retirement visa exit and re-entry process

[notrub]

I am an expert at losing my retirement visa on leaving the country and now know I must ask for a re-entry permit at the airport.  I have never done this and could you explain simply and exactly  what must be done and by whom for this temporary suspension (?) of a retirement visa and what happens on re-entry please.  A friend was actually told at the immigration office not to worry about leaving the country and just go back in to the office and they would look after it.  Also he was told at the AP immigration information counter on departure just to go and all would be well.  In fact his retirement visa was annulled without a re-entry stamp or registration (or something)  on exit and he had no visa to come back in with.  He is off to Buriram immigration tomorrow to sort this out.  I think he will have to go through a long reapplication process including changing his 30 day airport visa to an 'o' type, if he can.  I am about to go through this process of exiting and coming back and do not know what to do.  If someone could also post a picture of what this (elusive) re-entry stamp/permit looks like that would be great.  Thank you.

[Coconut Kidd]

I'll assume at this point you have a “Retirement Extension” based on a visa of some sort, probably an “O”. You may or may not be able to purchase a “Re-Entry Permit TM 8” depending on your airport and or time of day. It is best to fill out the TM 8 and present it to your local immigration office prior to departure. Upon returning to Thailand you will fill out the “visa number” section of your arrival card (TM6 which you will get on the plane) with the “Re-entry Permit” number.

 

You can download a copy of the Re-Entry Permit here:

 

http://immigrationbangkok.com/thailand-immigration-forms/

[notrub]

Yes, I have a hard won retirement visa.  My third as the earlier two were annulled on exit.  I have never ever heard a reference to a TM8 before and it is exactly what I was looking for.  Thank you very very much from a person who has spent many hours of stress about visa compliance in Thailand..  It could be worse.  In the UK they deport 90 year old grannies to countries they had not been to for 89 years.  I will take a moment to comment generally how there is little to grumble about in Thailand and learning the rules makes life easy peasy  (as Liam Fox might say).  thanks again.  B 

[theoldgit]

You’ve posted this in the wrong forum, I’ll move it.

[TSF]

Beats me why some people don't get a multi-re-entry at the same time as they renew their annual retirement extensions. With that multi-re-entry stamp you can come and go, in and out like a Thai. You never know when some emergency will arise and you need to fly out in a hurry. 

[theoldgit]

To be fair, Thai Immigration do make it perfectly clear that in order to keep your extension alive you must obtain a re-entry permit.

My advice was stamped under my extension stamp, they’ve stamped “To keep your stay permit re-entry permit must me made before leaving Thailand”.

I assume, but don’t know for sure, that this advice is stamped below all extensions.

 

As has been pointed out, obtaining your re-entry permit is relatively painless, either at your local Immigration Offices or before departure at many airports.

[ubonjoe]

49 minutes ago, notrub said:

Yes, I have a hard won retirement visa.  My third as the earlier two were annulled on exit.  I have never ever heard a reference to a TM8 before and it is exactly what I was looking for. 

You must have a re-entry permit or your extension will be lost as you know by now.

You can apply for it at either airport in Bangkok on departure from the country 24 hours a day but if possible it is best to get it at your local immigration office.

You can apply for a single re-entry permit for a fee of 1000 baht or multiple for a fee of 3800 baht. Both are valid for entry for the length of your extension unless the single re-entry permit is used.

Best to use this this link to download the TM8 form https://www.immigration.go.th/download/1486547955788.pdf  Download and print two sided. The link posted earlier is not for a official immigration website and the form may be out of date.

[ubonjoe]

5 minutes ago, TSF said:

Beats me why some people don't get a multi-re-entry at the same time as they renew their annual retirement extensions. With that multi-re-entry stamp you can come and go, in and out like a Thai. You never know when some emergency will arise and you need to fly out in a hurry. 

IMO it could be a waste of money to get a multiple re-entry permit for many people. Getting a single re-entry permit for most people would be enough incase of a unplanned trip.

[BritTim]

If you want to get a re-entry permit at the airport on departure, allow an extra 30 minutes though it will usually take less.

 

The exact procedure varies by airport. If you tell us your departure airport, we can provide more explicit advice, but it is pretty easy.

 

The re-entry permit has a number. When your return to Thailand, you put this number in the box on the TM6 arrival card usually used for the visa number. Check immediately that the immigration official has stamped you back into the country with the original expiry date of your extension.

[metisdead]

Perhaps the OP may find some useful advice here:

 

 

[anchadian]

And yes, at Don Muang Int'l airport it is located just left after you have been processed at passport control.  The same office as overstay fines.

[Suradit69]

6 hours ago, notrub said:

Yes, I have a hard won retirement visa

No, you have an extension of your permission to stay in Thailand.

 

it allows you to remain in the country. Since it is NOT a visa it does not permit you  to enter Thailand after leaving. That's why you need the re-entry permit. If you leave without the re-entry permit, when you return you would be given a 30 day visa exempt entry ( if you qualify ) and have to start from scratch to obtain a new extension of stay based on retirement.

 

permission to stay may be extended. Visas are never extended.

