Re-entry Permit Questions? Help Needed!

[John13]

This is slow and old guy who is a US citizen and I have a question regarding Re-entry permit. I have an O-A mult-entry visa, issued May 18, 2008. I entered Thailand Sept 3, 2008, bottom of thai rubber stamp shows admitting until Sept 2, 2009. I left Thailand Feb 17, 2009. I just return April 29, 2009, bottom of thai rubber stamped shows admitting until April 28, 2010. Here's my question: I am leaving in a few days, May 8 to China. I had plan to return from China until before my visa expires before the original Sept 2, 2009 date, however things has come up, and I may be in China in late Sept, pass the original rubber stamped date. When I arrived back in Thailand last week, the new rubber stamped shows April 28, 2010. Is my O-A mult-entry visa good until then? I got mixed reactions when I spoke with my friends. Some say Yeah it's good. Others stay Nope, you need a re-entry permit to be safe before leaving. Any ideas guys? I am leaving in a couple of days, so I would need to go to Thai immigration soon to file for a re-entry permit if needed. Please explain slowly and clearly, I get confused easy. Thanks for your help.

[Lite Beer]

Your Visa actually expires on May 18th 2009.

You will need a Re Entry Permit. This will keep your stay till April 28 2010 Alive.

By applying for it in May and using it in September you lost nearly 4 months.

[ubonjoe]

If you were to leave and come back before May 18 you would get another year.

If you do not re-enter before May 18 you will need to get a re-entry permit from immigration that will be valid until April 28, 2010. Re-entry permits cost 1000 baht for a single and 3800 baht for a multiple.

[John13]

Your Visa actually expires on May 18th 2009.

You will need a Re Entry Permit. This will keep your stay till April 28 2010 Alive.

By applying for it in May and using it in September you lost nearly 4 months.

Based on what you told me, it made it more complex or maybe simplier. Here is the full story, and you guys could tell me the best way to proceed. I fell in love with a thai lady, she turn out to be a snake and i was stupid and it cost me. we lived together for 6 months, i thought she was "the one", we ended it and i return to USA in feb 09. i return last week to thailand. she is still the same black heart woman. no question about it, it is over. i no longer plan to live it thailand. i leave friday for china. i could do one or two things, or perhaps more, i don't know i am old and slow. Plan A. Let my may 28, 2009 "0-A" retirement visa expire. i go to china on friday, return to thailand with a transit visa (30 days) given at the airport. i stay 29 days in Thailand. I go back to china for a few months. return to thailand with a transit visa (30 days) given at the airport and leave to return to the good old USA in Feb 2010. i can return to Thailand in Sept/ Oct for 30 days under a transit visa or 60 days with a tourist visa. return to the states in feb 2010 as planned. cost to me is zero dollars. Plan B. go to immigration on tuesday, apply for the multi-entry re-entry permit and pay the 3800 balt. go to china on friday and return to thailand a few months later, let's say october. return to china in november, and stay until jan, then return to thailand a month before heading back to the USA. i won't be able to return by the April 28, 2010 date which keeps my re-entry permit/O-A visa alive. but it doesn't matter, because i no longer want to live full time in thailand. i am out 3800 balt for the multi-entry re-entry permit, and my "0-A" retirement visa will be dead. My thoughts are: Go for Plan A. doesn't cost me money, and i wouldn't need to go to thai immigration. if i decided i want to live in Thailand again, I could start over and apply for another "0-A" retirement visa. Plan B would not make sense because i no longer want to live in Thailand; plus it will cost me 3800 balt for the multi-entry re-entry permit; there will be a gap since i won't return to keep my re-entry permit/"0-A" alive, because i would have missed the due date anyways, and would need to start all over again to apply for "0-A" retirement visa if I decide I want to stay in Thailand. Okay guys, please what is the best way for me to proceed? I think Plan A. thanks for all your help...be careful, don't be stupid, there are a lots of snakes in the grass here full of poison, her thinking is: it's all about the money, how stupid he is for being a really nice guy, how much can a con him out of. Tell me Plan A. Plan B. or if you have a Plan C? she fried my brains.

