japatee

I have rural parcels in Chiang Rai. The air got a bit better on Sunday. It was still bad, but you at least could discern between cloud and sky, and there were a few stars seen in the night sky. I have a dozen brush piles ready to burn but I won't light them now. The brush piles consist mainly of dead tree branches (some with parasitic growths) and cut weeds. For those with rural properties, it's constant battles to keep the weeds from taking over. I appreciate that composting and chipping would be preferable, but such things are not practical, particularly on a large scale.

http://organicandsustainablegardening.yolasite.com/

You have a new permitted to stay date so a re-entry permit needs to be issued for that - the old date is no longer valid. Could you still use it? Maybe but I doubt it.

You can ask Chiang Mai about a re-entry permit - it is not normal but some exceptions have been reported.

If unable to obtain a re-entry permit you would return on a visa exempt entry (30 days by air) and would have to then make application of change to non immigrant entry and then make one year extension of stay again. Or just stay on the 30 day entry until your January trip and try to obtain a non immigrant visa for return.

It is not a major problem unless you were using 3 years on extension of stay as qualification for PR process - it would end the stay.

Chiang Mai granted me the re-entry.. not many questions asked either. so pretty pleased about it really

thanks for all the advice

Recently (today) asked at immigration in Chiang Mai of the existence of this immigration office at suvarnabhumi and they are unaware of it.. but i'm going there tonight so I'll be able to see for myself..

saw the desk, with a sign above it saying 24 hours but no one attending it (i was there around 11pm)

yes it is inside the area that you need a boarding pass to enter.

fortunately I managed to arrange my re-entry permit in Chiang Mai even though my extension visa is under consideration from Maehongson, so I didn't need to use the service at Suvarnabhumi in the end

I would use it only as a last resort but good to know its there.

Recently (today) asked at immigration in Chiang Mai of the existence of this immigration office at suvarnabhumi and they are unaware of it.. but i'm going there tonight so I'll be able to see for myself..

Does anyone know if we can use this service for a non O marriage extension that is under consideration (i.e. in the process of approval or during the 30 days when they send off your application to get the thumbs up from Bangkok or where ever it goes)??

Thanks

It should be no problem, but you must return to Thailand before the 30 days are up and you need to go back to immigration to get the 1 year extension. If you are not back by then, you will not get your extension and will need a new visa.

thanks

I will let you know

Does anyone know if we can use this service for a non O marriage extension that is under consideration (i.e. in the process of approval or during the 30 days when they send off your application to get the thumbs up from Bangkok or where ever it goes)??

Thanks

There's a small desk, just on the left after you enter the immigration area with a woman behind it and a sign saying "Reentry Permit", so it would appear that yes, they are allowing you to get the permit at the airport again.

Hi

Do you know if this desk is open 24 hours, for example if i have a flight at 1am in the morning and I am passing though immigration at around 10 or 11pm the night before would it still be operating..

thanks

1. I suspect they replied to say you could not obtain a normal re-entry permit valid for the period you did not yet have. It would only be valid for the 30 day period so most people would want to wait until after final approval to obtain. That said I have never attempted to obtain.

2. I see no indication re-entry would be limited to day hours at airport. It never was in the past and that office works a 24 hour schedule.

OK, this could be good then! could save my application.. thanks

one other thing

while an application for a nonO marriage extension is under consideration are you sure you can apply for a single or multiple entry permit? I did ask if I could have mine in Maehongson when i applied for the extension but they said i couldn't have it then..

Although no confirmation yet there is a post on re-entry permits being available again at the airport in Bangkok.

http://www.thaivisa....-airport-again/

looks promising.. but confused as to why we can apply for re entry at the airport but not at an immigration office different to where we applied for the visa extension/..

sadly, it looks like this office is only open in the day and that makes it impossible for me to get there in time,..

thanks for the link tho

by the way, i still have a valid multiple entry permit until the 27th Dec 2010. It is actually on my old passport but i had to renew passports recently.

cheers

Do you mean visa, when you say permit

yes, its a non-o marriage extension that I got last year and with that i got a multiple entry visa. I am in the process of renewing or extending this non-o marriage extension, which is why i've found myself in this situation. I had to apply early because i'm leaving the country early Jan but then i found out i also have to leave the country on this Tuesday too..

You have a new permitted to stay date so a re-entry permit needs to be issued for that - the old date is no longer valid. Could you still use it? Maybe but I doubt it.

