Can I get a re-entry permit at Phuket airport?

[Tapster]

My wife has to fly to South Africa at short notice, for a funeral.

It would save a great deal of time if we could get a re-entry permit at Phuket airport.

I can't find a definitive answer to whether or not it can be done.

Can anyone tell me for sure, please?

[stevenl]

Yes, can be done.

[Tapster]

Thanks for your response Steven.

As there's rather a lot riding on it, please can you tell me a little more?

Have you ever done it yourself?

How old is your information? I read an article in Phuketwan, dated 2009, saying that rules had changed and it was no longer possible.

Cheers

[stevenl]

There was a similar question a week ago or so, a quick search should yield that.

[Tapster]

I did a Google search, not a forum search as I'm subscribed to the Phuket forum and would have expected to see the thread you speak of. I must have missed it.

Anyway, the thread gives mixed messages so we're off to Phuket Town to get a permit this morning.

[sketcher]

I did get one there but they wanted me to go to immigration in town to get it. As it was over songkran and the town office was closed they could do it there. Possibly only when town office is closed.

[arby]

I did it last month. No problem at all. I just checked in a few hours early for an international flight and told the immigration officer at the check out area that I needed a re-entry permit and he sent me over to a small office just behind him where there were 3 or 4 immigration officers working. It took me about 15 minutes or so to complete the whole routine. No problem at all.

[Tapster]

Thanks for the posts. We've just returned from Phuket Town immigration with the re-entry permit. It took 40 minutes start to finish.

When we go to the airport tonight I'll check out the availability of re-entry permits and see if I can get a definitive answer. Then I'll post it here.

Cheers

[beechbum]

Post #7 seems rather definitve.

[stevenl]

Post #7 seems rather definitve.

I would be interested in the times though. From earlier posts it seems that obtaining a re-entry at the airport is possible only if immigration in town is closed.

[Tapster]

Yes, I mean I'd like to know how reliably one can turn up at any time and get a re-entry permit.

The reason we went to immigration today rather than risk the airport method is that it's clear from the posts that not everyone who wants a permit at the airport gets one.

I think it might be useful if I could find out the circumstances in which one could be certain of getting a permit. I'll try, anyway.

[eisfeld]

I had to get a re-entry permit a month ago. Immigration said that they usually only do it when the office in town is closed or for emergencies. So they do make exceptions but you have to give them a good reason as they don't want it to become a regular thing it seems.

[phuketjock]

Yes, I mean I'd like to know how reliably one can turn up at any time and get a re-entry permit.

The reason we went to immigration today rather than risk the airport method is that it's clear from the posts that not everyone who wants a permit at the airport gets one.

I think it might be useful if I could find out the circumstances in which one could be certain of getting a permit. I'll try, anyway.

If you or your wife require a re-entry permit then I assume that you are staying in Thailand

on a visa extension of some kind and that you have to re-new it each year?

If so you could have saved you and your wife all this hassle if you had obtained a re-entry

permit when you re-newed your extensions, for a mere 1000 baht each it is more than worth

it for the peace of mind, you never know when you might need to leave the country for any

reason as you are now finding out.

[disagreeofit]

I lost my one year visa at Phuket airport last year, I was flying to Bali, I forgot to get a re-entry, my flight was at 6,30 am and the immigration was not open. They said it opened at 8am.

[LivinginKata]

I lost my one year visa at Phuket airport last year, I was flying to Bali, I forgot to get a re-entry, my flight was at 6,30 am and the immigration was not open. They said it opened at 8am.

I think you mean to say that you lost your one year extension ...

[Tapster]

I lost my one year visa at Phuket airport last year, I was flying to Bali, I forgot to get a re-entry, my flight was at 6,30 am and the immigration was not open. They said it opened at 8am.

Hard luck!

Was it easy to get another extension?

[Tapster]

Humble apologies if anyone is waiting to hear my "definitive" response from Phuket Airport.

We arrived quite late for check-in and I had to drop my wife off and rush off again rather than park up and have time to investigate.

However, after all the posts and discussion in this thread, we will always go to Phuket Town/Patong Immigration for our re-entry permit in future, unless it's a real emergency, in which case it may be worth the hassle of having to get a new extension on return to the Kingdom.

Yes, yes.......the prepared ex-pat might always have a re-entry permit ready for such eventualities, but I'd rather save my 1,000 THB and only get one when I need one. Real emergencies are fortunately very rare.

Finally, I suspect there doesn't exist a reliably definitive timetable for the availability of re-entry permit services at Phuket Airport. At least, if someone refused you a permit, I doubt you could wave such a timetable in front of them and demand your rights!

