I need to travel out of Thailand urgent. But have no Re-entry Permit

[BillBilous]

I have an extension of Stay - Non O based on marriage, which is due renewal in Oct 2019.   

At short notice I must urgently travel to Kl Malaysia on Monday 03 June (only for 3 days) - as you know immigration is closed Monday 

My question is what will happen at Samui immigration (Airport) when I return.?

Your help is appreciated 

[RJRS1301]

Ubonjoe will have an accurate response for you

 

Good luck

[ubonjoe]

Immigration is closed tomorrow the 3rd.

Are you flying from Samui to KL?

Some airports (both of them in Bangkok) have re-entry permit desks where you can apply for a re-entry permit. Not sure if Samui has one or not.

If you do not have a re-entry permit when you enter the country you would get a 30 day visa exempt entry.  Which means you would have to start all over again by getting a non-o visa and applying for a new extension.

[dabhand]

This thread indicates not possible.

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/995949-re-entry-permit-at-samui-airport/

[ubonjoe]

2 minutes ago, dabhand said:

This thread indicates not possible.

Perhaps things have changed since that topic was done in August of 2017.

 

[Sheryl]

Alternative would be to travel to Malaysia r/t from either Don Muang or Suvannabhumi and then domestic flight to/from Samui.  then you can get the re-entry permit at the airport before departure. Kiosk near immigration counter.

[mlkik]

I think this persons dilema shows that it is worthwhile getting a re entry permit at the same time as your yearly renewal

[madmen]

9 minutes ago, mlkik said:

I think this persons dilema shows that it is worthwhile getting a re entry permit at the same time as your yearly renewal

Why? I have no plans to travel and both airports at BKK have it available

[mlkik]

17 minutes ago, madmen said:

Why? I have no plans to travel and both airports at BKK have it available

For an emergency situation that you would not have planned for! Many people have family outside of Thailand and if you obtain your permit at the time of your extention then if the need arises and you need to travel then you do not have the extra worry/hassle that this person has.

[puchooay]

8 minutes ago, mlkik said:

For an emergency situation that you would not have planned for! Many people have family outside of Thailand and if you obtain your permit at the time of your extention then if the need arises and you need to travel then you do not have the extra worry/hassle that this person has.

I agree. If there could possibly be a situation, maybe an unexpected death in the family, for the sake of 1000 baht it is a no brainer.

[BillBilous]

58 minutes ago, puchooay said:

I agree. If there could possibly be a situation, maybe an unexpected death in the family, for the sake of 1000 baht it is a no brainer.

Thanks, all for the help, I agree ,its best to have a re-entry permit in hand, I did intend to obtain one tomorrow sadly IMM is closed, but I must make the journey, 

[lamyai3]

As mentioned above, the sure way to get one is to travel outbound to KL via one of the Bangkok airports. The additional flight expenses incurred would probably be considerably less than starting again with a new visa. 

[BritTim]

5 hours ago, dabhand said:

This thread indicates not possible.

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/995949-re-entry-permit-at-samui-airport/

It could well be true: others have reported something similar. However, I am surprised. Normally at smaller international airports it can be done in the same office that handles overstay fines.

 

I wonder if someone leaving from Samui in the near future could ask at the overstay desk whether reentrty permits could be issued there, and report back.

[phuketrichard]

1 hour ago, lamyai3 said:

As mentioned above, the sure way to get one is to travel outbound to KL via one of the Bangkok airports. The additional flight expenses incurred would probably be considerably less than starting again with a new visa. 

u could also fly over to phuket and catch a cheap flight to kl and get ur re-entry there when u depart Phuket

 

Beats starting all over with a non O

[madmen]

If OP already has a ticket and bins that and then books again tonight eg to phuket or BKK (short notice)and then buys another ticket on short notice to KL its going to get much more expensive than starting the visa process again not to mention its a big hassle ands many more hours to the journey

 

I would just start again

[BillBilous]

Thanks ALL, time is against me, must fly to KL via Samui , not looking forward to doing O Extn again..... Aside this 30 days on arrival can I do this twice ? before I obtain my 1 year Non O extn. 

 

[DaRoadrunner]

6 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Some airports (both of them in Bangkok) have re-entry permit desks where you can apply for a re-entry permit.

Very useful and probably much quicker than queuing at CW. Being at the airport, are open all day and night even on holidays?

[DrJack54]

Good advice already given. Just to add...as we know Samui airport bkk airways only. .. From left field you could get ferry/bus to Surat thani then onto KL. AirAsia should have cheap flights.

For sure get reentry before you go. At DM it will take 10 mins. Just past pp control.

[merijn]

Samui immigration does not supply re-entry permits.

Therefore i always advise people when obtaining a new one year extension to get at least a single entry permit for emergencies.

