Re-entry Permit Procedure

[shaunhng]

Hi,

I have a tourist visa and just decided to visit Malaysia and back to Thailand before the visa expired. I heard that I have to get a re-entry permit and I'm wondering how do I do that? In the airport? And should I do it when I'm leaving to Malaysia or when I'm entering Thailand?

Thanks

[jayenram]

Re entry permits are required by people who have a 1 year extension of their visa. It does not apply to a tourist visa holder.

If you have a single entry tourist visa, it will be void and you will need to get another before re-entering Thailand.

If you have a multiple entry tourist visa, it can be used at any time during it's validity to re-enter Thailand.

[Thaiquila]

Of course if you are from a country eligible for 30 day stamps on arrival, there is no need to get a new visa if the remainder of your stay in Thailand is under 30 days.

[lopburi3]

A re entry permit keeps your permitted to stay alive and can be used by anyone. If you have reason to keep your current stay you obtain the re entry permit prior to travel out of Thailand - either at Don Muang or an immigration office. Cost is 1,000 baht so if you can enter without charge for the amount of time you want to remain it would not be cost effective. But if you are on a 60 day entry and it is now day 5 and you will return on day 10 and plan to stay the full time (or longer/extend) it may make sense.

[doctormann]

I have a somewhat related question on re-entry permits.

I am in LoS on a retirement basis and have recently got my extension of stay stamp, which is valid until July 2007. I also have a multiple re-entry permit with the same validity.

If I now leave LoS and subsequently return, what do I put on the entry card where it says 'Visa Number'? Is this the number of the re-entry permit or that of the extension stamp? I'm asking this because on a previous trip (prior to the current extension but again with a multiple re-entry permit and an expired visa) I must have used the wrong number because Immigration at Don Muang pulled me up about this. I just said 'Sorry, you can change number?' and they did, with no argument. I don't know which number they used in the end though as it was on the portion of the card that they keep.

A small point but I do like to avoid any problems where possible.

DM

[lopburi3]

The re entry permit number is what you put on the TM.6 arrival form.

[Jimbo551]

The re entry permit number is what you put on the TM.6 arrival form.

I agree - I had exactly this issue the last time I came back and the number they are looking for is the number on the re-entry stamp.

[doctormann]

The re entry permit number is what you put on the TM.6 arrival form.

I agree - I had exactly this issue the last time I came back and the number they are looking for is the number on the re-entry stamp.

Thanks guys. That clears up that issue.

DM

[shaunhng]

A re entry permit keeps your permitted to stay alive and can be used by anyone. If you have reason to keep your current stay you obtain the re entry permit prior to travel out of Thailand - either at Don Muang or an immigration office. Cost is 1,000 baht so if you can enter without charge for the amount of time you want to remain it would not be cost effective. But if you are on a 60 day entry and it is now day 5 and you will return on day 10 and plan to stay the full time (or longer/extend) it may make sense.

Thanks a lot and Im wondering how do I get a re-entry permit in the airport?

Thanks

[lopburi3]

After you check in for your flight you go to Terminal 1 Immigration Re entry desk and obtain. It costs 1,000 baht and photos. Normally takes about 20 minutes from reports. I would get from immigration myself; where there is no time pressure.

[jayenram]

A re entry permit keeps your permitted to stay alive and can be used by anyone.

I learn more every day from you Lop. Cheers.

[wpcoe]

I'm still not confident about multiple-entry visas and re-entry permits: BOTH are required, correct?

I'm hoping to soon apply for a multiple-entry retirement visa. Once I have the visa, I still have to get a re-entry permit before leaving Thailand each time, right? And I can obtain a re-entry permit for B1,000 at an Immigrations office ... in Pattaya for example ... and then not deal with anything else at the airport other than present my passport and boarding pass to the Immigrations inspector.

Have I got it correct?

[lopburi3]

In your home country there may be a visa called O-A and that may come in multi entry type and if you obtain that the policy has been to stamp you into the country of Thailand for one year on each entry. So a re entry permit would not be required with that type of visa while the visa (date stamped by Consulate) is still valid.

But for most people who get a single entry O-A overseas or an extension of stay from Immigration in Thailand they will need a re entry permit to keep your current permitted to stay in Thailand alive. This must be obtained prior to travel outside of Thailand. You can obtain at all full immigration offices and I would also do prior to airport. Cost is 1,000 baht single trip or 3,800 baht multi (which lasts until your current permitted to stay stamp date)

[wpcoe]

Good thing I asked!

I might not get an O-A in my motherland (USA).

If I enter Thailand on a Non-Immigrant O, or a Tourist Visa, and then go to the Immigrations office in Pattaya to convert to a Retirement Visa, can I get a multiple-entry Retirement Visa? Or is the only way to get a multiple-entry retirement visa by doing it in one's country of citizenship via the O-A?

If I cannot get a multiple-entry Retirement Visa within Thailand, then the B3800 multiple-reentry permit would be basically the same thing, correct? i.e. With either (a) a USA-issued multiple-entry O-A Visa, or ( an issued-by-Pattaya-Immigrations retirement visa with B3800 multi permit, I need not hassle with anything else ... either at the airport on departure nor at immigrations office in advance of each departure ... besides the standard presentation of my passport and boarding pass on the day of departure?

Am I getting close to getting this right?

[lopburi3]

You do not obtain a visa inside Thailand so all you get is an extension of stay. That will require a re entry permit to be purchased to keep it alive if you travel. And getting it early removes any last minute airport worries. Your getting there.

[wpcoe]

Many thanks for your patience. Please bear with me, and tell me if I got this right:

A friend of mine will go to Chicago and get a multiple-entry O-A visa. When he arrives in Thailand they will stamp his passport. For one year he can come and go as often as he pleases, without ever obtaining a re-entry permit or paying another baht to Thai Immigrations.

I, on the other hand, am loathe to make the long round-trip journey to the USA to get an O-A, so plan to get a tourist or Non-Imm O visa in Hong Kong. I will arrive in Thailand, and go to the Pattaya Immigrations office to extend/convert to a Retirement Visa. Since my visa is not multiple re-entry, I will pay B3800 for a multiple re-entry permit and from that point for the rest of the one year, I, too, can come and go as often as I please without ever paying another baht to Thai Immigrations.

In both cases, we need not notify Thai Immigrations in advance of our departure from Thailand. We simply just show up at the airport and go.

Is that how it works? <fingers crossed>

[lopburi3]

That works. The only correction is that you will have an extension of stay for one year rather than a visa so it makes no difference if your starting visa was multi entry or not - to keep the extension of stay alive requires the re entry permit for you.

[atwr]

"A re entry permit keeps your permitted to stay alive and can be used by anyone. ... But if you are on a 60 day entry ...it may make sense"

If I read this post right then the re-entry can be used with a 60 day tourist visa, right? The only thing I could find in a search was in relation to 'extension of stay'

Is this still nessassary when applying? : "copy of passport (main page and recent entry stamp)"

Thanks,

[bonsaimax]

After you check in for your flight you go to Terminal 1 Immigration Re entry desk and obtain. It costs 1,000 baht and photos. Normally takes about 20 minutes from reports. I would get from immigration myself; where there is no time pressure.

any idea where to get it in the new airport, lopburi3?

thx

[lopburi3]

I intend to avoid for awhile and have not seen anyone mention yet. I would not use the service in any case being of the high blood pressure type when in travel status. It is an immigration office prior to travel time for me.