Hi there,

I got my ED visa last week (1 year) and starting school in August. However, I *might* need to go out of Thailand to finish a project.

So the question I have - " If I get my re-entry permit, is there an expiration on it if I leave for a few weeks or 2-3 months? "

I know my school have new class every month so I don't think there a problem there but just worried about still having my ED visa if i'm out for a while.

Any feedback would be welcome!

Thanks

The re-entry permit is valid for the length of your current permission of stay, but the visa is issued contingent upon class-attendence. Given the strong negative stigma on "Ed Visas" with some IOs, I would expect to be questioned about the use of this visa on entry.

There is a famous case of a French man "sent home" from the airport (not allowed to fly out to anywhere else), when using a re-entry permit on a valid Ed-visa. They used the "no money" clause to reject him, but others have been "sent home" who showed money, so facts are not always relevant. The only option, if this happens, is to buy a last minute ticket out, or appeal the decision, spending up to 7 days in detention during that process.

If denied entry at a land-border, you could at least turn around and go to a nearby consulate to obtain a new visa. You can legally attend classes while on a Tourist Visa.

Did you get a extension of stay at immigration or a visa at an embassy or consular.

With a multiple entry non-ed visa valid for one year you will have to leave the country every 90 days and do not need a re-entry permit.