Tod Daniels

I believe you are confused.. There never was a hard limit of visa exempt entries by air EVER (as in no real rule) AND Previously there was a limit of TWO free visa exempt entries by land in a calendar year <- Which was a GOOD THING because you were guaranteed to get in by land two times a year without much hassle AT ALL. Sadly once they went to the 60 day visa exempt entry and discontinued the "2 entry by land in a year" rule all that meant was you are now at the mercy of the officer at passport control stamping you in (just like you are at the airports). If they're having a bad day, they'll pass that right on to you. Borders that were previously soft touch, got HARD CORE really really fast, and they started making up rules, stay out 2 nights, stay out one night, telling people you can't get in, go to an airport and fly in. People were tooting the drum and beating the horn when the "2 free entries by land in a calendar year" rule was discontinued Remember people "no limit" doesn't mean "unlimited"

reports are coming in (quite regularly) that people are getting hung up comin' back in at the Nong Khai border now (where as previously that was the softest touch border in the country) Several people this week were all turned back at the bridge had to go back to Lao, get their exit stamp cancelled and then either wait until the following day to try to get back in OR were told they needed to fly in. AND it also appears, if you push the subject after they told you to go back, they will put a denial of entry stamp in your passport (where as usually they just send you back to Lao without anything). Then you CAN'T get in at that border with out "help" and even flying in you get pulled aside and asked WTF you think you're doing living here on free stamp entries.. This only came about the last couple of weeks at Nong Khai and as a rule only for the "border bouncers" who try to get out and right back in on a new 60 day free entry stamp after having maxed a 60 day stamp w/30day extension out previously.

IN Bangkok at Chaengwattana if you are using banked money method for a yearly extension where you also used banked money method the year before they request you get the year detail transaction report printed. If you are getting your FIRST yearly extension they will accept 3 months transaction report (although the seasoning requirement is only for 2 months) The reason they're doing this is because no one updates their bank books enough to show the balance ALL the time during the whole year. At most banks if you don't update the book in 21 days all it will print is a summary of money in/money out not a detail of every transaction This becomes a problem when you go to apply for the year extension from a previous extension because they need to check you kept the 800K baht in the bank for three months AFTER your extension was issued last year, then that the balance never went below 400K baht the rest of the year until it got back up to 800K a minimum of 2 months before you apply for this next extension. There's just no way to do it from a bank book that's not updated regularly.. I did have one person who has no app, no ATM card, goes to the bank with his bank book/passport for EVERY transaction and he was able to get away without having a year detail transaction report. (actually we had it but it was the same entries as his bank book so I took it out of the packet when he applied and they didn't say anything) One thing to keep in mind is that SOME banks can print that year transaction detail on demand BUT some banks (notably Bangkok Bangkok) seem to have to 'order it' from the head office and it can take 3 to 5 days.. Some people got around this by printing their year transaction report from their mobile banking app (but some immigration offices won't take it because it's not printed on that paper that has the "dot matrix" tear off tabs down the sides and doesn't have the bank stamp on it So you need the detail transaction report, the 'standard bank letter' and you need to update your bank book the date you apply for the extension. BOTH the transaction report and the standard letter can be up to 7 days old in Bangkok, Your mileage may vary 😛

That article and the bangkok post one as well as that b/s info-graphic from the PR dept of the gov't all leave out some critical tidbits of information 😞 As a rule you have to be IN the country whose thai consulate you are using the eVisa system to apply at AND You prove you're in that country by uploading your visa/entry stamp and then you stay IN that country until your visa is approved or rejected. 😮 <- that is the one that people have a hard time wrapping their heads around 😕 We are seeing more and more consulates once the application is submitted sending a "request for additional documentation" email after 3-5 days asking for scans of EVERY passport page including blank pages Clearly this is to see IF you left the country you applied in or entered thailand and yes before you even ask. . . .. 😉 people have been rejected once it was discovered they did indeed come back here after applying for the eVisa in another country

It works this way, if you do not get your extension or visa through the One-Stop service center at Cham Churi Square, you can only use the main immigration office at Chaengwattana for 90 day reporting

Okay this is what I know to be mostly true 😉 at least at Chaengwattana in Bangkok 😜 , (your mileage at your immigration office may vary) 1 - you need to file a new TM30 when you come in from abroad even if you're staying at the same address you had a previous TM30 filed at 2 - you have to file your first 90 day report in person after coming back from abroad. 3 - the TM30 system and the TM47 system cross check against passport and registered address 4 - if there is a mismatch you'll get rejected. 5 - the new window of opportunity to file a 90 day report online is from 2 weeks before down until 1 week BEFORE the due date <- you have only a 7 day window (people were rejected applying after the 7 day before their due date new cut off) SO my advice to @indieke is IF you have a log in to the online TM30 program FILE a new TM30 every time you come into the country, export the PDF receipt file and print it. There are reports that not every office is enforcing the "must do the first 90 day report returning from abroad in person" rule as some people did come back, file new TM30's and then were able to file online 90 day reporting thru the TM47 online portal. All you can do is try it. Again this is my direct experience with BANGKOK immigrations at Chaengwattana in both the TM30 section (Section B) and the TM47 section (Section A). As I said, your mileage may vary

