extend the 30-day visa exemption without leaving LoS, or do a "visa run" every 30 days?

[gejohesch]

Everything (or nearly) is in the title. A Canadian friend of mine plans to come to Thailand later this year and spend 4 months here? He gets of course a 30-days exemption when arriving in BKK. The question then is : would he need to do a "visa run" every 30 days, or could he extend the 30-day visa without leaving LoS? I heard it is possible to extend for 30 (or 60) days at any immigration office, but what about extending for 120 days (so as to arrive to the full 4 months as planned)?

 

I'm sure this repeats previous discussions but knowing that it often takes a lot of reading to get to the relevant parts, and knowing my friend needs to know soon in order to plan accordingly, I allowed my self to ask the question in a new discussion. Thanks in advance for relevant info / advice.

[ubonjoe]

He can apply for a 30 day extension of his 30 day visa exempt entry.

After getting the one extension allowed he would have leave and reenter the country for a new visa exempt entry.

[DrJack54]

Enter visa exempt and obtain extension = 60 days.

Border bounce and enter visa exempt and obtain extension= 60 days.

All up approx 4 month stay.

Note: only 2 visa exempt entries via land border per calendar year.

[Jerno]

And may get hassled by Immigration coming twice into the country on an immediate back-to-back Exempt.  "Why no Tourist Visa", etc. 

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, Jerno said:

And may get hassled by Immigration coming twice into the country on an immediate back-to-back Exempt.  "Why no Tourist Visa", etc. 

No.

Read my previous post. 

[blazes]

12 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Enter visa exempt and obtain extension = 60 days.

Border bounce and enter visa exempt and obtain extension= 60 days.

All up approx 4 month stay.

Note: only 2 visa exempt entries via land border per calendar year.

Dr Jack, this is interesting, cos I was planning on staying for 180 days.  Please let me know whether this plan is feasible:

 

1. Visa exempt = 30 days

2. Extension = 30 days

3. Leave for holiday in HMC or wherever

4. Re-enter visa free = 30 days

5. Extension = 30 days

4. Border run to (whichever border is nearest)

5. Re-enter visa free = 30 days

6. Extension = 30 days

 

Phew, leave country.  Looks "busy busy", but really only involving 2 simple exits, AND avoids any and all paper work involved in getting a tourist visa.

 

PS do you have a link to where in the Immigration regs it says 2 land border crossings per annum are ok?  Thanks.

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, blazes said:

AND avoids any and all paper work involved in getting a tourist visa.

What you outline would work.

You mention holiday in Saigon.

The Thai consulate there is helpful.

You can drop passport in AM and pick up next day PM.

This is to obtain a tourist visa and I think a better option.

 

[gejohesch]

18 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Enter visa exempt and obtain extension = 60 days.

Border bounce and enter visa exempt and obtain extension= 60 days.

All up approx 4 month stay.

Note: only 2 visa exempt entries via land border per calendar year.

sounds like a good way to get 4 months stay in Thailand with relatively low efforts. thanks

[gejohesch]

6 hours ago, blazes said:

Dr Jack, this is interesting, cos I was planning on staying for 180 days.  Please let me know whether this plan is feasible:

 

1. Visa exempt = 30 days

2. Extension = 30 days

3. Leave for holiday in HMC or wherever

4. Re-enter visa free = 30 days

5. Extension = 30 days

4. Border run to (whichever border is nearest)

5. Re-enter visa free = 30 days

6. Extension = 30 days

 

Phew, leave country.  Looks "busy busy", but really only involving 2 simple exits, AND avoids any and all paper work involved in getting a tourist visa.

 

PS do you have a link to where in the Immigration regs it says 2 land border crossings per annum are ok?  Thanks.

That sounds good, as Dr. Jack has confirmed it would work. Btw, I remember seeing several times in the past that re-entries by land are only allowed twice a year, indeed. And that there are no limits if re-entering by air.

In any case, thanks, that sounds like the pattern to follow for my friend (re. my initial question).

[SatEng]

15 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

No.

Read my previous post. 

Actually Dr Jack the answer is yes, they are now querying back-to back tourist visas.

I did one extension and then two trips (for work) to Singapore for a few days at the end of May and June and they stopped me at immigration to say I have too many tourist trips and need a full visa. Took me about an hour to talk my way through this

So you may be unlucky if you have a "vigilant" immigration officer - it seems the continuous border runs are not now allowed

 

 

[DrJack54]

10 minutes ago, SatEng said:

Actually Dr Jack the answer is yes, they are now querying back-to back tourist visas.

