I'm 32 years old, travelling on a UK passport and have a 1 year No-immigrant ED visa. Have not yet extended into the second 3 month span but my second extension will be valid until April 25th.

I want to leave Thailand in early April and return after April 25th so will need to apply for a re-entry permit and I understand that a re-entry permit needs to be specific to an extension span. So my question is, do I have to get the re-entry permit for my second or third extension?

I.e, which of the following is true (if any)...

1) During my second extension, I go to immigration, get the third extension and while I'm at it, get a re-entry permit on the third extension. I can then leave whenever and come back any time before the third extension expires.

OR..

2) I apply for a re-entry permit on the second extension and leave during this extension. Then on returning to Thailand, the third extension will be activated on the way back in. (this would mean I miss out on the whole extension process and payment so is maybe not likely).

Hope this is clear!

A reentry permit is only good for your current permission so the permit will only be valid until 25 April. If you return after 25 April you will only get a visa exempt entry, 15 days by land, 30 by air , and you will have to start the ED visa process all over again. You must go to immigration with the proper parer work from the school to activate the next 90 days on or before 25 April.

Do you have multiple entry visa from an embassy or consulate or an extension of stay from immigration.

If you have a visa you don't need a re-entry permit.

If I where you I would get a 1 time re entry The difficulty with an Ed Visa is you have to renew it every 9o days so the Re entry is not good after the 90 days

Otherwise if you get a multiple re entre it will still expire on the date of you last 90 days

I have a question about this as well. If you have a one year ED visa, you can do a visa run within the 90 days, and then the 2nd 90 days will be activated right? I was told that I can not go to immigration for the extension, because i'm not enrolled in a thai university. (I will be in Thailand for an internship for my education at home)

And do you have to pay for activating the next 90 days when doing a visa run? Or can I do a visa run to Laos, return the same day and when I'm entering Thailand again, I just get another stamp to activate the 2nd 90 days?

Edited November 4, 201312 yr by Nynke

Get the extension first before you leave Thailand and get the re entry permit on that new extension. You might loose the days you leave earlier then 25th April but around Songkran you might be lucky and they extend 3months starting from April 25th.... I have exactly the same problem and this is what I did.

--> I wanted to leave Thailand for Songkran. My 90 days extension from ED visa expired April 18th 2013. I went to immigration on April 9th, they gave me the extension 3 months starting April 18th. I didnt loose any days, probably because it was around Songkran... Then I got the re entry permit on that new extension and came back end of April.

I have a question about this as well. If you have a one year ED visa, you can do a visa run within the 90 days, and then the 2nd 90 days will be activated right? I was told that I can not go to immigration for the extension, because i'm not enrolled in a thai university. (I will be in Thailand for an internship for my education at home)

You will have to leave the country to get a new 90 day entry. Unless you are enrolled in a university or school here you cannot get an extension

The only costs to do a border run is cost of getting there and visa for entering the other country. You can enter the other country and come right back.

Edited November 4, 201312 yr by ubonjoe

Get the extension first before you leave Thailand and get the re entry permit on that new extension. You might loose the days you leave earlier then 25th April but around Songkran you might be lucky and they extend 3months starting from April 25th.... I have exactly the same problem and this is what I did.

 

--> I wanted to leave Thailand for Songkran. My 90 days extension from ED visa expired April 18th 2013. I went to immigration on April 9th, they gave me the extension 3 months starting April 18th. I didnt loose any days, probably because it was around Songkran... Then I got the re entry permit on that new extension and came back end of April.

All extensions of stay start from your current permit to stay date. You can do them up to 30 days early. You never loose any days by applying early.

You didn't get anything special.

I have a question about this as well. If you have a one year ED visa, you can do a visa run within the 90 days, and then the 2nd 90 days will be activated right? I was told that I can not go to immigration for the extension, because i'm not enrolled in a thai university. (I will be in Thailand for an internship for my education at home)

You will have to leave the country to get a new 90 day entry. Unless you are enrolled in a university or school here you cannot get an extension

Ok thanks, and there will be no problem when doing a visa run, to get the 2nd 90 days activated? Do i have to pay at the border to get the new 90 days entry?

What advantage has an extension over a re-entry? Except not having to leave the country?