I think you got your wires crossed 😮 I know someone who got one of the first DTV's issued (just after they started handing them out) and he's been in and out of the country over a dozen times on it since his first entry.. Each entry got him a new 180 day entry stamp and he wasn't asked anything by the officer at passport control. Just bounce out/back to activate a new entry on the visa

I was out at Chaengwattana main immigration office in Bangkok last week and the week before that too. I specifically asked in Section J <- the section that does real tourist visa extensions AND the section that will do extensions on DTV's for any update on extensions for DTV's. They said they still don't have any official hand out listing the documentation requirements for this 180 day extension to a 180 day entry stamp from a Destination Thailand Visa. Now factoring in this visa was only approved to be issued July 15th, AND the earliest I know of someone getting a DTV was close to the end of July, we definitely should be comin' up on people wanting to try an extension especially seeing as at Chaengwattana you can apply for any extension when you have 45 days or less left on your current stamp. NO ONE <- as in not even the immigration officers who will handle the extensions know what other documentation will be required aside from passport copies, visa copy, entry stamp copy, TM30 copy, TM7 application form. Will they ask for proof you still have 500K in the bank? Will they ask for proof you're still enrolled in what ever you signed up for to get the visa approved soft power, that you're still under medical treatment for what ever treatment you needed 5 year visa for? These and more questions remain to be answered... Honestly I think people who are getting close to their stamps running out should just bounce out and back to activate a new 180 day entry (as at least that is trouble free and document free) and lets see HOW this extension process plays out

The thai consulates in Cambodia & Vietnam only take USD and you can pay online thru the eVisa system

Yep you were referring to a Visa Exempt entry (60 day free stamp for 90+ countries since July 15th) <- which is not a visa at all just a free entry stamp and you were not referring to a real VOA (Visa On Arrival) which is SOLD to people from 31 countries now when they land here for 2000baht, and as you pointed out is only valid 15 days <- which means it can't be used to switch to any visa inside the country.. (not 31) Here's the list of Visa Exempt countries AND the list of Visa On Arrival countries AND Before someone mentions it, YES it is totally possible for a country to appear on BOTH lists 😮

Right now the TTEO (Thailand Trade and Economic Office) in Taipei is the GO TO place for visas.. They are a walk up consulate, and you get your passport sometimes the same day (or the next day at the latest) People have been flocking there for DTV's because they're easy going and a "user friendly" consulate My advice would be IF you're thinking of getting a visa before they switch over to eVisa get to Taipei NOW (before the 27th) and apply in person

We are seeing more and more consulates that are on the eVisa system sending a "request for extra documentation" after the eVisa is applied for and asking for EVERY page of your passport including blank pages <- That could be a way to make sure you're actually STILL in the country where you applied. Interesting that it says on some of those notices that someone else can show up and pay for you, so it would appear it's not to check if the applicant is in the country or not. Dunno, really. Hanoi, HCMC, and Jakarta all switched over to eVisa pretty seamlessly and after the first week they got their processing time down to not that long. People are still avoiding using the 3 consulates in Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur, Kota Bharu and Penang) because they have extended processing (or that is what has been reported)

Probably old news (as I've been off this forum for a bit) BUT I wanted to put all the notices in one place so everyone knows, effective Jan 1st 2025 there are no longer any "walk in" (apply in person consulates) This also means that effective that date the year-long, multi-entry Non-O visas based on marriage that people were getting from "user friendly" consulates in the area will no longer be available. Note that you apply online in Yangon, Vientiane and Savannakhet but then have th GO in person to pay for the visa (wonder if people could ask at that time if they could get a year/multi Non-O)? These are the last consulates to switch to eVisa ; Taipei, Yangon, Singapore, Manila, Vientiane & Savannakhet

careful, @sandyf your bullheadedness is getting in the way of your common sense 😕 FEW consulates on the evisa system require legal permanent residence to apply for a visa when you're in a country. MOST <- other than the piss poor examples you showed, just require you to show you're legally IN that country and use an address in that country when you apply. I think you're going out of the way to select "hard consulates" to show examples of how you need legal residence, might as well add all the thai consulates in China to your list too 😉 believe me (or don't) HCMC, Hanoi, Kuala Lumpur, Kota Bharu, Penang, and Phnom Penh <- who all went on the eVisa system tuesday DO NOT require anything but proof you're legally in the country and an address where you're staying there, nor do the nearby walk up consulates Vientiane, Savannakhet, Yangon, Jakarta, Taipei require anything other than what I mentioned

that would be a FALSE reckoning 😞 You have to physically be IN the country whose consulate you're applying for the eVisa at You upload your entry stamp and hotel booking to show that you're there

Umm you got the update that they cancelled the roll out of the ETA and have no definite date of even piloting it right?

