Re-Entry Permit Question

[riceyummm]

Last November I got my first retirement visa. At the same time I got a re-entry permit for my holiday visit to the states. I no sooner got settled back in in Khon Khaen when I got word of a family health crisis and now have to immediately return to the states and have no idea how long it will be before I return to Thailand. My first re-entry permit says it was good for 90 days. I may have to stay there for two months or it could be five years. I'm assuming the re-entry permit is only good for 90 days and if I stay out longer than that my beautiful rertirement visa wil be defunct. Am I correct about that? Is there an alternative I'm not aware of for a situation like this?

[beechguy]

The re-entry permit keeps your current permission to stay valid, check your passport for the date.

[TerryLH]

It expires the same date your current extension expires.

[lopburi3]

Last November you got what? A one year extension from immigration inside Thailand? Or a non immigrant O-A visa (retirement) from your home country? If O-A visa was it single entry or multi entry?

As said a re-entry permit has the same validity as your current permitted to stay stamp. But it would not be needed with a multi O-A visa obtained in November. And it should be valid for far longer than 90 days if you obtained a one year extension in November.

[Colabamumbai]

While on the topic if I get a multiple reentry on a passport not expired but with 2 pages left, and have Non B extension till Mar 2014, will have new passport after re-entry permit. and will need extension put into new passport, will the Multiple re-entry in the old passport still be valid until March 2014, although probably not re stamped in the new passport, with the extension. Can I just show both passports?

[Maestro]

The re-entry permit will be transferred to the new passport.

[Colabamumbai]

The re-entry permit will be transferred to the new passport.

Thanks I thought they would only do the new extension in the new passport.

So I may as well get a multiple since I like to leave every three months to go to Laos.

[Maestro]

If you get a new extension of stay immigration will obviously put it in the passport that is valid, thus if you already have your new passport that is where it will go. Any re-entry permit based on your old extension of stay will lose its validity when you get your new extension, which means that you will have to get a new re-entry permit based on your new extension. Once you get your new passport, just go to your immigration office with both your old and new passports and they will do the right thing.

[riceyummm]

Last November you got what? A one year extension from immigration inside Thailand? Or a non immigrant O-A visa (retirement) from your home country? If O-A visa was it single entry or multi entry?

As said a re-entry permit has the same validity as your current permitted to stay stamp. But it would not be needed with a multi O-A visa obtained in November. And it should be valid for far longer than 90 days if you obtained a one year extension in November.

Thanks everyone for the helpful answers, all of which made me even more confused until you Loburi3 inspired me to take a closer look at my passport and sure enough, I screwed up. The re-entry permit is good until 2014 and not 2013 as I thought. I got the non-immigrant visa (or extension, but it does say Non-Immigrant Visa at the top) at Khon Kaen Immigration. That re-entry permit is now stamped USED so I assume I need another one for my next trip? Is there any problem getting another one or more if I will be going back and forth?

Thanks again everyone.

[lopburi3]

If it says visa you must have converted to a 90 day stay first and then extended for one year. First 2,000 baht and then 1,900 baht? Or have you not extended it yet? If you have extended and have a permitted to stay to some time in the future you can obtain a new re-entry permit to keep that stay alive for your return. If you do not return before that date you should obtain a single entry non immigrant O visa for your return and then 60-90 days later extend for one year retirement stay.

[riceyummm]

If it says visa you must have converted to a 90 day stay first and then extended for one year. First 2,000 baht and then 1,900 baht? Or have you not extended it yet? If you have extended and have a permitted to stay to some time in the future you can obtain a new re-entry permit to keep that stay alive for your return. If you do not return before that date you should obtain a single entry non immigrant O visa for your return and then 60-90 days later extend for one year retirement stay.

That explains a lot. It does say non-O in the middle of the big stamp, on the next page is a square stamp for admittance until 7FEB 2013 and under that an extension stamp for one year.

Thanks again!