[quandow]

1 hour ago, Suradit69 said:

No, you have an extension of your permission to stay in Thailand.

I must admit it took me a while to grasp the difference.

 

OP - If you're going to leave the kingdom, get a re-entry permit at your local immigration office. It's good up to the last day of your extension of stay. If you think you will leave and come back more than 3 times, get a multiple re-entry, also good up to the expiration date of your extension.

 

The LAST thing you want is to go to the airport just to find the office closed for some strange reason, especially when you can get the re-entry permit now.

[notrub]

Buriram immigration are pretty easy to deal with and now that I know what a TM 8 is I will get one from there long b4 departure.  I am about to renew my UK passport and the officer at this office said that when I get my new passport I can just bring it in with the old one and he will transfer my existing retirement visa over to the new one.  We'll see how that goes.  Thanks very much for all the useful information.

[5633572526]

On 7/19/2018 at 8:54 AM, theoldgit said:

To be fair, Thai Immigration do make it perfectly clear that in order to keep your extension alive you must obtain a re-entry permit.

My advice was stamped under my extension stamp, they’ve stamped “To keep your stay permit re-entry permit must me made before leaving Thailand”.

I assume, but don’t know for sure, that this advice is stamped below all extensions.

 

As has been pointed out, obtaining your re-entry permit is relatively painless, either at your local Immigration Offices or before departure at many airports.

At the bottom of my most recent retirement extension there is an addition to the stamp that states you must get a reentry permit if you plan on leaving the country to keep the extension valid.

this is from bkk immigration 

[Bang21101941]

Tanks. Your last point is what is worrying me. I have to travel on this coming Sunday. I'd prefer to avoid having to drive 250 km round trip,  on the previous Friday, to the provincial Immigration Office. Has anyone recently obtained a re-entry permit at Suvarnabhumi, on a Sunday? tai.

[Bang21101941]

On 7/19/2018 at 4:39 AM, Coconut Kidd said:

I'll assume at this point you have a “Retirement Extension” based on a visa of some sort, probably an “O”. You may or may not be able to purchase a “Re-Entry Permit TM 8” depending on your airport and or time of day. It is best to fill out the TM 8 and present it to your local immigration office prior to departure. Upon returning to Thailand you will fill out the “visa number” section of your arrival card (TM6 which you will get on the plane) with the “Re-entry Permit” number.

 

You can download a copy of the Re-Entry Permit here:

 

http://immigrationbangkok.com/thailand-immigration-forms/

Great. I just downloaded the form. I saw there is a second form TM 13 - Endorsement of Re-entry Permit. Any idea what that's about? 

[Bang21101941]

On 7/19/2018 at 8:39 AM, theoldgit said:

You’ve posted this in the wrong forum, I’ll move it.

to where? please. I have more questions about the location of the Re-Entry desk at BKK Intl Airport. Thanks. 

[ubonjoe]

18 minutes ago, Bang21101941 said:

Great. I just downloaded the form. I saw there is a second form TM 13 - Endorsement of Re-entry Permit. Any idea what that's about? 

You may of download an old TM8  form from that site since it has not been updated for a long time. 

Newest form is here. https://www.immigration.go.th/download/1486547955788.pdf

The TM-13 is for those that have permanent residency. Not needed for you.

 

[ubonjoe]

19 minutes ago, Bang21101941 said:

to where? please. I have more questions about the location of the Re-Entry desk at BKK Intl Airport. Thanks. 

Info is here.

 

[wrazoru]

Hi everyone, I'm still a bit confused...

 

So even if my retirement visa (see the attached image) already has a MULTIPLE entry printed - circled in red - in the passport visa, I still need to get a re-entry permit?

 

Is that correct?

 

Does anybody here know what time the reentry permit office closes at Don Muang airport ? ... My next flight is from their departure in at 8:30 PM... Wouldn't want to miss it... 

[steve187]

5 minutes ago, wrazoru said:

Hi everyone, I'm still a bit confused...

 

So even if my retirement visa (see the attached image) already has a MULTIPLE entry printed - circled in red - in the passport visa, I still need to get a re-entry permit?

 

Is that correct?

 

Does anybody here know what time the reentry permit office closes at Don Muang airport ? ... My next flight is from their departure in at 8:30 PM... Wouldn't want to miss it... 

no re-entry permit required, you will be given a 1 year permission to stay stamp on arrival, 

[jacko45k]

12 minutes ago, wrazoru said:

So even if my retirement visa (see the attached image) already has a MULTIPLE entry printed - circled in red - in the passport visa, I still need to get a re-entry permit?

 

Is that correct?

For any trips where you will re-enter Thailand after 8th July 2020, yes. That will keep the current Permit to Stay, else it is lost. Arrivals prior do not need a Re-Entry Permit as you will be given a further 12 month permit to stay. Be aware of the difference between what you have, a Non-Imm_OA Visa, (called a retirement Visa, particularly in Oz) and a Retirement Extension, which also gets referred to as a Retirement Visa! The latter is obtained in Thailand, the former in your 'home' country