Heads up, EDIT; (Oct 8th) All three countries (Cambodia, Malaysia & Vietnam) are all online on the eVisa system.. !! https://www.thaievisa.go.th/

Hong Kong is NOT the website you wanna be quoting AT ALL HCMC, Hanoi, Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Kota Bharu and Phnom Penh ALL only require you show your entry stamp (if you have one) AND the hotel booking to show you're legally in the country you're applying for the eVisa at

I stand humbly erected 😮 😛😜 PRINT OUT the receipt so you know when it's due next time and set the reminder in your phone to tell you 😛 Congrats 👍

I think we will eventually see ALL the consulates switch over to the eVisa web portal, we can only watch the f/b pages and websites for any announcements

well spotted 😄 I edited the post to reflect that savannakhet and yangon will be about the only two 'walk up' consulates to get year/multi Non-O's from People said they got them in Vientiane too but I can't find anyone who did it this year so dunno

ATTENTION ALL MEMBERS; The following Thai consulates in S/E Asia will go to online eVisa applications ONLY starting the 8th of Oct. They will discontinue any walk up/in person visa applications at that time. Actually some of them stopped accepting in person applications already and have consular services closed until they open on the eVisa system on Tuesday Vietnam - Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City Malaysia - Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Kota Bharu Cambodia - Phnom Penh The follow consulates are still walk up consulates (they will not be changing to eVisa at this time) BUT you need to book an appt online to get in the gate Lao - Vientiane, Savannakhet Burma - Yangon The following consulates are walk up consulates no appt needed Indonesia - Jakarta Taiwan - Taipei Philippines - Manila You have to physically be IN the country whose thai consulate you are using on the eVisa system. Also the consulates that used to sell year/multi-Non-O's will no longer be able to seeing as that is NOT a choice on the eVisa system (so anyone thinking of going to HCMC year/multi Non-O think again 😕 ) For that year long multi-entry Non-O visa based on marriage you use Savannakhet or Yangon (where reports are that it's issued)

you are indeed too late, might as well wait for the rejection notice though seeing as you have a report pending in the online system As was correctly stated you have until 7 days AFTER the due date to file a report in person (without getting a failure to file on time fine of 2000baht)

Actually since the last change to the 90 day online system you have from 2 weeks BEFORE the due date until 1 week BEFORE the due date to file 90 day report online. Many MANY people have been rejected because they mistakenly thought they could apply online up until the due date (which you used to be able to do BUT can't do anymore) Here's how it works MAIL IN REPORTING (IF your office allows it) They request the envelope be post marked 2 weeks before the due date ONLINE REPORTING <- from 2 weeks before down until 1 week before IN PERSON REPORTING <- from 2 weeks before down until 1 week AFTER the due date After that you get a 2000baht fine. AND before you ask, NO filing online but having a report still in pending status does not count for anything 😮 , If you run 7 days past your due date you will get the fine when you go to do the 90 day report

Okay just so you know "retirement visas" (really 90 day Non-O visa plus a year extension of stay) gotten inside thailand are sold with NO re-entry because you're already here. You would need to buy either a single or a multiple re-entry permit AFTER you get the year extension inked in but before you travel out of the country to keep your current stamp "alive" (so you'd get stamped in for that same expiration date when you come back) 🙂 . 𝟭. 𝗜𝗳 𝗜 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗿𝗲-𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗜 "𝗯𝘂𝘆" 𝗮 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗿𝗲-𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗶𝗳 𝗜 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱? You can indeed, a single re-entry permit (at the airport is 1200baht, no photo, no form, no passport picture required) BUT I would say IF you travel regularly just have the agent get you the multiple re-entry permit at the same time they do your "retirement visa" 🙂 that will let you travel out/in to thailand as much as you want for the whole 15 months the visa/extension is good for. 𝟮. 𝟵𝟬 𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 - 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝗜 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝟵𝟬 𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀 - 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 <𝟵𝟬 𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀! The way 90 day reporting works is If you're IN the country for 90 continuous days you file a 90 day report. If you leave before the 90th day, you don't report and when you come back to thailand your next 90 day report would be due 90 days from the date you stamped in to the country As long as you're leaving before a 90 day report would be due you are not obligated to report, I know people on retirement extensions who travel a lot and they've never had to file a 90 day report because they're never here for 90 days at one time