You can ask Chiang Mai about a re-entry permit - it is not normal but some exceptions have been reported.

If unable to obtain a re-entry permit you would return on a visa exempt entry (30 days by air) and would have to then make application of change to non immigrant entry and then make one year extension of stay again. Or just stay on the 30 day entry until your January trip and try to obtain a non immigrant visa for return.

It is not a major problem unless you were using 3 years on extension of stay as qualification for PR process - it would end the stay.

thanks for clearing this up, i'll give chiang mai a go

If there is no way you can obtain a re-entry permit prior to leaving, then it would seem you will have to chance using the multi entry non 'o', in your old passport, if that fails they will give you a 30 day visa exempt entry, which could be converted to a visit thai wife extension, and then reapply for a yearly extension, you should be ok getting on the flight as the airline would think that the multi entry is still valid (i think)

thanks Steve

i guess this is the worst case scenario, which isn't too bad considering..

My multi entry visa is part of a marriage extension so it only ever goes up to the 27th Dec. I only hope that this still works coz then nothing needs to be done/changed

... and in my new passport the have stamped a NON-RE (admitted 15th Oct, until 27th Dec).. This is above the statement that states 'Maehongson immigration office application of stay is under consideration of the immigration bureau applicant must contact this office again in person on 26 Jan'

Does this mean I can still use my NON-RE visa until the 27th Dec? Or do I still need to apply for exit?

Difficulty is that I cannot get to Maehongson before i have to leave the country. The only option I have is to go to chiang mai immigration office this monday and hope that they can resolve my issue.

Otherwise I guess I just have to leave and then what? What happens when I get back? I'll only be out the country for 5 days so would still be within the old visa date of the 27th Dec,

Thanks if anyone can help

by the way, i still have a valid multiple entry permit until the 27th Dec 2010. It is actually on my old passport but i had to renew passports recently.

cheers

You need to apply for a Re Entry Permit. 1,000 Baht.

You have to apply at the office where you applied for your extension.

Take a passport size photo with you.

Any way I can apply at a different immigration office?

Hi again

Sorry about this but new situation has arisen and now i seek more information that appears otherwise impossible to get hold of (even after phoning my local immigration office and asking in thai what my options are)...

So..

my non0 1 year marriage visa extension is under consideration (as stamped in my passport). The date by which I need to contact the office again is marked as 26th Jan 2011.

The date of expiriny of my old non0 1 year marriage extension is 27th December ( I applied early because I am expecting to leave the country early January on work trip).

I now have been asked to work again next week and this means I would need to travel to China.

I called my immigration office in Maehongson and they said I need to apply for a 'exit stamp' of some kind to allow me to leave and come back suring this period of my application being under consideration.

Here is the issue. I am in Chiang Mai now and plan not to travel back to Maehongson before leaving the country to China. I asked if i could apply for this 'exit stamp' in Chiang Mai instead and they were unable to answer. Its now a public holiday tomorow (friday) and I have to leave the country on Tuesday am (14th) leaving only Monday to sort this out (I also need to get my Chinese visa on the monday meaning that I need to stay in Chiang Mai). So, can I get this exit stamp if I my visa is 'under consideration' from the Maehongson office???

Anyone>?

Cheers

They will stamp in your passport a 30 day period, most times from the date your current extension expires. On the indicated date you should return to immirgation to get the one year extension.

You can leave the country with a re-entry permit, but will need to be back on the date indicate to receive the 1 year extension or you lose your extension! Which in your case seems to be the 26th of Jan.

Yes, this is what i have concluded but they did day that it is quite likely they will receive confirmation before that date and I can call to check if it has arrived or not.. if so, I should be able to go and get my 1 year extension before i have to leave the country.. If not, then I in a situation because the planned trip is not to return until after the 26th..

thanks

been and back already..

there is one guy in that place that has got a real problem with life.. everyone else seems friendly and keen to help. He just made the whole experience really stressful. I think it was the same guy that granted me a visa last year but this year he was even worse. Even had his magnifying glass out inspecting my passport, as if it was a fake or something. He delayed the whole process until it was midday and then said he needed to go to eat, so that was an hour so far. His female colleague even said (when he was out of ear shot), rolling her eyes, 'if it was me I would have had this whole thing complete in 20 mins'. The fact was that he kind of butted his way through and made this one his case. So, after lunch he told me that i had to copy all the pages of my bank book even though I had copied all the pages for the last 3 months. When i returned, things were a little smoother until I told him that i needed to leave the country next year on the 13th Jan. He told me that I couldn't because I had to wait over a month for my visa request to be approved.. until the 26th Jan.

