Tourist Visa After 90 Days?

[Thaihog]

I will shortly be coming to the end of my 90 days (3 concurrent VOA's at Mai Sai) and was wondering if I go to KL and obtain a Tourist Visa will I get back into the country okay? I am getting a bit worried as the Immigration at Mai Sai were keeping count of the trips writing the numbers 2 & 3 in my passport. On my last trip to Mai Sai I was given a bit of paper stating that a person is only allowed to stay for a max. of 90 days in a 180 day period. I previously had an annual multi entry Non "O" but that expired.

The living situation here in LOS is starting to get complicated for single guys under 50.

[cali4995]

Thaihog, A person is allowed 90 days in 6 months on visa exempt entries.

"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."

Visas on arrival are 15 days for a separate category of nations. Tourist visas are not included in this 90 day/6 month rule so Yes, you can return.

I must say that was very nice of them to put the friendly reminder note in your passport. It's already past complicated.

[Thaihog]

Thanks Cali4995 for your reply. As you are the only person that has been kind enough to take time and respond (despite 90 views) I hope that your answer is correct.

Cheers.

[OxfordWill]

It rings true with what I have been told but I am not an expert on visas. It is important to distinguish between "visa exemption (VOA)" and "tourist visa", even though informally we all call them both VOA or tourist visa.

[Thaihog]

It rings true with what I have been told but I am not an expert on visas. It is important to distinguish between "visa exemption (VOA)" and "tourist visa", even though informally we all call them both VOA or tourist visa.

When I talk about a VOA, I mean that I have used my UK passport to gain entry for 30 days. ie. no visa.

Cheers.

[cali4995]

Thaihog, it's not an opinion i've done it already. Some important things it's helpful to note; (3) visa-exempt entries + (1) tourist visa + 30 day extension does not yet equal 6-months. At some point in the process you also need to obtain a 7-day extension to clear the 6-month hurdle. Thai immigration seems happy to take your 1,900 baht for an extension, maybe we should consider this another "tax". I'm certainly not an expert, I've spent an embarrassing amount of time researching the subject so I didn't get myself in a jam. The moderators are the only ones deserving of Guru status. I'll pass on that job and try and enjoy some of my holiday.

Edited June 4, 2007 by cali4995

[Thaihog]

Thaihog, it's not an opinion i've done it already. Some important things it's helpful to note; (3) visa-exempt entries + (1) tourist visa + 30 day extension does not yet equal 6-months. At some point in the process you also need to obtain a 7-day extension to clear the 6-month hurdle. Thai immigration seems happy to take your 1,900 baht for an extension, maybe we should consider this another "tax". I'm certainly not an expert, I've spent an embarrassing amount of time researching the subject so I didn't get myself in a jam. The moderators are the only ones deserving of Guru status. I'll pass on that job and try and enjoy some of my holiday.

Cali, why do I need to clear the 6 month hurdle?

[jdinasia]

after your 3 VISA EXEMPT entries <which are NOT VOA's> you may then go to a Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate in another country and get a tourist visa. If you are lucky you could get a double tourist visa which could take care of your needs for some time to come.

The Tourist Visa will give you 60 days in the country and can be extended for another 30 days for a fee.

If you qualified for a non-O multi entry before why not go back to where that was issued and get another one?

But so far so good for people making 90 day runs for Tourist Visas ....

[tropo]

Thaihog, it's not an opinion i've done it already. Some important things it's helpful to note; (3) visa-exempt entries + (1) tourist visa + 30 day extension does not yet equal 6-months. At some point in the process you also need to obtain a 7-day extension to clear the 6-month hurdle. Thai immigration seems happy to take your 1,900 baht for an extension, maybe we should consider this another "tax". I'm certainly not an expert, I've spent an embarrassing amount of time researching the subject so I didn't get myself in a jam. The moderators are the only ones deserving of Guru status. I'll pass on that job and try and enjoy some of my holiday.

Cali, why do I need to clear the 6 month hurdle?

He means that if you do 3 x 30 day visa exempt entries plus a single tourist visa with a 30 day extension your total days will be under 6 months.

One way to solve this would be to stay away for a week when you do a tourist visa run.

[cali4995]

Thaihog, when you entered for the 1st time on your visa-exempt-entry your 6-month cycle began. The rule states " 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." Once you've completed the 1st 6-month cycle on your next visa-exempt-entry a 2nd 6-month cycle will commence. You have to clear a 6 month hurdle to be allowed a 2nd "set" of visa-exempt-entries.

one way is the 7-day extension, another is to stay outside thailand the required days

As an example: if you entered thailand on 1st oct 2006 with visa-exempt entry, then went to mae-sai twice, then flew to malaysia and made a tourist visa, then got a 30 day extension. You still would not have reached apr 1st 2007? the new 6-month period? you would be a few days short? you could stay in malaysia a few extra days or get a 7-day extension. This only applies to getting a new visa exempt entry #4 and 6 months is more like 183 days.

As you can see, if you can get another non-immig or back-to-back tourist visas then you don't have to deal with this mess because the 6-month rule won't apply to you.

Edited June 5, 2007 by cali4995