Answered3 years ago

Can I leave and re-enter Thailand on a tourist visa for additional stays without a multiple entry visa?

Tourist Visa Thailand Re-entry Permit Multiple Entry Visa Visa Regulations Visa for Canadians

Gary *******

asked Sep 25, 2023

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I am applying for a tourist visa to Thailand from Canada and am wondering if I can leave and re-enter  a couple of times to get my visa re- stamped for an additional 2 months without a multiple entry visa. I heard you can leave and get a separate re-entry permit each time before you cross the border for only 1000 baht, instead of paying 280  dollars for a multi entry. Anyone familiar with this situation?

Answer summary

When applying for a tourist visa to Thailand, you cannot simply leave and re-enter to extend your stay without a multiple entry visa. While re-entry permits can be purchased for 1000 baht, they only preserve the validity of your original entry stamp, meaning your visa becomes invalid after you exit. To get additional time in Thailand, a multiple entry visa is necessary, as it allows for new entry stamps upon each return, extending your stay legally.

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Kool *******

It is not free to enter any country around Thailand. They all require buying a visa in order to enter their country.

3 years ago

Brandon ************

You can buy a re-entry permit, but that's not going to do what you want. If it was that easy they wouldn't sell multiple entry visas.

A re-entry permit only keeps the stamp you received when you arrived to Thailand alive. So if you enter on November 1st and your stamp giving you permission to stay in Thailand is until December 31st, then buying a re-entry stamp and leaving Thailand means next time you return you will be stamped in until your previous stamp, December 31st. Your single entry visa would have been marked as "USED" and would be invalid from the moment it's used to enter Thailand and would not be able to be used again.

Whereas with a multiple entry visa, you receive a brand new stamp every time you enter until the visa expiration date. So if you enter on November 1st and get a stamp until December 31st, and then leave and return on November 15th, your new stamp would be a fresh new 60 days until something like January 15th.

3 years ago

Gary *******

@Brandon ***********

Are you saying that if I leave Thailand before the end of the 3rd month on a tourist visa, and return after the expiry date of the 3rd month with a reentry permit purchased before i left, I would not get a 2 month stamp on my tourist visa?

3 years ago

Brandon ************

@Gary ******

You already used your tourist visa when you entered Thailand. It's SINGLE entry, unless you pay for multiple entry. As soon as you enter Thailand your visa is gone. The expiration date on your visa no longer matters because it's garbage at that point.

Once you cross passport control the only thing that matters is the date stamped in your passport. That's your entry stamp. If you purchase a re-entry permit the only thing that happens is your stamp isn't cancelled when you leave Thailand, you can return on the same entry stamp. You will not get any extra time at all.

If you purchase a re-entry permit and return after the date that was stamped in your passport, you completed wasted your money you spent on a re-entry permit because that stamp has already ended.

3 years ago

Gary *******

@Brandon ***********

Thanks. Glad you could figure it out. Multi entry does seem to have its benefits, then.

3 years ago