Visa Rules Change Frequently
Quick Answer
What is the Thailand Re-Entry Permit Guide?
Preserves your non-immigrant visa extension when you leave Thailand. Single (฿1,000) or multiple (฿3,800).
When you hold a long-stay visa extension (retirement, education, business, DTV extension), that permission-to-stay is tied to a single continuous stay in Thailand. If you leave the country without a re-entry permit, your extension is cancelled the moment you cross the border — even if you are only leaving for a weekend trip. Re-entry permits are the mechanism that preserves your current visa status while you travel abroad.
There are two types: a single re-entry permit (฿1,000) that lets you leave and return once, and a multiple re-entry permit (฿3,800) that allows unlimited departures and returns within your current permission-to-stay period. Both are obtained from the immigration office or, more conveniently, at the airport immigration counter on the day of departure.
Required Documents
| Document | Required |
|---|---|
| Passport (original) | |
| TM.8 re-entry permit application form | |
| One passport photo (4×6 cm) | |
| Copy of current visa/extension stamp | |
| Re-entry permit fee in cash |
Fees
| Fee Type | Amount |
|---|---|
| Single re-entry permit | ฿1,000 |
| Multiple re-entry permit | ฿3,800 |
Step-by-Step Process
Decide: single or multiple re-entry permit
If you plan one trip abroad before your next extension, a single permit (฿1,000) is sufficient. If you will be travelling multiple times within your current stay, a multiple permit (฿3,800) saves money and hassle.
Option A: Apply at immigration office before departure
Visit your local immigration office with TM.8 form, passport, photo, and fee. This can be done any time before you depart.
Option B: Apply at airport departure hall
Look for the Thai Immigration re-entry permit counter in the departure area before passport control. Most major international airports (Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Phuket, Chiang Mai) have a counter. Complete TM.8, hand over your passport, pay, and receive the permit sticker in your passport.
Depart and return
On return to Thailand, present your passport at immigration. The officer will check the re-entry permit and your current extension stamp and re-admit you under the same status.
Expert Tips
- Multiple re-entry permits are excellent value if you travel to neighbouring countries regularly — the ฿3,800 is far cheaper than re-applying for a new visa each time.
- If you forget to get a re-entry permit before leaving, your extension will be cancelled and you will need to apply for a new visa. This is one of the most painful and preventable immigration mistakes.
- Some people choose to apply at the airport departure counter on the day of travel. This is convenient but can be stressful if queues are long — always allow extra time.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Forgetting entirely to get a re-entry permit before a short trip abroad, losing months or years of accumulated visa status.
- Getting a single re-entry permit when planning two international trips — the second trip cancels the extension.
- Not realising the re-entry permit is tied to the current extension period, not a general travel right.
Important Warnings
When entry can be refused
Holding a valid visa is not the same as a right of entry. The Immigration Act B.E. 2522 (1979) sets out eleven grounds on which an immigration officer may refuse a foreigner at the border.
- 1
No genuine valid passport, or a valid passport without a visa — unless you meet the visa exemption requirements. The terms of both visa issuance and visa exemption are set by Ministerial Regulations rather than by the Act itself.
- 2
No appropriate means of living after entering the country.
- 3
Entering to work as an unskilled or untrained labourer, or to work in breach of the Alien Work Permit law.
- 4
Being mentally unstable, or having any of the diseases listed in the Ministerial Regulations.
- 5
Not vaccinated against smallpox or otherwise inoculated as required, and refusing vaccination by the Immigration Doctor.
- 6
Having been imprisoned by a Thai court, or by a foreign court — except for petty offences, negligence, or cases the Ministerial Regulations exempt.
- 7
Behaviour that could endanger the public, or being subject to an arrest warrant from a foreign government.
- 8
Reason to believe entry is for prostitution, trafficking of women or children, drug smuggling or other smuggling against public morality.
- 9
Not holding the money or bond the Minister prescribes.(Section 14)
- 10
Being a person the Minister has prohibited from entry.(Section 16)
- 11
Having been deported by Thailand or another country, had a right of stay revoked, or been expelled from Thailand at the Thai government's expense — unless the Minister grants an individual exemption.
Summarised in plain English from the Immigration Act B.E. 2522 (1979), published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kingdom of Thailand and read on 2026-08-12. This is a summary, not the statutory text — read the source document if anything here affects your travel.
Thai bank holidays, 2026
Banks, government offices and immigration are closed. Visa extensions and 90-day reports cannot be filed on these dates, and the days either side are the busiest of the month.
- H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great Memorial Day
- H.M. King Chulalongkorn the Great Memorial Day
- Substitution for H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great’s Birthday, National Day and Father’s Day (Saturday 5th December 2026)
- Constitution Day
- New Year’s Eve
Source: Bank of Thailand. Financial-institution holidays; some government offices keep different hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Visa Guides
Thailand Visa Extension Guide
How to extend any Thailand visa or stamp at immigration — step-by-step process and tips.
Thailand Retirement Visa (Non-OA / Non-OX)
The standard long-stay option for retirees 50+ — one-year renewable with financial requirements.
90-Day Reporting Guide (TM.47)
All long-term visa holders must report their address to Thai immigration every 90 days.
Destination Thailand Visa (DTV)
Thailand's dedicated digital nomad visa — 180 days per entry, 5-year validity, multiple entries.
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