Leaving Thailand Before First Annual Extension Comes Through

[Marvo]

I applied for extension of stay last month based on being married to my Thai wife, but we have to leave for my homeland 3 days before the approved stuff is supposed to come back from Bangkok. I will be coming back into Thailand, in two months time, on the same 1 year visa that I had when applying for the extension of stay.

Immigration just said OK but I need to pay 1,000 baht for not being here at the end of the 30 day approval period. They will issue me with a receipt for hanging onto the paperwork until I return.

Just checking all of this is normal procedure.

Cheers.

[lopburi3]

If you are planning on using a multi entry visa it will invalidate your current extension of stay so it appears office is allowing a re-entry permit (normal cost 1,000 baht) to allow your trip and you must use that information on your arrival card when you return. If not you will have to start the extension of stay process again (after being here 60 days on the normal multi entry 90 day stay).

[TerryLH]

Sometimes the paperwork is back before the 30 days.

Once, in Korat, I happened to be in the area about 2 weeks after I applied, and the paperwork was back.

You might ask them about that, but will still need the re-entry permit.

[Marvo]

If you are planning on using a multi entry visa it will invalidate your current extension of stay so it appears office is allowing a re-entry permit (normal cost 1,000 baht) to allow your trip and you must use that information on your arrival card when you return. If not you will have to start the extension of stay process again (after being here 60 days on the normal multi entry 90 day stay).

Lopburi,

I have a multi-entry non-im B visa, but as this is my first application for an annual extension of stay, I am not yet here on "extension of stay". I only have a 30 day "under consideration" stamp in my passport. Does leaving Thailand with this "under consideration" status mean I need a re-entry permit, even though I will be re-entering on my original one year multi Non-B? I was told, at the time of applying for my extension of stay, that I would be able to leave Thailand before the application was complete and re-enter on the same multi entry visa that I gave details of when I made the application. If I obtained a new visa outside of Thailand and re-entered on that, then I would have to start the whole extension of stay application again.

Now I'm told they want 1,000 baht for something

[lopburi3]

You will need a re-entry permit as any extension of stay would be lost if you exit without and make a new visa entry so that is the 1k cost and they will put a stamp in your passport with a number you will have to enter as your visa on return. I do not believe they can allow exit and return on multi entry visa and not invalidate the extension process (and 1k is the normal price of a re-entry permit). Be very sure you understand from them what you need to do. It sounds to me as if they are trying to be helpful.

[Marvo]

You will need a re-entry permit as any extension of stay would be lost if you exit without and make a new visa entry so that is the 1k cost and they will put a stamp in your passport with a number you will have to enter as your visa on return. I do not believe they can allow exit and return on multi entry visa and not invalidate the extension process (and 1k is the normal price of a re-entry permit). Be very sure you understand from them what you need to do. It sounds to me as if they are trying to be helpful.

Thanks for the detail Lopburi. So from what you are saying, the under consideration period is classified as extension of stay and so a re-entry permit is in fact required. I will get them to explain fully to my wife in Thai, and me in English to be sure we adhere to correct procedures.

Thanks again Lopburi, as always.

[Marvo]

Thanks for the detail Lopburi. So from what you are saying, the under consideration period is classified as extension of stay and so a re-entry permit is in fact required. I will get them to explain fully to my wife in Thai, and me in English to be sure we adhere to correct procedures.

UPDATE:

• I left Thailand for 2 months, on 16th Nov.

• The "under consideration' stamp/period ended on 18th Nov.

• Before leaving Thailand on 16th, I went to immigration on 15th Nov., to follow up on getting that re-entry permit that they said I needed.

• Remember, immigration - when specifically asked - inspected my passport and visa status and had previously told me that I could leave Thailand before the "under consideration" period finished and there would be no problem with my application provided I returned on the same visa that was in effect when I made (and was documented in) the extension of stay application. I left a substantial tip in appreciation of the positive advice offered.

They told me on 15th Nov. (after 27 days), that the approval had not come through yet. They also told me that a re-entry permit would keep my "under consideration" "alive" and allow me to leave and come back into Thailand, but I MUST re-enter BY 18th NOV! i.e within 3 days. They also told me that if I wasn't in Thailand, at immigration, on 18th Nov. then my application/approval would effectively be thrown in the bin and I would have to start all over again. I suggested that I could delay my flights/departure until 18th Nov. LATEST, but immigration said even then, due to the flood problems, they could not guarantee that my application would be processed in the 30 days, by 18th Nov. If I was not in Thailand, whenever the application was finally approved and they summoned me, then I would have to start the application process from scratch! As I was unable to delay my departure more that 3 days, I left Thailand on my original ticket on the 16th Nov.

I called immigration today (22nd Nov. - 34 days from original submission) and the application/approval has STILL not been completed.

So there you have it. I'm due back in Thailand in 2 months but we have to start the extension of stay application again from the beginning.

Hope my experience has been useful to somebody.

Reason for edit: clarification.