The thing is my current visa ends on the 27th Dec. I had called before to talk about the fact that i needed to leave the country on the 13th Jan for 2 weeks so the Lady on the phone told me to come early and it would be OK. I arrived on the 30th Nov. But its like he ignored that date and only considered the one on the passport (27th Dec). Anyway, after a long discussion I managed (i think) to learn that its 'likely' that they will review my case within a month from the 30th Nov but it was said in such a way to keep me sweating. The issue is not the process or the rules. Its the guy with the glasses who's on a power trip.. he even had to lite up a cigarette at the end, right there at his desk.. think to insinuate to me how difficult and tiring his job is.. probably is too, but I didn't like the way he did that around people who clearly didn't smoke.

Anyway, if anyone understands this slightly complicated situation that I've probably not explained too clearly, or has been in a similar situation with the 'month waiting for approval' then please let me know your thoughts.

cheers

thanks for the advice/opinions

i think that based on what I've read just now, it should be OK for my wife to stay in the UK for 6 months (April - Sept) and then return for 2-3 weeks over christmas the same year (with a return ticket to prove it)??

we're not looking to settle in the UK, it just worked out that this year we want to go twice.. work, then Christmas with the family

didn't mean to start an issue!!

thanks again

Hi

I can't find any information on how soon after my wife has used her 180 days can she then return and use another. She has been granted a 10 year multiple entry visa for the UK and each visit permits 180days. We would like to know how long she must wait before she can return to the UK after the 180 days has been used up.. anyone have any idea?

Cheers

The same information is needed, including pictures, except they should not visit your house again.

Make sure the pics are not the same pics as last time.

thanks

If you are a citizen of a EU country and you travel together, your wife does not need a visa to enter France. Just take your marriage certificate to prove your conjugal ties and passports to prove your identity.

Without a visa you should plan for spending a little more time at the border though in case you come across an incompetent officer, who first has to consult his superiors or look up the relevant legislation.

cf http://eumovement.wordpress.com/

Bastian is correct that EC Directive 38/2004 gives provision for the free movement of EU spouses, with certain reservations. However, in practice, the third country national ( here we are talking about the Thai wife of a Brit, travelling to France ), will have difficulty actually boarding the carrier ( airline or ferry company ). Certainly, many carriers are unaware of the Directive, many are reluctant to face a fine for carrying an inproperly documented passenger, and many will just say no because the passenger doesn't hold a visa. If the carrier says no, you can argue until you are blue in the face, but you won't get on the flight or whatever.

If you have the time to waste, and don't mind missing your flight, then go for it. It is easier, and free, to get the visa.

this is interesting since my thai wife and I would like to travel in Europe. My wife has a UK visa already. Can she apply for an EU visa while in the UK? Is it free like you say? I thought you had to pay?

From the look of it you are talking about a repeat extension for the reason of living with your Thai wife. Also for these repeat extensions, you first get an extension of only 30 days and after that the full extension for one year, but it is highly unlikely that they will come and visit your home again.

Are your travel plans such that you will be back before the end of the initial 30-day extension? If not, please talk to the immigration office already now and ask if you can apply early, to complete the procedure before you have to travel. Most immigration offices are accommodating in such situations when you approach them with your travel itinerary in hand.

thanks, it is a repeat extension for the reason of living with my Thai wife! And I should be back before the 30 day extension but i'm just not sure of exact dates of travel. The good news is that they are unlikely to visit my home again since this was limiting what/where I go do/go..

Do I just present the same information as the first time?

Do they requires pictures and proof that we're together like last time?

Thanks again

Unfortunately it's not as simple as elliss says. The visa officer is going to want to see that your wife's friend has a reason to return to Thailand after her visit to the UK. You haven't given any information about your wife's friend, so we don't know if she is employed, has savings here. etc, etc. There are many posts in the forum about getting a visit visa. Have a look through. These links will help you with the visit visa requirements :

http://www.ukvisas.g...fs/inf2visitors

http://www.ukvisas.g...sdocschecklist/

thanks

her friend is working in Thailand. She owns a guest house in Chiang Mai. She has a thai boyfriend (who won't be coming to the UK). She should be able to prove that she works in Chiang Mai through her bank statements.