Putting to use the 30 day visa exemption in/out by air

[lopezkoa]

I have a question about the unlimited  30 day visa exemption by air, with a US Passport, since there are currently no rules as to how many times you can fly in/out you can get 30 days free of charge which would be so much more convenient for me since I am not staying in Thailand longer than 30 days anytime soon. Although there has been people saying that after 6 entries they will question you... but whats the worst that will happen? has there been any reports?

 

I want my home base in SE Asia to be Bangkok, but I am only staying in the country for a few days at a time and traveling to other countries, I have plans to travel to Japan, Singapore, Cambodia, for only a few days at a time and then round trip back to Bangkok, so when I start to rack up 6+ Visa exemption they will most likely question and ask my purpose in Thailand like if you are working? or ask to provide 20,000฿ and proof of flight leaving Bangkok in less 30 days. If I can provide all this, what would be the problem?

 

Many will say that it depends on the IO upon arrival and if the IO is having a bad day and rejects your entry, then Plan B would be to book a flight out of Bangkok to where ever you want and then fly back the next day to try again?  Or Plan C? Has there ever been any reports on someone racking up too many VE by air and then booking a flight out to a bordering country to go to the Thai embassy and then applying for a Tourist Visa and then booking a flight back to Bangkok and trying again? 

 

 

 

Edited October 11, 2017 by lopezkoa

[ubonjoe]

10 minutes ago, lopezkoa said:

I want my home base in SE Asia to be Bangkok, but I am only staying in the country for a few days at a time and traveling to other countries, I have plans to travel to Japan, Singapore, Cambodia, for only a few days at a time and then round trip back to Bangkok, so when I start to rack up 6+ Visa exemption they will most likely question and ask my purpose in Thailand like if you are working? or ask to provide 20,000฿ and proof of flight leaving Bangkok in less 30 days. If I can provide all this, what would be the problem?

Reading the above it does not appear you should never have a problem.

The ones that have a problem are those that trying to live her on them by getting 30 day extension of each entry and leaving just long enough to return for a new entry.

[BritTim]

Your chances are very good that the "greater scrutiny" you receive when the immigration receives a notification of many visa exempt entries will not lead to denied entry. It is extremely likely that, at worst, you are taken aside and warned to get a "proper visa" for your next entry.

 

That said, if you were denied entry, that would probably lead to long term inconvenience. The denial of entry at airports is usually an official process with stamps in your passport noting the denial and the reason for it, together with a record in immigration's system. Even if you you get a new passport, the immigration official when you enter in the future will be aware of you previous denied entry. The chances of questioning and future denied entries will rise significantly.

[JackThompson]

1 minute ago, lopezkoa said:

has there been any reports?

Lots of them.  But the scary reports seem to affect those who have stayed here longer-term in the past - not those who simply "hit the 6 exempt-entry number," but stay out considerable time between entries and don't long-stay.  It is very unlikely you would be rejected-entry, if staying only for short-periods with considerable time away between each visit.

 

13 minutes ago, lopezkoa said:

Many will say that it depends on the IO upon arrival and if the IO is having a bad day and rejects your entry

Yes, and/or what his supervisor has told him to do - maybe how many open-bunks are in the detention facilities - who knows.

 

3 minutes ago, lopezkoa said:

when I start to rack up 10+ Visa exemption they will most likely question and ask my purpose in Thailand like if you are working? or ask to provide 20,000฿ and proof of flight leaving Bangkok in less 30 days. If I can provide all this, what would be the problem?

If you are not here for long each time, the "working" issue may not come up, but you may be questioned - even though there should not be a problem, logically.  Don't count on "logic," though. 

 

The flight + cash + no "longer-stay" history would reduce the chance of rejection, considerably (which is already low, in your case).  FYI - the "worst case" result being reported, is having to buy the next ticket back where you just flew from, and leave on it.

 

6 minutes ago, lopezkoa said:

Has there ever been any reports on someone racking up too many VE by air and then booking a flight out to a bordering country to go to the Thai embassy and then applying for a Tourist Visa ...

Getting a Tourist Visa greatly reduces the chance of rejected-entry entering by air.  If entering by land (anywhere but Poipet/Aranya), there are no reports of rejection for those with the required-cash and an address where they will be staying.  You can also enter trouble-free visa-exempt by land 2x per calendar-year (again, anywhere but Poipet/Aranya).

Given the case you describe, starting with an METV visa from an official-consulate (not honorary) in your home-country would be ideal.  It is not as easy to get as a standard Tourist Visa, but would allow you to come and go without issue on short visits for 6 months from the date-of-issue.

[flyingdoc]

Also if you have more than one 1,900 baht extension to a 30 day VE, it might ring alarm bells!

