Urgent Info Needed About Re-Entry Permit

[invex]

Hi,

Just got back from another country.

Before leaving, I went to immigration in Chiang Mai to buy a re-entry permit. The queue was so long that I decided not to wait and come back the next day. Unfortunately, I forgot completely and they now gave me a tourist visa upon arrival at Suvarnabhumi airport 2 hours ago. I have a retirement visa until February 2012. Is this retirement visa now canceled?

Immigration at they airport told me they could do nothing and I best contacted Bangkok or Chiang Mai immigration to see weather they can change the tourist visa for my Non imm visa.

What do you think the best is to do? Go tomorrow to BKK immigration or drive to CM and try to get a solution there.

Thanks so much for the help.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Hm.. couple of points:

* If this happens again next time, note that you can get a re-entry permit very quickly at the airport when leaving, also at early hours in the morning. That's convenient if you don't want to wait at the main immigration office.

* Immigration at Suvarnabhumi did the correct thing by giving you a 30 day visa exempt stay. So going back there will not help: you did not have a re-entry permit so the only thing they could do was give you the regular 30 day stay. There is nothing to clear up with them.

I think your next stop is the immigration office that issued the retirement stay until Feb 2012. (Chiang Mai?) They will need to issue that again. This assumes you live in Chiang Mai.

When you do go, it's important to strike the right tone; it was a mistake on your part to forget getting the re-entry permit. So state that, and ask them what's next. I doubt you're the first person to ever forget, and you won't be the last. They will have seen it before.

Edited May 25, 2011 by WinnieTheKhwai

[PoorSucker]

Step 1: convert your visa exempt stamp to Non-O, cost 2000 baht.

Step 2: Apply for new 1 year extension of stay with all paperwork that you brought last time.

Your old extension is void, you must start over.

[slapout]

I know 3 individuals who have been in the same position. They all were instructed to leave Thailand to get another visa as their old one was no longer valid.

I seem to recall a post on TV which said they or someone they knew, got an exemption to this, but who knows, until you try. Go early so you have time to book air tickets at reasonable price.

[Tonto21]

My limited experience tells me your f*****, you left Thailand without a re-entry stamp. You're now on a 30 day, that's it, plain and simple. You now need to go thought the hoop and around the mill to get your retirement visa back. Bet you don't forget the re-entry stamp next time. Whatever happens….Good luck.

Edited May 25, 2011 by Tonto21

[bristolgeoff]

you should have waited now you must do it all over again for your retirement visa

[uptheos]

It's not a bad idea to get an annual re-entry permit the same time as the one year retirement renewal.

Yes it's 3,800 Baht but for a total yearly package price of 5,700 (with retirement renewal) it certainly saves a lot of hassle and you can leave at any time without worrying.

[msg362]

This happened to me. 30 day tourist visa exempt stamp at CM airport immigration. Next day went to CM office. Started on ?? 1900 baht visa, then 30 days before it expired got the 1 year extension based on retirement ( usual requirements). Been on that for the last 4 years, renewing every year, I can't see the difference between this and my original retirement visa.. Something to do with not being able to issue an extension against the visa exemption stamp I think. Now I get my re-entry permit the same day that I renew my visa.! CM Immigration were very helpful, but as another poster said, be polite. Rules are rules and you ( and I) c**ked up!

[msg362]

duplicate entry sorry

Edited May 26, 2011 by msg362

[SoloFlyer]

Cant get re-entries at airport anymore, according to immigration guy 2mths ago. - ?????

[funcat]

Costly mistake...the only way is to get out of the country and come back with the "proper" Thai tourist visa(3 months)...Laos is the closest,but still big hassle...and start all the paperwork again!

[Sansai Sam]

Your previous visa is cancelled.

[NancyL]

You don't need to leave the country to get a "retirement visa".

A couple weeks ago I helped an American who entered the country with a "30-day permission to remain", commonly called a "tourist visa", but it really isn't a visa. A couple weeks into this permission, he went to the American consulate, got an income letter and went to CM Immigration where he obtained an O visa. They told him to return when the O visa was at least 60 days old with a new income letter from the consulate and apply for his 12-month extension based on retirement (commonly called a "retirement visa", but it really isn't -- it's an O visa with a 12 month permission to remain based on retirement.)

This is assuming you meet all the other criteria for remaining as a retiree. The rules may be different for other nationalities, but I think people from about 20 countries can enter the country as tourists without a visa and obtain a 30-day permission to remain at the airport. Sound like that's what happened to the OP.

Edited May 26, 2011 by NancyL