Leaving Thailand and Returning? Who can re-enter and what are the current requirements?

[Thomas J]

It appears as though there is some relaxation in terms of who can re-enter but I get conflicting information on the internet.  If you leave Thailand and want to return and have a retirement extension or others can you re-enter Thailand.  What are the requirements for re-entry.  Do you have to quarantine?  Covid Free Certificate? 

[DrJack54]

You have extension based on retirement and leave Thailand, my guess you might be able to return second half 2021. 

By then your permission of stay will expire.

[unheard]

https://thaiembdc.org/visas/

[Phillip9]

27 minutes ago, Thomas J said:

If you leave Thailand and want to return and have a retirement extension or others can you re-enter Thailand.

With a retirement visa it is not allowed to enter Thailand.   No one knows when it will be allowed—maybe in a couple months, maybe in a couple years.

 

with a non-o based on marriage or a non-b it is possible, but very difficult and will probably take months to arrange, require a 2 week quarantine, and be very expensive.

[elliss]

 

    

      Returning  to Thailand , will  not be a easy option in the next two years , at least..

      Visa this , Visa that , means sweet ...

     Thailand is number one , in the universal fight against Covid-19 .

      Keeping , people from high risk countries away ... 

      European and American people , are high risk ..

 

 

Edited August 18, 2020 by elliss

[Maestro]

Removed a troll post (off topic) and the reply to it.

[JanPeder]

If you married to a thai and have all the family document for that and on retirement visa - why cant you get a repapriated flight? I think its the family situation that makes it possibly. But i dont know - I only knows that RTE Stockhom told me I am in the queue.....

[ubonjoe]

4 minutes ago, JanPeder said:

If you married to a thai and have all the family document for that and on retirement visa - why cant you get a repapriated flight? I think its the family situation that makes it possibly. But i dont know - I only knows that RTE Stockhom told me I am in the queue.....

Being married to or the parent of a Thai is all that is needed. It can be done with any visa or extension other than a tourist visa.

[JanPeder]

Thank you Ubonjoe - a heavy stone fell from my heart because I interpreted the rules so .... but felt rising anxiety...about people writing...I will go on live on my hope...

[Max69xl]

If you want a correct answer, why don't you start with telling the forum what kind of visa/extension you're currently on? Explaining every requirement for every category is time consuming. It's been explained here at TV and in every news website online several times. 

[Uroller]

Slightly off topic but very related question, does anybody know why Thailand was dropped from the “isolation Exempt” countries entering the UK? If Thailand has such control of the virus and highly rated in its approach why would they be dropped? Does the UK know something that the Thai government isn’t telling us?

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, Uroller said:

Slightly off topic but very related question, does anybody know why Thailand was dropped from the “isolation Exempt” countries entering the UK? If Thailand has such control of the virus and highly rated in its approach why would they be dropped? Does the UK know something that the Thai government isn’t telling us?

No, the UK list of countries not requiring self isolation is largely political. There is an element of public health protection, but there are many countries crazily excluded from the list and visa versa.

[vandeventer]

Off topic ,Went to the Kasikon bank today to open a second bank account to put money

for the retirement visa.As I have a account with them so this should not be a problem,

well it was you see I have a non-o visa and they said it must be a non-oa visa. Can't work

this one out.

[Thomas J]

2 hours ago, Max69xl said:

If you want a correct answer, why don't you start with telling the forum what kind of visa/extension you're currently on? Explaining every requirement for every category is time consuming. It's been explained here at TV and in every news website online several times

Mx69xl and yes as mentioned you go to the various websites and they give conflicting information.  If I read the Thai Embassy correctly, you can fly back to Thailand so long as you have a residence certificate, fit to fly, and are willing to be quarantined at your own expense for 14 days.   Others seem to say that is not true. 

[ubonjoe]

43 minutes ago, Thomas J said:

If I read the Thai Embassy correctly, you can fly back to Thailand so long as you have a residence certificate, fit to fly, and are willing to be quarantined at your own expense for 14 days. 

