visa exempt entries how many by air

[manfromcanada]

How many times can you enter Thailand on a visa exempt when entering by air?

I have seen reports saying 2 only for land border crossings, but is it the same for arrival by air?

I have also seen reports that if using visa exemption a maximum stay of 90 days only is allowed in a 6 month period, bur I don't know if that is correct.

Edited December 20, 2022 by manfromcanada
error

[DrJack54]

There is no limit for visa exempt entries via air.

However immigration is not happy with back to back ongoing visa exempt via air especially with short time out of Thailand.

 

It would be very simple for Thailand to make clear set of rules however they prefer to play guessing games. 

Edited December 20, 2022 by DrJack54

[gascooker]

As stated above, there are no limitations on the number of entries permitted by air travel.

 

However, immigration officers may want to know why (and how) someone is spending so much time in Thailand as a tourist.

 

I know they've been questioning people who were in the country for a long time on 'covid extensions'.

[Jake72]

Some years ago I was between non-b visas and did exempt entries every 30 days, however it took longer than planned and after like 6 times I was red flagged by the software they have at the airport immigration. Too much in-out in-out (that's what they told me) .. I was thinking that's none of their business ????, but they meant too many exit and re-entry without a visa. Had to spend like 2 hours getting interrogated and them trying to find a good reason why they should ban me from entering until they let me enter with a written warning in my passport that I need a visa next time.

[BritTim]

The limit if entering by air varies by airport and by immigration official. What they are told to do is verify if visa exemption is being used in a manner consistent with "normal tourism". That is clearly a very subjective test. At one time (and probably still) immigration's system was set up to prompt the official that you should be subjected to greater scrutiny if you had received more than six visa exempt entries (total by land or air) since a specific start date which I have forgotten (maybe mid 2016?)  Some officials are very thorough in their scrutiny, and restrictive in what they regard as "normal tourism". Avoid most airports if you are a long stay tourist in Thailand.

[JoseThailand]

1 hour ago, BritTim said:

Some officials are very thorough in their scrutiny, and restrictive in what they regard as "normal tourism". Avoid most airports if you are a long stay tourist in Thailand.

A lot of people get interrogated at airports, but only a small amount get actually refused entry., and probably for a good reason (illegal work etc.). So if you're not easily intimidated by the boys in brown, you have nothing to be afraid of.

[superal]

2 hours ago, JoseThailand said:

A lot of people get interrogated at airports, but only a small amount get actually refused entry., and probably for a good reason (illegal work etc.). So if you're not easily intimidated by the boys in brown, you have nothing to be afraid of.

Friend of mine got refused entry on the 30 day visa exempt and was sent back to Hong Kong , from Don Muang , within 3 hours . Reason for refusal was too many entries on visa exempt . When questioned by the I.O. who asked where are you going , he told them the address of his girl friend and that he would be fishing and golfing in the given district . He was asked to show 20k baht but only had 10k plus some H/K dollars plus bank cards ( BTW he is a wealthy guy ) .That is not the scene for a tourist visa , he was told and had to get a proper retirement visa . However on return to Hong Kong ( Air Asia flight was free as they brought him here ) he was told that the Thai I.O. was wrong so he booked another flight and voa and had no problem this time at the same airport . He had the 20k on him this time but was not challenged . He has since got a retirement visa . 

So when you say " nothing to be afraid of " , as long as you are a tourist and show sufficient funds , there should not be a problem .    Question definition , what is a tourist ? is it a person who wants to visit certain places of interest or/and a person who will stay in one area in a hotel , or maybe a person who will visit and stay with friends and family? Then the 20k baht rule . How ridiculous , this needs to be dropped or highlighted as a firm requirement for entry to Thailand and not used as a secret weapon by some xxxxxxx I.O.  who is not interested in your proof of finances  via a bank card 

[JoseThailand]

43 minutes ago, superal said:

Friend of mine got refused entry on the 30 day visa exempt and was sent back to Hong Kong , from Don Muang , within 3 hours . Reason for refusal was too many entries on visa exempt . When questioned by the I.O. who asked where are you going , he told them the address of his girl friend and that he would be fishing and golfing in the given district . He was asked to show 20k baht but only had 10k plus some H/K dollars plus bank cards ( BTW he is a wealthy guy ) .That is not the scene for a tourist visa , he was told and had to get a proper retirement visa . However on return to Hong Kong ( Air Asia flight was free as they brought him here ) he was told that the Thai I.O. was wrong so he booked another flight and voa and had no problem this time at the same airport . He had the 20k on him this time but was not challenged . He has since got a retirement visa . 

So when you say " nothing to be afraid of " , as long as you are a tourist and show sufficient funds , there should not be a problem .    Question definition , what is a tourist ? is it a person who wants to visit certain places of interest or/and a person who will stay in one area in a hotel , or maybe a person who will visit and stay with friends and family? Then the 20k baht rule . How ridiculous , this needs to be dropped or highlighted as a firm requirement for entry to Thailand and not used as a secret weapon by some xxxxxxx I.O.  who is not interested in your proof of finances  via a bank card 

At least this time they didn't falsify the evidence (he actually didn't have 20k on him and didn't have a hotel booking). I wonder how they could refuse him entry if he had these.

Edited December 21, 2022 by JoseThailand

[superal]

16 minutes ago, JoseThailand said:

At least this time they didn't falsify the evidence (he actually didn't have 20k on him and didn't have a hotel booking). I wonder how they could refuse him entry if he had these.

I have heard about the 20k rule before but not a hotel booking . Today many people do not carry too much cash and many use their bank cards instead .  As I said before , my pal has good money and a top job in Hong Kong . If he was allowed , my friend could have raised the cash from an airport ATM but he was not allowed . How xxxxxxx stupid is that by the I.O.  

[Caldera]

3 hours ago, JoseThailand said:

At least this time they didn't falsify the evidence (he actually didn't have 20k on him and didn't have a hotel booking). I wonder how they could refuse him entry if he had these.

You answered the "how could they" question yourself: by falsifying the evidence - some IOs don't seem to have any problem with that. Or didn't, I haven't seen any post-Covid reports of that happening yet.

[Lemsta69]

3 hours ago, superal said:

I have heard about the 20k rule before but not a hotel booking . Today many people do not carry too much cash and many use their bank cards instead .  As I said before , my pal has good money and a top job in Hong Kong . If he was allowed , my friend could have raised the cash from an airport ATM but he was not allowed . How xxxxxxx stupid is that by the I.O.  

how stupid was your friend who didn't come prepared. the game (but I expect you I know what that means).

[JimmyJ]

@superal - "However on return to Hong Kong ( Air Asia flight was free as they brought him here )...".

 

Can this be correct?

 

1)  Very unusual for Air Asia not to insist on seeing  an exit ticket if flying internationally Visa Exempt.

 

2) The reason for #1 is that they don't want to have to fly someone back.

 

But I always understood that they do not give a FREE flight if the passenger is refused entry.

 

Amazing if that airline has ever given anything for free ever!

 

 

 

 

Edited December 21, 2022 by JimmyJ

[BritTim]

4 minutes ago, JimmyJ said:

But I always understood that they do not give a FREE flight if the passenger is refused entry.

The rules by international agreement is that, in the event of a denied entry (which is different from deportation) the airline that carried you to Thailand is responsible for your removal. This is true whether the airline did anything wrong and whether or not the airline is paid. As a practical matter, airlines usually find a way to be compensated for the flight to remove you. In most countries, you do owe the airline money for the flight and, in principle at least, they can sue you to recover it.

[spambot]

10 hours ago, BritTim said:

The limit if entering by air varies by airport and by immigration official. What they are told to do is verify if visa exemption is being used in a manner consistent with "normal tourism". That is clearly a very subjective test. At one time (and probably still) immigration's system was set up to prompt the official that you should be subjected to greater scrutiny if you had received more than six visa exempt entries (total by land or air) since a specific start date which I have forgotten (maybe mid 2016?)  Some officials are very thorough in their scrutiny, and restrictive in what they regard as "normal tourism". Avoid most airports if you are a long stay tourist in Thailand.

