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Can I obtain a multiple entry permit during my Non-O stay in Thailand before applying for a 1-year extension?

Non-O VisaMultiple Entry PermitVisa ExtensionThai Immigration RulesExpats in ThailandBank Account Requirements1-Year Extension of Stay Permit
Jul 20, 2025
a day ago
Gary **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Thanks to the suggestions from this FB page, I applied to the Thai Embassy in the USA and received my Non O Visa in plenty of time for next visit to Thailand. Special thanks to Tod Daniels for his assistance.

During this Non-O stay, I’ll be traveling to multiple countries and getting a bank account to seed with necessary funds, also will be getting the visa extension. My question is: can I obtain the multiple entry permit that will be required for my additional travel at any time, or can it only be after applying for the 1-year extension? Any specific scenarios to account for? All helpful suggestions are appreciated.
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The user has obtained a Non-O visa and is planning to travel around Southeast Asia during their stay. They seek clarification on whether they can obtain a multiple entry permit before applying for a 1-year extension of their visa. Community responses highlight the importance of opening a Thai bank account and meeting the financial requirements before applying for the extension, mentioning that a multiple entry permit can only be obtained for the extension after it is applied for, and can only extend the stay related to that extension.
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Ally ************
Which immigration office you use will also have a bearing on matters.. it's best to check directly with them on the question of travelling in the middle of a visa extension process.. when i previously enquired about this in CM i was advised not to travel once I'd applied for my extension.. and to remain in Thailand until after the under consideration period had expired.. and I'd received the full stamp in my passport.. but i realise you'll get a different answer across different offices.. or indeed on different days!
20 hours ago
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Greg ***********
@Ally ***********
 an application for a 1-year extension of the stay permit based on retirement is not handed out "under consideration". The OP made clear he is not applying for a marriage extension.
@Gary *********
 what I am trying to explain to you is, any multi re-entry permit you buy for 3800 THB after you entered on a 90-days Non-Imm-O visa, is only good to keep your 90-days stay permit alive. So after you have been issued the 1-year extended stay permit based on retirement, you would need to buy another multi re-entry permit for this one-year stay permit if you wish to travel abroad during the one year retirement extension period. Plus the fact, you could save money by buying a single re-entry permit for 1000 THB for each trip to Vietnam and Japan, which would save you 1800 THB. And then there is the question if "your" Immigration office is willing to sell you a re-entry permit for the 90 days out of the Non-Imm-O visa - some Immigrations are reluctant to do this.
19 hours ago
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Gary **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Greg **********
 ok this makes more sense. Thanks 👌
13 hours ago
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Ally ************
@Greg **********
 This is the thread that confused me.. but now i see it wasn't posted by the OA.. hence my reply.. at least my comment should be useful to him 😉
18 hours ago
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Ally ************
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Dave *********
Did u apply for the Non-O or the Non-OA Visa????
a day ago
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Steven *********
Following
a day ago
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Roger ********
Tod Daniels still around? Always very knowledgeable.
a day ago
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Gary **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Roger *******
 I’ll check in with him, thanks!
a day ago
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Gary **********
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John **********
Your plan seems a bit mixed up. If you apply for a 90 day Non-O visa before you arrive you will be stamped in on that visa when you arrive not visa exempt. In the first couple of weeks you will need to open a bank account and put the money required for the extension in it as it has to be there for 2 full calendar months before you apply for the extension. A marriage extension is a bit more complicated as you need to provide more information, photos, your wife must also be with you. You definitely don't want to leave it until the last day to apply. Once you apply for the extension you will get a 30 day under consideration period where they can visit your house, speak to your neighbours etc, basically verify that you and your wife live together at your address. At the end of that period you go back to immigration and get the remainder of the 12 months stamped in your passport.
a day ago
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Gary **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@John *********
 no not a marriage visa, but I already received NonO… and yes, I’ve planned to meet all the other requirements for bank account. Since it’s not a marriage visa I wouldn’t expect a visit. My question is really about the ME.
a day ago
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John **********
@Gary *********
 OK, just ignore the bit about the marriage visa but many immigration offices are now also doing home visits for retirement extensions too, although they issue the extension first and do the visit a few days later (don't ask me why). The ME permit question I thought had already been answered. You would need one for the 90 day period then another one for the 12 month period
a day ago
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John **********
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Steve *******
Yep, you can apply for the multi-re-entry permit but it won't add any more days to your original 90 days entry
a day ago
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Greg ***********
@Gary *********
 it is a VERY BAD idea to travel around South East Asia while you are on a 90-days stay permit inside Thailand, awaiting the 800.000 THB in your Thai bank account to settle for 2 months, so you can apply for the "1-year Extension of the Stay Permit Based on Retirement" (which is NOT anything like you call a "visa extension", it is just an extension of a stay permit). Once you arrived and got stamped in for a 90 days stay permit, and after having opened the Thai bank account and transferred the required minimum of 800,000 THB onto it, you should sit tight, and enjoy your stay in Thailand. When getting issued the "1-year Extension of the Stay Permit" on the Immigration office, you can buy a multi re-entry permit for this one year stay permit for 3800 THB on the same day, and then the road is open for extended stays in other South East Asian countries
a day ago
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Gary **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Greg **********
 interesting, I thought the ME permit was NOT contingent on any other condition such as waiting the 2 months to gain the extension of stay permit. What you’re saying is that an ME permit is dependent on the extension and not a stand-alone entry document?
a day ago
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Greg ***********
@Gary *********
 the re-entry permit is contingent to the stay permit it is bought for. If you buy a 3800 THB multi re-entry permit for the 90 days out of a Non-Imm-O visa, it is only good for travels within these 90 days. You would waste 1800 THB, because for the two trips to Vietnam and Japan you only need to buy two single re-entry permits, for 1000 THB each. Then once you have been issued a "1-year Extension of the Stay Permit based on Retirement", you need to spend another 3800 THB for a multi re-entry permit that will enable you to keep the one-year stay permit alive in case you travel abroad during this period
19 hours ago
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Kool *******
@Gary *********
 don't listen to these comments. What they are trying to tell you, but not doing, is telling you that instead of a multi-entry re-entry permit for bt3800. Just get a single entry re-entry permit for bt1000 each of the two times you are going to Vietnam and Japan. There is absolutely nothing wrong with it. What is going to be a big problem if you originally enter Thailand on any kind of tourist entry, be it visa exempt entry, or buying an actual tourist visa, you will have extreme problems getting the needed Thai bank account. You will not be able to do it yourself at any bank. Because of this apply for the type O 90 day visa before you come to Thailand. Then you'll be able to open your Thai bank account with very little trouble.
20 hours ago
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Gary **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Kool ******
 yep already got visa and will get bank acct on arrival
13 hours ago
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Greg ***********
@Kool ******
 there still is the question if "his" Immigration will be willing to sell him a re-entry permit for the 90 days out of a Non-Imm-O Visa at all. Some Immigration offices are known of being reluctant in this case.
19 hours ago
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Greg ***********
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John **********
@Gary *********
 the re-entry permit is contingent on the stamp it applies to so if you arrive and get stamped in for 90 days the multiple entry permit only applies to those 90 days and expires when that stamp expires
a day ago
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Gary **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@John *********
 that makes sense thanks 👌
13 hours ago
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Gary **********
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Brandon ************
You're going to be visiting multiple countries in 90 days? That's all the time the visa will give you. A re-entry permit is only for the stamp you're on. So if you purchased a re-entry permit it would only be valid until the end of the 90 day stamp you receive when you arrive.

