TM.8 (Re-entry Permit) Turnaround Time ?

[ChiFlyer]

I will be doing this for the first time at the Chonburi Immigration Office in a few weeks. I am on an O-A Non-Im Long Stay (1 Year) visa. I have read through all the TM.8 instructions and it seems straight forward enough. I did notice that they prefer not to process this until a few weeks before you are leaving Thailand. I am making a side trip within Thailand during my last few weeks. I was wondering if I should expect a same day turnaround at Immigration for the Re-Entry Permit. Just trying to get my timing right and not shoot myself in the foot.

[forcebwithu]

9 minutes ago, ChiFlyer said:

I will be doing this for the first time at the Chonburi Immigration Office in a few weeks. I am on an O-A Non-Im Long Stay (1 Year) visa. I have read through all the TM.8 instructions and it seems straight forward enough. I did notice that they prefer not to process this until a few weeks before you are leaving Thailand. I am making a side trip within Thailand during my last few weeks. I was wondering if I should expect a same day turnaround at Immigration for the Re-Entry Permit. Just trying to get my timing right and not shoot myself in the foot.

Turn around time is less than hour once you hand over your passport and TM8. I get my re-entry permit immediately after my extension to stay, never been told to get it closer to my travel date.

[udontony]

I also get re entry as soon as I know I will be leaving the country, never a problem getting it long before.   Only thing is that the permit expires when you visa expires so you can not carry it over onto the next extension.   I use a different immigration office but turn round time is usually 15 minutes or so.

[usexpat46]

7 minutes ago, udontony said:

I also get re entry as soon as I know I will be leaving the country, never a problem getting it long before.   Only thing is that the permit expires when you visa expires so you can not carry it over onto the next extension.   I use a different immigration office but turn round time is usually 15 minutes or so.

Same experience with me at Jomtien.  I've also noticed a desk at the BKK airport around immigration that offers the permit, don't know if its manned 24 hours.

[ChiFlyer]

Thanks all. I had read that Chonburi does not always issue the permit until you are close to your departure date, but sounds like that is old info, bs, or all of the above.

 

[Goolabert]

An OA Visa  is a multiple entry visa and you can exit and re-enter without a re-entry permit up until the expiration date. Each time you enter you get a stamp for one year from that entry date.

If you exit and re-enter just before the expiration date you will get another one year from  that date but once the visa expires you then need a re-entry permit to keep that final one year stay alive.

The key is being sure of what you really have. Some people that have a one year extension of stay say they have an OA visa

 

[Inigo]

I went to Jomtien Immigration on Christmas morning to get a re-entry permit for my trip back to the UK in May/June. Nice and quiet in the office, everybody smiling and it took just over 5 minutes to get the permit. On a normal day it can take an hour or more. So there's no problem getting it 6 months in advance.

[ChiFlyer]

53 minutes ago, Goolabert said:

......

If you exit and re-enter just before the expiration date you will get another one year from  that date but once the visa expires you then need a re-entry permit to keep that final one year stay alive.

........

 

This is what I am doing.

[udontony]

2 hours ago, usexpat46 said:

Same experience with me at Jomtien.  I've also noticed a desk at the BKK airport around immigration that offers the permit, don't know if its manned 24 hours.

Not sure about the 24 hour opening but there definitely is a place there you can get permit.   I believe you have to pay a bit more than the 1,000 baht for single entry.

[Soi7]

2 hours ago, udontony said:

Not sure about the 24 hour opening but there definitely is a place there you can get permit.   I believe you have to pay a bit more than the 1,000 baht for single entry.

they said open till 12 Midnight

[Wolf Cat]

I'm in Thailand on a Non Imm O (retirement) single entry visa and headed back to the USA in a few weeks for a few months stay, what paperwork do I need to bring to Jomtien Immigration to get a re entry permit?

[Oukiva]

On 05/02/2019 at 14:16, udontony said:

Not sure about the 24 hour opening but there definitely is a place there you can get permit.

I believe you have to pay a bit more than the 1,000 baht for single entry.

At the main airport, Suvarnabhumi, it's open 24/24, sure. 

I think it's the same at Don Muang (but better to verify...)

Price is 1'000 baht, except if you don't have a ID photo: +200 baht

I download and fill the form at home with photo before going.

Count 10-15 minutes.

[ChiFlyer]

38 minutes ago, Wolf Cat said:

I'm in Thailand on a Non Imm O (retirement) single entry visa and headed back to the USA in a few weeks for a few months stay, what paperwork do I need to bring to Jomtien Immigration to get a re entry permit?

That sounds a little odd in that a Non-IM O-A Long Stay (1year) is usually multiple entry, but I guess you know. It is usually after the visa expires that your permission to stay will end unless you have a re-entry permit, which is what I was doing. Anyway the list of what you need is not that long and includes:

• For Multiple Re-entry Permit 3800 baht and about half of that I think for Single re-entry. I needed the multiple.
• TM.8 form that you can get over the internet and fill out in advance.
• Passport
• Copy of Identity Page from passport
• Copy of current permit to stay stamp from passport
• Copy of the last day entered stamp from passport (probably the same page as the permit to stay stamp)
• Copy of TM.6 Departure Card
• Sign all copies. Immigration had me add my phone number to any copy.
• Passport foto

Any copies and the foto can be easily obtained at one of the shops just before you get to Immigration coming from Jomtien Second Road. They know the drill. I like to go early before the place gets too backed up. Middle of the week days seem to be a little less crowded.

