Thanks for your prompt reply. To answer your questions and give you more insight on what we went through:
- I am a Vietnamese national currently holding a 1 year Non-B visa that expires on the 21st Jan 2024 (Issued by Phuket Immigration)
- I have a multiple re-entry permit also valid until the 21st Jan 2024
- I am married to a Thai National with Thai Marriage License
- I have a newborn child with Thai Birth Certificate born in Bangkok (where i moved to give birth).
As to the steps we have taken so far:
1. I went to Immigration Division 1 in Chaeng Wathanna to initially check if they could change from my non-B to be non-O. They said i needed to void my Non-B in Phuket first before leaving the country and coming back on the same day with a tourist visa. However we were informed by the kind officer there that we could check with the other officer there at an adjacent counter if he would be okay to void it himself as apparently Bangkok Immigration does have that authority to do so if they wish (this is what Phuket Immigration also told us as well as the officer lady at Bangkok Immigration) but on that day the officer declined and stated it is best we have it voided in Phuket, as that is where it was initially made.
-As a side note, I have prepared all the required documents for the Non-O marriage visa application, it has been checked and confirmed that all is complete and in order by the Immigration Division 1.
2. I checked with Phuket Immigration who has informed me that my work permit needed to be cancelled first (at the labour department) and to state the day that it needed to be cancelled to be the date i am flying out of the country, in this case, the 19th. Upon doing so, the Phuket immigration would then void my visa and stamp in red the final valid date i can stay being the 19th Jan in line with the Work Permit cancellation.
3. Today the Labour department states they can cancel the work permit but that they will only cancel it on the same day (today!) if i was to proceed, they will not pre-cancel like how Phuket Immigration stated they could do. Upon checking again with Phuket immigration to ask if they can instead give 7 to 21 days of stay post cancellation (which we know Bangkok Immigration does, as they had previously given me up to 21 days post visa cancellation when i was changing jobs), however at Phuket Immigration they say that they will only cancel my visa on the day my work permit is voided (so that would be today if i went ahead with it). Which means i would be immediately on overstay from today until the 19th.
4. After checking a little more, i was told i could just leave the country without a re-entry permit and upon my return i would be given a 30 days (visa exempt period) thus avoiding the work permit cancellation and non-B cancellation process altogether. Since my re-entry is valid until the 21st however, it was necessary to cancel it before flying out.
5. I checked with a contact who called immigration at Suvarnabhumi airport today to see if we can request to void the re-entry permit before flying out (at immigration checkpoint there) to which they said yes. However just to double check, my contact also called Phuket immigration to ask them this same question and they said No, that i would need to void my visa with them first...
So this is where i stand right now. I am looking to avoid having to leave the country for more than a day as my issue is i now live in Bangkok and have a newborn that i need to breastfeed. Apologies for the long message, but i figured it would be best to be as thorough as i can with my current situation.
