The Defunct Volunteer Visa

[Hammer]

Does anybody know of any problems that people have had, who were in Thailand over the last 1/2 years on a Volunteer Visa when they have left Thailand and tried to re-enter the country ?

[DrJack54]

Reports of return without issue having non O volunteering in pp with extension.

Thinking obtaining a tourist visa advisable. 

[soisanuk]

10 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Reports of return without issue having non O volunteering in pp with extension.

Thinking obtaining a tourist visa advisable. 

You will also need to have a Re-Entry permit before you depart or your extension will be void upon departure from Thailand.

[DrJack54]

19 minutes ago, soisanuk said:

You will also need to have a Re-Entry permit before you depart or your extension will be void upon departure from Thailand.

Anyone with a permission of stay would require a reentry permit to keep that permit alive.

That's a given. 

My guess is that the op is not in Thailand.

Perhaps he will clarify.

 

Edited May 23, 2022 by DrJack54

[Tod Daniels]

The jury is out whether people who have one of those out of province, b/s, back door, under the table, 'pretend to volunteer' volunteer visa/extensions (that agents/agencies were selling by the thousands) in their passports can get back in without issue or not

There are some reports of people skating right back in without issue
BUT 
There are far more reports of people being denied entry AND/OR asked for a "special fee" to get stamped in to avoid being denied entry at passport control (especially on the volunteer visa/extensions that were NOT officially cancelled by the immigration office that issued it before you left the country)
Remember just stamping out doesn't 'cancel' the extension, it just stamps you out of the country.
 
I would say contact who ever you got that visa/extension from and have them cancel it for you BEFORE you wing your way outta the country AND as people also recommended I'd say definitely get at least a single entry tourist visa from a thai consulate where ever you're going before you do try to get back in as well (it's better than just showing up visa exempt)

One last thing (which might or might not be true in your case); You can be asked for the "3-proofz" at passport control when stamping in
proof of 20K baht or the equivalent in CASH
proof of onward travel in the number of days you'll be stamped in
proof of lodging (preferably for the number of days you'll be stamped in)

Many people will weigh in and say they've entered thailand hundreds of times and were never asked which while anecdotally interesting does not negate the fact that IF you're asked and you can't meet those proofs you CAN indeed be denied entry.

Far be it from me to scare monger, but I have talked to way too many people who were in the IDC lock up at both Don Mueang AND Suvarnabhumi, who were waiting to be shipped back out because they were denied entry with a volunteer visa/extension in their passport.

Now of course it didn't SAY that's why they were denied entry on their denial stamp. It says ไม่มีปัจจัยยังชีพ <- no visible means of support like most the denial stamps do, but that doesn't really matter, it was the volunteer visa/extension that ran them off the rails (especially the ones from Khon Kaen and Chaiyaphum for some reason)

Sorry that was long perhaps it is of marginal value  

[Chad91]

On 3/18/2022 at 6:24 PM, ubonjoe said:

.

 

10 hours ago, Tod Daniels said:

The jury is out whether people who have one of those out of province, b/s, back door, under the table, 'pretend to volunteer' volunteer visa/extensions (that agents/agencies were selling by the thousands) in their passports can get back in without issue or not

There are some reports of people skating right back in without issue
BUT 
There are far more reports of people being denied entry AND/OR asked for a "special fee" to get stamped in to avoid being denied entry at passport control (especially on the volunteer visa/extensions that were NOT officially cancelled by the immigration office that issued it before you left the country)
Remember just stamping out doesn't 'cancel' the extension, it just stamps you out of the country.
 
I would say contact who ever you got that visa/extension from and have them cancel it for you BEFORE you wing your way outta the country AND as people also recommended I'd say definitely get at least a single entry tourist visa from a thai consulate where ever you're going before you do try to get back in as well (it's better than just showing up visa exempt)

One last thing (which might or might not be true in your case); You can be asked for the "3-proofz" at passport control when stamping in
proof of 20K baht or the equivalent in CASH
proof of onward travel in the number of days you'll be stamped in
proof of lodging (preferably for the number of days you'll be stamped in)

Many people will weigh in and say they've entered thailand hundreds of times and were never asked which while anecdotally interesting does not negate the fact that IF you're asked and you can't meet those proofs you CAN indeed be denied entry.

Far be it from me to scare monger, but I have talked to way too many people who were in the IDC lock up at both Don Mueang AND Suvarnabhumi, who were waiting to be shipped back out because they were denied entry with a volunteer visa/extension in their passport.

Now of course it didn't SAY that's why they were denied entry on their denial stamp. It says ไม่มีปัจจัยยังชีพ <- no visible means of support like most the denial stamps do, but that doesn't really matter, it was the volunteer visa/extension that ran them off the rails (especially the ones from Khon Kaen and Chaiyaphum for some reason)

Sorry that was long perhaps it is of marginal value  

What about if you was on this Visa but you are now on an extension of stay based on marriage and a new passport?

 

This is my situation but I plan to get a re-entry permit later in the year for a vacation.

Edited May 23, 2022 by Chad91

[DrJack54]

17 minutes ago, Chad91 said:

 

What about if you was on this Visa but you are now on a extension of marriage and a new passport?

 

This is my situation but I plan to get a re-entry permit later in the year for a vacation.

No problem.