Departing Suvarnaphumi | Non-Immigrant 'b' Visa (On 3Rd Consecutive Extension) | 2 Questions

[smileplur]

aHi there! I am an American citizen living and working in Bangkok. I am currently on an extension of stay for a Non-Immigrant 'B' Visa. I am departing from Suvarnaphumi (BKK) to the USA on a flight around 1:30 am .... tonight!!! I have two questions that I hope somebody can assist me with rather quickly. I'll start with the easier one first.

1) I am traveling with my girlfriend of 2.5 years. She has obviously obtained the appropriate visa for the trip to America. She is nearly 3 months pregnant with our child. We obviously want to queue together to be processed out of the country. While she will obviously ask at the airport, which queue should we be joining? Would we join the 'Thai Passport' queue, or should we join the 'Foreign Passport' queue? From experience, I recall the Thai queue being much faster.

2) I obtained single re-entry permit from Chaeng Wattana in March earlier this year. For health reasons, I was unable to make the planned trip to America which left me with an unused re-entry permit. The re-entry permit states that it is valid until October 26 which was the day my last extension of stay was scheduled to expire. Because of the trip we are taking, I applied for and was given a new extension of stay valid until October 7, 2013. I was prepared to get a new re-entry permit at Immigration after applying for and being granted a new extension of stay. I asked at the information desk if my previously unused re-entry permit was still valid until the day listed. They confirmed that it was and I did not need a new re-entry permit. I was advised that it might be a good idea to get a new one should something go wrong and I return later than anticipated. This being Thailand, I know better than to just trust one person. I sought out another person and asked again. I was given the same answer. I figured I might as well go for a third opinion. Again, I got the same answer. Finally, I had the guy who handles the visa stuff for my company ask yet another person in Thai. All gave me the green light.

Facts:

• Depart tonight at 1:30 am
  
• Re-entry desk at airport closes at midnight
  
• My unused re-entry permit is valid until October 26
  
• Our flight returns on the evening of October 24
  

My final course of action will be ensuring that I inquire at the counter at Swampy before closing at midnight.

Thanks in advance for any insight you may provide!!!

[lopburi3]

My advise is obtain a new re-entry permit - that permit is issued for an extension of stay that has been replaced by your new stamp and I would not want to take the chance of it being accepted and the fact you only have a few days to use it. I have never seen a report of person not able to obtain new re-entry stamp when new extension placed in passport so that would raise a red flag about using an old stamp in my mind.

You should queue in foreign line. Even married I have been challenged when using Thai line with wife.

[smileplur]

They did not deny me the option of getting a new re-entry permit. They simply said that it wasn't required since I will return before the expiration date of the previously purchased re-entry permit.

[digitalchromakey]

They did not deny me the option of getting a new re-entry permit. They simply said that it wasn't required since I will return before the expiration date of the previously purchased re-entry permit.

Use your old re-entry permit and could find your self stamped back in to Thailand only up to the 26th October 2012 (the date against which the original re-entry permit was issued) and not the 7th October 2013, with your new extension being lost - i.m.o. just not worth the risk for the extra 1000 THB cost for a fresh re-entry permit.

[smileplur]

They did not deny me the option of getting a new re-entry permit. They simply said that it wasn't required since I will return before the expiration date of the previously purchased re-entry permit.

Use your old re-entry permit and could find your self stamped back in to Thailand only up to the 26th October 2012 (the date against which the original re-entry permit was issued) and not the 7th October 2013, with your new extension being lost - i.m.o. just not worth the risk for the extra 1000 THB cost for a fresh re-entry permit.

I hadn't pondered that thought. I'm going to proceed directly yo the re-entry permit issuing desk and ask them. If they clain I do not need one, I will attempt to get something in writing to that effect. I am more than happy to pay the money. They just kept telling me it wasn't needed at Chiang Wattana.

[smileplur]

Now I am in a bit of a mess. Please help if you can. I arrived today at the airport. Upon departure, I was told that I didn't need a new re-entry permit. I was stamped out accordingly. Arriving today, there was a fuss because nobody stamped the re-entry permit. The supervisor got involved and stamped me in on my current visa. She said that my visa was still active and no worries. She said she had to write October 26 but I shouldn't worry about it because I have a new extension of stay.

I asked her if I should do my 90 day report in 90 days as stated. She said 'yes' and that I would not be charged for anything. Does this sound correct to you?

[digitalchromakey]

Now I am in a bit of a mess. Please help if you can. I arrived today at the airport. Upon departure, I was told that I didn't need a new re-entry permit. I was stamped out accordingly. Arriving today, there was a fuss because nobody stamped the re-entry permit. The supervisor got involved and stamped me in on my current visa. She said that my visa was still active and no worries. She said she had to write October 26 but I shouldn't worry about it because I have a new extension of stay.

