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Friday, 13 August 2010 06:47 |
NV for Cambodians and Laotians started in 2006, while for Burmese/Myanmar nationals it only started as of 15 July 2009. For migrants from Burma, they would be issued a 3 year "temporary passport" from Burma after verification of their nationality, and could apply for a visa and permission to work in Thailand for a period of two years, eligible for two-year renewal once.
During the 2009 registration, all undocumented workers who registered and obtained work permits ("pink cards") were permitted to stay and work in Thailand until 28 February 2010. These persons were eligible to apply for nationality verification.
A Cabinet Resolution passed on 19 January 2010, allowed migrant workers who registered and received work permits in 2009: (i) to extend their temporary permission to stay and work in the country until 28 February 2012; and (ii) extend the deadline to complete the NV process by two years until 28 February 2012.
To be eligible for the extensions, migrant workers had to submit their intention to apply for the NV process by 2 March 2010. To satisfy this requirement, they were required to complete and submit both the NV process form and their work permit application form to the Provincial Employment Office in the province where the migrant worker is employed.
The work permits given to registered migrants in 2009 were pink and were referred to as "pink cards." They indicated that migrants were given temporary permission to stay and work in Thailand pending deportation. Upon completion of NV and receipt of a temporary passport, a migrant?s immigration status changes and he/she is allowed to stay and work lawfully in the country for two years with a possibility to renew for two more years. The migrant must apply or change to a new work permits which is a "green card."
Note:
On 20 April 2010, the Director General of Employment Department stated that there will be no new opening for worker registration in Thailand. Thus for those migrants who did not enter the NV process by 2 March 2010, the only available option to gain legal status is for them is to return to Burma and apply to be an "imported worker" pursuant to MoU. On 2 June 2010 Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva signed an order to establish a "special center to suppress, arrest, and prosecute alien workers who irregularly entered Thailand and are working underground" to facilitate the deportations of these migrants.
Requirements of NV process after submission of initial application:
- Migrants take their Provincial Employment Office receipts to the hospital to undergo a medical examination. Migrants must pay THB 600 for health examination and THB 1,300 for one -year health insurance (to receive a 30THB Health card).
1. Note: Migrants who do a medical examination before being called for their temporary passport (as part of current work permit extension) are exempt
from the medical examinations and related fees after receiving temporary passport.
2. Migrants return to the Provincial Employment Office with the results of medical examination to obtain work permits.
- Burmese migrants who are eligible for NV are informed by the Department of Employment through their employers. They receive permission from the Thai Ministry of Interior to leave their province of employment and first complete NV in the Thai Border Operational Centers in Mae Sai District of Chiang Rai Province, Mae Sot District of Tak Province or Maung District of Ranong Province and in then in the Temporary Passport Issuance Offices in Tachilaik, Myawaddy or Khawthaung. (On 10 June 2010 a Temporary Passport Issuance Office was moved from Khawthaung to Sapan Pla Village in Ranong
and will operate from July - October 2010). The temporary passport is about 3,000-3,500 Kyat - approximately 100 THB.
- Migrant workers who have received a temporary passport from Burma must then apply for a visa and a new work permit in Thailand. They will be allowed to remain and work in Thailand for two years, renewable for an additional two years. The visa fee for those who have completed NV is 500 THB for a 2 year visa. The work permit cost depends on the length of work permit and province of employment (900 THB generally for 1 year work permit). The application fee is 100 THB for everyone.
1. Note: Migrants with a pink card valid until 2012 only pay 100 THB transfer fee to change from pink card to green card after having temporary passport.
- After having obtained a visa, the migrants need to notify their place of residence to the immigration office every 90 days. If they fail to notify, they will be fined 200 THB/day, with a maximum fine of 5,000 THB. |
