Hi everyone!

I am new to this forum. I hope you can give me some advice.

I am planning to spend most of 2018 in Thailand on tourist visas. 

I have 2 passports from 2 different countries. (Both EU and the same name in passport) I read it somewhere that you can only stay 6 months a year in Thailand on tourist visas.

Does anyone know if the Thai embassy in the UK has access to the airport entry databases?

Basically my plan is to get a 2 month tourist visa in one passport and extend it by 30 days in Thailand. After that I have to come back to Europe for a week or so, then I would apply for a new 2 month visa with my other passport. (After that with the first passport again)

Anyone done the same thing before? Do you think is it too risky?

Thanks

Edited December 15, 20178 yr by Bigz
added details

I think that should be fine to switch passport if you are going back to Europe. You wouldn’t actually have to if you didn’t want to and could actually stay in Thailand a lot longer than 6 months on tourists visas, tips on how to do that will come up later. Bit early for most people mate 555

keep an eye out for ubon joe and Brit Tim’s comments amongst others later on to get you best options according to your plans 

26 minutes ago, Bigz said:

I read it somewhere that you can only stay 6 months a year in Thailand on tourist visas.

That's not true. There is no set limit on how long you can stay in the country on tourist visas. You shouldn't have any problem staying 1 year even with back to back visas.

 

30 minutes ago, Bigz said:

Does anyone know if the Thai embassy in the UK has access to the airport entry databases?

No they don't. But Thai immigration might link your two different passports by your name and DOB, and if they do the Immigration Officer would see your entry record with both passports.

 

29 minutes ago, Bigz said:

Basically my plan is to get a 2 month tourist visa in one passport and extend it by 30 days in Thailand. After that I have to come back to Europe for a week or so, then I would apply for a new 2 month visa with my other passport. (After that with the first passport again)

Anyone done the same thing before? Do you think is it too risky?

Switching passports like that is completely unnecessary. Although it could fool consular services and they issue a visa it doesn't guarantee entry to Thailand.

 

You can get Tourist Visas from embassies/consulates in neighbouring countries to Thailand, so you don't need to go back to Europe unless you want to. You shouldn't have a problem getting the four you need to cover your year. 

 

If you can meet the qualifications it would be better to get a Multiple Entry Tourist Visa from your home country. It is valid for 6 months and, with planning, can give you nearly 9 months in Thailand. After which you could switch to Single Entry Tourist Visas obtained in SE Asia (you won't get another METV in Asia).

 

 

There is a reason why they are called tourists visas. That is just because they are not a tool to be used for staying long time.
Therefore it´s going to be much up to the discretion of the Innigration Officer that will handle your entrance and exit every time.

However, as posted before. There is no limit and if all worked by set rules, it means that you in theory could stay as long as you wish om tourist visas.
The thing regarding 6 months you are talking about is not any rule about how long time you can stay om tourist visas. That has more to do with your status as a tax payer.
After staying more than 180 days a year in Thailand, most nationalities are considered to be eligeble for paying tax in Thailand.
That can be one of the factors taken in to consideration when the Immigration Officer decides if he will believe that you are to be seen as only a tourist or somebody that is believed to be working for a living in Thailand.

If you can qualify for it you should apply for a multiple entry tourist visa (METV). It allows unlimited 60 day entries for 6 months from the date of issue and can allow a total stay of about 9 months by getting a new 60 day entry just before it expires and getting a 30 day extension of it.

Requirements can be found here: http://thaiembassyuk.org.uk/en/types-of-visa#section2

Many thanks for the info, very useful!

 

I do not qualify for the multiple entry visa so that's not an option. 

So looks like if I play with the 2 passports (and they link them)I might arouse some suspicion later. 

This year I spent around 4 months in Thailand on exemptions and a visa run to Cambodia. 

Came back this December and going in January again.  On my last visit I accidentally overstayed by 1 day.  The Thai immigration didn't say a word on exit (no fine), they stamped me out. 

Would this 1 day cause any problems at the Thai embassy obtaining a visa? 

 

 

54 minutes ago, Bigz said:

Would this 1 day cause any problems at the Thai embassy obtaining a visa? 

Absolutely a non issue.

2 minutes ago, BritTim said:

Absolutely a non issue.

Thanks!

3 hours ago, Bigz said:

Would this 1 day cause any problems at the Thai embassy obtaining a visa? 

If there’s no overstay stamp in your passport they probably wouldn’t notice the overstay, and if they did it shouldn’t have any affect on getting another visa.

Edited December 16, 20178 yr by elviajero