No More Re-entry Visa Counter

[yogi]

Dear members

today morning i went to drop my wife at airport,she was hadding to mumbai,when we went to have re-entry stamp we found that re entry counter was closed since many days,with a notice"PLEASE TAKE YOUR RE-ENTRY VISA AT IMMIGRATION OFFICE SOI SUNLUM, CONTACT 02-2873101"

it was 8 am,she have already cheked in and we were so confused,i also asked at information counter but as you know they just dont know anything,i kept on asking many airport staff also but no use,

then my wife went in immigration,and she contected some random officer inside,he gave her application form and choped re-entry,problem was solved for now.

this is just to inform all that if you are flying,take your re-entry before,or else you never know what can happen while departing.

regards

yogi

Edited January 16, 2009 by yogi

[trianglechoke]

And once again the immo service start to make life harder for ex-pats of one sort or another.

[mrtoad]

This seems like another ill thought out and ill conceived idea.

I'd be interested to know whan they actually closed down the counter, and if they have actually given any prior warning that this was going to happen. I can imagine that this is going to cause a few problems in the coming weeks, and once again casuses further inconveniences to those that need a re-entry permit. I am glad that I have multiple rentry permit, as I can't stand going to Suan Plu. Luckikly I can do the 90 day report at Rasa tower, which is much more conveneint for me, and much less of a zoo.

The whole thing seems rather curious, given that they are now waiving visa fee's, maybe it's a cunning plan to stop people leaving the country.

[JCDentonMale]

I am now on a ED visa and in march I would like to go to China for two months and then come back to thailand, does that mean I can't go back to Thailand without making another ED visa ?

[BlackJack]

hard to believe

can the re entry be issued at other immigration offices or are the powers that be centralising all offices to Suan Plu?

ie does Ranong or Phuket still do re entry permits?

[MamsMitch]

I am now on a ED visa and in march I would like to go to China for two months and then come back to thailand, does that mean I can't go back to Thailand without making another ED visa ?

Just go to the immig. office early - plan on wasting the whole day and get a re-entry permit. I always plan on being disapointed so when things go - lets say, "OK", then I am happy....

[khaowong1]

hard to believe

can the re entry be issued at other immigration offices or are the powers that be centralising all offices to Suan Plu?

ie does Ranong or Phuket still do re entry permits?

An American friend of mine, just got his re-entry permit at the immigration office in Ayuthuya. (maybe mispelled) He lives in Lopburi.

[misterme]

I was the 1st in line for a re-entry permit at BKK last year and it still took an hour. What a total waste of time.

My lawyers in Phuket suggested I go for a Multiple-Re-Entry permit (and showed me one in another client's passport) It didn't fit with my Multiple Entry Visa, but would solve the problem for people on Single Entry ones. Best to get it all approved ahead... they're useless at the airport.

[Jingthing]

If the airport reentry office is closed for good, fine, but it was bizarre that immigration didn't do that in an orderly manner and release that information to the press and even this site to warn people. This is typical. Just do shit without warning and watch some people get caught by surprise. Who cares? They are just pesky farangs.

[jasreeve17]

It does seem very strange that the major entry / exit point for the country has closed its re-entry permit office (if I'm understanding this correctly). If a visa is provided where the re-entry stamp / visa is allowed, then why close the office at the major hub?

It was an ideally located office, so why cause inconvenience by sending people to an already overworked office 30 km's away?

Edited January 24, 2009 by Maestro
Deleted comment related to deleted post - Maestro

[pacovl46]

This seems like another ill thought out and ill conceived idea. As southerndown has mentioned, not all Thais like Farangs in the country, and petty things like this often reinforce such beleifs.

I'd be interested to know whan they actually closed down the counter, and if they have actually given any prior warning that this was going to happen. I can imagine that this is going to cause a few problems in the coming weeks, and once again casuses further inconveniences to those that need a re-entry permit. I am glad that I have multiple rentry permit, as I can't stand going to Suan Plu. Luckikly I can do the 90 day report at Rasa tower, which is much more conveneint for me, and much less of a zoo.

The whole thing seems rather curious, given that they are now waiving visa fee's, maybe it's a cunning plan to stop people leaving the country.

i can't remember when they closed it down, but i received at least two emails from thai-visa notifying me of it and it was also in the newspapers

[Bruce1]

The simple answer is to spend about an hour a year and get a multiple entry visa, which is what I did and all was OK.

