Migrant workers going home for Songkran must obtain a Re-entry Permit before every departure from Thailand (unless the government announces an exemption that year). If they leave without a re-entry permit, their visa and right to stay in Thailand end immediately, they cannot come back to work, and all their documents must be redone from scratch.
April is when employers most often face employees who cannot return. This checklist helps you plan ahead, from before departure until they are back at work.
First: is there an exemption this year?
In 2024 (B.E. 2567) and 2025 (B.E. 2568), the Cabinet passed resolutions allowing legally employed workers from Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar to go home for Songkran between 1 April and 15 May without applying for re-entry and without paying a fee. However, this measure is issued year by year and is not permanent.
- If an exemption resolution is in place that year → follow the conditions in the announcement and return to Thailand before the end date
- If there is no resolution, or the employee returns after the exemption ends → a re-entry permit must be obtained as usual
⚠️ Don’t assume this year’s exemption will be the same as last year’s. Check the announcements from the Department of Employment (DOE) and the Immigration Bureau before every employee departs.
Re-entry Permit fees
| Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Single entry | 1,000 THB |
| Multiple entry | 3,800 THB |
If an employee goes home more than once a year, the multiple-entry permit is usually better value. A re-entry permit is valid no longer than the current visa.
Checklist before the employee departs
- Visa still valid to cover the return date to Thailand; if it is close to expiring, extend it before travel
- Passport/Certificate of Identity (CI) not expired, with enough validity left for the next round of document renewals
- Work permit not expiring while the employee is abroad
- Re-entry permit obtained, or confirmed as covered by that year’s exemption
- Home-country documents — for example, some groups of Myanmar workers may need a return-travel certification as required by the Myanmar or Thai authorities each year; check with the embassy or the designated center
- Copies of every document — one set kept by the employer and one on the employee’s phone
- Clear return date set, with extra time allowed for crowded border checkpoints after Songkran
- Travel through an official permanent checkpoint, not unofficial crossings
Checklist after the employee returns
- Check the entry stamp in the passport is correct
- Restart the 90-day report (TM.47) cycle from the date of re-entry into Thailand
- File the TM.30 (accommodation notification) according to local Immigration Bureau practice
- Check document expiry dates and update your employee register
Groups that need extra care
- Cabinet Resolution groups without a passport or visa — leaving the country may end their rights under the resolution; get advice before travel
- Employees whose visa is close to expiring — if the visa expires while abroad, the re-entry permit cannot be used
- MOU workers nearing the 4-year limit — check that the trip fits the plan for re-hiring → read MOU workers reaching 4 years: what to do
📋 Quick summary
- Going home requires a re-entry permit first, unless that year has an exemption resolution
- Re-entry: single 1,000 THB / multiple 3,800 THB
- Check that the visa, passport and work permit cover the return date
- After returning: restart the 90-day count and check TM.30 with the local immigration office
Several employees going home at the same time?
Let Best Friend Visa check their documents and file re-entry permits for the whole group before they travel
Chat on LINE — free advice Call 093-541-6444
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Last updated: 17 October 2026 (B.E. 2569) — regulations may change; please check with our staff before proceeding