Really? -  "six visa exempt entries (total by land or air) since a specific start date which I have forgotten (maybe mid 2016?)"

 

Is this still a thing?

i.e A software flag is triggered - after 6 visa exempts obtained over the last five / six  years?

[BritTim]

2 minutes ago, spambot said:

Really? -  "six visa exempt entries (total by land or air) since a specific start date which I have forgotten (maybe mid 2016?)"

 

Is this still a thing?

i.e A software flag is triggered - after 6 visa exempts obtained over the last five / six  years?

I do not know if this check has been removed or changed. I can only tell you that it still existed as of 2019. Knowing the way systems tend to work, unless those at the top requested a change, the feature would remain in force. If so, most officials probably now take the notification less seriously than they would have, perhaps, in 2018. It is noteworthy, though, that officials are still using wording that implies you are under scrutiny because you "enter Thailand too much".

[spambot]

3 minutes ago, BritTim said:

I do not know if this check has been removed or changed. I can only tell you that it still existed as of 2019. Knowing the way systems tend to work, unless those at the top requested a change, the feature would remain in force. If so, most officials probably now take the notification less seriously than they would have, perhaps, in 2018. It is noteworthy, though, that officials are still using wording that implies you are under scrutiny because you "enter Thailand too much".

Mnnnn - Interesting Info - I had no idea this was ever in place.

 

 

 

 

Edited December 21, 2022 by spambot

[AlbionBob]

As an aside, regarding the 20K you are supposed to bring in, would showing a Thai Bank Savings Account Book showing at least 20K be sufficient ?  Or do you actually have to carry 20K in cash ?  Thanks in anticipation.

[DrJack54]

13 minutes ago, AlbionBob said:

As an aside, regarding the 20K you are supposed to bring in, would showing a Thai Bank Savings Account Book showing at least 20K be sufficient ?  Or do you actually have to carry 20K in cash ?  Thanks in anticipation.

Cannot use bank books credit/debit cards etc.

Cash in baht or equivalent currency 

[Regyai]

6 hours ago, JoseThailand said:

At least this time they didn't falsify the evidence (he actually didn't have 20k on him and didn't have a hotel booking). I wonder how they could refuse him entry if he had these.

The old 20K gambit has been around since the days when that could (almost) be considered a realistically plausible amount to cover a stay.

 

But hotel bookings is a whole different flight of fancy. They seriously want to drag themselves into reality, in the west the concept of overseas holiday homes is quite commonplace and also a flourish of plastic likely commands more spending power than the quizzing brown shirt could ever dream of wielding after a working life time adding badges and ribbons to themselves.

 

This new 'hey look at me' quizzing albeit sporadic does seem to be becoming a trend , I can personally attest to having been on the receiving end of it recently.

After trips totalling into three figures spaced over two and a half decades (all barring the initial visa exempts all have been with various visas - TV/O-A's) after the lull of covid closure I returned to Thailand early this year. As the option of pitching up at a local consulate for a TV had since disappeared in favour of the new on-line song n dance (up load a note from your mum etc etc) I flew in and got a 30 day visa exempt. This I later extended at immigration and stayed a couple more weeks.

 

So far so good.

 

Returned again later on this year intending to repeat the process only to endure some ego fest from a brown shirted witch "why you come so much" "why you no have visa" "next time you have visa" we stayed on this merry-go-round for some 15 minutes until I was stamped in with the Visa Exempt. 

This was the second Visa Exempt in twenty plus years and after a three years gap of not visiting at all !

[AlbionBob]

Thanks for prompt response DrJack !

[superal]

4 hours ago, JimmyJ said:

@superal - "However on return to Hong Kong ( Air Asia flight was free as they brought him here )...".

 

Can this be correct?

