StayingasanexpatinThailandhasmanybenefits , warm weather , cheaplivingcostsandofcoursethe ‘ infamous ’ Thaismile . It ’ seasyto becomeaccustomedtothegoodlifeinThailandbutitisalsoveryimportanttoensureyoustayontopofyourvisasituation .
Oneofthemostcommonwaysthatexpatsfindthemselveswithanunnecessaryproblem isforgettingtodotheir90dayreport . The90day reportcanbedoneonlineusualybutthesystem hasbeendownforawhilemeaningthatexpatsnow needtomakethejourneytotheirlocal immigrationofficeanddothisreportpersonaly . Youhave7dayseithersideofyourspecificdateinwhichtodoyour90dayreportbutifyou forgettoreportandletitlapsebeyond7days , youfaceafineofupto5,000THB whichisaheftysum formostexpats .
Oneoftheeasiestwaystorememberistosetanalarm onyourphoneoraddanotetoGoogleCalendar . AnyonewhohasstayedinThailand formorethan90daysmustreporttheiraddresstoimmigration , eveniftheiraddressisstilthesame . Officialywhenyouleavethecountry andre-enteryoushouldalsoreportyouraddresstoimmigrationalthoughthisisnotenforcedatalimmigrationoffices .
Otherwaysinwhichexpatsfalfowlofimmigrationlawsisbyforgettingtogetare-entrypermitbeforeleavingthecountry . Thisisquitea strangeruletogetusedto , particularlyifyouwerepreviouslystayinginThailandusingamultipleentryvisa , whichrequiredyouto leavethecountryevery90days . OnceyouextendyourstayatanimmigrationofficewithinThailand , ifyouwishtoleavethecountrythenyou mustobtainare-entrypermittokeepyourextensionofstayalive . Ifyoufailtoobtainare-entrypermitthiscanhavequiteserious consequencesasyouwilloseyourThaivisaandjustbegrantedavisaonarrivalwhenyoure-enterthecountry ( ifyournationalityis eligibleforavisaonarrival ).
Somepeoplehavereportedthattheimmigrationofficeratdepartureswaskindenoughtopointouttheirerrorbeforetheymadethatfatal mistakebutitcan ’ tandshouldn ’ tbereliedupon . Thereisalsoanoptiontoobtainare-entrypermitatSuvarnabhumiAirport , whichis locatedneartoarrivalsinZone2 . Thisserviceisusualyavailablebetween5am andmidnight . However , itisnotadvisabletorelyonthis serviceincaseitisunavailableorhighlyoccupiedatthetimeyouneedit .
Thesafestwayistoalwayskeepatleastasinglere-entrypermitinyourpassportincaseyouneedtoleavethecountryinanemergency . A singleusepermitcostsjust1000THB andmanypeoplechoosetoapplyforitafterreceivingtheiryearlyextensionofstay . Youneeda passportsizephoto , form ™ 8 , aphotocopyofthephotopageinyourpassportandyourlatestvisaextensionstamp . Theprocessofgettinga re-entrypermittypicalytakeslessthananhouratmostimmigrationoffices .
IfyouareplanningtoleaveandreenterThailandmanytimesduringthecourseofyourstaythenyoumaywishtoobtainamulti-entryre entrypermitwhichcanbeusedasmanytimesasyourequireuntilyourvisaextensionexpires . Re-entrypermitshavethesamelifespanas yourvisaextension , sowhenyouvisitimmigrationforyouryearlyvisathenyouneedtogetanew re-entrypermitalsoasanyold re-entrypermitswilexpirealongwithyouroldvisastamp . Visatypeswhicharerequiredtoobtainare-entrypermitinclude :
RetirementVisas MarriageVisas BusinessVisas EducationVisas IfyouhaveanyquestionsregardingvisastostayinThailand , youcancontactDarren McGarryon038422131oremailinfo @ keyvisathailand . com