[stevenl]

it may be worth the hassle of having to get a new extension on return to the Kingdom

You'd first have to get a new visa (Penang e.g.), and after that the extension.

[Tapster]

it may be worth the hassle of having to get a new extension on return to the Kingdom

You'd first have to get a new visa (Penang e.g.), and after that the extension.

Really, Steven, I see.

Well, it would have to be a REAL emergency then!

I'm looking forward to hearing the experience of Disagreeofit in post 14.

[sketcher]

If it's that much of an emergency maybe better to fly out of Bangkok where you can get the re-entry any time.

[Tapster]

@Sketcher

An excellent suggestion, and precisely what I will be doing in an emergency!

Nice one, man, thanks!

[KarenBravo]

Don't think you can get the extension in Patong. Must be Phuket Town.

[merijn]

Phuket Airport will "normally" only issue a single re-entry permits in case of the closure of Phuket town office or in emergencies.

If you can convince the officer of your emergency you should be be able to get one.

I did not hear that they had only certain opening times

[IM Hip]

Post #7 is correct. I found out the hard way that you can get a re-entry at Phuket airport. Was headed to Singapore yesterday morning and realized just before leaving home that I forgot to get a re-entry. Got to the airport and yes I got one there. Tell the immigration officer you need one and they take you to a little office and it's done in 15 minutes. Don't forget to bring a 4x6cm photo tho. They must not do it a lot tho because the officer asked me how much I usually pay for a re-entry.

[Karakondjul]

Hi! A small Dec 2016 update from our group:

Short answer is: YES, you can get a re-entry permit at Phuket aiport when you hold a single-entry tourist visa for Thailand (and you want to leave Thailand for a while and return back, probably for your return flight home), even during the night (if you a very early departure flight from Phuket).

We were a group of 15 people, travelling throughout Thailand and part of our plan was to fly from Phuket to Siem Reap (Cambodia) to visit Angkor Wat and etc for 3 days, and then come back to take some more time in Thailand before leaving. Our flight was 6:30am, so we were supposed to be 4am at the aiport for check in and visa formalities. Our major concern was that during the night shift (4am!) it might be a problem to get re-entry permit, but all was OK. We showed up at the Passport Control at Phuket Airport before proceeding to the departure gates, we told the officers we need re-entry permits issued and they directed us to the Immigration Office to the far-left of the passport control booths. So important things are:
1. Allow time for this procedure - I would recommend at least 30-40mins for this only. We were 12 re-entry permits issued at 4am and the officer woke up some other officers definitely sleeping in the Immigration Office to help him out process us all - so it takes time for them to remember what forms to be filled in and etc.
2. Bring an extra photo 4x6cm for the re-entry permit (the standard needed for Thai visa). If you fly to Cambodia, you will need 1 more photo there also to obtain the Cambodia entry visa. 
3. Fee: 1200 baht. Although the Ministry of Foreign Affairs says the fee is 1,000 baht, they charged everybody 1,200 baht - we tried to ask, but they mumbled something about processing, etc, but I believe that was a lie. We didn't want to argue to much as we really needed the re-entry permit to take our flight back home. 
4. Does it work in the night? Yes, it works, but allow more time to wake up the needed immigration officers to help you out. If you hit a group like ours, you might be delayed extra :)

Enjoy your adventure!

PS. If you are eligible for "visa on arrival" for Thailand and you already have used your single entry tourist visa (like our case, we were eligible), we heard (not 100% sure, but still very very probable) that you are allow to stay for no more than 24 hours in Thailand before departing on your exit-the-country flight - so it will be more like a 24h transit visa - SO GET YOUR RE-ENTRY PERMIT BEFORE LEAVING THAILAND - that's the safest option to be able to return for sightseeing in Thailand again on this trip. 

[Jimi007]

As someone else said, just get a re-entry permit when you get your extension. Cover your ass in case you need to leave, it's only 1,000 Baht to not have to worry.

[madmax2]

16 hours ago, Jimi007 said:

As someone else said, just get a re-entry permit when you get your extension. Cover your ass in case you need to leave, it's only 1,000 Baht to not have to worry.

I get one every year when i do my visa extension even though i have not used it for 3 years, saves a lot of hassles if you need to leave in a hurry or just go on a overseas holiday

1000 baht is a lot cheaper than turning up at the airport without one if they cannot issue one there and you have to go overseas to get a new visa and start the process again

Edited January 31, 2017 by madmax2