Travel Outside Thailand While On Retirement Visa

[Ozziepat]

I have a valid retirement visa and wish to leave Thailand for an extended trip, returning before the end of the nominal one-year visa period. I understand I must have a re-entry visa when I return. I also know that normally I must report to immigration every 90 days during the visa year for a 90-day "extension of stay." My question is:

What if the trip duration means I will be out of the country on the date when I am required to report to Immigration for a regular extension; does the re-entry visa allow this without causing a problem for the retirement visa? I would appreciate hearing from recent experiences under the same conditions.

[JLCrab]

Once you exit Thailand within 90 days of your last report the whole reporting thing becomes moot. You start a new 90 day stay period when you again enter Thailand.

[ubonjoe]

You do not have a retirement visa. You have an extension of stay based upon retirement. You need to obtain a re-entry permit to to keep the extension valid if you wish to leave the coutry.

The reports of staying longer that 90 days in the country are not extensions. You only need to make them if you stay longer than 90 days.

As soon as you leave the country the 90 day count ends. You then will make the next report 90 days from the date you enter the country including that day in the count.

[jimmym40]

To answer your question, your re-entry permit is only valid up until your extension of stay date. If you are out of the country when your annual extension of day arises, your current extension of stay AND re-entry permit are both expired and you will have to start all over again and get a non-o visa, then apply for an extension of stay based on retirement. Hope this makes sense.

[cloghead]

Is it possible to renew the yearly retirement extension at an overseas Thai embassy/consulate if one is out of Thailand when the renewal date arrives? I've been given conflicting answers from several different Immigration offices...

Edited May 14, 2014 by cloghead

[ubonjoe]

Is it possible to renew the yearly retirement extension at an overseas Thai embassy/consulate if one is out of Thailand when the renewal date arrives? I've been given conflicting answers from several different Immigration offices...

It is not possible. Only immigration here can do extensions of stay.

An embassy or consulate could only issue a new non-o visa so you could start all over again if you were not here to do the extension.