I have a retirement visa.  I am going on a cruise and have a single re-entry for my return flight following the cruise.  The cruise makes a stop in Phuket.  Do you go through immigration and would that void my re-entry and therefore void my retirement visa when I eventually fly back to Thailand following the cruise? 

Where does the cruise originate ? Where does it terminate ?  Is the stop in Phuket just for an hour or two ?

2 minutes ago, allane said:

Where does the cruise originate ? Where does it terminate ?  Is the stop in Phuket just for an hour or two ?

Allane the cruise starts in Dubai ends in Singapore.  It is docked in Phuket for two days. 

3 minutes ago, Thomas J said:

Allane the cruise starts in Dubai ends in Singapore.  It is docked in Phuket for two days. 

That would probably void your re-entry visa.

You leave Thailand for Dubai and re-enter at Phuket.  Can you get a multiple entry visa?

I would guess if it does you need to go and get another re-enter permit in Phuket.

 stay on board? 

Check with the cruise line as they may have an agreement with Thai immigration where the cruise passengers have a pass from the ship or similar. Lots of cruises out of Australia do similar, you vist 3-4 countries for a day but no immigration.

 

If tit is a case of going through immigration,  if you dont put the re-entry permit number on your TM6 and specifically ask for a 30 day visa exempt then you should be able to save the re-entry permit for later.

 

 

35 minutes ago, Thomas J said:

I have a retirement visa.  I am going on a cruise and have a single re-entry for my return flight following the cruise.  The cruise makes a stop in Phuket.  Do you go through immigration and would that void my re-entry and therefore void my retirement visa when I eventually fly back to Thailand following the cruise? The cruise starts in Dubai and ends in Singapore

Ubonjoe, you are the most well versed on immigration related issues.  Do you have any thoughts on this? 

Not sure about Phuket but at Lam Chabang port, immigration officers will hold the passport of passengers going for shore excursion without stamping the passport.

29 minutes ago, Thomas J said:

Ubonjoe, you are the most well versed on immigration related issues.  Do you have any thoughts on this? 

If you are required to clear immigration while in Phuket you would need to use your re-entry permit.

You might not be able to get a new re-entry permit while in Phuket unless that is where you applied for your extension of stay if you are on one.

3 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

If you are required to clear immigration while in Phuket you would need to use your re-entry permit.

You might not be able to get a new re-entry permit while in Phuket unless that is where you applied for your extension of stay if you are on one.

Ubonjoe,

 

Thanks for the reply.  I got my retirement O Visa in Pattaya. 

12 minutes ago, Thomas J said:

Thanks for the reply.  I got my retirement O Visa in Pattaya. 

You would unlikely be able to get a re-entry permit in Phuket. They might do it if you explained the situation.

I.d get a multi entry before, just in case, and have a carefree cruise. 

3 hours ago, Thomas J said:

I have a retirement visa.  I am going on a cruise and have a single re-entry for my return flight following the cruise.  The cruise makes a stop in Phuket.  Do you go through immigration and would that void my re-entry and therefore void my retirement visa when I eventually fly back to Thailand following the cruise? 

If you’re planning to leave the ship in Phuket they will use the Re-entry Permit. It would be best to go to Pattaya immigration and get the single entry permit cancelled and buy a multiple entry Re-entry Permit.

 

Theres a small chance — if you asked — that Phuket immigration would agree to stamping you in under visa exemption, but I wouldn’t take the chance. A ME Re-entry Permit solves your problem.

28 minutes ago, elviajero said:

If you’re planning to leave the ship in Phuket they will use the Re-entry Permit. It would be best to go to Pattaya immigration and get the single entry permit cancelled and buy a multiple entry Re-entry Permit.

eviajero is it even possible to cancel the single entry?  

12 minutes ago, Thomas J said:

eviajero is it even possible to cancel the single entry?  

Yes. Just explain why you need the ME permit and there won’t be a problem.

 

A friend did the the same last year. They only charged him 2,800 for the ME when making the change. I can’t guarantee you’ll be that lucky too, but there’s no problem cancelling the SE in favour of a ME Permit (3,800 baht).

20 hours ago, tifino said:

 stay on board? 

Exactly ! If you only have a single re-entry, stay on board ! I guess you live in Thailand so visiting huket is not a must !

 

Relax on the ship !

I'm quite sure you would have problems with your visa. The ship collect all passports when you first board the ship and Before enter a country, that countrys Immigration will check all passports and most of the time stamp that you have arrived. If no stamp you would be ok.

26 minutes ago, cnx355 said:

Exactly ! If you only have a single re-entry, stay on board ! I guess you live in Thailand so visiting huket is not a must !