[ubonjoe]

What happens if you do plan A and decide to stay in Thailand more than 30 days?

Border run? Tourist visa or single entry non-o? Seven day extension from immigration?

Are you going to have a ticket to leave Thailand within 30 days every time you return to Thailand? If you don't have a ticket the airline can deny bording for the flight.

I think plan A would give you greater flexability and give you more options later.

I think spending the 3800 baht for a re-entry permit would be worth the flexabilty it would give you.

If you had to make one border run to get a few more days it could cost you almost as much as much as the re-entry permit now.

[John13]

What happens if you do plan A and decide to stay in Thailand more than 30 days?

Border run? Tourist visa or single entry non-o? Seven day extension from immigration?

Are you going to have a ticket to leave Thailand within 30 days every time you return to Thailand? If you don't have a ticket the airline can deny bording for the flight.

I think plan A would give you greater flexability and give you more options later.

I think spending the 3800 baht for a re-entry permit would be worth the flexabilty it would give you.

If you had to make one border run to get a few more days it could cost you almost as much as much as the re-entry permit now.

thanks for your help...please bear with me, i am old, slow and my brain is scrambled. let's say i get a re-entry permit tomorrow. here is my general plan, with re-entry permit. i leave to attend classes, the future class dates have not been set, but this is the general idea, i leave on friday may 8, classes begin on monday. return to thailand sept 10. leave for china oct 15, return to thailand dec 29. my return flight to the states is feb 8, 2010. i won't be able to return to thailand until sept 1, 2010. will the re-entry permit cover me to this date? here's a recap of my visa info in a nutshell. 0-A multi-entry non-immigration visa issued may 19, 2008; printing on the rubber stamp is poor, but there is a may18, 2009 date. i entered thailand 3 sept 2008, stamp says admitted until 2 sept 2009. i departed to hawaii 17 feb 2009. i entered thailand april 29, 2009, stamp says admitted until 28 april 2010. my general health is good/fair; i expect in ten years i will either be dead or in a rest home; i cannot afford the cost of care in the states, so would be looking for a good wife/girlfriend or housekeeper to care for me then and living in thailand because hopefully it will be fairly cheap. i am trying to do some long range planning. thanks for your help and sorry if i am a pain in the butt, i am having little sleep and all this paperwork stresses me out.

[Mario2008]

With a multiple re-entry permit you would be allowed to stay in Thailand till 28 april 2010 and can leave and return in the meantime.

[John13]

What happens if you do plan A and decide to stay in Thailand more than 30 days?

Border run? Tourist visa or single entry non-o? Seven day extension from immigration?

Are you going to have a ticket to leave Thailand within 30 days every time you return to Thailand? If you don't have a ticket the airline can deny bording for the flight.

I think plan A would give you greater flexability and give you more options later.

I think spending the 3800 baht for a re-entry permit would be worth the flexabilty it would give you.

If you had to make one border run to get a few more days it could cost you almost as much as much as the re-entry permit now.

thanks for your help. my brain is fuzzy. question. i will need to get a re-entry permit before i leave on friday to extend my time allowed in thailand. what would happen, i did not get a re-entry permit now, if i return to thailand at the end of august. before my original one year visa date 2 sept 09, will my visa end on that date or because i entered 20 apr and have stamped admitted to 28 apri 2010 be allowed to stay under my retirement visa. my thinking is that if i return by the end of august, i am still safe and could apply for re-entry permit then, leave in october with a re-entry permit, which would allow me to return to thailand in sept 2010. i could apply for an extension of stay.

i am old and all this paperwork is so confusing. thanks for your time and your help.

[Lite Beer]

If you do not get a Re Entry Permit you will get 30 days when you return.

Immigration are closed on Tuesday and Friday. Go Wednesday.

[ubonjoe]

Look at your visa. It should say enter berfore May 18, 2009.

The day before that day is the last day that you can use the visa for an entry. After that date you will need a re-entry permit.

[John13]

Look at your visa. It should say enter berfore May 18, 2009.

The day before that day is the last day that you can use the visa for an entry. After that date you will need a re-entry permit.

