April 1 Is New 6 Month Period?

[siddv]

So October 2006 to April 1 is now 6 months. I had 45 days of travel in Thaialnd during that time. So I was good. Now when I enter this April this is now under the new 6th month period right? My 23 day stay is not counted with the 45 days already spent correct. I know that either way I will be ok just thinking how this works?

[astral]

I doubt it.

I would think that the 180 days starts from your first entry on Visa exemption, after 1st Oct 2006.

[PeaceBlondie]

Most posters who seem to know, talk about it being a 'rolling period,' and a 180 day period rather than six months. For example, on April 5 they would (if it's a rolling period, and they actually bother to count), count all your days in-country on a non-visa stamp, since about October 7th. Nobody knows for sure.

[Crossy]

For what it's worth, I thought that the six month period was 'rolling' although exactly how it works is a mystery to this 'Bear of Little Brain'.

I'm not sure even the lawmakers know how to do it, let alone the poor chap at the immigration desk with the irate Farang in front of him

We need more feedback from those given short stamps or denied entry.

[jeebusjones]

Most posters who seem to know, talk about it being a 'rolling period,' and a 180 day period rather than six months. For example, on April 5 they would (if it's a rolling period, and they actually bother to count), count all your days in-country on a non-visa stamp, since about October 9th. Nobody knows for sure.

The signs up at the borders say "six month period." When the rules were first announced, they used the phrase "180 days." I think they realized that 180 days would leave a gap, so it's since been scrapped and replaced with "six months."

Edited March 20, 2007 by jeebusjones

[Krub]

I would think that if you enter let say on May 1, they would look at your visa free days in Thailand as from 1 January.

If you have less than 60 days within that period you would get a new 30 days stamp

[LivinLOS]

Surely it has to be rolling..

Otherwise you can come in during Jan Feb and March.. Then its april (for a new period) and stay april may and june.. Totally not the spirit of the law / rule..

How they are going to actually calculate a rolling 6 months or 180 days is all a mystery..

[SabahCafeandCinima]

180 days (All in a block)

You end up having to be out of the country for 5 days or so if you are using the system of 3 border runs + tourist visa + Tvisa extension (30 days)

OR

surprise surprise a 7 day extension at immigration

Appears that you can in fact do 3 border runs at the end of the first 180 day block followed by a 7 day extension and then do 3 more border runs for the first part of the second 180 day block since Oct 1st

So 6 border runs in a row sort of

[visarunner]

180 days (All in a block)

You end up having to be out of the country for 5 days or so if you are using the system of 3 border runs + tourist visa + Tvisa extension (30 days)

OR

surprise surprise a 7 day extension at immigration

Appears that you can in fact do 3 border runs at the end of the first 180 day block followed by a 7 day extension and then do 3 more border runs for the first part of the second 180 day block since Oct 1st

So 6 border runs in a row sort of

Perfect and correct interpretation of the rule.

If you entered on 1.10.06 you will be allowed back with a visa exempt stamp on 31.3.07.

If 20.10.06 was your first date you can came back on 19.4.07.

[LivinLOS]

So you guys are claiming that the 30 day runners can do 6 consecutive 30 day runs if they time it correctly (eg that its the last 3 months of one cycle and the first 3 months of another)..

As its not yet april how do you know this is what will happen on the ground ??

I am really finding this hard to believe

[SabahCafeandCinima]

Believe it or not

The rules are gonna change in June apparently as well

[llewynx]

Got a report from a friend (South African) who entered the airport on a visa exempt entry and got only two days, although his last entry to Thailand was on a Tourist Visa from Penang. Before this TV he had three months of visa runs (88 days in total). He demanded to speak to the top officer, who told him they were very sorry but these where the new rules, ie they count six months backwards from the day you enter, check how many visa exempt entries you have and count the days. So 90 days in any 6 months period, regardless if you have any TV's in between. The TV's don't calculate into the days, as I understand it, but any visa exempt entries will do. Any ideas on this?

