Do I need re-entry permit with ED-Visa?

[jst]

I am an american. i currently have a 1 year ED visa which I got about 5 months ago. if i have cross the border into cambodia will i lose my visa? will a re-entry permit work in this case? If so, how soon in advance do I have to purchase one? what are the rules of use? can i get one in jomtien? what is the cost? thanks!

[allane]

Yes, you will void your visa if you do not get a re-entry permit. Conversely, getting one keeps your visa alive. It doesn't matter when you get the re-entry permit in relation to your departure date. It is only valid for the duration of your current visa. Yes, you can get one at Jomtien; you need 2 photos and B 1000, and your passport of course.

[allane]

1 slight error; you only need 1 photo.

[BritTim]

Your question is almost certainly based on a very common fallacy. you believe you are in the country on a "visa", but you are actually in the country on an "extension" of your original "permission to stay".

 

In the event that you really do have an unexpired multiple entry Non Ed visa, you will receive a fresh 90-day permission to stay when you re-enter Thailand. However, if you are here on an extension of stay, you must get a re-entry permit (1,000 baht) before leaving the country to keep your permission to stay intact when you re-enter Thailand. If you are leaving Thailand by air, you can get this at the airport. If leaving by land, get the re-entry permit at the same immigration office where you received your extension of stay.

[Suradit69]

3 hours ago, allane said:

Yes, you will void your visa if you do not get a re-entry permit.

If he actually has a multi-entry visa, he does not need a re-entry permit. 

 

Most likely he does not have a usable visa, but rather an extension of his permission to stay. In that case he needs a re-entry permit to maintain that permission to stay/ extension of stay.

 

If he still has a valid, unexpired, multi-entry visa, it would not be voided.

If he entered on a single entry visa and was given a permission/extension of stay, then the visa was "used" as soon as entered Thailand and he needs to be concerned about maintaining his permission/extension of stay.

 

11 hours ago, jst said:

I am an american. i currently have a 1 year ED visa which I got about 5 months ago.

Did you get this "visa" from an embassy or consulate outside Thailand or did you get an extension of stay from an immigration office in Thailand? 

 

Do you have to leave the country every 90 days or do you have to report to an immigration office every 90 days?

[CLW]

Did you get this "visa" from an embassy or consulate outside Thailand or did you get an extension of stay from an immigration office in Thailand? 
 
Do you have to leave the country every 90 days or do you have to report to an immigration office every 90 days?

Let's keep it with the term visa used technically for an extension of stay.

ED Visa are valid for one year or shorter if that indicates on the letter of your institution.
There are no multiple entry ED Visa available. You need either a single or multiple re-entry permit as stated before.
For the 90 days. You either have to report to immigration or in case you leave the country, the 90 days start counting from zero again.
Re-entry permits can be done at immigration at international Thai airports or your local immigration office.
Twice I had it also done at a land crossing and their associated immigration.
But I would not count on that anymore and risk not to be able to cross the border / void the visa.

[Suradit69]

2 hours ago, CLW said:

Let's keep it with the term visa used technically for an extension of stay.

Not sure what's technical about calling an extension of stay a visa. 

 

Regarding the need for a re-entry permit, possessing a valid visa or being in-country on an extension of stay makes a difference.

 

2 hours ago, CLW said:

ED Visa are valid for one year or shorter if that indicates on the letter of your institution.

The visa and the letter of your institution are largely irrelevant.

 

The permission/extension of stay stamp from immigrations is the only thing that allows you to stay in the country and that indicates for certain the length of your permission to stay.

 

A single entry visa would be "used" when you enter the country and not valid for one year. Since you would longer have a visa of any sort you would need the re-entry permit if you wish to leave the country and return while maintaining the permission to stay (not a visa).

[jst]

Thank you all for your assistance and insight. I guess I call it a "visa" because the school calls it that. So while in Thailand I enrolled at a language school and obtained an ED Visa. Now I understand it is an extention of stay similar to a tourist visa, just longer and with different requirements. This is a great forum. It has been super helpful over the years. 

[CLW]

The visa and the letter of your institution are largely irrelevant.
 
The permission/extension of stay stamp from immigrations is the only thing that allows you to stay in the country and that indicates for certain the length of your permission to stay.
 
A single entry visa would be "used" when you enter the country and not valid for one year. Since you would longer have a visa of any sort you would need the re-entry permit if you wish to leave the country and return while maintaining the permission to stay (not a visa).

I just wanted to emphasise that the usual wording is visa for any kind of stay in Thailand.
Almost all visitors that come to Thailand call it visa even they just get a stamp in their passport like EU citizens.
Even the Thai authorities call everything visa.

Of course the letter of your institution is important when you apply for the visa as it states the period of your course and therefore the period of your visa.

[jst]

1 minute ago, CLW said:

I just wanted to emphasise that the usual wording is visa for any kind of stay in Thailand.
Almost all visitors that come to Thailand call it visa even they just get a stamp in their passport like EU citizens.
Even the Thai authorities call everything visa.

Of course the letter of your institution is important when you apply for the visa as it states the period of your course and therefore the period of your visa.

Thanks. I appreciate you taking the time out to explain.