My visa says May 18, 2009. So, I would need a re-entry permit, since I will leave on friday. That will keep my April 28, 2010 date alive. OK, I shall get a re-entry permit. I shall leave for Hawaii Feb 8, 2010 and do not plan to return until September 2010. What do I need to do before I leave for Hawaii to extend the April 28, 2010 date. Apply for another re-entry permit before I leave in February 2010? Please spell it out for me, as you can see I am old and very slow.

Question on a related subject that I totally don't understand. My 0-A multi-entry visa was issued May 19, 2008 and i can not read some of the rubber stamp, but I guess it is good until May 18, 2009. Since I could not read the stamp, I thought it meant use by May 09. This part I totally don't understand. When I arrived at the BKK airport for my first time usage of the visa, this rubber stamps read 3 Sep 2008 admitted, until 2 Sep 2009. My very limited understanding on this, is that I am allowed to go in and out the country because I have a multi-entry and allow to stay until 2 Sep 2009. Where did I go wrong? I arrived in BKK airport last week, got stamp at the airport 29 Apr 2009 admitted, until 28 Apr 2010. I think a normal person would think, because I have a multi-entry visa that I would be able to go in and out of the country until 28 Apr 2010. I think I am a normal, but a little slow and too trusting of a person, i arrive at BKK last week, the admitted date (29 Apr 2009) on the rubber stamp, but why put a until 28 Apr 2010 stamp if it means nothing? I am slow and just don't get it. This isn't important, I just want to understand it.

I guess I am lucky that I got on line with you guys to get help. Otherwise, I would be up shit creek. Thanks, and I shall apply for the multi-re-entry permit tomorrow (wednesday) because it is closed today. Sorry to be a bother, I am too old, too slow, too trusting and on my last legs, can not afford a rest home in USA, may have to stay in Thailand and find someone to care for me when I get really bad. Hopefully, that won't come until another ten years. This is just my bit of advance health care planning. Thanks, guys, I really appreciate it.

[ubonjoe]

The one year that your visa is good for starts on the date that the visa was issued.

After May 18 you no longer have a valid multiple entry visa. You have a permit to stay after that date and no visa. In order to keep your permit to stay valid you have to get a re-entry permit.

You will need to either get an extension at immigration or get a new non-oa visa at a conuslate in the states to enter after April 28, 2010.

We are here to help so it is not a problem to keep asking questions. Visa and permit to stay explanations are one of the most common we have to do.

[Lite Beer]

Probably a good idea to apply for a new O-A Visa in the States.

[lopburi3]

1. Each entry on the multi OA gets you a new one year stay from that entry date. That is why when you entered on 29 Apr 2009 you got a new stamp until 28 Apr 2010.

2. You can only travel/return if your visa is still valid - yours will not be. In that case you need a re-entry permit. You can never enter (for visa stay) without a valid visa or re-entry permit.

3. The 28 Apr 2010 does not mean "nothing". It is very important. That is what allows you to stay in Thailand until that date.

4. Before you leave next year you should check with Immigration to see if they will allow you to extend your stay early (normally you would do most places during last 30 days of permitted to stay stamp). But they will often do early if you have reason/tickets. At that time you will have to show 800k in bank account 3 months or 65k income or combination.

[John13]

1. Each entry on the multi OA gets you a new one year stay from that entry date. That is why when you entered on 29 Apr 2009 you got a new stamp until 28 Apr 2010.

2. You can only travel/return if your visa is still valid - yours will not be. In that case you need a re-entry permit. You can never enter (for visa stay) without a valid visa or re-entry permit.

3. The 28 Apr 2010 does not mean "nothing". It is very important. That is what allows you to stay in Thailand until that date.

4. Before you leave next year you should check with Immigration to see if they will allow you to extend your stay early (normally you would do most places during last 30 days of permitted to stay stamp). But they will often do early if you have reason/tickets. At that time you will have to show 800k in bank account 3 months or 65k income or combination.

Thanks for your help. I picked up my passport at Thai immigration today now I have a multi-re-entry permit valid to the same date stamped when I arrive 28, Apr 2010.