Do I need to cancel my extension of stay when switching from a work permit to a retirement visa in Thailand?

Question

Hello.

I'll try to keep this question as brief as possible.

For the last 14 years I have held a work permit and a extension of stay based on employment. My employers accountant/lawyer has always handled all of the paperwork related to renewals, extensions etc. I have always gone to immigration or Labour Ministry whenever the accountant asked me to.

I am now finishing my employment on 13th November and switching to a retirement visa. The accountant is cancelling my work permit but is insisting that I don't need to cancel the extension of stay. Is this correct? Everything I have read says that I need to go to immigration to cancel the extension after the work permit is cancelled.

What are the consequences if I don't cancel the extension? I am planning to leave Thailand and return on a 30 day entry, then I will be applying for the retirement visa.

Thanks for your help

PS. My passport of almost full. I am told that I need 3 full pages to make visa applications. I have that but they are not consecutive. Will that be a problem?

Ask Thailand · Answer

The asker is transitioning from a work permit to a retirement visa and has been advised by their accountant that they do not need to cancel their extension of stay. However, responses indicate that cancellation of the extension is necessary to apply for a retirement visa. The asker plans to leave Thailand before returning on a 30-day entry to apply for the retirement visa. They also inquire about potential complications with their passport having non-consecutive full pages for future visa applications.

Ellie ******* · Answer

You definitely have to cancel your current extension based on employment. If you don't cancel your current extension you cannot apply for an in-country initial Non-O visa or 1-year extension based on being over 50.,

A bit additional to your question, but you can do 1 or 2 as follows for your retirement stay.

1- IF you can meet the all requirements for an extension based on retirement as of the day of cancellation of your current extension based on employment, you can apply for an extension based on retirement (<- changing the reason for an extension) straight away.

2- IF not meet the requirements yet, you do as you say, leave Thailand AFTER you cancel your current extension, then

2-1 back to Thailand on visa-exempt or tourist visa to apply for initial in-country Non-O visa

or

2-2 apply for a single entry Non-O visa outside Thailand to enter Thailand again on it

Do I need to cancel my extension of stay when switching from a work permit to a retirement visa in Thailand?

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