You need to arrive, open a bank account as soon as possible, and transfer the money. If you can't get this done within the first 25-30 days you won't be able to apply for the 1-year extension. Once you get all that done you can worry about traveling. After you apply for the 1-year extension you can purchase a re-entry permit for that stamp, which will only be valid until the end of that stamp. There is a single re-entry for 1000 baht and multiple re-entry for 3800 baht. If you apply at the airport instead of your immigration office, they charge an extra 200 baht to fill in the form and take your photo.

Note: Phuket airport doesn't sell multiple re-entry permits.
a day ago
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Gary **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Brandon ***********
 Hi Brandon, actually just a 2 week trip to VN and a 2 week trip to Japan. But 3800 baht is ok, a lot less than the cost of canceling flights 🤣

I’ve never heard of the 30-day immigration visit, that’s a new one for me!

Do you think I’ll be prevented from leaving and returning after 30 days (first trip is on day 39 of 90, second trip has not yet been booked but would be at day 67, and I’m anticipating getting the extension just prior to that).
a day ago
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Brandon ************
@Gary *********
 no one will stop you from anything. It's just whether or not it affects your visa or not. Get the visa before you go and you don't have to worry about any of that until you are applying for your extension.
a day ago
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Gary **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Brandon ***********
 understood thanks 😊
13 hours ago
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Gary **********
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Gary **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Brandon ***********
 yes the plan is visiting multiple countries during that 90 days. I understand the NonO bank account requirements within first month and that I can’t apply for the 1-year extension until the final month when account has seasoned for 2 months.

What I’m asking about is the multiple re-entry capability that I will need for travel during the 90 days. Can I apply for the ME permit, let’s say, after 20 days and then leave and return multiple times?
a day ago
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Brandon ************
@Gary *********
 you can apply for it any time you want. But I find it hard to believe you are going to be leaving and returning 4 times in 70 days to justify the price of the multiple re-entry permit. Not to mention since you said you plan on converting in Thailand, you're going to be subject to an "under consideration period" that can last more than 30 days and will need to be available for an immigration visit to your home with you and your spouse.
a day ago
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Brandon ************
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Sai ********
@Brandon ***********
 Thanks for the practical information, with timeline. This is what I have been trying to figure out. I planned a 60 days visa extemption entry and apply for non-O visa change. Open a bank account and transfer the said appropriate fund after returning to Europe in one month. Stays about a month in Europe and return to Thailand on one re-entry permit, and then apply for one year non-O extension visa. Please suggest if this rough plan is in order. Thanking you in advance. By the way, mein is a non-O Marriage visa application.
a day ago
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Brandon ************
@Sai *******
 why are you planning to arrive visa exempt? It's going to be all but impossible for you to open a bank account if you do that. And the bank account will be required for you to apply for the non-O visa.

Get the visa from your Thai embassy before traveling to Thailand.
a day ago
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Brandon ************
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