Leave & return to Thailand, must report in to=

[Pundi64]

If you have a visa to live in Thailand, retirement or bussiness, 1 year visa, and you leave to visit say Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, or any other country, upon returning you have 24 hours to check into Immigration here in Hau Hin, or get fined 2000 baht.
This is a new one on me, has anyone else heard of this?

Just one more out of many new changes to laws, paperwork etc. to keep us frangs confused!

[Huahinian]

I thought you only needed to report to Immigration on your return if you did not get a re-entry permit. Would be interested if this is not the case.

[Wanderlust]

As far as i know, what you need before you leave is a re-entry permit. The only place I have ever seen to get these has been at the airport (Don Muang but i presume now Suvarnabhumi), but i would imagine that they are obtainable from immigration offices as well. If you leave the country without one, then I have always assumed that you have to go through the visa extension process again, with a brand new visa as well which you would have to obtain outside of Thailand, unless your original visa that you received the extension on is still valid. If immigration are offering this 'after' service then fair play to them, but I wouldn't advise anyone to risk that after all the effort you have to go to to get the extension in the first place!

[Huahinian]

The Immigration Office in Hua Hin do issue re-entry permits and you MUST obtain one before leaving Thailand if you want to continue using your existing visa.

[Nereus]

If you have a visa to live in Thailand, retirement or bussiness, 1 year visa, and you leave to visit say Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, or any other country, upon returning you have 24 hours to check into Immigration here in Hau Hin, or get fined 2000 baht.
This is a new one on me, has anyone else heard of this?

Just one more out of many new changes to laws, paperwork etc. to keep us frangs confused!

I asked this question at Hua Hin Immigration a couple of weeks ago, when I renewed my retirement visa, and obtained a re-entry permit.
The answer was a bit vague, but I think that what they were trying to say was that it depends on the date of your next 90 day reporting: if you where to return after the date of your next required reporting day, then you would have to go and notify them. I may be wrong, but for sure you can obtain a re-entry at Hua Hin, or at the departure airport. And WL is correct, if you leave without a re-entry all bets are off and you have to start again from scratch.

[sargeant]

before i went to the uk for my heart probs i got a re-entry visa i was in the uk for 6 weeks when i returned as told to me by immigration hua hin i reported 90 days after my entry back into thailand with no problems this was jun 27 2007 (entry date) plus 90 days
sounds like another case of interpretation by an individual imm officer I always try to get the same one

[lomuamart]

I've seen this business of reporting within 24 hours of return to the country being talked about before and I'm absolutely sure that you don't have to. The physical act of filling in the arrival/departure card on your return is the reporting and your 90 day reporting period starts again from that date. This applies regardless of whether your return date was within, or outside, of the previous 90 day period.
People seemed to be getting confused about the fact that a hotel or guesthouse has 24 hours within which to report your presence when staying with them. If you're in any doubt, ask Imm and if they say different, then please post back, but I'm 99% certain the above is the case.
Re-entry permits are necessary as has been said - unless you get a multiple entry extension when you apply for it. If you know you're going to be traveling out of Thailand a bit over the forthcoming year, the latter course will probably save you money and hassle. I'm afraid I can't remember how much extra the multiple re-entry extension costs.

[dan]

I renewed my retirement visa yesterday out on soi 102 and while the nice lady was stamping my multiple reentry papers she said that I would have to report to them within 24 hours of returning from Japan later this month or pay an 800 baht fine. Little perplexed by this but nodded, thanked her very much and even forgot to get my 200 baht change....now that should not be construed as a bribe as it's far too little. Walked out the door thinking what happens if I want to spend a nite in Bangkok or more likely travel somewhere else b4 returning to HH. Guess i'll just drive off that bridge when i get to it...........and wind up paying more money..... so what else is new.

[lomuamart]

I'm amazed at that. There has never been any requirement for anyone to report to HH Imm just because they live here. You can do so at any office in Thailand, depending on where you are at the time. One such Imm point is the airport and you report by filling out the TM cards with your address on it.
I'll stand to be corrected on this, but I really think they're making it up as they go along.

[lomuamart]

I've taken a look through some web sites, but this is all I can find:
http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/en ... age=90days
Reporting certainly does not have to be done in HH. You don't even have to do it in person.
Unfortunately, there's nothing about re-entering the country. I'll keep looking, but I'm sure that when you re-enter, the reporting clock is reset to day 1 - as long as you've filled in the TM card, which you've got do anyway.
I appreciate what HH have said, but check it out by calling main Imm at Soi Suan Plu - 02 287 3101-10. Good luck.

[niggle]

We were told quite clearly by HH imnnogration that as lomg as you get a re-entry permit BEFORE you leave, it doesnt matter, no mention of 24 hours. However if you leave without a re-entry permit your visa is null and void and you have to start again. I have to 90 day reporting on Monday so will ask

[Nereus]

We were told quite clearly by HH imnnogration that as lomg as you get a re-entry permit BEFORE you leave, it doesnt matter, no mention of 24 hours. However if you leave without a re-entry permit your visa is null and void and you have to start again. I have to 90 day reporting on Monday so will ask

Like I have written above, I could not get a clear answer. Ask them to show you the written regulation.
They also got off with my change, but only 100 Baht!

[Big Boy]

dan wrote:

forgot to get my 200 baht change

Nereus wrote:

They also got off with my change, but only 100 Baht

Is there a trend here? If it is, is it the Immigration Officers making a fast Baht, or increasing senility amongst Hua Hin's expat community?

[Nereus]

dan wrote:

forgot to get my 200 baht change

Nereus wrote:

They also got off with my change, but only 100 Baht

Is there a trend here? If it is, is it the Immigration Officers making a fast Baht, or increasing senility amongst Hua Hin's expat community?

I resemble that remark BB!

[crazy88]

I have lived here on a non imm B visa for many years .(1 year multiple entry)

I leave the country at least every 2 months on average .

I,and more than 200 Farang staff ,over the years, have never been asked to report to immigration or get a re-entry permit before leaving .

If the law has changed, can anyone, who knows the FACTS, point us in the right direction ?

Whilst the fines are minimal, the stamps in your passport received for minor things can cause problems crossing some borders .They also do not help if you are applying for companies,work permits etc. in the future .I would rather avoid them .

Any rule changes on retirement visas would also be nice .

Thanks in advance for your help

Best regards


Crazy 88