Re-entry permit - how long can stay outside of Thailand?

[oldcpu]

How long can one stay outside of Thailand on a re-entry permit on a permission to stay?

 

I read that re-entry permits are for brief periods out of Thailand to maintain one's permission to stay in Thailand.   Given the term 'brief' I suspect there is a time limit as to how long one can stay out of Thailand.

 

Details:   I am currently in Thailand on a 1-year Type-OA visa issued 28-March-2019, that expires on 27-March-2020. I entered Thailand on 10-May-2019 and my current permission to stay is until 08-May-2020, however I suspect that will change as I plan to exit Thailand on 14-Feb-2020 and return 29-Feb-2020.  Accordingly I anticipate obtaining an updated permission to stay until about 27-Feb-2021 or 28-Feb-2021.  

 

I then plan to be out of Thailand from 17-March-2020 until 17-April-2020 (ie 1-month out of Thailand) and hence I will be outside of Thailand on the 27-March-2020 date that my Type-OA Visa expires (but I will be back to Thailand before my ~27-Feb-2021 permission to stay expires).  Hence I was thinking of applying for a single (or multiple) re-entry permit on 13-March-2020 or 16-March-2020 before I leave Thailand, such that I can re-enter Thailand on 17-April-2020 (a month later) with hopefully no problem. 

 

I did surf this forum and other sources, but I missed finding any answer to the above wrt 'duration outside of Thailand on a re-entry' permit. 

 

Is my plan solid?  ie Is 1+month out of the country ok for a re-entry permit on a permission to stay?

[ubonjoe]

Other than the date the re-entry permit expires there is no limit on the amount of time you can spend outside the country.

[oldcpu]

Thanks ubonjoe.

 

Based on your reply, my assumption is if I go for a multi re-entry permit then 'the re-entry permit' expiry date should likely be about ~27-Feb-2021 (ie 1-year after re-entering Thailand (next month) on 29-Feb-2020, on my still valid Type-OA Visa).

 

Also reading your reply (no limit other than that on re-entry permit) makes me think a conservative approach is to apply for a re-entry permit sooner rather than later after returning to Thailand on 29-Feb-2020.   This would provide me some days margin to cushion any unexpected personal issues in early March-2020 (ie sickness with myself or with family), as opposed to applying for a re-entry permit at the last minute (last minute being 13/16-March (1 or 2 immigration working days before leaving Thailand for a month)).  

 

Likely I will go for a "multiple-re-entry permit" (as opposed to single re-entry) on my updated permission to stay, as I plan also leave Thailand briefly again in summer-2020, and may also briefly leave one or two more times before February-2021.

 

[DrJack54]

You don't need to get reentry permit at immigration. You can obtain one at airport on way out. Only takes 10-15 minutes.

That will protect the until date on your stamp.

[ubonjoe]

38 minutes ago, oldcpu said:

Also reading your reply (no limit other than that on re-entry permit) makes me think a conservative approach is to apply for a re-entry permit sooner rather than later after returning to Thailand on 29-Feb-2020.

A re-entry permits expiration date is the same a the permit to stay it is issued for.

For example if you entered the country on the 29th of February your permit to stay date will be February 28th of 2021 and that is day your re-entry permit would expire.

 

[Kerryd]

I get a Multi Re-entry stamp every year right after getting my new Extension.

 

When I travel outside of the country and return, I am stamped good until the date my current Extension expires, not for another full year.

There is no limit to the length of time you can be outside the country other than the expiry date of your Extension. I used to routinely be gone for 3-4 month periods with zero problems upon return.

[Chongalulu]

Get any Re entry permit you require at the same session with the IO when extending your visa . They last the same amount of time and put any old dates on the application form,they are irrelevant.