Come to Thailand one time a year and stay for 6 months

[Jack1988]

It's possible to come to Thailand one time a year and stay for 6 months? Come with 30 days free visa exemption, then extend 30 days at immigration and start to do a few border run with extension at immigration. So 180 days total! Is there anyone who has done this often?

[Upnotover]

You can only do 2 land border entries per year so your best option is to get a tourist visa and first enter by air, 60 days + 30 day extension.  Then 1 land border run + 30 day extension. 1 more land border run brings you to 180 with still the option of another 30 day extension.

[Jack1988]

2 minutes ago, Upnotover said:

You can only do 2 land border entries per year so your best option is to get a tourist visa and first enter by air, 60 days + 30 day extension.  Then 1 land border run + 30 day extension. 1 more land border run brings you to 180 with still the option of another 30 day extension.

I am already in Thailand. Just looking for an advice on how to stay here for 6 months. Then go back to my country and come back again every year 

[DrJack54]

3 minutes ago, Jack1988 said:

am already in Thailand. Just looking for an advice on how to stay here for 6 months. Then go back to my country and come back again every year

In future a METV would provide trouble free 6+ month stays. 

[Upnotover]

3 minutes ago, Jack1988 said:

I am already in Thailand. Just looking for an advice on how to stay here for 6 months. Then go back to my country and come back again every year 

So you'll have to do an air run.  Probably a good idea to go elsewhere for a week, Phnom Penh maybe, you might be able to pick up a tourist visa there while you are at it. 

[Pattaya57]

1 hour ago, Jack1988 said:

It's possible to come to Thailand one time a year and stay for 6 months? Come with 30 days free visa exemption, then extend 30 days at immigration and start to do a few border run with extension at immigration. So 180 days total! Is there anyone who has done this often?

First 120 days wouldn't be a problem

(1) 60 days - current visa exempt + extension

(2) 60 days - same day border run for visa exempt + extension

 

While you are allowed 2 land crossing visa exempts per calender year the next 60 days depends on your stress levels.

 

(3a) you should get away with another same day border run (agent pre-checks if ok)

 

(3b) best way imo would be to go to somewhere like Vientiane in Laos and get a 60 day tourist visa. You'll need to stay 3-4 days. 

 

You could also do the tourist visa trip 2nd which will bring you up to 150 days after extension, with the border run 3rd to get to 180 (no extension required)

 

Note: I just did 208 days last year with 2 visa exempts and 1 tourist visa (+ extensions) and 270 days the year before. Wasn't an issue

 

Edited April 23 by Pattaya57

[StayinThailand2much]

12 minutes ago, Jack1988 said:

I am already in Thailand. Just looking for an advice on how to stay here for 6 months. Then go back to my country and come back again every year 

 

If you do this for a while, i.e. staying like this for 6 months every year, you might encounter IOs at the border who may question you 'why you come here so often', and 'what you are doing in Thailand', and, you could, possibly, be denied entry at some point.

Edited April 23 by StayinThailand2much

[ChaiyaTH]

6 months a year is peanuts, you will never have a issue to make that work. Best would be a tourist visa from back home each time at first, that will get you 90 days including an extension, to then do a first border run + extension and then a second border run + extension possible again. 

Don't listen to the posts here with people; oh you can not do this, you could be denied entry bla bla bla. It is very simple to explain to immigration: I like Thailand a lot and always work 6 months per year really hard double shifts, to then stay here 6 months. Ok sir, have a nice day.

Edited April 23 by ChaiyaTH

[Liquorice]

1 hour ago, Jack1988 said:

It's possible to come to Thailand one time a year and stay for 6 months? Come with 30 days free visa exemption, then extend 30 days at immigration and start to do a few border run with extension at immigration. So 180 days total! Is there anyone who has done this often?

Under current regulations, there is no problem with this, it's just a lot of travelling and dealing with Immigration offices.

 

Next year, consider the METV.

60 day unlimited entries during the 6-month validity of the visa.
2 border runs would permit you to stay for 6 months, without the hassle of 30 day extensions.

 

 

[Pattaya57]

3 minutes ago, Liquorice said:

Next year, consider the METV.

60 day unlimited entries during the 6-month validity of the visa.
2 border runs would permit you to stay for 6 months, without the hassle of 30 day extensions.

Or do 60 + 30 day extension twice so only 1 border run required

[Jack1988]

Thank you very much for the advice!

[Jack1988]

I forgot to ask: there is need to show an onward flight out of Thailand within 60 days at the immigration arrival at the airport or to the airline If you got a 60 days tourist visa in your home country?

[DrJack54]

13 minutes ago, Jack1988 said:

I forgot to ask: there is need to show an onward flight out of Thailand within 60 days at the immigration arrival at the airport or to the airline If you got a 60 days tourist visa in your home country?

The airline at departure may request an onward flight if planning to enter Thailand visa exempt. 

Rarely would it be asked by Thai immigration on arrival.

The onward flight should be within 30 days.

 

You received suggestions from entirely using visa exempt entries to combination of visa exempt + tourist visas.

Important consideration is where you would be based. 

 

[john donson]

2 hours ago, Jack1988 said:

I am already in Thailand. Just looking for an advice on how to stay here for 6 months. Then go back to my country and come back again every year 

 

pay rent in 2 countries?  or buy property in both for this purpose?  any agents wanting to rent out for only 6 months ?

