How many visa exempts?

[Kirsty83]

I've just done my first border run at Kanchanaburi and I know I can extend the visa exempt for 30 days at immigration. What I'd like to know is after the extension, am I able to do another border run for another visa exempt stamp or is it just the one you can have? 

[Carib]

Border Crossings allow 2 exempt entries/year. By air there is no official limit but the immigration officer may want to ask you a few questions about how much of a tourist you really are.

[JackThompson]

By air, they can decide to force you to return where you came from if they feel like it.  They can make up a fake-rule, then put a "real rule" in the rejection-stamp in your passport, even if the circumstances do not fit.

 

If staying longer-term, you would want to enter with Tourist Visas.  I recommend entering at reliable land-border-crossings where only the actual written-rules are enforced (i.e. "not poipet/aranyaprathet" - the others are fine). 

 

Be sure to carry 10K baht worth of cash when entering visa-exempt, and 20K baht when entering with a Tourist Visa.

[elviajero]

1 hour ago, Kirsty83 said:

What I'd like to know is after the extension, am I able to do another border run for another visa exempt stamp or is it just the one you can have? 

Yes you can as long as it’s only the second visa exempt entry by land in 2018. Two, by land, per calendar year is the limit.

[Belzybob]

By now the penny should be dropping that it is not the number of visas or extensions; it is down to whether or not the immigration officer thinks your are taking the piss and you are not a genuine tourist.

 

Hint: A tourist is not someone that stays in Thailand for more than 6 months out of 12. They are an illegal immigrant.

[darrendsd]

3 minutes ago, Belzybob said:

They are an illegal immigrant.

Funny,

 

I suggest you look up the meaning of illegal immigrant.

[elviajero]

7 minutes ago, Belzybob said:

Hint: A tourist is not someone that stays in Thailand for more than 6 months out of 12. They are an illegal immigrant.

I would tend to agree with the 6/12 month comment. But a “tourist” given permission to stay is not an “illegal immigrant” even if the combined time spent in the country exceeds 6/12 months.

[RT555]

17 hours ago, elviajero said:

Yes you can as long as it’s only the second visa exempt entry by land in 2018. Two, by land, per calendar year is the limit.

3? I think... 

[elviajero]

6 minutes ago, RT555 said:

17 hours ago, elviajero said:

Yes you can as long as it’s only the second visa exempt entry by land in 2018. Two, by land, per calendar year is the limit.

3? I think... 

No, it’s definitely 2.

[Kadilo]

I keep reading about this and I find it fascinating because I have a good friend who has been visiting Thailand just under 6 months/ year for the past 10 year and never has a visa of any description, always been visa exempt. 

 Not one query, not one stoppage. We laugh about it when he shows me his passports full of stamps and I tell him the stories of my hassles getting a visa. 

Clearly is the luck of the draw. 

[Suradit69]

2 hours ago, Kadilo said:

I keep reading about this and I find it fascinating because I have a good friend who has been visiting Thailand just under 6 months/ year for the past 10 year and never has a visa of any description, always been visa exempt. 

 Not one query, not one stoppage. We laugh about it when he shows me his passports full of stamps and I tell him the stories of my hassles getting a visa. 

Clearly is the luck of the draw. 

It would only take 3 visa exempt entries plus extensions to approximate 6 months. Arrival by air and then two border crossings would do it. Assuming that there was nothing otherwise suspicious about the purpose of the visits, I would think that was easily doable. 

 

Assuming your friend's experience was for a stay of 6 months, there would be a certain amount of hassle/expense connected with obtaining the second and third visa exempt entries with the border crossings plus the visits to immigration for extensions. Doubt getting a tourist visa or two would be that much of a hassle in comparison.

 

Quote

We laugh about it ...

Repeatedly?

 

 

 

 

[elviajero]

3 hours ago, Kadilo said:

I keep reading about this and I find it fascinating because I have a good friend who has been visiting Thailand just under 6 months/ year for the past 10 year and never has a visa of any description, always been visa exempt. 

 Not one query, not one stoppage. We laugh about it when he shows me his passports full of stamps and I tell him the stories of my hassles getting a visa. 

Clearly is the luck of the draw. 

Someone with that routine is unlikely to be stopped and questioned as they are clearly not living in the country. It is the amount of time spent in the country that they are concerned about.

[Mad mick]

On 6/19/2018 at 12:22 AM, Carib said:

Border Crossings allow 2 exempt entries/year. By air there is no official limit but the immigration officer may want to ask you a few questions about how much of a tourist you really are.

yes i had no problem was a little over 1 year ago did it several times , but i moved where i could get 3 x 3 months visa , also its very easy to apply online no problem if you are after work permits or open a business yourself etc, vietnam they want you to come holiday or live or retire, nicer people all around everyone mixes in with each other, beaches are great, food beer a lot cheaper than thailand , love vietnam

[Belzybob]

20 hours ago, darrendsd said:

Funny,

 

I suggest you look up the meaning of illegal immigrant.

Alright if you want to be picky, they are clearly no longer a bona fide tourist and are attempting to become a resident by deception.

[darrendsd]

18 minutes ago, Belzybob said:

Alright if you want to be picky, they are clearly no longer a bona fide tourist and are attempting to become a resident by deception.

It's not being picky is it, you clearly have no idea what the term illegal immigrant means

 

 

 

 

[Belzybob]

4 hours ago, darrendsd said:

It's not being picky is it, you clearly have no idea what the term illegal immigrant means

 

 

 

 

I do know what a pillock is.

[darrendsd]

33 minutes ago, Belzybob said:

I do know what a pillock is.

Cheers cupcake