 

1)  Very unusual for Air Asia not to insist on seeing  an exit ticket if flying internationally Visa Exempt.

 

2) The reason for #1 is that they don't want to have to fly someone back.

 

But I always understood that they do not give a FREE flight if the passenger is refused entry.

 

Amazing if that airline has ever given anything for free ever!

 

 

 

 

Number 1) , what is an exit ticket ? 

Air Asia in Hong Kong checked his passport and were aware of the visa exempt rule in Thailand which should have allowed him entry , however they never checked that he was carrying the 20k baht . When entry was refused the I.O. had words with the Air Asia desk telling them that they must return him free of charge .  My friend had also lost his follow on flight to Buriram . A/A refused to compensate for the Buriram flight . So in total new flights from H/K and on to Buriram had to be paid for , all because of an over exuberant I.O.  Have to say that my friend had done the same trip many times and did not expect any problems .

[0james0]

2 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Cannot use bank books credit/debit cards etc.

Cash in baht or equivalent currency 

I would never board an international flight without at least $4k in my pocket. Mishap with a cc or whatever would be very inconvenient 

[BritTim]

5 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Cannot use bank books credit/debit cards etc.

Cash in baht or equivalent currency 

Cash or financial instruments such as travellers' cheques. Nothing else qualifies, and you are not allowed to draw money using a credit card or ATM card after they decide they want to exclude you (until your denial of entry is finalised, and they support the airline in pressing you to withdraw money from an ATM to pay for the airfares the denial necessitates).

[superal]

12 hours ago, BritTim said:

Cash or financial instruments such as travellers' cheques. Nothing else qualifies, and you are not allowed to draw money using a credit card or ATM card after they decide they want to exclude you (until your denial of entry is finalised, and they support the airline in pressing you to withdraw money from an ATM to pay for the airfares the denial necessitates).

Can you imagine if the I.O. challenged every incoming visitor for the 20k baht , what would happen ? there would no doubt be many returnees . How does it pan out for a family ? does everyone have to carry the 20k baht ?  I have often arrived with next to no baht ( when flying at short notice ) but have used the airport ATM for small amounts and then later when away from the airport use the banks ATMs . At the departure airport ( normally Heathrow ) the only question they have asked is to enquire about my visa because I am on a one way flight . Then I point out that I have a 1 year visa . I have never been asked to show 20k baht . 

The departure airport staff have to ensure that I have compliance to enter the destination country or if I am denied because of failure to abide by their entry rules , the flight company are obliged to return me to my point of departure for free .

Proof of finances should suffice in this increasing cashless world .  

[BritTim]

13 minutes ago, superal said:

How does it pan out for a family ?

The rule is 20,000 baht for an individual, and 40,000 baht for a family.

 

As your full post implies, the cash rule has long been worthless as a test of someone being able to support themselves in Thailand during their visit. It would have been abolished if not for its usefulness to officials looking for a legal reason to exclude someone with a visa from entering Thailand. The real reason, of course, will be different.

[superal]

2 hours ago, BritTim said:

The rule is 20,000 baht for an individual, and 40,000 baht for a family.

 

As your full post implies, the cash rule has long been worthless as a test of someone being able to support themselves in Thailand during their visit. It would have been abolished if not for its usefulness to officials looking for a legal reason to exclude someone with a visa from entering Thailand. The real reason, of course, will be different.

A family could be 3 4 5 6 people ?

[Caldera]

19 minutes ago, superal said:

A family could be 3 4 5 6 people ?

It just says "per family", there's no written limit on the number of family members traveling together. 

[JoseThailand]

5 hours ago, superal said:

I have often arrived with next to no baht ( when flying at short notice ) but have used the airport ATM for small amounts and then later when away from the airport use the banks ATMs . At the departure airport ( normally Heathrow ) the only question they have asked is to enquire about my visa because I am on a one way flight . Then I point out that I have a 1 year visa . I have never been asked to show 20k baht . 

The money doesn't have to be in the Thai baht, it can be in any acceptable currency.