai Immigration Work Permit Foreign Teacher Expat Visa Rules

Alex *******

asked Sep 23, 2022

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Up until today I worked as a foreign teacher holding a Non-B extension, Dutch national. 

This afternoon someone from PR and myself went to cancel my work permit succesfully.

However, after that we didn't manage to cancel my visa due to lack of/wrong documents.

The office said to come back on Monday because of the time (it was nearly 5pm).

The problem is that I am going on a trip from Monday to Thursday and I will exit Thailand on October 2. I explained this to the immigration officer and told him that I worry that there will be a big fine waiting for me when I arrive in Thailand in a couple of years for holiday. I heard something about this before.

The immigration officer then told me that I actually don't have to cancel my visa if I plan to stay out of Thailand for longer than a year. He said that there won't be any fine in that case.

Question: Is this correct? Can I just leave Thailand after cancelling my work permit but without cancelling my visa, and come back to Thailand for a holiday in 2 or 3 years without getting fined upon arrival?

Answer summary

The immigration officer stated that if you leave Thailand for more than a year, you do not need to cancel your visa to avoid fines. While canceling your work permit is necessary, not officially canceling your visa may not cause issues when returning as a tourist later. However, complications could arise if you seek another job in Thailand and your previous visa situation is questioned.

12 repliesnewest first

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Dave ********

Yeah I did it but actually came back after a few weeks, they did scratch their heads a bit but no fine when I explained it, I had actually cancelled the visa but they didn't put it in my passport for some reason,so I ended up with a non b and a visa exempt stamp 555

4 years ago

Tod *********

okay you're not on any visa I would bet but on what's called an extension of stay <- read the stamp in your passport.

You can leave and stamp out BUT that isn't gonna officially cancel the extension it'll just stamp you out.

You won't have any issues exiting, you won't have any issues buying a tourist visa if you wanna come back, or entering visa exempt or anything like that UNLESS you get another job here and they see you never cancelled the old extension correctly <- THAT'S when it could cause a problem

BUT

If you're leaving for good and just comin' back as a tourist, you're fine, GO don't worry about it

4 years ago

James ********

@Alex ******

as my Thai friends often say to me... Up to You.

We wish you Good Luck with whatever you choose to do.

AND as has been pointed out...you are NOW on OVERSTAY as of today. FINE will be 500 Thai baht per day...in CASH collected at the airport as you depart.

"You say you cancelled your work permit, effective what date? Today?"

You replied..

"Wannikea Wanblee Yes"

4 years ago

Alex *******

@Tod ********

So, when leaving on October 2, they will not ask me why I still have the extension of stay 9 days after I cancelled the work permit?

4 years ago

Alex *******

Allow me to ask what kind of problems could arise if I ever want to get another job here? Is that an immigration or labor department problem?

Are we talking fines or be disallowed to work at all?

4 years ago

Alex *******

@James *******

To sum up: I can just leave this time accepting the possibility of a 20,000 fine if I want to come back and work in a few years time.

4 years ago

James ********

@Alex ******

as Ellie and Tod have said...with the possibility of your paying up to 20,000 Thai baht fine for not cancelling your work permit and extension of stay with Thai immigration.

4 years ago

Alex *******

@James *******

Could I still work here in the future if I just leave?

4 years ago

Ellie *******

@Alex ******

, There MIGHT be 'overstay' fine for you not to cancel your extension officially. As

@T**

says, it will be applied on your next long-term application, up to 20,000 thb fine.

4 years ago

James ********

@Alex ******

if you are planning to seek employment again... suggest that you delay your trip and take care of your Thai immigration responsibility by visiting them on Monday.

4 years ago

Tod *********

@Alex ******

they won't even know you cancelled your work permit, <- that's a ministry of labor thing NOT an immigration thing

At passport control only concerned with stamping you OUT of the country they don't care that you didn't cancel your extension at all

4 years ago