Immigration Re-Entry Visa

[gmac]

I arrived at 7:30 am and was fifth in the queue outside the doors. By the time the doors were opened (well before opening time) the queue behind me stretched out into the road. The re-entry ticket I got was number 3 so I didn't have to wait more than a few minutes but in twelve years I have never seen the place so packed out. Perhaps it is time to have another building just for the Russians!

Why would so many people now want a reentry permit, is this a loophole to abuse the system?

I can only speculate that many are preparing to leave because they want to

• enjoy spring/summer in the northern hemisphere,
• avoid the hot season here, and
• escape Songkran.

Lines at the airport around this time of year confirm the exodus. Still, I've never waited so long for a re-entry permit. Maybe TAT isn't lying so much when it says the number of visitors to Thailand is up sharply.

Desk 1 and 2 deal with visa xtensions and re-entry.. most people are applying for an extension not a re-entry imo.

As basic visa extensions would appear to be one of the major roadblocks I wonder why they don't have a separate desk for re-entries, or tack it on to one of the less busy desks like desk 5 that deals with retirement extensions. I would have thought that a more logical place anyway as those looking for re-entry are in many cases on longer term visas or permissions to stay.

[besth]

I understand that the re-entry stamp is a nice earner, but why make it so time consuming? If they aren't able to cope with it, forget the paperwork shuffling from one desk to another, just get both desks to just stamp you if you have the right visa already (it is not as if they don't ask for enough documents to get that).

Even better would be to be able to pay for the re-entry stamp at the airport as you are going out of the country, but I understand that the local immigration offices wouldn't want to lose that business.

[gerry53]

I understand that the re-entry stamp is a nice earner, but why make it so time consuming? If they aren't able to cope with it, forget the paperwork shuffling from one desk to another, just get both desks to just stamp you if you have the right visa already (it is not as if they don't ask for enough documents to get that).

Even better would be to be able to pay for the re-entry stamp at the airport as you are going out of the country, but I understand that the local immigration offices wouldn't want to lose that business.

Or allow you to purchase your re entry at the same time as you get your (retirement) visa extension, it would be convenient, practical and prevent long lineups.. They will not allow it.

[NanLaew]

I understand that the re-entry stamp is a nice earner, but why make it so time consuming? If they aren't able to cope with it, forget the paperwork shuffling from one desk to another, just get both desks to just stamp you if you have the right visa already (it is not as if they don't ask for enough documents to get that).

Even better would be to be able to pay for the re-entry stamp at the airport as you are going out of the country, but I understand that the local immigration offices wouldn't want to lose that business.

Or allow you to purchase your re entry at the same time as you get your (retirement) visa extension, it would be convenient, practical and prevent long lineups.. They will not allow it.

That is a serious time-waste. The Udon Immigration will happily do the re-entry permit the day you get your extension stamped in the passport. Just have the forms and passport photos ready for the re-entry application, an extra 5 minutes, pay the cash and away you go.

I will be relocating to Nong Pla Lai so I guess I will be doomed to doing the queue and shuffle in Jomtien some time next year.

[WaywardWind]

I understand that the re-entry stamp is a nice earner, but why make it so time consuming? If they aren't able to cope with it, forget the paperwork shuffling from one desk to another, just get both desks to just stamp you if you have the right visa already (it is not as if they don't ask for enough documents to get that).

Even better would be to be able to pay for the re-entry stamp at the airport as you are going out of the country, but I understand that the local immigration offices wouldn't want to lose that business.

Or allow you to purchase your re entry at the same time as you get your (retirement) visa extension, it would be convenient, practical and prevent long lineups.. They will not allow it.

That is a serious time-waste. The Udon Immigration will happily do the re-entry permit the day you get your extension stamped in the passport. Just have the forms and passport photos ready for the re-entry application, an extra 5 minutes, pay the cash and away you go.

I will be relocating to Nong Pla Lai so I guess I will be doomed to doing the queue and shuffle in Jomtien some time next year.

You can get both on the same day in Jomtien, but in different queues.

My wife and I got our renewals last week and it wound up an all day affair.

First to the bank for the deposit letter, then to Jomtien. Arrived about 1015, got the number for the retirement extension desk, and was finished at the desk about 1130 - less our passports, which we were told to pick up after 1500. Had lunch, came back at 1400 and took a number for the re-entry permit desk. Picked up our passports with the retirement extensions at 1445, then waited until 1600 to be reached at the re-entry permit desk, and then until 1645 to retrieve our passports with all the necessary entries.

Then went home and drank a few beers....

What I think the other poster was referring to was the suggestion that the re-entry permits could be issued as part of the same process as getting the retirement extension, instead of two different queues. That would speed things up quite a bit.

