Visa limitations when traveling by air to thailand multiple times per year

[localexp]

 

i have just learned about the 2 visas at border, and 6 visas over air so in light of this let me explain my situation.

 

have a dependent child in thailand and lived there for more than a decade, over the past year i have gone twice to kanchanaburi for a border run and once to koala lumpur. i am currently in koala lumpur trying to do a tourist visa, this will be my fourth and last trip to thailand before jan 1 2020.

 

what i need to know is can i go straight to the airport, without having the tourist visa, and get a visa at the airport so i can return home to see my family or do i have to get the tourist visa at the embassy before returning?

 

i was told i should get a tourist visa before at the airport but in light of all the contradictory information, i would be willing to fly back right now if i am allowed to do so.

 

im not worried about being chewed on or interrogated by the airport, i have all the documentation to show i have a family here and can easily support them, but im just trying to figure out if their is any legal justification in a hard rule, rather than the personal preference of the officer, which would prefent me from returning home tonight.

 

Thank you once again. here is hoping immigration standardizes soon.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_Thailand#Visa_exemption_for_normal_passports

https://www.thaiembassy.com/thailand/new-visa-rules.php

 

 

 

[Accidental Tourist]

Just returned from a Tourist visa attempt in Kuala Lumpur, which was NOT successful as I missed a paper and could not get a appointment for the next day on the Thai Embassy. So I did return back to Thailand; on the Thai Airport I been told this would be the last time they granting me the favor for a visa. This was the second time as I arrived previously from Europe in October; seems to me this 6 time air and 2 time land border is not a standard rule and up to the mood of the immigration officer.

I am in the same situation as yourself, having a family with kid in Thailand living. Working for a cruise company I have generally a brake of 4 months which i previously spend in Thailand with the family in our home. Last year I got a 3 months extension from the local Immigration and all was good. This year I got a attitude and no extension, which make me flight to Kuala Lumpur for a Tourist visa. 

Not willing to beg for favors I now returning back to a country other than Thailand where I still welcome.

Now is my 25th year in Thailand many of this year I been working on BOI work permit, and never had a vis problem...things a changing and nothing is certain anymore in Thailand for us foreigners.

So if you make a Tourist visa in KL make sure to have All PAPERS which requested on a separate sheet from the embassy ready and copying. Good Luck

[Peter Denis]

Hi localexp,

Am not sufficiently knowledgeable about your specific question re Visa-options, but @ubonjoe for sure will be able to give you correct and accurate advice on that one.

 

You mention 'I have just learned about the 2 visas at border, and 6 visas over air ...' referring to the thread you inserted.  But your understanding is incorrect.

UbonJoe indicated in his response in that thread that > 6 visa exempt entry alert does not mean you cannot enter by air or land anymore. It is only to inform the officer to check if you attempting to live here on them by doing them back to back.

At land border crossings there is a limit of 2 visa exempt entries per calendar year.

So there is NO limit for the number of Visa exempt entries by air per calendar year.  But Immigration will be flagged when you enter more than 6 times Visa exempt, and will check your entry history to determine whether you are a genuine tourist.  That does not mean that you will be denied entry, when you meet the requirements, but they might advice you to re-enter on a Visa-type that is more fitting for your situation  

[007 RED]

    @localexp    I'm not sure that it is necessary to start another post with exactly the same question that you asked yesterday and subsequently received some valid information.

 

 

Edited November 21, 2019 by 007 RED