[usexpat46]

6 minutes ago, ChiFlyer said:

That sounds a little odd in that a Non-IM O-A Long Stay (1year) is usually multiple entry, but I guess you know. It is usually after the visa expires that your permission to stay will end unless you have a re-entry permit, which is what I was doing. Anyway the list of what you need is not that long and includes:

• For Multiple Re-entry Permit 3800 baht and about half of that I think for Single re-entry. I needed the multiple.
• TM.8 form that you can get over the internet and fill out in advance.
• Passport
• Copy of Identity Page from passport
• Copy of current permit to stay stamp from passport
• Copy of the last day entered stamp from passport (probably the same page as the permit to stay stamp)
• Copy of TM.6 Departure Card
• Sign all copies. Immigration had me add my phone number to any copy.
• Passport foto

Any copies and the foto can be easily obtained at one of the shops just before you get to Immigration coming from Jomtien Second Road. They know the drill. I like to go early before the place gets too backed up. Middle of the week days seem to be a little less crowded.

Single re-entry is 1000 baht so if you're planning on 4 or more trips out of LOS during the year get the multiple.

[Wolf Cat]

19 minutes ago, usexpat46 said:

Single re-entry is 1000 baht so if you're planning on 4 or more trips out of LOS during the year get the multiple.

Yes, I've been living in Pattaya for the past 10 years and haven't made a trip back to the US in 5, so I usually got a single entry visa. 

I wonder how much the USA (Phoenix, AZ) has changed since my last visit...555.

[Oukiva]

3 minutes ago, Wolf Cat said:

Yes, I've been living in Pattaya for the past 10 years and haven't made a trip back to the US in 5, so I usually got a single entry visa. 

Do you know that there are many other countries, nearby Thailand, that worth a visit ? 

And AirAsia offer very good prices if reserved 3-6 months in advance 

[Jarrod2518]

On 05/02/2019 at 11:17, usexpat46 said:

I've also noticed a desk at the BKK airport around immigration that offers the permit, don't know if its manned 24 hours.

I have on many occasions observed that there is a desk stating re-entry visas in the Departure Area, just as you queue for the Immigration desks. However, it does not always appeared to be manned. Has any BM information or experiences in using this airport facility? Appears they can issue the Multiple Re-entry on the spot. This if reliable  could be a convenient way to pick it up.  

[ChiFlyer]

4 minutes ago, Jarrod2518 said:

I have on many occasions observed that there is a desk stating re-entry visas in the Departure Area, just as you queue for the Immigration desks. However, it does not always appeared to be manned. Has any BM information or experiences in using this airport facility? Appears they can issue the Multiple Re-entry on the spot. This if reliable  could be a convenient way to pick it up.  

Earlier in this thread someone said that it is supposed to be open until midnight. Personally, I do not like putting things off to the last minute, especially at an airport. I would prefer to spend an hour or so at Immigration, as fun as that is.

Still it is good know. Might come in handy if one has an emergency situation to address.

 

[Wolf Cat]

35 minutes ago, Oukiva said:

Do you know that there are many other countries, nearby Thailand, that worth a visit ? 

And AirAsia offer very good prices if reserved 3-6 months in advance 

I've been to Kuala Lumpur, Vientiane,  Cambodia and Singapore in the past few years but it was done in conjunction with getting a new single entry visa and my chance to see other SEA countries, 

[usexpat46]

1 hour ago, Jarrod2518 said:

I have on many occasions observed that there is a desk stating re-entry visas in the Departure Area, just as you queue for the Immigration desks. However, it does not always appeared to be manned. Has any BM information or experiences in using this airport facility? Appears they can issue the Multiple Re-entry on the spot. This if reliable  could be a convenient way to pick it up.  

Almost all of my flights out of LOS are very early in the morning, when I pass thru immigration around 5 AM I've never seen that desk manned. 

[Goolabert]

17 hours ago, ChiFlyer said:

Earlier in this thread someone said that it is supposed to be open until midnight. Personally, I do not like putting things off to the last minute, especially at an airport. I would prefer to spend an hour or so at Immigration, as fun as that is.

Still it is good know. Might come in handy if one has an emergency situation to address.

 

It is open 24/7 but the officials might be in the back room if it isn't busy.

I wouldn't do it at the airport either except as a necessity. That happened once when I had to fly to Manila for a job and had to leave with less than 24 hours notice. The computer was down so those of us who had their forms already filled out went quickly while others were having to fill out the forms by hand.

[JAI DEE MAK]

I have known people who have been told to come back to collect it the next day.

so you should plan to get it a few days before you need it.

JDM

[Billyboy294]

On Form TM 8 you have to fill in your address in Thailand. Do you have to provide a copy of a Lease Document (or other) to confirm your address

[Oukiva]

On 05/06/2019 at 15:13, Billyboy294 said:

On Form TM 8 you have to fill in your address in Thailand. Do you have to provide a copy of a Lease Document (or other) to confirm your address

Hi BillyBoy,

No proof of address or anything else required to get a ReEntry Permiy (TM.8), neither at the airport nor at the Immigration Office at Jomtien. You just need your passport. 

I made mine recently at Jomtien; 4 minutes in-out by going there at 15:30.

[Billyboy294]

Many thanks for reply.