Re-entry permit at the airport - what's the definitive answer?

[darkian]

I've looked around online, and I see that some people have got these from the airport with no form or photo required. This website says elsewhere that you need to go to an immigration office. So what's the real answer? If you are on a B or ED visa and need to exit the country for week or two, can you just do it at the airport?

 

Thanks.

[Crossy]

At Swampy you just need your passport, they fill in the form and take the photo, you pay 200 Baht extra for the privilege.

 

The desk is after security, down the escalator and turn right (there's a sign saying "re-entry visa"). Takes 15-20 mins.

[darkian]

Thanks for the clarification, appreciated.

[ubonjoe]

You can get a re-entry permit at either airport in Bangkok on departure from the country 24 hours a day.

[inbangkok]

You can get a re-entry permit at either airport in Bangkok on departure from the country 24 hours a day.

Is it true that doing this at an airport is only for an emergency situation? Can they reject you otherwise and say you should have gone to immigration instead?

[darkian]

The first two replies suggest that isn't the case and I'm happy to go with that answer, and I'm guessing those people answered from personal experience.

 

The main problem with my Google search was tons of results with people saying 'oh no I think maybe possibly I heard that perhaps you can't', hence my request for a definitive answer.

[Crossy]

 

You can get a re-entry permit at either airport in Bangkok on departure from the country 24 hours a day.

Is it true that doing this at an airport is only for an emergency situation? Can they reject you otherwise and say you should have gone to immigration instead?

 

 

At one time this was the case, but it's no longer an issue.

 

There was a period a few years back where there was no re-entry desk at the airport (it had been closed down apparently because of lack of use) when you could still get a re-entry in an 'emergency', I suspect that there were more 'emergencies' than anticipated so they re-opened the desk.
 

[darkian]

Thanks again.

[10years]

At Swampy you just need your passport, they fill in the form and take the photo, you pay 200 Baht extra for the privilege.

 

The desk is after security, down the escalator and turn right (there's a sign saying "re-entry visa"). Takes 15-20 mins.

 

What's the set-up at Don Meuang? Do you need to bring photo, filled-in form and copies of your passport?

 

Note that at Swampy, if you want to get a re-entry permit there, you have no choice but to use their B200 service. They refused to take one guy's paperwork. Also, even though the process is semi-automated and fast, there might be a line because there is only one operator, and you still have to wait for a higher-up to approve the permit, so leave some time for all of that.

[jayceenik]

I flew out to SIN through Swampy in late May.
I had a Re-entry visa from ChaengWattana but I wanted to check the desk where they issue those Re-entry visas.
The Re-entry visa desk is indeed where BM Crossy above says it is and a big sign proclaims it to be open 24/7 so there should be no problems there. But, like BM 10years warns above, schedule plenty time in case of congestion.

I usually get a Re-entry visa at CW when I do my yearly extension but it's a couple extra hours wait to get it, a 1000b fee, and (more important) a passport page wasted if I don't use it - I didn't use three of four in the past four years !

I think I'll skip the CW Re-entry visa at next extension and use the airport solution if need be to fly out again.

[Crossy]

Note that at Swampy, if you want to get a re-entry permit there, you have no choice but to use their B200 service. They refused to take one guy's paperwork.

Last time I was there (mid July) the immigration lady (very pleasant and chatty) was moaning that a few people were refusing to pay the 200 Baht fee and insisting on doing their own forms. At the time they were permitting this but no surprises that it's been stopped.

 

How cheap does one have to be?

[OJAS]

I flew out to SIN through Swampy in late May.
I had a Re-entry visa from ChaengWattana but I wanted to check the desk where they issue those Re-entry visas.
The Re-entry visa desk is indeed where BM Crossy above says it is and a big sign proclaims it to be open 24/7 so there should be no problems there. But, like BM 10years warns above, schedule plenty time in case of congestion.

I usually get a Re-entry visa at CW when I do my yearly extension but it's a couple extra hours wait to get it, a 1000b fee, and (more important) a passport page wasted if I don't use it - I didn't use three of four in the past four years !

I think I'll skip the CW Re-entry visa at next extension and use the airport solution if need be to fly out again.

 

Thankfully my local immigration office (Rayong - Maptaput) process both extension of stay and re-entry permit applications on a one-stop basis at the same window, meaning no double queuing-up. Furthermore they always affix the extension of stay and re-entry permit stamps right next to each other on the same passport page.

 

Personally I will stick with this method since the re-entry permit desk at Suvarhabhumi has always proved remarkably conspicuous by its complete invisibility whenever I have exited through Immigration. I can only assume that it sees me coming and temporarily disappears into thin air! 

 

However I did finally manage to track down last time round the location of the desk where overstayers part with their 20,000 THB. Not that I needed to avail myself of its services of course 

[10years]

 

Thankfully my local immigration office (Rayong - Maptaput) process both extension of stay and re-entry permit applications on a one-stop basis at the same window, meaning no double queuing-up. Furthermore they always affix the extension of stay and re-entry permit stamps right next to each other on the same passport page.

 

That is great! Wish CW did that, instead of us having to go back to the main desk to get another queue number and wait another hour (or more if you have to wait for lunch time like I had to do once). Maybe I'll ask them next year at renewal (if I remember).

 

Still waiting for info on the situation at Don Meuang. Do they do it for you for a charge like at Swampy, or do you have to do it the old way yourself?