Thailand Re-entry Permit – Application and Requirements

The Thailand Re-entry Permit grants immigrants access to Thailand on the grounds they exited the country, and their visa validity period will not be void. In a simple definition, With a re-entry permit, visitors can leave Thailand and come back without their visas expiring.

Most foreigners who travel to Thailand or wish to settle there either temporarily or permanently must get a visa. Thai visas are often provided for stays ranging from thirty days to a year, with the option of single or multiple entries. However, even if you haven’t used the allotted number of days on a visa for a single entrance, you are not permitted to enter again if you leave the country. A Thailand Re-Entry Permit can help with this.

If you leave Thailand without re-entry permission, you will need to reapply for a visa at a Thai Embassy or Consulate to gain entrance.

Who Doesn’t Qualify for a Thailand Re-Entry Permit?

Not everyone qualifies for the Re-entry Permit as much as you will need to secure a Thailand Re-entry Permit when returning to the country.

If you possess one of the following, you are ineligible to apply for a re-entry permit for Thailand:

• A non-extendable, maximum 15-day validity Thailand Visa On Arrival.
• Suppose you have a Thailand Multiple-Entry Tourist Visa or Multiple-Entry Non-Immigrant Visa. In that case, you can enter and exit the country several times within the period your visa is valid without losing it.
• Suppose you entered the country without a visa because you are a citizen of a nation whose citizens do not require a tourist visa for Thailand.

Who Needs a Thailand Re-Entry Permit?

Suppose you have a Single-Entry Visa and want to depart Thailand without your visa expiring; you need a Re-Entry Permit for Thailand. Re-Entry Permits are available for both Tourist and Non-Immigrant Visas. This is especially helpful if you want to stay in Thailand for an extended period (as a worker or student) and wish to be able to enter and exit the country without having to reapply for a visa.

The re-entry permission is valid for as long as the visa is in effect. As a result, the days don’t start over each time you enter Thailand. So, for example, if you re-enter with permission while holding a 30-day visa, you will not get an additional 30 days.

Types of Re-Entry Permits for Thailand

You must understand that Thailand Re-entry Permits are of various types. There are two types.

One can apply for one of two kinds of Thai re-entry permits:

• A single-use Single Re-Entry Permit is available. There is just one exit and entry permitted. The single re-entry permit is valid for just one trip and expires on the same day as your most recent stay extension. Thai Immigration will mark the permit “USED” when you arrive to indicate that it is no longer valid. Before setting off on your subsequent journey, you must get a new Single Re-entry permit.
• For as long as your visa is in effect, you may leave and enter the country more than once with a Multiple Re-Entry Permit. The expiration date of your most recent extension of stay will be used for the Multiple Re-entry Permit’s expiration dates. You are free to leave and come back as often as you choose.

 You must also note that you will need to fill out a new Arrival/Departure card, and a visa number is the number of your Re-entry permission when you return to Thailand.

An individual cannot obtain a re-entry permit if you have a stamp on your passport that says “30 days exempt visa” or “Visa on arrival.”

Requirements for the Thailand Re-entry Permit

Before applying for the Re-entry Permit, you will need to meet the requirements set for the application. 

Certain documents need to be in your possession to proceed with the application. Here are the required documents necessary for the application to commence;

• Your current passport, which bears a stamp from the Thailand visa
• copy of the relevant pages from your passport, including:
• The page with personal information
• Issue/expiration page
• Any changes to the personal information (if applicable)
• the most recent entrance stamp into Thailand
• Stamp for Extension of Stay (if applicable)
• a 4 x 6-centimeter photo of yourself was taken within the previous six months.
• Form TM8, Re-Entry Permit (which you can find and download online). Put the image on the form.
• a duplicate of the Thailand Arrival/Departure Card (T.M.6)
• any other paperwork related to your visit to Thailand.

With a Thailand Resident Permit, you may also require a Work Visa. Here are the Thailand Work Visa – Documents needed and the Application information we have provided.

TM 30 Form

The TM 30 is sometimes referred to as the Notification Form for the Housemaster, Owner, or Possessor of the Residence Where the Foreigner Has Been Staying.