The residence certificate they are referring to is one that is given to those that apply for and are granted permanent residency in the country.

[KhaoYai]

1 hour ago, vandeventer said:

Off topic ,Went to the Kasikon bank today to open a second bank account to put money

for the retirement visa.As I have a account with them so this should not be a problem,

well it was you see I have a non-o visa and they said it must be a non-oa visa. Can't work

this one out.

Possibly they didn't have an English speaker available to explain their 'new' rules to you. Opening a bank account as a foreigner has been 'hit and miss' for many years. Some banks were easy, some refused and some said only with a work permit etc.

 

I've had a Kasikorn account several years and was only required to show a Non O visa and an address confirmation to open it - I was refused at other local banks.  However, earlier this year I went to my branch to open a joint account for me and my wife.  I was told that they had introduced new rules - and indeed I was shown them, on the bank staff's tablet. I do not qualify under these rules.

 

They will now only open accounts for foreigners with either a work permit or a retirement visa - I presume that also includes retirement extensions.  I was told this is firm and applies to all branches but somehow I doubt that.  I suspect there will be some 'flexibility' open to branch managers - as was the case before.

Edited August 19, 2020 by KhaoYai

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, vandeventer said:

Off topic ,Went to the Kasikon bank today to open a second bank account to put money

for the retirement visa.As I have a account with them so this should not be a problem,

well it was you see I have a non-o visa and they said it must be a non-oa visa. Can't work

this one out.

I can explain it (sort of) but would never defend it. They are saying that you must be on a long term stay. This can be a one-year entry from a Non O-A visa or one-year extension of stay. Try another branch, preferably a large one (still making clear that you are already a Kasikorn Bank customer).

[elliss]

5 hours ago, Max69xl said:

If you want a correct answer, why don't you start with telling the forum what kind of visa/extension you're currently on? Explaining every requirement for every category is time consuming. It's been explained here at TV and in every news website online several times. 

 

 Correct .

 However be aware .

 That the ultimate decision,  depends on the Officer on duty, on your arrival to Thailand ..

 

  

 

 

Edited August 19, 2020 by elliss

[elliss]

2 hours ago, BritTim said:

I can explain it (sort of) but would never defend it. They are saying that you must be on a long term stay. This can be a one-year entry from a Non O-A visa or one-year extension of stay. Try another branch, preferably a large one (still making clear that you are already a Kasikorn Bank customer).

    Take your yellow book , proof of residence . 

    No problems ..

 

Edited August 19, 2020 by elliss

[alyx]

1 hour ago, elliss said:

    Take your yellow book , proof of residence . 

    No problems ..

 

I will second that regarding the opening of an account adding 1) it is not necessary to hold a work permit 2) Unless that has changed lately, a tourist visa allows you to do so if you have the documents Elliss mentioned above 3) in any case one needs to have their passport photocopy certified by their Embassy.

If they keep turning you down insist on seeing the rules about it mentioning the certification from the embassy as they keep a big file with different examples of passport's certifications. Also avoid small branches as the clerks seem to "know" that there is no way they can understand you

[unheard]

1 hour ago, alyx said:

in any case one needs to have their passport photocopy certified by their Embassy.

Is that a universal requirement for opening a Bank account?

[KhaoYai]

9 hours ago, alyx said:

will second that regarding the opening of an account adding 1) it is not necessary to hold a work permit 2) Unless that has changed lately

It has, see my post #17. I was shown the new rules at Kasikorn branch in February.  As for the certified copy of your passport etc. that others are mentioning - no idea, I didn't get that far. I was told Work Permit holders and retired only and shown that in writing.

[Thomas J]

16 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

The residence certificate they are referring to is one that is given to those that apply for and are granted permanent residency in the country.