The LOS isn't perfect (where is?), but I didn't find the Thai bureaucracy any worse than in other countries. All bureaucracies have problems.

[JustinCredible]

If I purchase an Airline Ticket, whether at a shop or via the internet i have a pretty good idea that I am going on a journey. If the journey takes me out of Thailand I know that I have to get a Re-Entry Permit before departure. Why do people leave it until they get to the airport? Surely you do not spend so much time whinging on TV that you cannot get to an Immigration office.

I conceed that some people book flights litterally last minute and this closure will pose a real inconvenience

[zakk9]

Why do people leave it until they get to the airport? Surely you do not spend so much time whinging on TV that you cannot get to an Immigration office.

Some people don't want, or don't have time to spend half a day getting to immigration, waiting and get back again for the privilege of getting back into the country where they stay, and often work, 100% legally. Sometimes, people go on business to other countries on short notice. With this "modification", and if they don't already have a re-entry permit, the only chance they have is to wait, which for many may have direct impact if their ability to do business from Thailand.

The best thing would of course be if they threw the whole re-entry garbage where it belongs; in the dustbin. Whatever profit they make from it could easily be integrated into the visa application fees. But as long as it exists, the least one should expect is that they make it reasonably easy to get.

Edited January 16, 2009 by zakk9

[Dakhar]

If I purchase an Airline Ticket, whether at a shop or via the internet i have a pretty good idea that I am going on a journey. If the journey takes me out of Thailand I know that I have to get a Re-Entry Permit before departure. Why do people leave it until they get to the airport? Surely you do not spend so much time whinging on TV that you cannot get to an Immigration office.

I conceed that some people book flights litterally last minute and this closure will pose a real inconvenience, but it does not justify the amount of crap being thrown around by the "I hate Thailand and everything it stands for - but I won't leave" idiots who have been posting on here.

Get a proper life. Treat Thai people with some respect and you might get some back.

and if I purchase a ticket with the understanding that I need to purchase a re-entry visa at the aiport on the day of departure, and when I get to the airport to find that I do not have that ability.... i would be P$ssied Off.... why? Because I missed my flight and lost a lot of money!

I left to Singapore around 4-5 weeks back, and I purchased my re-entry visa/stamp at the air port on the day of departure, thinking that there would be no issues....

But apparently, I was lucky.

If the service is no longer available, it would be nice to inform folks?????

Regardless, I am glad I now know I should take care of matters well in advance from now on & not at the air port. (Thanks to the OP, & no thanks to the Thai govt.)

[singtobkk]

I have just returned from immigration (yes, on Suan Phlu) to get the aforementioned re-entry permit. It took about 30 minutes, with no hassls and helpful officers. I asked one of the older officers why they closed the office at the airport. The answer was that one of the big bosses at Immigration had decided it should be done. Apologies to geeky - hate to crush your mondo bizarro fantasies...

[loong]

First.. Thanks to the OP for bringing this to our attention. I will now know to plan in advance and sort out a re-entry when I next do my 90 day reporting.

If I purchase an Airline Ticket, whether at a shop or via the internet i have a pretty good idea that I am going on a journey. If the journey takes me out of Thailand I know that I have to get a Re-Entry Permit before departure. Why do people leave it until they get to the airport? Surely you do not spend so much time whinging on TV that you cannot get to an Immigration office.

For me to go to immigration to get a re-entry permit, it requires a 300Km + round trip. Not everyone has a convenient immigration office. For that reason I would get the permit at the airport - it makes sense doesn't it?

[Arkady]

Luckily I am not going to miss this service because I am so ignorant I never knew it existed. Anyway I don't really see a problem because you have to go to Suan Plu at least once a year, if you are on any type of one year visa or permanent resident and they have given multiple re-entries for several years now. I used to find it a pain with the single entries as I used to try to estimate how many I needed for the year and buy and them all at once at Suan Plu, either resulting in not enough and a return visit or too many and wasted money. I can't imagine anyone who travels more than once a year going to the trouble of buying single re-entry visas one by one. The system seems quite fair. If you hardly ever travel, you can save money with the single entries. If you travel more often, you can buy a multiple re-entry visa. It is a lot better than the single entries and the tax clearance certificates of the past. Personally I need to know I can travel at a moment's notice in emergency with re-entry up to date and would never want to take a chance of not having one. I would much prefer something like a US green card system without the tax but, hey, do I want to live in America? hel_l no!

