If you are a foreign national on a long-stay visa and have to leave Thailand for a brief trip, it is recommended that you get a re-entry permit. Without one, your old visa will end when you return and you will have to go through the entire process of getting a new one.
Single Entry Permit
Unless you have a multiple entry permit in your passport then you need to apply for a single re-entry visa each time you want to leave and return to Thailand. This is a simple process and costs only 1,000 baht. However, it does take up 3 pages of your passport so if you are planning on leaving and returning to Thailand a number of times in a year then it may be cheaper to get a multiple entry permit which is only 3,800 baht at Immigration.
The Re-entry Permit can be obtained at Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang airport before you pass through Immigration – the desks are open 24/7. It is important to allow extra time as it can take a while to complete the process if the immigration office is busy.
Multiple Entry Permit
The Multiple Entry Permit allows foreigners to travel in and out of Thailand as many times as they want, provided that their visa is still valid. This visa can only be obtained at a Thai embassy or consulate overseas.
Those with the Multiple Entry Permit can work or conduct business in Thailand as long as they are in good standing with immigration authorities. They must also have a clean record and have paid their taxes. Documents submitted must be notarized and translated into Thai. Those submitted by their companies must be signed by the Board of Directors or the Managing Director and stamped with the company seal on every page.
If they go outside of the country for more than six months, their current visa will be revoked and they may not be allowed to return until it has been revalidated. To revalidate it, they must have an official letter from the company stating their position, job title and salary.
TM8 Form
This is the form needed for those who live and work in Thailand on a non-immigrant visa extension (ED, M or R) and want to leave and reenter the country without their extension being voided. It is recommended that you get this permit before traveling, as it will keep your visa status alive while you are gone.
You can file this re-entry permit at any Immigration Office during business hours and it takes a few minutes to process. You must also bring a copy of your white TM6 card with you to the Immigration office along with your passport.
TM30 Report
A new law that has caused a lot of confusion and panic amongst foreign renters in Thailand is the TM30 Report or “24-hr Hour Notification of Residence”. This is an immigration requirement whereby owners of houses, condominiums and apartment hotels are required to report foreigners staying at their premises within 24 hours.
This is supposedly to help identify people who overstay their visas in Thailand as well as collect tourism statistics. However, the way the system has been implemented by Thai authorities has sparked concerns from many expats, especially as the rules are seemingly applied inconsistently. The TM30 registration process is relatively easy for landlords and once completed a receipt can be used to show guests when applying for a visa extension or requesting an extension of their current Thai visa at the local Immigration offices.
Fees
Regardless of the type of visa you have, either single or multiple entry, it is always wise to file for a re-entry permit before traveling abroad. This seemingly minor aspect of a visa application can prevent your long term visa from expiring once you leave the country, thus saving you the hassles of re-applying for your visa when you get back.
You can file for a re-entry at your local Thai Immigration Office or at the airport before you depart on your trip. This process can take from a few minutes to a few hours depending on the number of people waiting in line, and you will need to submit the proper documentation, pay the fee, and have your passport stamped with a re-entry permit stamp.