Thanks ubonjoe

 

That is why deciphering the rules in Thailand is so difficult.  The term certificate of residency is also used by Thailand government websites with no differentiation.   I have a neighbor who is from Belgium and has a long term lease here in Thailand.  He is flying back for an operation.  Does that mean he too will not be able to return unless the rules change? 

[ubonjoe]

19 minutes ago, Thomas J said:

Does that mean he too will not be able to return unless the rules change? 

Yes it does.

The certificate of residency issued by immigration is only for getting a driver license, registering a car and etc. It has nothing to do with your permit to stay in the country.

[Trujillo]

So how does this work, in a diplomatic-governmental way? I have a multiple re-entry permit in my passport. I have not seen anything in print that says the stamp in my passport is now invalid. I can understand if a person holding a retirement visa is out of the country and wants to come back not having a re-entry permit (thinking he or she would be able to get one outside Thailand) but are they actually saying they are canceling all re-entry permits in all valid passports currently here under a valid retirement visa? 

 

Importantly, if, for example, my father was to fall very ill (not unlikely) and I went to my home country for this, I would not be allowed to utilize my re-entry permit to come back regardless of any quarantine or testing? 

 

I live here. I have no home in any other country. Everything I own is here. Abandoning this life (unexpectedly and on short notice) for an unknown period of time is not an option.

 

 

[BritTim]

13 hours ago, Thomas J said:

That is why deciphering the rules in Thailand is so difficult.  The term certificate of residency is also used by Thailand government websites with no differentiation.   I have a neighbor who is from Belgium and has a long term lease here in Thailand.  He is flying back for an operation.  Does that mean he too will not be able to return unless the rules change? 

If your neighbour is wealthy, and determined to return, there is one avenue worth exploring. Some have been able to return under the "medical tourism" category. If he can arrange his medical treatment with a major hospital, which will include 14 nights in Alternative Hospital Quarantine, he might be given a place on a repatriation flight and a Certificate of Entry. This is a bit of a long shut, because the medical tourism exemption is mostly targeted at those from neighbouring countries and the Middle East. However, if the local Thai embassy will talk to you, it might be worth pursuing. Expensive, obviously.

[FlyingThai]

On 8/19/2020 at 5:35 PM, KhaoYai said:

They will now only open accounts for foreigners with either a work permit or a retirement visa - I presume that also includes retirement extensions.  I was told this is firm and applies to all branches but somehow I doubt that.  I suspect there will be some 'flexibility' open to branch managers - as was the case before.

 

Absolutely not. Thailand Elite openly advertises that they will open an account at either Kasikorn or Bangkok Bank for you. Education Visa holders can also open accounts at various banks including KBank.

 

So much for firm.

[EricTh]

13 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Yes it does.

The certificate of residency issued by immigration is only for getting a driver license, registering a car and etc. It has nothing to do with your permit to stay in the country.

Most people are confused because they sound the same. Residency certificate is not the same as permanent residency.

[ubonjoe]

9 hours ago, Trujillo said:

So how does this work, in a diplomatic-governmental way? I have a multiple re-entry permit in my passport. I have not seen anything in print that says the stamp in my passport is now invalid. I can understand if a person holding a retirement visa is out of the country and wants to come back not having a re-entry permit (thinking he or she would be able to get one outside Thailand) but are they actually saying they are canceling all re-entry permits in all valid passports currently here under a valid retirement visa? 

Your re-entry permit issued for your extension of stay (it is not a visa) based upon retirement will remain valid until it expires.

It will be accepted to a apply for certificate of entry and after you have gone through the application process it can be used for entry.

[FritsSikkink]

Here a step by step description about returning during COVID:

 

https://www.chiangraitimes.com/learning/expat-story-traveling-from-the-netherlands-to-thailand-during-covid-19/?fbclid=IwAR2H6r4B-FkTpBDtVtPPmYyGCHBrrHj8TXLGQ3GX4bUGWWsk0XjaiwyJWYo