Thanks for all the replies peeps. It's as I guessed really, I have to make sure I sort out my last extension and get a re-entry permit on it before I ever leave thailand.

@ubonjoe, yes I just got a single entry ED visa so need to get a re-enty permit. From what I heard, a multiple entry ED visa is only good until the first extension anyway so would have been a waste for me.

I have a question about this as well. If you have a one year ED visa, you can do a visa run within the 90 days, and then the 2nd 90 days will be activated right? I was told that I can not go to immigration for the extension, because i'm not enrolled in a thai university. (I will be in Thailand for an internship for my education at home)

You will have to leave the country to get a new 90 day entry. Unless you are enrolled in a university or school here you cannot get an extension

Ok thanks, and there will be no problem when doing a visa run, to get the 2nd 90 days activated? Do i have to pay at the border to get the new 90 days entry?

What advantage has an extension over a re-entry? Except not having to leave the country?

Nyke, not sure how you got an ED visa without a letter from a university and a signed letter from the ministry of education. ED visas have to be extended at immigration (with an up to date version of the same paperwork I think), not reactivated by doing a boarder run. (at least that's how it seems to be in Chiang Mai). Are you talking about the standard 60+30 day tourist visa?

Edited November 4, 201312 yr by bobfries

I have not yet my visa, I will apply for it in 2 or 3 weeks. I will do an internship in Thailand and the company, as well as the Thai consulate and Thai ambassay here at home, told me to apply for a 1 year ED visa.

They told me to bring this, when applying for the visa:

1. Passport

2. A copy of passport

3. A copy of ticket

4. 2 photos

5. Letter of acceptance from Thai company

6. Letter of guarantee from universities/school in Holland

7. A copy of identity of the person who signs the letter of acceptance

8. Additional documents may be requested as and when necessary.

Thanks for all the replies peeps. It's as I guessed really, I have to make sure I sort out my last extension and get a re-entry permit on it before I ever leave thailand.

@ubonjoe, yes I just got a single entry ED visa so need to get a re-enty permit. From what I heard, a multiple entry ED visa is only good until the first extension anyway so would have been a waste for me.

You wrote in your topic that you had a one year visa so that caused me to ask about it.

If your are only getting 90 day extensions a single re-entry permit is what you need to get.

You could do your extension early in April and get a re-entry permit for it at the same time you do it. Be sure to inform school you want to do it early so they have your paperwork done.

Edited November 4, 201312 yr by ubonjoe

Get the extension first before you leave Thailand and get the re entry permit on that new extension. You might loose the days you leave earlier then 25th April but around Songkran you might be lucky and they extend 3months starting from April 25th.... I have exactly the same problem and this is what I did.

--> I wanted to leave Thailand for Songkran. My 90 days extension from ED visa expired April 18th 2013. I went to immigration on April 9th, they gave me the extension 3 months starting April 18th. I didnt loose any days, probably because it was around Songkran... Then I got the re entry permit on that new extension and came back end of April.

All extensions of stay start from your current permit to stay date. You can do them up to 30 days early. You never loose any days by applying early.

You didn't get anything special.

Good to know how it should be. My other 2 extensions did NOT start on current permit to stay date but the date when I applied for extension, which was 2 and 3 days earlier and the exact date I walked into immigration.

Get the extension first before you leave Thailand and get the re entry permit on that new extension. You might loose the days you leave earlier then 25th April but around Songkran you might be lucky and they extend 3months starting from April 25th.... I have exactly the same problem and this is what I did.

--> I wanted to leave Thailand for Songkran. My 90 days extension from ED visa expired April 18th 2013. I went to immigration on April 9th, they gave me the extension 3 months starting April 18th. I didnt loose any days, probably because it was around Songkran... Then I got the re entry permit on that new extension and came back end of April.

All extensions of stay start from your current permit to stay date. You can do them up to 30 days early. You never loose any days by applying early.

You didn't get anything special.

Good to know how it should be. My other 2 extensions did NOT start on current permit to stay date but the date when I applied for extension, which was 2 and 3 days earlier and the exact date I walked into immigration.

Are you sure because that is not immigrations policy.

You might want to count the 90 days again and include the old permit to stay date in your count. The 90 days can be 2 or 3 days less than 3 months if that is how you looked at the dates.

Edited November 4, 201312 yr by ubonjoe