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[Guderian]

I've attached the latest 'interesting bit' from Pattaya Today (entitled 90 day procedure). This is from the Key Visa column that doesn't seem to appear in the online edition. I find this item interesting as I will soon be/already am in this situation.

I have seen it stated a number of times in various threads that the 90 day reporting period is 'reset' when you leave and re-enter Thailand. In effect, you have 'reported' to Immigration when you re-entered the country, so the 90 days starts running from the day you came back, whatever the little reporting slip in your passport may say.

The Key Visa item says that you should report ASAP after you return to the country if you are away when the reporting date falls due, so that the reporting date is NOT reset by re-entering Thailand.

I will be in the same situation later this year when my reporting date will be in June, and I will be in the UK then. I will sort that out then. But I am also in a similar sort of situation now. When I got my first extension based on retirement in Jomtien in December, I told the Immigration guy that I was soon going to visit the UK for a month (for Christmas and the New Year). I asked him would my 90 day report be on the date on the slip (i.e. 90 days after the extension was granted in this case), or should I ignore the slip and report 90 days after I got back to Thailand? He said I had to report on the date on the slip, but I wasn't sure if I had explained myself clearly enough, or if he had sufficient English language proficiency to follow me. It's essentially the same issue that Key Visas are writing about. It seems that - in Pattaya at least – re-entering Thailand does not reset your reporting date.

Would anybody care to share their personal experiences in Jomtien or elsewhere? Does re-entering the Kingdom reset your reporting date or not?

Thanks for any feedback.

_______________________________________________________________

As an afterthought, I also noticed the attached photograph in the newspaper. I thought that some folk may find it helpful to be able to put a face to the name 'Barry Kenyon'. At least if you are looking for him outside the Immigration Office in Soi 5 to give you an Embassy letter about your income, you will know what he looks like now. The guy who writes the Key Visa articles (and to be fair, he seems to know his stuff) is also in the picture.

[lopburi3]

And this directly contradicts official instructions/information on website of Immigration Hqs. I believe Immigration.

If a foreigner leaves the country and re-enters, the day count starts at 1 in every case.

http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/en/base.php?page=90days

[jonniebkk]

http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/en/base.php?page=90days

I saw this tidbit too...interesting.

Under the Bureau's 1st section re notification, what the heck are they trying to say under section 5... "The first application for extension of stay by the foreigner is equivalent to the notification of staying in the Kingdom over 90 days."???

So what's the deal, if one is on a 1 year extension, leaves the country on a trip with a re-entry permit, and has a reporting period during the time out of country? You left before the 90-day period arrived/expired so presumably that reporting date is vacated (as you didn't stay in the country more than 90-days).

When you return from your trip, would your new 90-day period start the day of your return?

[lopburi3]

They are saying that the first time you apply for an extension of stay using a TM.7 it starts the 90 day clock - regardless of how many days you were in the country prior to that application (counts as first report even if only in the country 60 days). TM.7 will not count as a 90 day report for future continuous extensions of stay - only the TM.47 report of address or the TM.6 arrival cards will start the count after the first TM.7 application.

[jonniebkk]

Lop...I know you are trying to help and it is appreciated but I didn't understand a word of what you wrote

I guess what I would do is just go to immigration within a few days of returning to Thailand and let them sort it out.

[A_Traveller]

The TM.7 is the form to apply for an extension of stay, therefore when you extend first time the clock is reset to day 1. Subsequently you use TM.47 to report for the 90 day requirement.

However my understanding has always been that if I depart the country, then the date of re-entry on the TM.6 is my new day 1. So for example say a visa is renewed {TM.7} in December 2007 and you then leave the country before the 90 days are completed, then you do not have to report since when you return to the country the date on the TM.6 {entry card} is the new day 1.

Regards

Edited February 6, 2008 by A_Traveller

[opalhort]

When you return from your trip, would your new 90-day period start the day of your return?

Yes! TM6 (arrival card) is your first report.

Though annoying, there is nothing complicated about the 90 day reporting. Whenever you stay in TH for 90 days you have to report your address.

The only confusion comes from people who think that an extension of 'permit to stay' also satisfies the 90 days reporting requirement, which is NOT the case UNLESS it is the FIRST application (TM7) made based on the current visa.

opalhort

[naka]

Lop...I know you are trying to help and it is appreciated but I didn't understand a word of what you wrote

I guess what I would do is just go to immigration within a few days of returning to Thailand and let them sort it out.

The article is wrong.

If you never ever spend more than 89 consecutive days in the country then

you never ever have to do a 90 day report.

Naka.

[Lite Beer]

Lop...I know you are trying to help and it is appreciated but I didn't understand a word of what you wrote

I guess what I would do is just go to immigration within a few days of returning to Thailand and let them sort it out.

The article is wrong.

If you never ever spend more than 89 consecutive days in the country then

you never ever have to do a 90 day report.

Naka.

Wrong information in Pattaya Today?

Surely not

[Guderian]

Thanks for the replies. You are all saying what I had understood to be the case from previous threads, i.e. that re-entry into Thailand resets the clock.

…but as mentioned, that’s not what I was told at Jomtien, and it’s not what Key Visa are saying. Is this another ‘unique feature’ of Pattaya Immigration? I agree that the visa people may be wrong, but has somebody living in Pattaya actually had experience with this aspect of the 90 day reporting?

[ludosiam]

I had asked the immigration officer in charge about this matter, according to him exiting and re - enter Thailand does "reset" the 90 day period.

[Taijitu]

I had asked the immigration officer in charge about this matter, according to him exiting and re - enter Thailand does "reset" the 90 day period.