Any foreigner residing in a leased flat or home must have a copy of their Thai ID card, the owner’s House Registration (Turabian Baan), and a copy of the rental contract if the owner fails to file a TM 30 at the closest immigration office. You can act on the owner’s behalf to prevent any repercussions in the future.

When the TM 30 form is correctly filed, Immigration will stamp the returned slip (a receipt of TM 30), and the tenant (a foreign national) must maintain it with their passport since an officer will need it for 90 days and also when the extension of their lease is requested.

How can one apply for a re-entry permit into Thailand?

One of two places—an immigration office before your intended journey or an international airport on the day of your travel—is where you may apply for a re-entry permit for Thailand.

Applying for a Thailand re-entry permit, an Immigration Office

A few days before your journey, if you know in advance that you will be leaving Thailand for a while, you may apply for your Re-Entry Permit at a nearby Thai Immigration Office. Find out the hours of operation for your neighborhood immigration office, then head to a Re-Entry Permit counter with the necessary paperwork and enough cash to cover the expenses.

Depending on the number of people in line, the procedure might take a few minutes to hours.

You must provide the required information, pay the required price, and then wait while the immigration agents process your application and stamp your passport with the Re-Entry Permit.

Applying at an International airport for a Thailand Re-Entry Permit

You can also apply for a Re-Entry Permit from a Thai international airport on your flight day if you prefer not to visit an immigration office. However, before passing through Immigration, you must obtain permission from one of the re-entry permit counters at the airport.

Once more, the time it will take to process your re-entry permission will depend on how many people arrive, so you should arrive before your flight time.

What is the Price of a Thailand Re-Entry Permit?

Thailand Re-Entry Permit for One Entry: 1,000 Thai Baht

Cost of the Thailand Multiple-Entry Re-Entry Permit: 3,800 Thai Baht

The costs at the airport could be more expensive than those at the neighborhood immigration office.

If you choose to wait in line, submit your application before lunch so you may pick it up later that day. Processing times at Thai Immigration offices might range from an hour to half a day.

Please be aware that the re-entry permission does not extend your visa or stay authorization. Instead, it serves as authorization to return to Thailand and use the remaining days on your visa or extension of stay. Therefore, remember to write down the re-entry permission number on Immigration when you return to Thailand.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is a Thai re-entry permit valid?

A non-extendable, maximum 15-day validity Thailand Visa On Arrival. Suppose you have a Thailand Multiple-Entry Tourist Visa or Multiple-Entry Non-Immigrant Visa. In that case, you can enter and exit the country several times within the period your visa is valid without losing it.

How long does it take to obtain a visa for re-entry?

Seven months to ninety days

USCIS normally takes 90 days to 7 months to decide whether to grant a re-entry permit. Because of this, USCIS advises that you apply well in advance of your trip, at the latest 60 days beforehand.

How many times a year is it possible to enter Thailand?

Without a prior visa, travelers will still be issued a 30-day stamp up to six times per calendar year. In addition, the visa exemption stamps can still be extended at Thai Immigration for a charge of 1,900 baht for 30 days.

How many times may I submit a re-entry permit application?

There isn’t a certain number of times you can apply for re-entry permission. However, you will only be given a re-entry visa good for one year if you have spent more than 4 of the preceding five years since receiving a green card outside of the country.

Can my entrance permission be printed?

You must transfer your Re-Entry Permit (REP), if you are a permanent resident with one, to your new travel document if you have one and are also a permanent resident. By utilizing the e-Service, you may transfer your REP online. In addition, you can print off your REP for your records if you successfully transfer it.

Can I spend six months in Thailand?

The validity of a multiple entry tourist visa is six months from the date of issuance. Travelers are only allowed to stay in Thailand for up to 60 days per entrance within six months from the date of arrival, and they must enter the country while their visas are still valid.

Conclusion

Make no mistake exiting Thailand without conclusively completing the Thailand Re-entry Permit application process. If you get it wrong, it will affect your re-entry and, subsequently, your stay.

Please check the Official Website of Thailand Electronic Visa for further information.