Re-entry permit at Suvarnabhumi

[Barry864]

Hello to everyone,

A few questions about getting a re-entry permit at Suvarnabhumi please.

1. Where exactly do you need to go ?

2. Apparently before going for the security and immigration checks, right ?

3. How much time does it usually take ?

4. Is this office open 24 hours ? I mean a friend has got  an early flight tomorrow at 08:30. Can he get this permit in time ? He has a 3 month non-O visa as he told me.

Many thanks in advance for your replies

 

[DrJack54]

1&2. Zone 2 after security and prior to passport control 

 

3. Not long perhaps 20mins

 

4. Yes it will be open.

 

Note: Optional 200b service fee to fill in TM8 do photo etc

Edit: Does he have an extension You state "He has a 3 month non-O visa as he told me."

 

[Barry864]

4 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

1&2. Zone 2 after security and prior to passport control 

 

3. Not long perhaps 20mins

 

4. Yes it will be open.

 

Note: Optional 200b service fee to fill in TM8 do photo etc

Edit: Does he have an extension You state "He has a 3 month non-O visa as he told me."

 

 

He's got 2 more months on his visa. He is planning to apply for retirement extension

 

[DrJack54]

44 minutes ago, Barry864 said:

He's got 2 more months on his visa. He is planning to apply for retirement extension

 

If he is on 90 day permission of stay from a non O visa then the first 12 month extension he can apply for prior to expiry of his current stamp..

[Barry864]

Sorry, I don't understand this. He said he got a 3 month visa a month ago at Jomtien as the first step towards retirement but he has to travel to the US probably tomorrow and he asked if he could avoid going to Jomtien again for this re-entry permit as nowadays the place is extremely crowded.

[Barry864]

I am also personally interested on this as I also need to travel abroad myself during this weekend. I am supposed to get my passport with  the 3-month visa ( same thing, 1st step towards retirement) on Friday and I am not sure I will have enough time to get a re-entry permit as 1. they don't know what time it will be ready for me to collect it and 2. I will have probably to queue for a ticket  for the re-entry permit and judging from the crowds that could take up to 1 hour just to get the queue ticket. So a permit at the airport would serve me well too.

[buick]

while the re-entry permit desk is located in the passport control area, it is possible to obtain the permit after you've passed through passport control.  you don't have to do it before you get stamped out of the country.  i'm on an extension of stay based on retirement and always get it after i've passed through passport control.  often i go through  a different security/passport control hall and have to walk inside the airport to the hall with the re-entry desk.  there are signs directing you where to go.

 

edit - it usually takes about 10 minutes.  i might of waited 20 min once.

Edited February 5 by buick

[Barry864]

1 minute ago, buick said:

while the re-entry permit desk is located in the passport control area, it is possible to obtain the permit after you've passed through passport control.  you don't have to do it before you get stamped out of the country.  i'm on an extension of stay based on retirement and always get it after i've passed through passport control.  often i go through  a different security/passport control hall and have to walk inside the airport to the hall with the re-entry desk.  there are signs directing you where to go.

Have you ever done it very early ? Let's say 6:00-7:00 am ?

[buick]

2 minutes ago, Barry864 said:

Have you ever done it very early ? Let's say 6:00-7:00 am ?

 

i have.  a few times i flew to Tokyo on my way to USA.  those flights left at 7:00 and 7:30am.  i was probably getting it about 5:30am.

[DrJack54]

22 minutes ago, Barry864 said:

Sorry, I don't understand this. He said he got a 3 month visa a month ago at Jomtien as the first step towards retirement but he has to travel to the US probably tomorrow and he asked if he could avoid going to Jomtien again for this re-entry permit as nowadays the place is extremely crowded.

I have attached thread re visa exempt entry to non O retirement to 12 month extension.

The obtaining non O does not apply to your friend as he already has done that.

Maybe of use to you. 

Do you have a Thai bank account in your name only.

 

As for you worrying about reentry permit. Don't.

Bullet proof. 

Dont go through passport control.

The reentry is Zone 2 left hand side of passport que.

 

Folk using fast track do go through passport control as the fast track is in another zone. Then walk all way to zone 2 (airside)  

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1311886-visa-exempt-to-retirement-extension-process-and-cost/

 

[DrJack54]

27 minutes ago, buick said:

while the re-entry permit desk is located in the passport control area, it is possible to obtain the permit after you've passed through passport control

I don't regard this as good advice.

Indeed folk with fast tract can go through passport control and walk back to Zone 2. 

 

[superal]

17 hours ago, buick said:

while the re-entry permit desk is located in the passport control area, it is possible to obtain the permit after you've passed through passport control.  you don't have to do it before you get stamped out of the country.  i'm on an extension of stay based on retirement and always get it after i've passed through passport control.  often i go through  a different security/passport control hall and have to walk inside the airport to the hall with the re-entry desk.  there are signs directing you where to go.

 

edit - it usually takes about 10 minutes.  i might of waited 20 min once.

Me too . I was unaware of a re-entry before p/p control . I have always done it  after p/p control

[DrJack54]

23 minutes ago, superal said:

Me too . I was unaware of a re-entry before p/p control . I have always done it  after p/p control

And now you are aware that reentry permit is done prior to immigration you still do it after pp control ?

[superal]

4 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

And now you are aware that reentry permit is done prior to immigration you still do it after pp control ?

