I will be leaving Thailand for a holiday. I am coming back on the 1st of September.

My yearly extension is due on the 7th of October. Do I need the reentry to maintain my retirement or can I just use the 30 day and wait a week or two and then go in for my yearly permission.

Basically am I running the risk of having to apply for my retirement again just to save a 1,000 baht?

On the positive side I will get a chance to see the new immigration office.

If you dont get a re-entry permit then your retirement visa lapses or becomes null and void. When you go for the extension of retirement visa, or the annual re-newal you will be in for a nasty shock.

Best to get the re-entry permit and then your extension when due will be a lot easier.

So basically your thoughts are correct. Without the re-entry permit you will have to apply for a retirement visa as a newbie.....and nowadays that means you have to apply for a non immigrant A visa first and that I believe has to be done out of the country. Once that has a month left to run then you apply to have it transferred to a retirement visa. Too much pain?

Have a great holiday....

"My yearly extension is due on the 7th of October. Do I need the reentry to maintain my retirement or can I just use the 30 day and wait a week or two and then go in for my yearly permission."

You need to get a re-entry permit or you will have no yearly permission for which to apply. If you don't obtain the re-entry permit prior to leaving, your permission to stay (for purposes of retirement) becomes null and void. Coming back into the country on a 30 day visa exemption means you'll have to start the application process for your "retirement visa" all over again (and - due to a recent rule change - I think this means two trips to Bangkok Immigration.)

You want the re-entry permit.

Go mid-week in the afternoon, and you can be out of there in 20 minutes. Might as well get a new sheet of photos at Fuji for 120 thb, then you will have some left-over for renewal. Most say getting one at the airport is fullproof, however, my recent experience with their computer systems says otherwise. I like to avoid Vientianne as much as the IRS Office and more than the dentist office.

Thanks fellows.

I kind of figured that was the case but these things can confuse me. The 1000 baht won't break me and it will give me a chance to see the new office in Promenada. I hope it is efficient. I don't see why it wouldn't be any different than the old office except much nicer surroundings and hopefully more staff and for me Ragu. Maybe even a movie.

I will just re-emphasize what others have said. It is critical that you get a re-entry permit before exiting the country as the moment you leave without one your extension is no longer valid and have to start from scratch with obtaining a new Visa.

UbonJo please pipe in, as you know I just went through this crap with the "wrong" advice.

OP we need more info on your Visa. Is it a Non -OA with multiple or was it an extension obtained in Thailand? Different rules for each. With the OA you need to leave and return on or before the "use by date". Leaving before and returning after does not work. No exceptions. Then you will get an additional year extension from the date you return if the Officer likes you. Your multi entery permit expires on the "Use before date" so a re-entry permit is required affter that date.

You need a re-entry permit if you plan to leave the country after the "use by date". If that is the case, then you will get an extension only until the "admitted to stay date". Then you will need to apply for an 'Extension to stay" anytime before that admitted to stay date expires.

Also check the expiration on your Passport. They will only approve lenght of stay until that date. Hope that helps you.

OP we need more info on your Visa. Is it a Non -OA with multiple or was it an extension obtained in Thailand? Different rules for each.

He's on an annual extension based on retirement as per his OP and previous posting history.

I'll go ahead and move this to the Visa forum in case he needs further clarification. But being on an annual permission of stay based on retirement he needs the re-entry permit to keep his permission of stay live.

One point I am always mindful of is that if they change the qualifications for extensions they do in some cases allow grandfathering so that those who received their extensions under the old rules can continue to do so. By starting again you are losing your history of extensions which if things change could have an adverse effect on any future renewal.

OP we need more info on your Visa. Is it a Non -OA with multiple or was it an extension obtained in Thailand? Different rules for each.

He's on an annual extension based on retirement as per his OP and previous posting history.

I'll go ahead and move this to the Visa forum in case he needs further clarification. But being on an annual permission of stay based on retirement he needs the re-entry permit to keep his permission of stay live.

Thanks, it wasn't clear to me what he was asking and I just went thru a lot of crap to get my extention I shouldn't have to do had I gotten the accurate info....by the way it came "from" Immigration!