[rleaton]

Question: Entering Thailand on a 30 day tourist visa.....while there I plan to take a short 4-day trip to Vietnam and then return to Bangkok. Will I then receive a new automatic 30 day visa or will it be necessary to obtain a re-entry stamp before I depart?

[Crossy]

Question: Entering Thailand on a 30 day tourist visa.....while there I plan to take a short 4-day trip to Vietnam and then return to Bangkok. Will I then receive a new automatic 30 day visa or will it be necessary to obtain a re-entry stamp before I depart?

Assuming you mean a 30 day visa exemption (no visa) then:-

If you arrive by air you will get another 30 day stamp, if over a land border you will receive a 15 day stamp.

No need for a re-entry permit.

[jbowman1993]

...could we have some more corroboration of the OP's statement? I am not inclined to take anyone's word for it. Could someone check and report back?

[Mario2008]

...could we have some more corroboration of the OP's statement? I am not inclined to take anyone's word for it. Could someone check and report back?

At he visa section several people have confirmed that you can not get a re-entry permit anymore at the airport.

From immigration website:

For a re-entry permit,if you are in Bangkok area and you have an Internet access, you could fill in a TM. 8 form and send it to [email protected] You should e-mail the completed form 1 day in advance. You have to submit a 2" photo and pay a permit fee at counter 7, the Immigration Bureau (soi suanplu office.) Fee for re-entry permit:

1,000 Bahts for single

3,800 Bahts for multiple

[PattayaParent]

There's an immigration counter for re-entry visas in the NOvotel next door isn't there?

[warmwater7]

Question: Entering Thailand on a 30 day tourist visa.....while there I plan to take a short 4-day trip to Vietnam and then return to Bangkok. Will I then receive a new automatic 30 day visa or will it be necessary to obtain a re-entry stamp before I depart?

Assuming you mean a 30 day visa exemption (no visa) then:-

If you arrive by air you will get another 30 day stamp, if over a land border you will receive a 15 day stamp.

No need for a re-entry permit.

KHUN CROSSY, WHERE DO I FIND THE" BOOK OF RULES" ON THAI IMMIGRATION?

THERE IS ALOT OF STUFF GOING ON, ON THE THREAD..........NO PROBLEM............

INFORMATION IS GOOD STUFF,WHEN YOU CAN GET IT.

CHEERS

R

[klons]

There's an immigration counter for re-entry visas in the NOvotel next door isn't there?

That one was apparently moved and then closed on Jan 15 according to another thread:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Immigration-...el-t191783.html

[Bruce1]

I had a problem once when I paid to join a tour and sent my passport off to the travel agent and was told all the visa situation would be sorted. I got to the airport, the agent handed me my passport and there was NO reentry stamp. Fortunately the office which is apparently now closed did it on the spot. That would no longer be possible.

It taught me a lesson and from then on I made sure I always had a multiple entry permit to avoid a repeat of the problem. Once a year and 30 minutes. Easy.

[Putu94]

A little bit waiting in a immigration office ( 1 hour in Mukdahan ) so what?

It looks to us as a nice holiday trip.

[dpv]

> "PLEASE TAKE YOUR RE-ENTRY VISA AT IMMIGRATION OFFICE SOI SUNLUM

>I agree with top-secret, when you know that you will need a re-entry stamp, go to Suanplu,

Would you be so kind as to inform me about addresses of immigration offices in Bangkok?

[bottleymike]

hard to believe

can the re entry be issued at other immigration offices or are the powers that be centralising all offices to Suan Plu?

ie does Ranong or Phuket still do re entry permits?

For what its worth, last week I got a single re entry permit at Pattaya ( Jomtien) immigration. When I took my queue ticket, a helpful female immigration officer explained what I needed for the permit. This was a completed re entry permit form, copies of pages from my passport,signed by me, and a 1,000 baht.

The queue meant I waited about 30 minutes.I then saw the relevant immigration officer, who took the passport and money,checked the form and copies of the passport pages.That took 5 minutes. Then he asked me to wait whilst the passport was checked by another officer against their computor ( presumably looking for overstayers, crooks etc). Then after another 10 minutes my name was called, I collected my passport with the re entry permit.

So including a 30 minute wait to get seen, the whole thing took 45 minutes and was problem free.

[dogleg]

Sooooo.... Legit working people cant leave the country on a whim, or in an emergency? What if I need to be in Singapore this Monday morning?