[Krub]

Got a report from a friend (South African) who entered the airport on a visa exempt entry and got only two days, although his last entry to Thailand was on a Tourist Visa from Penang. Before this TV he had three months of visa runs (88 days in total). He demanded to speak to the top officer, who told him they were very sorry but these where the new rules, ie they count six months backwards from the day you enter, check how many visa exempt entries you have and count the days. So 90 days in any 6 months period, regardless if you have any TV's in between. The TV's don't calculate into the days, as I understand it, but any visa exempt entries will do. Any ideas on this?

Well if the rule is 90 days in any 180 I think they will look at how many days you already have used in the 5 months before your entry. and then decide how many days they can give you to make it a maximum of 90 in 180.

[lazeeboy]

Got a report from a friend (South African) who entered the airport on a visa exempt entry and got only two days, although his last entry to Thailand was on a Tourist Visa from Penang. Before this TV he had three months of visa runs (88 days in total). He demanded to speak to the top officer, who told him they were very sorry but these where the new rules, ie they count six months backwards from the day you enter, check how many visa exempt entries you have and count the days. So 90 days in any 6 months period, regardless if you have any TV's in between. The TV's don't calculate into the days, as I understand it, but any visa exempt entries will do. Any ideas on this?

Well if the rule is 90 days in any 180 I think they will look at how many days you already have used in the 5 months before your entry. and then decide how many days they can give you to make it a maximum of 90 in 180.

has anyone out there been to there local immigration office and ask them exactly the rules on this situation it would be nice to know the real rules set out by the government as to hearsay i for one have read this thread and am more confused than fver

[LivinLOS]

Your description is exactly as I understand it would be applied..

Just having a 2 month tourist visa in between 3 previous 30 day stamps would not cancel them out.. It would mean that he still needs to be out of the country for 30 more days..

But I would have always assumed a rolling 180 days or 6 months..

[seagull]

has anyone out there been to there local immigration office and ask them exactly the rules on this situation it would be nice to know the real rules set out by the government as to hearsay i for one have read this thread and am more confused than fver

We are not confused. It is the imm officers who are confused.

[SabahCafeandCinima]

180 days (All in a block)

You end up having to be out of the country for 5 days or so if you are using the system of 3 border runs + tourist visa + Tvisa extension (30 days)

OR

surprise surprise a 7 day extension at immigration

Appears that you can in fact do 3 border runs at the end of the first 180 day block followed by a 7 day extension and then do 3 more border runs for the first part of the second 180 day block since Oct 1st

So 6 border runs in a row sort of

Sorry The official line is that you can't do 6 in a row sort of as I carelessly said above

More like

2 border runs + tourist visa + Tvisa extension (30 days) + border run then

7 day ext to complete your 180 day block

Then 2 border runs + tourist visa + Tvisa extension (30 days) + border run etc

Essential no more than 3 consecutive border (full 30 days [3 x 30 = 90days]) runs even if either

1.they are interupted by a 7 day extension

OR

2. they span 2 180 day blocks

sorry

Edited March 20, 2007 by SabahCafeandCinima

[seagull]

Do not count the numbers of visa exemption stamps. Count only the number of days you have stayed in Thailand under these visa exemption stamps. It should not exceed 90 days period in a 180 days block. When you reach your 90 days limit, you need to get a tourist visa in order to re-enter thailand. These tv will allow you another 60 days. You now have 90 + 60 = 150 days out of 180 days. So you get an extension for 30 days on your tourist visa. That makes a grand total of 180 days. Another new 180 days block will start from your next entry into thailand whether by visa exempt or tvs.

Am I helping, or am I creating more confusion?

[SabahCafeandCinima]

Helping though

If you do what you describe over the 180 day period you end up about 5 days short of 180 depending where you got/get your tourist visa and how long you were out of thailand for.