Well the answer is , it depends on the queues in the p/p control . I have been in a queue on the first floor when just clearing security and in the corridor before the elevator which takes you down to p/p control and behind me have been many others in the queue . In those circumstances I would keep my place in the queue but if the queues were short then I would get my re-entry before p/p control .However because of my age , now 70 plus and often in a wheelchair because of a spinal problem , I use the security at ground level  and fast tracked through p/p control . 

[ignore it]

After waiting (way too long) just the last week in January to get one at Jomtien immigration, I had the same questions so i checked it out.

 

1. Just proceeded as norm through security and got in line for PP control. (Notes; line was long (30 min) due to "increased efficiency" due prior computer screw up. Dude behind me waited 10 min for line to get to the obvious Reentry Desk. He prob could have barged up to the reentry permit desk, but he wasn't chinese.)

 

2. See #1 (Post security, pre immigration)

 

3. Obviously depends on the length of the line. And mood of the immigration officer (There's a sit down waiting area.)

 

4. Yes 

 

Stamped for reentry, dude behind got back in the "normal" queue which was, as mentioned, long.

 

SUMMARY

Easy peasy. Depends on the queue. 

 

( I'm doing the airport reentry next time.)

 

 

Edited February 6 by ignore it

[buick]

18 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

I don't regard this as good advice.

Indeed folk with fast tract can go through passport control and walk back to Zone 2. 

 

 

it's best to tell people how it can be done (pre or post).  they can decide.  you've never tried it post immigration so can't comment on the experience.

[DrJack54]

15 minutes ago, buick said:

 

it's best to tell people how it can be done (pre or post).  they can decide.  you've never tried it post immigration so can't comment on the experience.

I have read many first hand reports.

Those with fast track option have given first hand reports of obtaining reentry permit after passport control.

Unless good reason (eg fast track) then get reentry permit prior to pp control. 

 

[buick]

1 hour ago, superal said:

Me too . I was unaware of a re-entry before p/p control . I have always done it  after p/p control

 

if i see a short line at the passport control desk, i go through it.  i'm not going to wait the 10-20 minutes to get the re-entry permit and risk the line building to 5x what it was when i first walked in there.  many people have no idea that you can do it after passport control.  it would be good for the moderators/members on this site to provide this information to users of the forum when they help to explain the procedures of getting a re-entry permit at the airport.  why ignore the fact that it can be done AFTER you pass passport control ?

[buick]

16 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

I have read many first hand reports.

Those with fast track option have given first hand reports of obtaining reentry permit after passport control.

Unless good reason (eg fast track) then get reentry permit prior to pp control. 

 

 

i'm well aware of that.  a few years ago, i provided one of the first hand reports and you were cirticial of me doing such a thing (getting one post passport control).  as if it was 'wrong'. 

 

Edit:  you should get picture of the signs directing you to the re-entry permit desk from the airside of the airport.  they are there as you exit a hall w/o the desk and they are there as you enter the backside of the hall that has the desk.

Edited February 6 by buick

[DrJack54]

3 hours ago, buick said:

you should get picture of the signs directing you to the re-entry permit desk from the airside of the airport.  they are there as you exit a hall w/o the desk and they are there as you enter the backside of the hall that has the desk.

I have those pictures.

You are missing the point. There are no fast track lane in Zone 2 so folk such as wheelchair etc can use zones 1-3 and then back to Zone 2 (airside) for reentry permit desk.

 

It's not meant to be an option for the average punter to use in lieu of the reentry desk in Zone 2.

[Dan O]

1 hour ago, buick said:

 

if i see a short line at the passport control desk, i go through it.  i'm not going to wait the 10-20 minutes to get the re-entry permit and risk the line building to 5x what it was when i first walked in there.  many people have no idea that you can do it after passport control.  it would be good for the moderators/members on this site to provide this information to users of the forum when they help to explain the procedures of getting a re-entry permit at the airport.  why ignore the fact that it can be done AFTER you pass passport control ?

Moderators are not the only ones that can post information, this is an open forum. It's good to have All the info not just one side or perception.  

[buick]

15 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

I have those pictures.

You are missing the point. There are no priority lanes in Zone 2 so folk such as wheelchair etc can use zones 1-3 and then back to Zone 2 (airside) for reentry permit desk.

 

It's not meant to be an option for the average punter to use in lieu of the reentry desk in Zone 2.

 

you're wrong.  it is meant to be an option for anyone that chooses it.  absolute nothing wrong with going into the hall with the re-entry desk and choosing to go through passport control first, then get the permit.  you should try it sometime.  it would be good if you could add this option to your repertoire.

 

i had a funny one in jan 2023, i had been getting single re-entry permit since travel had been more difficult due to the virus.  so i went to the desk (after going through fast track, TG business class area), and the gal explained i already had a multi !!!  i forgot that i did the multi in Oct 2022 right after i got my annual extension.  i'd had a few singles before that.

[buick]

2 minutes ago, Dan O said:

Moderators are not the only ones that can post information, this is an open forum. It's good to have All the info not just one side or perception.  

 

when i post info on this topic, it seems to be rejected by a certain member (and now moderator).  if a moderator does respond, it is most useful to explain the full spectrum of options.  but that isn't the case here.  i keep adding the other option and at times i get the 'confused' emoji from a certain member.

 

 

[Dan O]

Yes I have the same problem. In my opinion when moderators comment they are not acting in their moderator capacity but as a regular member. Thats why its important for others to add info that is known as no single member has access to all experiences. Ive had inaccurate information provided by some members that claim to be in the know or have them make rude, abrassive comments to those that dont agree with them. It's not specific to this forum but certainly is consistant.