Just to be clear my earlier post outlined a visa exempt entry via air followed by visa exempt entry via land border. 

Back to back visa exempt via air are sometimes questioned by over zealous immigration staff.

It would be rare to be questioned if you had a tourist visa. 

 

So your short trips to Singapore were visa exempt entries via air and you were questioned at BMK? Bit rich imo. 

Edited July 4, 2022 by DrJack54

[SatEng]

Just now, DrJack54 said:

Just to be clear my earlier post outlined a visa exempt entry via air followed by visa exempt entry via land border. 

Back to back visa exempt via air are sometimes questioned by over zealous immigration staff.

It would be rare to be questioned if you had a tourist.

 

So your short trips to Singapore were visa exempt entries via air and you were questioned at BMK? Bit rich imo. 

Yes, they were visa exempt by air and stopped at Suvarhnabhumi.

I think I may have just got an over-zealous immigration officer but then had to argue the case with her superior who let me through but said "technically you are illegal, you need a proper visa"

I point this out because I think the OP was using a combination of land and air entries and he may hit the same problems

[gejohesch]

4 hours ago, SatEng said:

Yes, they were visa exempt by air and stopped at Suvarhnabhumi.

I think I may have just got an over-zealous immigration officer but then had to argue the case with her superior who let me through but said "technically you are illegal, you need a proper visa"

I point this out because I think the OP was using a combination of land and air entries and he may hit the same problems

Hmmm, this is food for thought indeed. I recently came back to LOS, by air, filled in the usual arrival card with my wife's address. The immigration officer took several minutes to study it carefully, then asked me "do you have Thai family?", before stamping the card and letting me pass. I had never experienced such close scrutiny before. Maybe immigration authorities are becoming a bit stricter? 

[pitrevie]

I am planning a two month visit from the UK probably at the end of this year. At the end of the two months I intend to visit either Laos or Vietnam for about a week. Would I then be allowed to enter Thailand again by air and get another 1 month before returning to the UK?

[DrJack54]

8 minutes ago, pitrevie said:

Would I then be allowed to enter Thailand again by air and get another 1 month before returning to the UK?

No reason why you would have any issue.

If at that time you have a ticket back to UK have a hard copy with you. 

 

[BritTim]

These are some general guidelines for staying in Thailand as a tourist:

• There are many differences between entering by air and entering by land.
• When entering by air, the total length of your previous recent sojourns in Thailand as a tourist is likely to be scrutinised.
• At most airports, if you have spent more than about 180 days out of the previous year in Thailand as a tourist, you risk being denied a visa exempt entry. Immigration officials have a legal right (indeed, are instructed) to scrutinise those requesting visa exempt entries to determine if they are using visa exempt to stay longer than is compatible with normal tourism.
• If you have a visa, immigration officials have no right to deny you entry, except pursuant to specific reasons specified in Section 12 of the Immigration Act. Unfortunately, immigration officials at some airports (including Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang) have decided to give themselves power they do not have under the law. They may decide the embassy/consulate was in error in issuing you a tourist visa, and refuse to honour it. It is less likely than with visa exempt entries, but you must be very careful entering by air (even with a tourist visa) if you are a long stay tourist in Thailand. Some airports (notably Chiang Mai) have, to date, always followed the law. While they may (validly) deny you a visa exempt entry, they have never been known to (illegally) deny you entry with a visa.
• At most land borders, the rules are very simple: two visa exempt entries per calendar year, and no restrictions on entering with visas. Note, however, that the Poipet/Aranyaprathet is lawless, and you should avoid this rogue crossing if you are a long stay tourist.

My advice, always, is to husband the visa exempt entries by land for emergencies, unless you know for sure that you will be leaving Thailand soon anyway, and will not need them as a fallback option. (Obviously, if it is already close to the end of a calendar year, there is no problem using the land based visa exempt entries then, as you become entitled to two fresh ones comes January 1st.)

[popabear]

On 7/3/2022 at 6:38 PM, ubonjoe said:

He can apply for a 30 day extension of his 30 day visa exempt entry.

After getting the one extension allowed he would have leave and reenter the country for a new visa exempt entry.

When applying for a 30 day extension on a 30 day visa exempt , would you have to extend your 30 day air ticket before going into immigration for a extension . Regards Popa

[ubonjoe]

14 minutes ago, popabear said:

On 7/3/2022 at 5:38 PM, ubonjoe said:

entry.

When applying for a 30 day extension on a 30 day visa exempt , would you have to extend your 30 day air ticket before going into immigration for a extension .

No

A flight out is not required to apply for a extension.