raz0r21

Lol. Now you are just trolling. Since there is no limit on tourist visas, or how long you can stay as a tourist... its up to the immigration officer to decide. Like someone else wrote, this has been discussed ad nauseam. The reasons for someone staying a long time as a tourist differs a lot. Some people take a year off from work, there are so many different scenarios (2 of which i just used as an example).

Ever heard of sabbaticals? Snowbirds? Such a narrow minded comment.

So, back on topic. The OP had a tourist visa... which requires a flight out of Thailand. Or at least my embassy does. So why did he have to book a flight on the spot? Didnt have the ticket with him? So many questions.....

There are many foreigners who own properties and stay in them during the winter months, or rent apartments for longer periods of time in Thailand. And as you wrote, METV visas can be applied for to be able to stay longer than 180 days. As far as I know, the 6 month rules can sometimes be used as a guideline to decide if a tourist is actually a tourist. But there are also other factors to take into consideration, and every case is different.

since you have a visa issued by a thai embassy, and months inbetween last entry... i dont see the problem. However, its always a guessing game. I would bring proof of being a tourist, 20k baht, ticket out of thailand, hotel booking, maybe even income/bank statement.

As far as I know a tourist visa should be fine since its granted by an embassy. I have however witnessed the IOs telling my friend to "go back to his home country and get a visa", after back to back stays and TR:s from Vietnam. I dont know where you are entering from but if you have a TR from a embassy from your home country and have spent some time outside of Thailand it should be ok. Just saw you are gonna enter on your second entry. Afaik it should be fine.

You are going to get all kinds of answers, but after coming and going here since 2015 I can say that there is no "upper limit". It all depends on the immigration officer and their mood that day, and also which consulate or embassy you are applying from. I myself have been questioned thoroughly for "staying too long" in Thailand, but still got granted entry. As long as you dont do anything illegal you should be able to get in to the country, if you have a valid tourist visa. In my experience tourist visas are better to use than visa exempts, especially when flying in to Thailand.

Every time I have been at Lak Si I go very early. I am there at 8 AM already, ready to start filling in the forms which they bring out a bit before opening at 8:30. Usually theres only 5 to 6 people there during that time so it doesnt take more than 30-45 minutes in total. Just a suggestion for those who want a smoother experience. Thanks for the tip about the online application handymax.

My guess is they are still using windows XP on old computers ???? too much of a hassle. Im sure they can look it up if they have to

Hey, yeah thats what ive understood aswell - but I never got asked to present it before. Maybe they are just enforcing it now for some reason, but it certainly causes confusion since its not even on their website. Better to just have it with you when going to immigration from now on. These are the requirements from immigration.go.th: Documents to be submitted Application form TM.7 (application must be made in person) Copy of applicant’s passport Photo 4 x 6 cm. (not older than 6 months) Application fee 1,900 Baht.

Hi, I just want to make this post if it helps anyone else wanting to extend their visit on a visa exempt. When I went to extend the 45 day exemption yesterday the staff at the first counter (before entering the office), said that they needed to see my tm30. It was then added to the pile of documents that you need to submit to get the extension. I did see other people there without the printout of their tm30, so I cant say for sure if it was just in my case (since i had the document in hand already), or if it is always required. But yeah, just a heads up. Side note: I got my tm30 made by the rental property owner the day I entered Thailand, and a copy of it printed.

I would say that I agree with the IO in this case, but in contrast to what he/she is saying - the immigration offices actively allow extensions of back to back tourist visas and exempts (specifically through land borders with no time spent out of Thailand, or tourist visas from Laos for example). They should make up their mind on how they want the whole system to work, with clear guidelines and specific limits for what is considered staying "too long". Otherwise the hoop jumping will just continue like it is now.

I feel bad for him, and I dont wish that upon anyone. He certainly did take unneccessary risks tho, especially driving at that time of day - with almost certainly several car and truck drivers either high or drunk cruising on the roads. I dont trust the insurance companies myself, but I do trust my helmet.

Suvarnabhumi. I wasnt prepared for it at all, didnt even think it was an issue for me since i kept being in Thailand 6 months and in my home country 6 months. It took around an hour so be patient if it happens, and stay calm.

I dont know if this helps but when I got questioned it was a super quiet day. I arrived on an evening around 19:30 pm and there were no queues at immgration. The person in the booth had all the time in the world to scroll through my passport and ask questions. So I would suggest to arrive when its super busy. Good luck and keep us posted how it goes.

9 years here with ED visas and tourist visas? thats impressive. Anyway, I would recommend thaivisaservice.com, they helped my friend out when he had some huge problems with his work permit and wrong dates in his passport etc. I have also used the same company for all my border runs, and tourist visa applications in Laos. Never any issue.

Where is this rule from? I have been trying to find it but theres no notice of it on Thai immigration website. They list the same requirements for tourist visa extensions as before.

have you moved or stayed in the same adress the whole time? seems weird to need a new one if you are staying at the same place. Sigh...guess I will have to ask for a new one after my next run just to be safe.

huh? I have never been asked for a TM30 during all my extensions here in Bangkok. Ive been using tourist visas and visa exempt stamps only. I have stayed in a hotel and two different apartments. Isn´t it supposed to be done by the condo owner? Just curious since I have never run in to this issue.

anyway, to continue this subject a bit further. I have contacted a muay thai gym in Bangkok about an ED-visa, and its a legit place that requires me to train 3x a week, so I will consider it as an alternative. The costs are about the same as learning thai, around 40-50k baht for a year or so. The upside is they have morning and afternoon classes to choose from, and you dont have to spend several hours there compared to a classroom.

yeah, i agree that its a grey area. I suppose its better to have some kind of proof of income tho, compared to the alternative which is working illegally in thailand. Yup also changed passport last year, my old one was filled with stamps. But they add up quick....

I can prove that I work in a different country and pay tax there, even if its done online. Can also show my income per year if its needed. I guess that will help.

Just for the sake of the argument, what is a "valid" reason for staying long term with a tourist visa? I mean some people save up alot of money and want to travel as a tourist. I used to work 6 months in my home country and spend 6 months here, just as an example. If there are no clear guidelines about the length of stay - then they shouldnt give people a hard time either. I don´t understand the logic, would much rather prefer some proper rules instead of playing guessing games every time I want to enter the country.

Yeah I have considered this. I have also thought of returning home for a few months per year, which should solve the issue as I am spending time outside of Thailand. Its just the amount of stamps that can add up and become a problem since I had that issue during 2019.

Thanks for all the replies guys, really appreciate it. I will look into studying in a university, might be an option as long as its not a very high pace. Regarding marriage, that is not something that is in the near future with my gf, as of yet at least :) I asked a visa agent about my options and they have a business visa for 65k + 35k for the initial 3 months, so 100k in total for 15 months which is way too much imo. I have also enquired about invoicing through a company in TH, but they want 30 % of every invoice i create. So all in all, not the easiest situation at all. Im guessing i can play russian roulette with tourist visas for a while, but it would be preferable to get a bank account etc here, which isnt the easiest on a tourist visa. And lastly, I love my job and I am trying to grow my business slowly but steadily to create more income. And yes, it is a choice :)