Edited March 25, 2013 by WaywardWind

[gerry53]

I understand that the re-entry stamp is a nice earner, but why make it so time consuming? If they aren't able to cope with it, forget the paperwork shuffling from one desk to another, just get both desks to just stamp you if you have the right visa already (it is not as if they don't ask for enough documents to get that).

Even better would be to be able to pay for the re-entry stamp at the airport as you are going out of the country, but I understand that the local immigration offices wouldn't want to lose that business.

Or allow you to purchase your re entry at the same time as you get your (retirement) visa extension, it would be convenient, practical and prevent long lineups.. They will not allow it.

That is a serious time-waste. The Udon Immigration will happily do the re-entry permit the day you get your extension stamped in the passport. Just have the forms and passport photos ready for the re-entry application, an extra 5 minutes, pay the cash and away you go.

I will be relocating to Nong Pla Lai so I guess I will be doomed to doing the queue and shuffle in Jomtien some time next year.

You can get both on the same day in Jomtien, but in different queues.

My wife and I got our renewals last week and it wound up an all day affair.

First to the bank for the deposit letter, then to Jomtien. Arrived about 1015, got the number for the retirement extension desk, and was finished at the desk about 1130 - less our passports, which we were told to pick up after 1500. Had lunch, came back at 1400 and took a number for the re-entry permit desk. Picked up our passports with the retirement extensions at 1445, then waited until 1600 to be reached at the re-entry permit desk, and then until 1645 to retrieve our passports with all the necessary entries.

Then went home and drank a few beers....

What I think the other poster was referring to was the suggestion that the re-entry permits could be issued as part of the same process as getting the retirement extension, instead of two different queues. That would speed things up quite a bit.

You are either very fortunate to get your visa renewal and re entry the same day or maybe paid an additional fee for this privilige. Even when arriving early for the retirement visa renewal they told all to return after 3pm to pick them up. Even at 1 pm on a separate day they will not even give you a ticket to get a re entry permit, yet you get one after 2 pm. One guy was renewing a retirement visa from Koh Samui on a Friday and he picked his up at 3 pm, he had to wait in town until Monday for his Multple re entry. They always tell me and many friends "can not". I know in the residence permit section a 300 baht fee gets you one in a few hours or less, the normal 200 baht is slower.

I am not saying you did not get it without paying an additional "fee" but in my experience it would be unusual without extra payments or going thru a visa company - there is just no consistency at Jomtien Immigration.

Edited March 25, 2013 by gerry53

[WaywardWind]

That is a serious time-waste. The Udon Immigration will happily do the re-entry permit the day you get your extension stamped in the passport. Just have the forms and passport photos ready for the re-entry application, an extra 5 minutes, pay the cash and away you go.

I will be relocating to Nong Pla Lai so I guess I will be doomed to doing the queue and shuffle in Jomtien some time next year.

You can get both on the same day in Jomtien, but in different queues.

My wife and I got our renewals last week and it wound up an all day affair.

First to the bank for the deposit letter, then to Jomtien. Arrived about 1015, got the number for the retirement extension desk, and was finished at the desk about 1130 - less our passports, which we were told to pick up after 1500. Had lunch, came back at 1400 and took a number for the re-entry permit desk. Picked up our passports with the retirement extensions at 1445, then waited until 1600 to be reached at the re-entry permit desk, and then until 1645 to retrieve our passports with all the necessary entries.

Then went home and drank a few beers....

What I think the other poster was referring to was the suggestion that the re-entry permits could be issued as part of the same process as getting the retirement extension, instead of two different queues. That would speed things up quite a bit.

You are either very fortunate to get your visa renewal and re entry the same day or maybe paid an additional fee for this privilige. Even when arriving early for the retirement visa renewal they told all to return after 3pm to pick them up. Even at 1 pm on a separate day they will not even give you a ticket to get a re entry permit, yet you get one after 2 pm. One guy was renewing a retirement visa from Koh Samui on a Friday and he picked his up at 3 pm, he had to wait in town until Monday for his Multple re entry. They always tell me and many friends "can not". I know in the residence permit section a 300 baht fee gets you one in a few hours or less, the normal 200 baht is slower.

I am not saying you did not get it without paying an additional "fee" but in my experience it would be unusual without extra payments or going thru a visa company - there is just no consistency at Jomtien Immigration.

Nope, no tea money - no one ever said a word when I went for the queue number and that surprised me a bit because while I had the application and supporting documents, I obviously didn't have our passports. Perhaps we just lucked out...

[bender92]

I had the same problem and I noticed that about half the people needed to get another copy done once they reached the desk. The ladies at the copy places know what to copy, just tell them what you are applying for.