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What happens to a work permit if I leave Thailand on a non-immigrant visa and re-enter with a visa exemption?

Non-Immigrant Visa Visa Exemption Work Permit Visa Extension Thailand Immigration Documentation Requirements

Jul 22, 2024

9 months ago

Harry **********

ORIGINAL POSTER

If a 3-month non-immigrant visa in Thailand cannot be extended to a 12-month visa due to missing company documentation, would there be any issue with leaving the country briefly and re-entering with a visa exemption? Considering there is an existing work permit, how would this process affect the status of the work permit, especially since the required documentation may take 4-5 weeks to become available?

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TLDR : Answer Summary

When leaving Thailand briefly to re-enter with a visa exemption, one cannot hold a work permit under that exemption, leading to its invalidation. It's advisable to apply for a new Non-B Visa instead of using a visa exemption. The required documentation for the work permit may take several weeks, necessitating a restart of the application process at a different embassy to avoid complications.

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Tony ********

Sounds like you have left your employer, which means your work permit has to be returned to DWP if you havent found another employer within the 90 days and can update the WP and provide paperwork for the extension. Failure to return the WP would make it very difficult to obtain a new one in the future.

9 months ago

Bob *********

Leave and don't come back till the paperwork is ready..

9 months ago

Chelsea ********

Can I ask what document(s) it was that your employer couldn't get?

I'm about to go through this and it might be worthwhile to know

9 months ago

Christopher ******

Restart the process. Don't apply at the same embassy where you got your first 3 months. I did mine at Laos and the second time it was declined luckily I could apply for a marriage visa.

9 months ago

Morten *********

You need leave and to apply for a new Non-B Visa. Hong Kong or Penang should be good options. I used both successfully in the past.

9 months ago

Lloyd ********

@Morten ********

The problem will be that the first Non-B will have been annotated with the employers name, and any consulate is gonna ask why it was not extended.

9 months ago

Morten *********

@Lloyd *******

Sure, there are usually perfect valid explanations that any consulate will understand. Like I had a staff quit, and for a short time had one staff less. That was enough for immigration refusing me extension, but had no issues requiring a new Non-B abroad.

9 months ago

Lloyd ********

@Morten ********

ok, I understand what you are saying , but that is a totally different situation.

9 months ago

Lloyd ********

@Morten ********

Not a clue what you are on about, but, a consulate will be wary of issuing a second Non-B to an employee.

9 months ago

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Lloyd ********

You can't hold a work permit on a visa exempt entry, so that would be invalidated. Looks like you are maybe gonna have to start the whole process again.

9 months ago

Reply to

Lloyd ********

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