 

Allow me to share my experience, from many cruises in the last ten years stopping at eithet Phuket or Ko Samui, and in the last three months have done this twice

 

Remaining on board does not work all passports stamped, and likely you will be stamped in and out on visitor visa, this will void either marriage or retirement extension

 

At both the above ports when immigration come on board I always ask to meet and check, often they will put the wrong stamp in, and remember this is Thailand, and immigration say if they get it wrong still our fault

 

Single reentry will not work, you will need a new reentry before leaving, and generally means going to the immigration office, can not be done on the ship

 

A multiple reentry can not be issued if a single reentry is still in place

 

If you are doing this and not sure PM me and I will give my phone number out

 

 

When are you taking the cruise and are you currently in Pattaya? 

If you are use your single re-entry permit for a border bounce to Cambodia (not Poipet) and on return to Pattaya apply for a new ME re-entry before flying to Dubai. 

 

If you have the time this will solve all issues. 

 

I would definitely be asking the cruise company. They will be the ones who know what will happen in Phuket. 

From what I have seen they normally anchor off Patong beach and ferry guests into a little dock on southern Patong beach. 

22 hours ago, petedk said:

That would probably void your re-entry visa.

You leave Thailand for Dubai and re-enter at Phuket.  Can you get a multiple entry visa?

He said he had a retirement visa which probably means he has an extension of stay based on retirement. In that case he could get  a multiple re-entry permit. It's not a visa.

 

In the unlikely event he actually has a valid, unexpired non Imm O-A visa ( currently less than one year since it was issued by an embassy) it is a multi entry visa and a re-entry  permit isn't needed ... not a likely scenario.

 

Unfortunately saying that one has a retirement visa is pretty meaningless since there is no such thing and they may mean they have a valid O-A visa or they have an extension of stay.

 

 

 

 

As is to be expected, posing a question on TVF very often results in a multitude of answers; some knowledgeable and some pure guesswork.

 

The sensible thing to do would be to enter into a dialogue with the travel agent who made the booking, or the cruise company itself.  The OP can't be unique with his particular situation.

 

He might also get in touch with a senior IO in Phuket, who, if he comprehends English well enough, will be able to definitively answer the OP's question.

Well I went to Jomten immigration.  They said if I wanted another single entry I would have to get it in Phuket.  Some have expressed concern that Phuket would even issue since I did not get my O visa there.  I said void it and give me a multi-entry.  Unlike one other post to this thread, they did not credit me for the 1,000 thb towards the multi entry.  Live and learn. But I sure did not want to get to Phuket and find out there were problems getting the re-entry and it would have likely been a hassle to get to the immigration area anyway. 

If you can not get another reentry permit, have you considered leaving the ship in Phuket and not traveling to Singapore, you will most likely onnly miss one day at sea before arriving into Singapore

by doing that you will not need to worry about the single reentry permit, most cruise companies will allow to make voluntary disembarkation from the ship. 

Just offering you a different option  

5 minutes ago, grubman said:

If you can not get another reentry permit, have you considered leaving the ship in Phuket and not traveling to Singapore, you will most likely onnly miss one day at sea before arriving into Singapore

by doing that you will not need to worry about the single reentry permit, most cruise companies will allow to make voluntary disembarkation from the ship. 

Just offering you a different option  

He’s already cancelled his SE permit and bought an ME Permit.

Hello...

Understand your concerns, my wife and I have cruised out of Singapore stopping at Phuket on numerous occasions and I know for sure that you will need a multi entry for your trip. As said by another member you will be stamped as entered Thailand even if you stay on the ship.

And as a note even with a multi entry the Thai authorities still get it wrong and just stamp all passports with a 30 day exempt....They simply do not check what visa you may have, in saying this I always put a bright yellow sticker on to the front cover of my passport with "ATTENTION THAI IMMIGRATION please see my retirement extension and multi re entry permit" (I get my wife to write it in thai) and then bookmark the page with said visa with another yellow stick on.

I also tell the person collecting passports when embarking and they always hold my passport separately from the others.

I can tell you once this did not work and I was stamped in with the 30 day exempt and as you only get your passport back at the end of the cruise it was unknown to me. There was nothing I could do but cross my fingers when we flew back from Singapore and hope the IO at swampy did not see it and stamp me in until the expiry of my extension and to my utter relief he did not.

As said by another member, do a quick trip, use your single re entry and then get a multi.

Enjoy your cruise.

On 11/25/2019 at 10:13 AM, sikishrory said:

I would definitely be asking the cruise company. They will be the ones who know what will happen in Phuket.

Do not rely on cruise company knowing, I have done this 3/4 times and generally I know more than the cruise company, and immigration officials in the ports often seem unfamilar with reentry permits, as are the ships agents who assist the immigration officers