Re-entry permit in Chiang Mai

[NorthernRyland]

I have a non-O for the first time and planning a trip out of the country for a few days. What's the best way to do this in Chiang Mai? I think they said I can do this at the airport but is that better than going to immigration before traveling?

[Bill97]

Get it before you go to the airport.  Less stress.

[NorthernRyland]

2 minutes ago, Bill97 said:

Get it before you go to the airport.  Less stress.

Does it take a long time in the airport? Going to immigration can take hours but maybe the re-entry permit system is faster?

[Dante99]

3 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

Does it take a long time in the airport? Going to immigration can take hours but maybe the re-entry permit system is faster?

Re Entry Permit at immigration is usually not a long wait, not like a visa extension.

 

At airport depends on the availability of immigration officers and the queue, sometimes fast sometimes not and it is when it is not fast that it can become a problem.  If it is slow at the Immigration office it is not a problem as long as you brought your book to read.

[NorthernRyland]

37 minutes ago, Dante99 said:

At airport depends on the availability of immigration officers and the queue, sometimes fast sometimes not and it is when it is not fast that it can become a problem.  If it is slow at the Immigration office it is not a problem as long as you brought your book to read.

that sounds like a good way to miss a flight though. Immigration can easily take 2 hours and it's on the other side of the city so I avoid it if I can.

[TheAppletons]

Last week I obtained a re-entry permit at CNX.  Took about 25 minutes (and should have taken less time.)

 

It's just before the security queue (it used to be after security but before the immigration officer departure lines.)

[NorthernRyland]

Question, at the airport do you need to go into another line or is it done in the main line when you get your exit stamp?

[NorthernRyland]

2 minutes ago, TheAppletons said:

It's just before the security queue (it used to be after security but before the immigration officer departure lines.)

Thanks that just answered my other question.

[TheAppletons]

13 hours ago, NorthernRyland said:

Question, at the airport do you need to go into another line or is it done in the main line when you get your exit stamp?

It's a completely different place than the line where you get your exit stamp.  

 

Again, it's before you pass through security (and right across from the entrance to that line.)  The main line where you get the exit stamp is after security.

[TheAppletons]

 

[Yorkshire Tea]

OP are you clearing Immigration at Chiang Mai or Bangkok?  It used to be that you could only get the re-entry permit at CNX if clearing immigration there.  Probably still is.

[CMBob]

18 minutes ago, Yorkshire Tea said:

OP are you clearing Immigration at Chiang Mai or Bangkok?  It used to be that you could only get the re-entry permit at CNX if clearing immigration there.  Probably still is.

I would expect that it is still that way.  But (1) in prior times the desk was on the left after you went through the international security line (and don't think you could get through that line without proper ID AND an international boarding pass, and (2) according to poster above, the re-entry desk is now located before you go through the upstairs security line (where seemingly anybody can go there) so I wondering if anybody (including somebody not flying out internationally) can get a re-entry permit there.  Poster Appleton, do you know?

[Yorkshire Tea]

Took me 2 visits to Chiang Mai immgration to get my re-entry permit, last week.  Went in the afternoon, queue full.  Got it the next morning after an hour's queuing.

Maybe they were extra busy, with school holidays & people travelling.

 

Edited March 15, 2023 by Yorkshire Tea

[NorthernRyland]

2 hours ago, Yorkshire Tea said:

OP are you clearing Immigration at Chiang Mai or Bangkok?  It used to be that you could only get the re-entry permit at CNX if clearing immigration there.  Probably still is.

Flying to Vietnam direct from CNX so I should clear immigration there.

[NorthernRyland]

1 hour ago, Yorkshire Tea said:

Took me 2 visits to Chiang Mai immgration to get my re-entry permit, last week.  Went in the afternoon, queue full.  Got it the next morning after an hour's queuing.

Maybe they were extra busy, with school holidays & people travelling.

 

Yeah see that's why I want to avoid that place. If I go after lunch I get there before 1PM but it's always a zoo. Takes at least 3 hours with traveling from the north of the city.

[NorthernRyland]

2 hours ago, CMBob said:

2) according to poster above, the re-entry desk is now located before you go through the upstairs security line (where seemingly anybody can go there) so I wondering if anybody (including somebody not flying out internationally) can get a re-entry permit there.  Poster Appleton, do you know?