I asked her if I should do my 90 day report in 90 days as stated. She said 'yes' and that I would not be charged for anything. Does this sound correct to you?

A scan of your most recent passport entry stamp would be very helpful, as from what you write it appears that your Permission to Stay will expire tomorrow 26 October 2012.

[Maestro]

They gave you the wrong "until" date in your arrival stamp at the airport. It should have been 13 OCT 2013. Go to your immigration office and get it changed. If they refuse, you have to get a new re-entry permit and do a border run not later than 26 OCT 2012.

[digitalchromakey]

They gave you the wrong "until" date in your arrival stamp at the airport. It should have been 13 OCT 2013. Go to your immigration office and get it changed. If they refuse, you have to get a new re-entry permit and do a border run not later than 26 OCT 2012.

The Re-Entry Permit was issued whilst the OP was had the old Extension of Permission to Stay which was dated to expire 26 October 2012, not the current Extension which is dated to expire 13 October 2013. Edited October 25, 2012 by digitalchromakey

[Mario2008]

Looks like they stamped him in untill 26 oct 2006 because his re-entry permit was valid till that date. It is now up to the immirgaiton office where he gets his extensions how they will treat it. A permissiont to stay ending on Oct. 26 or acknowleding his 13 Oct. 2013 stamp.

I would follow Meastro's advise above and check with them.

[lopburi3]

I would do nothing and accept that the new extension of stay stamp is your current permitted to stay - as I had tried to say it would have been much clearer with a new re-entry permit but it seems they gave you no option and now you and they have to play by rules that are not in any book.

So they used your old re-entry until 26th for your current return entry. So that should take case of the current entry. As your old entry was also for that same date it should not effect your new extension of stay of that date. Personally believe you may have issues at a 90 day report from last entry and I would do at your previously scheduled time and hope nobody notices that you have a later entry stamp.

[smileplur]

^^This advise was given by my company. They said to go to pretend to do my regular 90 day report which would be today and hope they don't notice that I left. They saw everything in the computer which indicated everything to them which leads me to believe that things are more centralized. I'm going to go to Chang Wattana and see if they can change the date. Otherwise, I will buy a new reentry permit and get to Aranayaprathet tomorrow.

[lopburi3]

Airport immigration was saying no change of date is required as you already have the new extension of stay in your passport until October 7 and this was based on the same permitted to stay date as you received on your last entry (26th) so should remain valid. This seems logical and expect will be proven so without further stamps. I would try to do the 90 day report today and see what happens.

[smileplur]

Photos per request:

1 - Entry Stamp

2- Stamp on Departure Card

3 - Reentry Permit

4 - New Extension of Stay

I'm just going to go and ask at the information desk.

[smileplur]

Not much time to write. CW wasn't having anything to do with changing my stamp. He was rather rude. I obtained a new reentry permit. I was stamped in until today, so I am off to Poipet in a few minutes.

[Digitalbanana]

If you have an extension of stay until Oct 2013, why go to PoiPet?

[ubonjoe]

To clear the bad stamp he got from immigration on arrival because he used his old re-entry permit that only allowed him to stay until yesterday. He has a new re-entry permit that will allow him to get a new entry stamp dated for next year.

[smileplur]

Yes, I had to clear the bad stamp. I made it to Poipet. I explained everything. I paid my 800 baht and got my Cambodian visa. I had a few beers in Poipet. I turned around and came back. I was stamped in correctly until October of next year.

It was an expensive lesson learned, but I did it. The man at CW who told me I didn't have a visa anymore didn't make me happy. Don't listen to everything they tell you at immigration. Despite 3 people telling me I didn't need a new reentry permit, it turns out I did. If I had listened to the man who said I didn't have a visa, he would have changed my stamp to a 30 day visa exemption. Thanks to posts here, I didn't listen to him and followed the given advice.

Thanks for the help. You all saved me from what could have been much worse!

[smileplur]

For the record, I was told to use the Thai line both exiting and reentering Thailand. Perhaps, this was due to the fact that the woman is pregnant.

[Mario2008]

If married to a Thai you can always join your spouse or child with Thai nationality in the Thai passport lane.

They might have assumed you were married.

[smileplur]

We told them clearly that she was my fiance but pregnant and going to meet my family and friends in America. Good trip other than this nonsense!

[Digitalbanana]

So at every stage of this Re-Entry permit fiasco, the op was given the wrong information besides a few pointers on this thread telling him to get another Re-Entry permit. How bizarre?

[smileplur]

This being Thailand, it isn;t strange at all. That's how it went down. Hopefully, it helps someone in the future facing something similar.