Example

you stamp out on the 19th march (border run) and you come back an hour later to stamp in. It is stamped as the 19th so the cross over day means you don't have 60 days straddling the to entries but 59 days

So at some time in the 180 days you'll have to be out of the country a few days or get a 7 day extension

[cali4995]

Got a report from a friend (South African) who entered the airport on a visa exempt entry and got only two days, although his last entry to Thailand was on a Tourist Visa from Penang. Before this TV he had three months of visa runs (88 days in total). He demanded to speak to the top officer, who told him they were very sorry but these where the new rules, ie they count six months backwards from the day you enter, check how many visa exempt entries you have and count the days. So 90 days in any 6 months period, regardless if you have any TV's in between. The TV's don't calculate into the days, as I understand it, but any visa exempt entries will do. Any ideas on this?

this actually seems like the most probable scenario to unfold. simply because it's easier for the immigration officers to do. count backward 6 months from the date of latest entry. the rule says 6 months, but i don't think it even matters what the rule says. they can twist, change, and bend these regulations any way they see fit. especially with all the other nonsense going on in the kingdom, i want to deal with immigration the least i possibly can. there are just too many ways for these visa exempt entries to go wrong. tv's seem a better option. thailand is doing itself irreparable damage in the hospitality arena.

Edited March 20, 2007 by cali4995

[sjaak327]

Got a report from a friend (South African) who entered the airport on a visa exempt entry and got only two days, although his last entry to Thailand was on a Tourist Visa from Penang. Before this TV he had three months of visa runs (88 days in total). He demanded to speak to the top officer, who told him they were very sorry but these where the new rules, ie they count six months backwards from the day you enter, check how many visa exempt entries you have and count the days. So 90 days in any 6 months period, regardless if you have any TV's in between. The TV's don't calculate into the days, as I understand it, but any visa exempt entries will do. Any ideas on this?

Well if the rule is 90 days in any 180 I think they will look at how many days you already have used in the 5 months before your entry. and then decide how many days they can give you to make it a maximum of 90 in 180.

has anyone out there been to there local immigration office and ask them exactly the rules on this situation it would be nice to know the real rules set out by the government as to hearsay i for one have read this thread and am more confused than fver

From the Ministry of foreignh affairs:

Foreigners who enter the Kingdom under the Tourist Visa Exemption category may re-enter and stay in Thailand for a cumulative duration of stay of not exceeding 90 days within any 6-month period from the date of first entry.

Pretty clear I think, any 6 months period from the date of first entry. So you arrive april 1st, and you have stayed 85 days (on visa exempt) in the 180 days before your entry date, you cannot get a 30 days stamp. You will have to get a proper visa.

[Sunny Valentine]

From the Ministry of foreignh affairs:

Foreigners who enter the Kingdom under the Tourist Visa Exemption category may re-enter and stay in Thailand for a cumulative duration of stay of not exceeding 90 days within any 6-month period from the date of first entry.

Pretty clear I think, any 6 months period from the date of first entry. So you arrive april 1st, and you have stayed 85 days (on visa exempt) in the 180 days before your entry date, you cannot get a 30 days stamp. You will have to get a proper visa.

Pretty clear? Well,, 6 month ain't 180 days, to start with. Would be nice to have any "pretty clear" regulation (and even more nice if this is actually respected by the enforcers). Both won't happen, I'm afraid.

Sunny

[Maestro]

If anybody desires to read the respective Royal Thai Police Order 608/2549, it can be found in the topic “Thai Immigration Laws, Regulations, Police Orders” pinned at the top of this forum. This, that is the original Thai text of the Police Order, is what the immigration officials are working with. How they interpret it seems to up to each individual official.

--

Maestro

[LivinLOS]

180 days (All in a block)

You end up having to be out of the country for 5 days or so if you are using the system of 3 border runs + tourist visa + Tvisa extension (30 days)

OR

surprise surprise a 7 day extension at immigration

Appears that you can in fact do 3 border runs at the end of the first 180 day block followed by a 7 day extension and then do 3 more border runs for the first part of the second 180 day block since Oct 1st

So 6 border runs in a row sort of

Sorry The official line is that you can't do 6 in a row sort of as I carelessly said above

More like

2 border runs + tourist visa + Tvisa extension (30 days) + border run then

7 day ext to complete your 180 day block

Then 2 border runs + tourist visa + Tvisa extension (30 days) + border run etc

Essential no more than 3 consecutive border (full 30 days [3 x 30 = 90days]) runs even if either

1.they are interupted by a 7 day extension

OR

2. they span 2 180 day blocks

sorry

Thats exactly the understanding I had.. And counter to the posts I took exception too..

