Re Entry

[JWNZ]

I have an O-A multiple entry visa that expires 16th September 2015.

I will be overseas from September 4th and returning September 15th.

Because my return is only a day before the visa expiry date, do you think it advisable to obtain a re-entry permit when leaving

in case of say an unexpected plane delay which could contribute to me arriving "after" the 16th September visa expiry date?

I also have a trip planned in April, so returning on my original visa will be well within its time frame, giving me permission to stay until

April 2016.

Finally, if all goes to plan and I arrive back September 15th, will immigration record my arrival against my original visa, so I can use

my separate re entry at a later date?

[ubonjoe]

Is September 16th the enter before date on your visa? People sometimes think the validity starts on the date of entry is the reason I ask this.

You could get a re-entry permit to be safe. It would be up to the immigration officer when you enter the country whether they use your visa or re-entry permit to stamp you into the country.

If your visa is used for entry your re-entry permit would no longer be valid because your new permit to stay date would not be the same as the one it is based upon.

[KhunBENQ]

Finally, if all goes to plan and I arrive back September 15th, will immigration record my arrival against my original visa, so I can use

my separate re entry at a later date?

This is the tricky question.

Not using an existing reentry permit.

No idea whether they will accept/overlook that?

Enter the original visa number in the arrival card and fingerpoint to the visa page

Otherwise I would have said: sure get a reentry permit valid until April 2016.

You don't fancy a short border run end of August and then getting a reentry permit until August 2016

[JWNZ]

Is September 16th the enter before date on your visa? People sometimes think the validity starts on the date of entry is the reason I ask this.

You could get a re-entry permit to be safe. It would be up to the immigration officer when you enter the country whether they use your visa or re-entry permit to stamp you into the country.

If your visa is used for entry your re-entry permit would no longer be valid because your new permit to stay date would not be the same as the one it is based upon.

Yes September 16th is the enter before date on the original visa.

So I guess what you are saying, obtaining a re entry visa just to be safe, isn't a bad idea?

If all goes to plan and I arrive as scheduled, I'm presuming my permission to stay date will be re stamped as 15th Sept 2016

irrespective of the re entry expiry date?

Cheap insurance and easier than going through the whole visa process again, in the event of a delay and possible expiry.

[Suradit69]

Couldn't you do a border crossing before your planned trip on 4th September. When you re-entry Thailand on your soon-to-expire O-A, you will get a new one year permission to stay. If you then applied for a re-entry permit (and I'm guessing about this point) wouldn't the re-entry permit have the same validity as your most recent permission to stay?

If you then return from your planned trip before the visa expires, immigrations would give you another year's permission to stay based on the visa entry.

If you missed the expiration of the visa, the re-entry permit ought to maintain the (nearly) year long permission to stay you got at the border crossing.