 

[BritTim]

5 hours ago, BillBilous said:

Aside this 30 days on arrival can I do this twice ? before I obtain my 1 year Non O extn. 

Entering Thailand by air, there are no official restrictions on visa exempt entry. However, it is possible for the immigration officials to deny you one. This is not infrequently done at some of the airports, but usually only where someone has spent a lot of time in Thailand in the past on tourist entries (and especially with many visa exempt entries).

So ... most likely you can enter visa exempt, but it depends on your history of past entries into Thailand, the policy of the senior immigration official on duty, and what kind of mood the official you encounter at the immigration counter is in.

Remember that, when you are entering Thailand visa exempt, the airline often requires you to have a confirmed flight leaving Thailand within 30 days.

[roger buttmore]

Lesson learned. Always have a valid re-entry permit in your passport.

 

Without fail I get a single re-entry permit each time with my retirement extension. If I haven't used it for an emergency or a side trip I will use it for my annual trip to the UK 11 months later.

[bamboozled]

I briefly touched on re-entry permits with Ubon Joe in a topic yesterday but failed to ask what is required to get one. I may go to immigration in Chiang Mai before my flight or if I am lazy and risk-prone I may just opt to get one at the airport before flying out of Suwannaphumi. What is required, please? (I have an 0 visa based on marriage).

 

Thanks!

[lamyai3]

24 minutes ago, bamboozled said:

I briefly touched on re-entry permits with Ubon Joe in a topic yesterday but failed to ask what is required to get one. I may go to immigration in Chiang Mai before my flight or if I am lazy and risk-prone I may just opt to get one at the airport before flying out of Suwannaphumi. What is required, please? (I have an 0 visa based on marriage).

 

Thanks!

Very easy at Suvarnabhumi, takes about 20 minutes. Biggest risk is not leaving yourself enough time for clearing immigration afterwards. I recommend printing off and completing the TM8 form in advance (using your own photo also saves 200 baht). Re-entry permit desk is in zone 2, make sure to use this zone rather than one of the others. 

[mlkik]

54 minutes ago, bamboozled said:

I briefly touched on re-entry permits with Ubon Joe in a topic yesterday but failed to ask what is required to get one. I may go to immigration in Chiang Mai before my flight or if I am lazy and risk-prone I may just opt to get one at the airport before flying out of Suwannaphumi. What is required, please? (I have an 0 visa based on marriage).

 

Thanks!

Just go to your local Immigration office and ask for either a single or multi re entry permit and pay the fee. They will then stamp the permit in your passport.

There is a form to fill out and you need 1 photo.

Some Immigration offices will fill the form in and take the photo for you.

[mtls2005]

4 hours ago, roger buttmore said:

Without fail I get a single re-entry permit each time with my retirement extension.

 

I always go for the multiple re-entry permit as I have at least four trips each year, and it gives me a cushion for emergency and unforeseen travel like the OP is experiencing. And no worries at the airport.

 

Seems like if an airport has international arrivals/departures it has immigration staff and should be able to issue re-entry permits? What am I missing? Admittedly USM has limited int'l flights, looks like ~ 8 ish (today anyway, not sure if all of those are dailies or 3/4 weekly?).

 

Are they issued at HKT? CNX? UTP?

 

 

 

 

 

[ubonjoe]

8 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

Are they issued at HKT? CNX? UTP?

Phuket and Chiang Mai yes. Not sure about Utapao.

If I was the OP I would download and complete a TM8 form, attach a 4 X 6 photo on it and make copies of my passport photo page, visa, most recent entry stamp, extension stamp and take it with me to the airport and try to get a re-entry permit. They might make an exception and issue one if they have re-entry permit stamp to do it.

[mtls2005]

58 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

They might make an exception and issue one if they have re-entry permit stamp to do it.

Good idea.

 

Maybe they can issue some emergency letter given the holiday, for a similar fee, allowing re-entry? Assume the OP will be returning to USM? 

 

Personally, I'd bite the bullet, fly USM to BKK, get a re-entry permit at the airport then fly BKK-KUL. Worth the extra cost, time, hassle to avoid re-starting on another visa/ext. Then I'd get a re-entry permit (single or multiple) back at Koh Samui Imm for subsequent trips.

 

 

 

 

[phantomfiddler]

Get one at the airport, no problem ????

[ubonjoe]

2 minutes ago, phantomfiddler said:

Get one at the airport, no problem ????

That is a problem in this case since the Samui airport apparently does not have a re-entry permit desk.

That has already been discussed in the topic.

[Pedrogaz]

You don't need a re-entry permit to leave....it is just that you likely will not be able to get back in on the same visa you have, and willed to go to a consulate somewhere to get a new visa.