Yes, I can confirm that also. After living in Thailand for 15 years and occasionally taking a trip outside of the country, my 90-day reporting cyce has always been reset on re-entry.

[KKK]

The article written by Key Visa is in my opinion/experience utter b**s**t. When you return to Thailand and complete a TM7 you place your address on it. That satisfies the law that you have notified your address. Only if you change your address or stay at the same place for 90 days do you need to do the TM47 thing. This is the procedure I've followed for years and never got fined even though I've reported far later than my so called next reporting date as I've been out of Thailand and started recounting from my arrival back.

Has anybody ever been fined? If so let them say so here.

[lopburi3]

Slight correction as you fill out a TM.6 on arrival. It can be much clearer than the official immigration web site instructions for 90 day reports:

If a foreigner leaves the country and re-enters, the day count starts at 1 in every case.

http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/en/base.php?page=90days

[cosmont]

If you never ever spend more than 89 consecutive days in the country then

you never ever have to do a 90 day report.

Naka.

I confirm it, never did 90 days report in last 4 years.

[keestha]

Slight correction as you fill out a TM.6 on arrival. It can be much clearer than the official immigration web site instructions for 90 day reports:

If a foreigner leaves the country and re-enters, the day count starts at 1 in every case.

http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/en/base.php?page=90days

That's cool if you live in Bangkok, but local immigration officers upcountry might very well not know this rule, and just insist on you coming every 90 days, no matter if you left the country or not. Personally I wouldn't take chances with this. Because of the loss of face thing it might not be a good idea to show the officer a printout of the Thai version of the URL mentioned above.

[KKK]

Because of the loss of face thing it might not be a good idea to show the officer a printout of the Thai version of the URL mentioned above.

I couldn't give a toss about them losing face. They need to learn the rules and not make them up as they go along.

[Priceless]

Because of the loss of face thing it might not be a good idea to show the officer a printout of the Thai version of the URL mentioned above.

I couldn't give a toss about them losing face. They need to learn the rules and not make them up as they go along.

I don't know how long you've been in Thailand, but you sound like a newbie. What I think the posting about "loss of face" implies is that according to Thai law, an official handling a specific case is given a lot of freedom to interpret the rules, including adding any further conditions beyond those spelled out in the law/regulation. In other words, getting off on the wrong foot with an official may cost you dearly.

/ Priceless

[bangkokgas]

Because of the loss of face thing it might not be a good idea to show the officer a printout of the Thai version of the URL mentioned above.

I couldn't give a toss about them losing face. They need to learn the rules and not make them up as they go along.

I don't know how long you've been in Thailand, but you sound like a newbie. What I think the posting about "loss of face" implies is that according to Thai law, an official handling a specific case is given a lot of freedom to interpret the rules, including adding any further conditions beyond those spelled out in the law/regulation. In other words, getting off on the wrong foot with an official may cost you dearly.

/ Priceless

Harsh,priceless, harsh.

[thaimat]

I just experienced this exact thing. I have a retirement visa, so have to report every 90 days, turn in a TM47. In the middle of a 90 day period I left the country. When I returned, I had a new entry stamp with date, so last month I reported back 90 days from that, NOT the date I was supposed to report. I was politely chastised at immigration in Jomtien, and told that the 90 day date is not reset by comings and goings, and that they usually fine you B2000 for missing the report back date by more than a week. This from a Captain at immigration. To be sure I was getting the right info, I then had my wife go in and ask a Colonel to clarify, and she was told the exact same thing. So at least for Jomtien immigration, that seems to be the policy- the date for reporting every 90 days does not change.

[bob4you]

I just experienced this exact thing. I have a retirement visa, so have to report every 90 days, turn in a TM47. In the middle of a 90 day period I left the country. When I returned, I had a new entry stamp with date, so last month I reported back 90 days from that, NOT the date I was supposed to report. I was politely chastised at immigration in Jomtien, and told that the 90 day date is not reset by comings and goings, and that they usually fine you B2000 for missing the report back date by more than a week. This from a Captain at immigration. To be sure I was getting the right info, I then had my wife go in and ask a Colonel to clarify, and she was told the exact same thing. So at least for Jomtien immigration, that seems to be the policy- the date for reporting every 90 days does not change.

I just did my 90 day report after a trip to Hawaii in middle of previous 90 day. This report was 93 days after my re-entry. Nice lady at table 5 informed me that I was 3 days late but OK. No fine.

[wpcoe]

I just experienced this exact thing. I have a retirement visa, so have to report every 90 days, turn in a TM47. In the middle of a 90 day period I left the country. When I returned, I had a new entry stamp with date, so last month I reported back 90 days from that, NOT the date I was supposed to report. I was politely chastised at immigration in Jomtien, and told that the 90 day date is not reset by comings and goings, and that they usually fine you B2000 for missing the report back date by more than a week. This from a Captain at immigration. To be sure I was getting the right info, I then had my wife go in and ask a Colonel to clarify, and she was told the exact same thing. So at least for Jomtien immigration, that seems to be the policy- the date for reporting every 90 days does not change.

Just to make the waters murky, I had the following transaction at Jomtien:

When I did my annual extension for retirement at Jomtien in September 2007, in the final "interview" with the senior lady (don't know her rank, but she sits behind the fellow at desk 8), I pointed out to her that due to my frequent comings and goings that the 90-day reminder paper in my passport was over a year old and asked if I could simply remove it. She said no, checked for my most recent date of entry, added 90 days, crossed off the outdated date on the reminder slip and wrote the new one.

So she, a senior officer at Jomtien, agrees with Lopburi3, Astral, myself and others that the date for 90-day address reports *IS* reset with a re-entry into Thailand.

I don't doubt your experience, but mine was different.