Good question. I'll go into the airport itself instead of immigration if this is allowed. Indeed they even told me to go the airport to get one when I got my non-O initially.

[TheAppletons]

19 hours ago, CMBob said:

I would expect that it is still that way.  But (1) in prior times the desk was on the left after you went through the international security line (and don't think you could get through that line without proper ID AND an international boarding pass, and (2) according to poster above, the re-entry desk is now located before you go through the upstairs security line (where seemingly anybody can go there) so I wondering if anybody (including somebody not flying out internationally) can get a re-entry permit there.  Poster Appleton, do you know?

  The immigration officers did take my boarding pass from me but whether that's because it was in my passport book or because they wanted to see it.....I don't know.  (If you read my "trip report" linked above, you'll see that I was quizzed extensively about where I was going, why was I going there, and when was I coming back.)

 

  I was not required to show a boarding pass to anyone before arriving at the area where the re-entry permit desk is now located.

[NorthernRyland]

12 minutes ago, TheAppletons said:

(If you read my "trip report" linked above, you'll see that I was quizzed extensively about where I was going, why was I going there, and when was I coming back.)

This really blows my mind, even for Thai immigration. You have a valid visa and want to leave the country, as if that's strange for an expat.  Totally unacceptable behavior in my opinion.

 

I think I may go to the airport in advance and see what happens. If they refuse, immigration is close by anyways. I'll let you all know how that works.

[sqwakvfr]

On 3/15/2023 at 10:09 AM, NorthernRyland said:

Does it take a long time in the airport? Going to immigration can take hours but maybe the re-entry permit system is faster?

I got mine in January at the Central Festival office.  In at 1115 and out at 1145.

[amexpat]

1 hour ago, sqwakvfr said:

I got mine in January at the Central Festival office.  In at 1115 and out at 1145.

Too bad they closed that office as of this month. 

[sqwakvfr]

32 minutes ago, amexpat said:

Too bad they closed that office as of this month. 

Are you sure?  I think it is still open.  

[Yorkshire Tea]

5 hours ago, sqwakvfr said:

Are you sure?  I think it is still open.  

The office is, but no more re-entry permits there.

[amexpat]

Sunday morning CNX reentry took about 7 minutes. 8

[Thailand]

On 3/17/2023 at 4:19 PM, Yorkshire Tea said:

The office is, but no more re-entry permits there.

 

[VisitChiangMai2023]

An update:

Re-entry permit at CNX airport has moved from:

-BEFORE the security check on the left

to

-AFTER the security check on the right.

(The counter before security is still there, but they will direct you to the one after security)

[NorthernRyland]

I just did a flight to the US which was leaving at 11:30 and by the time we arrived the counter before security was closing but they said there was another one inside (after security). However once we got in we didn't see where it was so we either missed it or the women gave us bad info. Luckily we got a permit earlier at immigration but apparently you can still do it in the airport even during late hours.

[amexpat]

Has anyone ever missed a flight or lost a visa because they couldn't get (not forgot to get) a reentry permit at the airport? 

 

[arithai12]

9 hours ago, amexpat said:

Has anyone ever missed a flight or lost a visa because they couldn't get (not forgot to get) a reentry permit at the airport? 

 

You don't miss a flight if you don't have a re-entry permit, no one checks and it is perfectly your right to fly without one.

However, your visa or extension is terminated when you fly out if you don't have the RE.

 

As for the "couldn't get/not forgot", I am not sure perhaps if you have a really valid reason like the RE booth was on fire when you were supposed to get it, and if you can prove it, perhaps there will be an exception. But in general, it is your responsibility to obtain a RE which can be done at a regular IO not just only at the airport.

[amexpat]

Good grief!  Of course one has the right to  fly without a reentry permit and give up the visa but some would choose not to if they couldn't get the permit, i.e. miss the flight. 

 

It's your responsibility to get the RE.  Wow, really?  Can be obtained at immigration office? No shi1t?  Tell us more. 

 

 

 

[TheAppletons]

19 hours ago, amexpat said:

Has anyone ever missed a flight or lost a visa because they couldn't get (not forgot to get) a reentry permit at the airport? 

 

 

  You can always get a reentry permit at the airport.  If there's an outbound international flight, there will be immigration officers there.