O-A Multiple Visa * Need A Rentry Permit (?!), Oh The Insanity Of It All

[bangkokburning]

When is a multiple visa not a multiple visa? Why in Thailand of course!

During the one-year period, if he or she wishes to leave and re-enter the country, he or she is required to apply at the Immigration office for re-entry permit (single or multiple) before departure. In the case of leaving the country without a re-entry permit, the permit to stay for 1 year shall be considered void.

http://www.thaiembdc...on-Imglong.aspx

Sparing the narrative, but do have to ask - what if you have a single entry O-A , can you obtain a multiple re-entry permit (DC appears to give multiples)? What then is the difference between O-A:

S-multiple reentry

M-multiple reentry

Why is a reentry permit needed with a multiple visa?!?!

So add another 3K to the cost...

I presume that if you enter the kingdom on 364 and obtain an additional year, that at that point you must stay on. If you were to leave and return - the visa has expired, even with assuming one could be obtained - a re-entry permit. After the one year, you must stay in Thailand.

[wayned]

If you have a multiple entry O/A visa, you can leave and re-enter Thailand as many times as you want before the visa expires, without a re-entry permit. Each time that you enter you will be granted 1 year permission to stay. If you leave and reenter the day before the visa expires, you will be granted 1 year. However, the 1 year Multiple Entry O/A visa has now expired and if you want to leave and re-enter during that year, you must purchase a re-entry permit. A single is 1000 baht and a multiple is 3800baht. If you leave without the re-entry permit your permission to stay ends the day that you leave. With a 1 year multiple entry visa, you get 2 years if you leave and re-enter the day before the visa expires.

If you have a single entry O/A visa and you want to leave and re-enter, you must have a re-entry permit for both the 1st and 2nd years. If you leave without the re-entry permit at any time, your permission to stay is over even if you have not reached the date that the visa expires because you have already used your only permitted entry. Immigration normally will stamp this visa as "USED" on your initial entry.

[lopburi3]

OP

That quote is for the single entry visa (which was normal issue) but because many people failed to obtain and bad feelings Thai Embassy in US now issues multi entry which avoids that issue during one year validity of visa (but not for say outside that time period - almost two year stay is possiable).

The single entry is one one year stay from entry date.

The multi is one year stay from any entry made during one year validity of visa.

[bangkokburning]

Thanks to you both, excellent responses.

I recall reading that they issue (only) multiples, hence my reaction.

Thanks, it did seem just a little too much.

[TerraplaneGuy]

If you have a multiple entry O/A visa, you can leave and re-enter Thailand as many times as you want before the visa expires, without a re-entry permit. Each time that you enter you will be granted 1 year permission to stay. If you leave and reenter the day before the visa expires, you will be granted 1 year. However, the 1 year Multiple Entry O/A visa has now expired and if you want to leave and re-enter during that year, you must purchase a re-entry permit. A single is 1000 baht and a multiple is 3800baht. If you leave without the re-entry permit your permission to stay ends the day that you leave. With a 1 year multiple entry visa, you get 2 years if you leave and re-enter the day before the visa expires.

.

Very helpful. Please help with a follow-up question: I am in pretty much the situation you describe. I have a multiple OA visa which expires this June. I will be leaving Thailand in April and don't expect to return until December, so I won't get the full "extra year" permission (since I can't do a border run in June) but I just came back from a border run so I have a permission expiring in February 2013. My question is, suppose I leave this April and return to Thailand in December of this year. Will I be allowed to enter using that permission? In other words, is the extension I now have (which says "admitted until 12 Feb 2013") good for re-entry? Or do I need to get a re-entry permit before I leave this April? If the latter, where and how do I get it?

Thanks!

TG

[lopburi3]

You need a re-entry permit for any entry after your June date.

[TerraplaneGuy]

You need a re-entry permit for any entry after your June date.

Lopburi, thanks! How & when do I get that permit? I'll leave in June and return to Thailand in December.

TG

[beechguy]

Go to your Immigraion office and apply for one, single entry 1,000 Baht, Multi-entry 3,800 Baht.

[lopburi3]

If you are not leaving again before June (to get a new one year stay perhaps?) you can do now. But a re-entry permit only provides the current permitted to stay date on return so if you plan another trip before June it would be better to wait until after that trip to get the new permitted to stay date of your multi entry visa.

[TerraplaneGuy]

If you are not leaving again before June (to get a new one year stay perhaps?) you can do now. But a re-entry permit only provides the current permitted to stay date on return so if you plan another trip before June it would be better to wait until after that trip to get the new permitted to stay date of your multi entry visa.

Thanks! - but sorry, I got confused there, I am leaving in APRIL not June. June is the expiry of my current OA visa.

But I take your point, makes sense. Let's assume I stay here in Thailand until April. I'll get a re-entry permit and when I return in December I'll still have 2 months left on my last permission to stay (expiring Feb 2013). So on my return I guess I'll have to get to work applying for a new 1 year extension, correct (since I want to remain in the retirement system)? My understanding is that to get it, I'll have to apply here in Thailand to Immigration, with a bank letter showing THB 800,000 in an account. Anything else I'll have to do?

Sorry for the extended questions but you guys are really helpful.

Cheers,

TG

[lopburi3]

Was just saying any trip with return before June would get a new one year stay from return date so would not get re-entry permit until your final trip with a later return.

About all your will need is your passport/arrival card/financial proof and some proof of address. Fill out the TM.7 with 4x6cm photo taken within six months and pay the 1,900 baht.

[TerraplaneGuy]

Was just saying any trip with return before June would get a new one year stay from return date so would not get re-entry permit until your final trip with a later return.

About all your will need is your passport/arrival card/financial proof and some proof of address. Fill out the TM.7 with 4x6cm photo taken within six months and pay the 1,900 baht.

Got it, thanks. For the financial proof and proof of address, do you know if they need to be notarized? I ask because I got my OA back in Canada, before I came here, and the Thai embassy there insisted every document had to be notarized, which was a pain. I'm hoping that here I can just give them the bank letter and my lease ...

TG

[Lite Beer]

No need to be notarised.

Just supply the documents.

[TerraplaneGuy]

No need to be notarised.

Just supply the documents.

Thanks! Good to hear.

[TAWP]

Since I am on extension things might have changed over the years, but...isn't an entry on O-A for 90 days?

Edit: Embassy page clearly says 1 year. So long stay tourists are more welcome than married people with kids?

[Mario2008]

The O-A visa is just a special category, where the stay has been pre-aproved. (Hence the police and medical check, in exchange for a 1 year stay instead of 90 days).