The only slight grey areas are is it 180 days or 6 months.. How do they count the start of the block.. I guess no one will know until 180 days min after Oct 1st..

[rodeoooo]

today is 20 March

I live in the USA, Los Angeles area

I have 5 trips since August 06

Called the Thai embasy, finally...got a live person

Farang from New York

gave him my dates in the Kindom

"6 months, 3 trips, period, no matter number of days in Kingdom"

I had "11 days" according to the "rules"

He claimed that it is 3 trips in 6 months, again.

Went in person to the Embassy

Talked to 3 people, same story

I got a "tourist"visa good for two entrys, for $50 usd, had to pick up next day

Asked 4 times, 4 people re: one year visa, mult enty

told ' if you own a condo or married to a thai girl" MAYBE you get one

for me, easier to get a $50 visa

btw, i have asked a dozen people at immigration at Suwanapum, never got a good answer

in fact, i got about 12 answers....TIT

[lopburi3]

They are wrong. The rule is 90 days and has absolutely nothing to do with the number of entries; as any number of real travelers on this web site can confirm. This is an Immigration rule and has nothing to do with Embassies or Consulates; who seem not to understand it.

[meom]

From the Ministry of foreignh affairs:

Foreigners who enter the Kingdom under the Tourist Visa Exemption category may re-enter and stay in Thailand for a cumulative duration of stay of not exceeding 90 days within any 6-month period from the date of first entry.

Pretty clear I think, any 6 months period from the date of first entry. So you arrive april 1st, and you have stayed 85 days (on visa exempt) in the 180 days before your entry date, you cannot get a 30 days stamp. You will have to get a proper visa.

I came on 5 October 2006 and left on 20 October 2006. Next time I came on 3 January 2007 and left on 17 January 2007. Now I came again on 19 March 2007. The girl at customs told me I can stay only up to 4 April since my 180 days are up? So she write admitted until 4 April in my arrival stamp and tells me next time i should get a visa.

[Crossy]

I came on 5 October 2006 and left on 20 October 2006. Next time I came on 3 January 2007 and left on 17 January 2007. Now I came again on 19 March 2007. The girl at customs told me I can stay only up to 4 April since my 180 days are up? So she write admitted until 4 April in my arrival stamp and tells me next time i should get a visa.

This is blatantly wrong. Go to your local immigration office, they will fix your stamp for free Maybe even enlighten the lady in question.

Where did this incorrect stamp happen??

[meom]

I came on 5 October 2006 and left on 20 October 2006. Next time I came on 3 January 2007 and left on 17 January 2007. Now I came again on 19 March 2007. The girl at customs told me I can stay only up to 4 April since my 180 days are up? So she write admitted until 4 April in my arrival stamp and tells me next time i should get a visa.

This is blatantly wrong. Go to your local immigration office, they will fix your stamp for free Maybe even enlighten the lady in question.

Where did this incorrect stamp happen??

[meom]

I came on 5 October 2006 and left on 20 October 2006. Next time I came on 3 January 2007 and left on 17 January 2007. Now I came again on 19 March 2007. The girl at customs told me I can stay only up to 4 April since my 180 days are up? So she write admitted until 4 April in my arrival stamp and tells me next time i should get a visa.

This is blatantly wrong. Go to your local immigration office, they will fix your stamp for free Maybe even enlighten the lady in question.

Where did this incorrect stamp happen??

This happened in Bangkok Airport. The girl pulled out a card with two columns; entry dates from October first in the left column and corresponding 180 days in the right column.

Obviously nobody told her to count days instead of stamps. I don't speak enough thai to argue with morons so just let it go and told her up to you.

I can come on a visa next time. It's a bit more hassle and I don't really see the point of getting a two month visa while I stay only a couple of weeks before i go back to work again.