non-B at Singapore report - Problem but succeed

[kawaiimomo]

I was in a strange situation to begin with: WP expired and new was made so the extension was not valid anymore, and I left the country without cancelling the WP http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/757582-leaving-without-cancelled-wp-and-extension/?p=8384077

I exited Thailand via Suvarnabhumi without any issue at all, then proceed to the Thai embassy in Singapore. I had all the company papers in order so I wasn't worried at all. To my surprise I was required to show the WP from my previous company which I wasn't even carrying. I told them that the WP was with the company and that they were going to cancel it that same week. They ask me them to show a proof of cancelation and I replied it wasn't cancelled yet, so again they asked to see the WP and dismissed me from the counter. At that point I was already in full panic mode thinking I did the trip to that expensive and sterile country for nothing :-(

The officer told me that they are more strict now and was pointing at a red stamp in my previous visa issued at Vientiane that reads: Remark: The applicant is advised to apply for work permit which should be presented to the authorities next time. On the embassy webpage they also list a requirement saying: Copy of Work Permit issued by the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare (only in case the applicant has previously worked in the Kingdom) but the new company lawyer said this was only if I worked for them previously. Anyway, the officer was pointing at that red stamp next to the visa.

Luckily I requested my previous employee a termination letter stating I will be finishing the job by the end of this month, so I put all my hopes on that piece of paper, jumped the queue and approached the same officer (the infamous muslim woman BTW) asking if that paper would suffice. She read it and finally accepted the application. She even joked with me when I asked if I could borrow the glue stick, telling me that I could not, otherwise how would the rest of applicants be able to use it

I don't know if that red stamp was from the embassy on Lao or from the immigration at the border but not even the company lawyer gave any importance to it. In my case I wasn't carrying the WP because it would have revealed my particular situation about the gap between WP and the invalid extension. Luckily everything went well, collected my passport next day at 2 pm and came back to Thailand. After this trip I realized how much I like it here, what a serious face and pathetic non existant service in most people and places on Singapore, I would kill myself if I had to live there

[digitalchromakey]

Been posted here many times before - Singapore are super strict as regards paperwork - if it's on their website they want to see it.

Lucky your trip wasn't wasted - Penang would have been cheaper or did you not have a WP1 Receipt/Letter of Approval for the new WP application from your new employer?