perhaps somebody in here can help me out before heading down to san plu:

I have the Residency Permit, plan to travel abroad in July and be back in Thailand on around August 20. Which is exactly the date my yearly non-quota immigrant visa ends.

question: is it possible to renew the visa already now in June, meaning that it would be valid from the date of renewal until Aug 20, 06?

or if I renew the visa now, will the "old" visa, which is still valid until Aug 20, automatically be void and the new visa is valid 'till June '06?

many thanks for any feedback.

Doubtful but your terms do not help.

Do you really have PR (residency permit) or are you talking about a re entry permit?

You do not renew a visa - only an extension of stay.

When you choose to live here on an extension of stay you are expected to make a new application each year at the same time so should plan travel around that date. You really need to talk with immigration as will be there call; so be ready with the best reasons you can think of.

But you say "around" so why not make it "before" and save the trouble for everyone? Or is it out of your hands?

tks lopburi.

with the RP I need a visa to LEAVE the country. the blue booklet Certificate of Residency is exactly for the re-entry visa ...

without this non quota immigrant visa the RP would automatically be void if I return to Thailand with an unvalid non quota immigrant visa.

I just hoped it would be handled like with the work permit: if I renew a work permit lets say in may, even though it is valid until june, I get the proper yearly extension until june next year, which actually makes it valid 13 months, and not just 12.

probably the non-quota immigrant visa is handled the same way, I hope?

You will need an ENDORSEMENT FOR RE-ENTRY and a NON-QUOTA IMMIGRANT VISA. There are two requirements for aliens with permanent resident visas who wish to travel abroad:

1. Submit his/her resident's book for endorsement before leaving, as well as:

2. Bring his/her passport to apply for a non-quota immigrant visa in order to reserve the right to have permanent residence in the country. After leaving, the applicant must return within a year of receiving the endorsement. If he/she did not receive an endorsement or return within that time period, the applicant will automatically forfeit their permanent residence visa. Within this one year time period, the applicant can enter and leave the country as many times as a non-quota immigrant visa permits.

More info here:

http://www.thaivisa.com/341.0.html

and

General info regarding Residence Permit:

http://www.thaivisa.com/300.0.html

tks george, my point though was a different one, I know the information provided under your link:

simply put the question is: is the non-quota immigrant visa renewed like the quota immigrant visa?

that I could extend it already in june for another year, even though its valid until august. which would make it valid until aug '06.

that was the way I extended my quota immigrant visa ... guess its the same for the non-quota?

tks for your patience!

in case anybody's interested:

just renewed mentioned papers at san plu.

with residency though the re-entry's validity is differently handled than with a year-to-year visa:

with the year-to-year visa the re-entries are always valid for the same yearly period - lets say every year from jun 22 to jun 21 next year.

with the residency though the re-entries are valid for ONE year after the day of application for those re-entries. therefore you lose weeks or months by applying too early.

anyway, case solved and closed.