O/a Multi Retirement Re Entry Permit

[lopburi3]

After the expiration date of a multi entry non immigrant O/A visa (at listed on the visa obtained outside Thailand) you must have a re entry permit for any more travel outside of Thailand, even though you may have additional time on your permitted to stay stamp. Although you may get by immigration is now aware of the loop hole and you may find yourself on overstay. See shotover report in this thread.

Topic 36482

[biggles45]

a question then:- If you enter thailand on a multi entry visa before it expires, get your 90 day permission to stay (extending it past the expiry date of your visa) and then leave after (say ) two months, dont you still automatically qualify for a 30 day visa free re-entry like any other tourist when you come back?.

Wouldnt this mean you come back in without needing any re-entry endorsement or paying for a re-entry fee before you leave??

Interested in the response as it will apply to me when i return and then head to hong kong for a week or so a couple of months into my 90 day permission to stay period.....figured I could just leave then get the 30 days when I come back.

[lopburi3]

Yes you get a 30 day if you are from a country that is allowed 30 day visa free entry.

This is for those that have the retirement based long stay multi entry non immigrant visa as being issued in your country of residence now which allows a one year stay on entry. If you return after the visa validity you will only be allowed the 30 day stay rather than your extension of stay (if immigration catches it).

[JimGant]

Wouldnt this mean you come back in without needing any re-entry endorsement or paying for a re-entry fee before you leave??

Yes, as you'll be treated as just someone else without a visa. And as such, can get a 30-day stamp (no-visa-required), assuming you're not from one of the countries excluded from this deal.

Interestingly, I had a somewhat similar situation. My Mutli Entry 'O' expired June 1, but I got here in May. I was going to Hong Kong the first week of June, and had decided I could go get a single re-entry stamp from Immigration that would allow me to return to Thailand and still be good until late August (when my 90-day stamp received in May expires). But I cancelled the Hong Kong trip before I'd gone for the re-entry stamp.

But I assume (Lop?) I could have gotten such a re-entry stamp had I applied(?).

[lopburi3]

Wouldnt this mean you come back in without needing any re-entry endorsement or paying for a re-entry fee before you leave??

Yes, as you'll be treated as just someone else without a visa. And as such, can get a 30-day stamp (no-visa-required), assuming you're not from one of the countries excluded from this deal.

Interestingly, I had a somewhat similar situation. My Mutli Entry 'O' expired June 1, but I got here in May. I was going to Hong Kong the first week of June, and had decided I could go get a single re-entry stamp from Immigration that would allow me to return to Thailand and still be good until late August (when my 90-day stamp received in May expires). But I cancelled the Hong Kong trip before I'd gone for the re-entry stamp.

But I assume (Lop?) I could have gotten such a re-entry stamp had I applied(?).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Correct. You can always get a re entry stamp to keep your current visa based permitted to stay period alive.

[Deinnun]

Let's see if I understand this, let's also use a multientry nonimm OA based on retirement as an example.

The visa itself and the permit to stay are two different things.

The visa is valid for 365 days from the date of issue, not the date of first entry.

You must enter Thailand within the period the visa is valid for to receive a permit to stay for 365 days.

You may leave and reenter Thailand multiple times within the period the visa is valid for, each entry will grant a permit to stay for 365 days.

If you wish to leave and reenter Thailand after the visa has expired and want to keep the permit to stay alive, you must obtain a reentry permit.

Correct?

Now, one question remains, when do you apply for an extension? When the visa expires or when the last permit to stay expires?

[lopburi3]

Let's see if I understand this, let's also use a multientry nonimm OA based on retirement as an example.

The visa itself and the permit to stay are two different things.

The visa is valid for 365 days from the date of issue, not the date of first entry.

You must enter Thailand within the period the visa is valid for to receive a permit to stay for 365 days.

You may leave and reenter Thailand multiple times within the period the visa is valid for, each entry will grant a permit to stay for 365 days.

If you wish to leave and reenter Thailand after the visa has expired and want to keep the permit to stay alive, you must obtain a reentry permit.

Correct?

Now, one question remains, when do you apply for an extension? When the visa expires or when the last permit to stay expires?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Correct except you need the re entry permit even if you leave when visa is valid if your return will be after it expires.

As of now you apply when the last permit to stay expires. At some point I expect they are going to find people are using this system to stay for up to two years when it is designed for only one and a change may be made (you will get stamped into the country for one year from first entry) or the O/A will no longer be a multi entry. For now we have a lot of grey.