[terryofcrete]

Hi . I am Irish and I have come for a 30 day stay 4 or 5 times a year for 4 years now. I have never been questioned or asked to produce my return flight ticket, which I always have in my bag. Am I lucky or what .? There is no rule to say how many times you can come on this free visa as far as I am aware and the Thai Embassy in Dublin confirmed that I should not have a problem once I am self sufficient..  a decent amount of money in my wallet and at least one hotel booking. Surely even in LOS they know a good thing when they see it .... not me, my wallet !! But one never takes anything for granted in Thailand. I would argue my case though quite vigourously , but calmly.  

[BritTim]

2 hours ago, terryofcrete said:

Hi . I am Irish and I have come for a 30 day stay 4 or 5 times a year for 4 years now. I have never been questioned or asked to produce my return flight ticket, which I always have in my bag. Am I lucky or what .? There is no rule to say how many times you can come on this free visa as far as I am aware and the Thai Embassy in Dublin confirmed that I should not have a problem once I am self sufficient..  a decent amount of money in my wallet and at least one hotel booking. Surely even in LOS they know a good thing when they see it .... not me, my wallet !! But one never takes anything for granted in Thailand. I would argue my case though quite vigourously , but calmly.  

You are a bit lucky never to be questioned, but you are very unlikely to be refused entry if you stay a month at a time with decent gaps in between.

[LeoTex]

I do 4 trips each year (17 years), but only stay 17 nights each. Last year and few years back I did 5 trips. I have never had a problems but again I don't stay the full 30 days.

 

However, when they go thru the passport to try and find the entry stamp when I leave, it is a challenge for them.

 

LeoTex

[tryasimight]

On 10/12/2017 at 1:49 AM, BritTim said:

You are a bit lucky never to be questioned, but you are very unlikely to be refused entry if you stay a month at a time with decent gaps in between.

Lucky never to be questioned.....what is this comment based on.

I have been coming here every 3 to 4 weeks and staying for 2 weeks for the last 2 years. Never...ever...not once have I been asked a question.

My colleague has been doing the same for 4 years.

I think some of the 'facts' posted here seem to develop a life of their own and not actually based in reality.

Many people talk about the 6 entry flag. Does this actually exist and if so why haven't I been questioned?

 

[JackThompson]

11 hours ago, tryasimight said:

Lucky never to be questioned.....what is this comment based on.

I have been coming here every 3 to 4 weeks and staying for 2 weeks for the last 2 years. Never...ever...not once have I been asked a question.

My colleague has been doing the same for 4 years.

I think some of the 'facts' posted here seem to develop a life of their own and not actually based in reality.

Many people talk about the 6 entry flag. Does this actually exist and if so why haven't I been questioned?

 

 

Many offshore oil folks reported questioning and "get a proper visa" which match this sort of visiting-pattern, in past years.  Some described being held with many others in similar circumstances. 

 

As to what percentage of frequent-visitors, entering visa-exempt, with significant "out of Thailand" time between visits has received "The Treatment?"  We simply don't know the odds - or why they were singled-out vs others - or why showing proof of their offshore-employment didn't satisfy IOs at that time. 

[tryasimight]

10 hours ago, JackThompson said:

 

Many offshore oil folks reported questioning and "get a proper visa" which match this sort of visiting-pattern, in past years.  Some described being held with many others in similar circumstances. 

 

As to what percentage of frequent-visitors, entering visa-exempt, with significant "out of Thailand" time between visits has received "The Treatment?"  We simply don't know the odds - or why they were singled-out vs others - or why showing proof of their offshore-employment didn't satisfy IOs at that time. 

Possibly because I only stay for two weeks or less and not the full 30 days may be a significant factor. Hope I haven't jinxed myself !!

[lopezkoa]

17 hours ago, tryasimight said:

Possibly because I only stay for two weeks or less and not the full 30 days may be a significant factor. Hope I haven't jinxed myself !!

 

 

When I first started traveling to Thailand, I never applied for Visa because just like many other countries, a visa isn't required with Us Passport to travel there.

 

So my first Visa exempts I only stayed for a few days. Until i decided to stay long term, I started to do extensions and then fly to Hong Kong and back to Bangkok the next day, then fly to Malaysia and back then it was my 6th Visa exempt, he got notified and saw I exit/entered on the same day, and then told me next time I need a Visa.  so thats when I did my research and learned about 60 day visa plus 30 day extension, so since then.. I've done that 3 times and had no problems entering. 

 

But now I am not plannig to stay longer than 30 days so I decided not to get a Visa.  I had no problems coming in just questioned "why you come to thailand? you working?" and that was it. I will fly to Japan in November and back to Bangkok on another Visa exempt and then fly to Hong Kong in December so I hope that I wont get rejected when I am not getting these stays extended, but when i decide to stay in Thailand for more than 60 days I will apply for the Tourist Visa again, which will be after January