[1tent42]

2 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

In future a METV would provide trouble free 6+ month stays. 

I may be an outlier but this was not the case for me. 
 

I got an METV last year. Stayed 55 days went out for 10 days. Came back and was sent to an interrogation by a supervisor in BKK. Was allowed entry but had to sign a document and purchase an outbound ticket. IO supervisor made it clear that I needed to have an OA visa to reenter Thailand. 
 

Previous to this, I have only travelled to Thailand 4 times. 3 times for less than a week and the 4th was 44 days. 
 

I am still confused as how people here can travel multiple times on TVs and visa exempt for years without encountering any issues. 
 

Once my Thai wife gets her US visa, I have no intention of staying in Thailand long term. 

Edited April 23 by 1tent42

[Pattaya57]

1 hour ago, 1tent42 said:

I am still confused as how people here can travel multiple times on TVs and visa exempt for years without encountering any issues. 
 

Once my Thai wife gets her US visa, I have no intention of staying in Thailand long term. 

I think you may have answered your own question. You have a Thai wife but only travelling on a tourist visa so the IO decided you should get the "proper" O-A marriage visa next time. Doesn't make it right but it is understandable. 

[1tent42]

23 minutes ago, Pattaya57 said:

I think you may have answered your own question. You have a Thai wife but only travelling on a tourist visa so the IO decided you should get the "proper" O-A marriage visa next time. Doesn't make it right but it is understandable. 

I wasn’t married then. 

[Caldera]

1 hour ago, 1tent42 said:

I wasn’t married then. 

 

Apparently, you were of retirement age and the IO saw you as a frequent visitor, so tried to steer you towards a retirement visa.

 

That's a bit over the top with regards to your particular history, but not unheard of.

[Jack1988]

8 hours ago, john donson said:

 

pay rent in 2 countries?  or buy property in both for this purpose?  any agents wanting to rent out for only 6 months ?

I have my own house in my country, i don't pay rent

[Chivas]

11 hours ago, Jack1988 said:

I forgot to ask: there is need to show an onward flight out of Thailand within 60 days at the immigration arrival at the airport or to the airline If you got a 60 days tourist visa in your home country?

 

Unfortunately none of the airlines seem to sing from the same hymn sheet over onward tickets

Arriving October last year and January this year both on one way tickets  neither Etihad or Singapore asked whatsover about onward ticketing nor about the Evisas I had on both occasions !

 

It would be good if they did sing from the same hymn sheet as people would have more certainty

Edited April 23 by Chivas

[Liquorice]

9 hours ago, Pattaya57 said:

I think you may have answered your own question. You have a Thai wife but only travelling on a tourist visa so the IO decided you should get the "proper" O-A marriage visa next time. Doesn't make it right but it is understandable. 

O-A is purely applied for on the basis of retirement, not marriage.

[Jack1988]

Does it works fine to upload an onward flight that is available only for 48 hours on the thai e-visa website to get a 60 days tourist visa? Can someone let me know? If yes how to do if also the airline could ask for this onward flight out of thailand when arrive at the airport? Because the onward ticket would not be valid anymore at that time

[TigerandDog]

23 hours ago, Jack1988 said:

It's possible to come to Thailand one time a year and stay for 6 months? Come with 30 days free visa exemption, then extend 30 days at immigration and start to do a few border run with extension at immigration. So 180 days total! Is there anyone who has done this often?

As others have stated it is doable. However, don't forget that once you've been in Thailand for 180 days or more in a calendar year you become a Thai tax resident and will need to submit Thai tax returns and pay tax on any funds you bring into Thailand after Jan 1 2024 that are not savings, and that is dependent on whether your home country has a Dual Tax Agreement with Thailand. So you really need to take that into consideration as well.

[Dexxter]

On 4/23/2024 at 9:08 AM, StayinThailand2much said:

 

If you do this for a while, i.e. staying like this for 6 months every year, you might encounter IOs at the border who may question you 'why you come here so often', and 'what you are doing in Thailand', and, you could, possibly, be denied entry at some point.

Happened to me at Don Muang coming back from a Phnom Penh holiday just before Covid early 2020. Got pulled over and sat next to an IO desk being asked questions for 30 minutes. I was worried I would not be allowed in even though I had a 6 month METV. The IO said I should get a more "appropriate" visa for my "longer" stays. Then Covid hit and I was out of Thailand for more than 2 years so I expect everything reset.

[geisha]

On 4/23/2024 at 4:10 AM, ChaiyaTH said:

6 months a year is peanuts, you will never have a issue to make that work. Best would be a tourist visa from back home each time at first, that will get you 90 days including an extension, to then do a first border run + extension and then a second border run + extension possible again. 

Don't listen to the posts here with people; oh you can not do this, you could be denied entry bla bla bla. It is very simple to explain to immigration: I like Thailand a lot and always work 6 months per year really hard double shifts, to then stay here 6 months. Ok sir, have a nice day.

Agree,  I’ve never had a problem in over 30 years. One tourist visa 60 days + 30 days extension. Then I go on holidays for a week or more to a neighboring country, do another 60 day visa +30 days extension.  I stay through the European winter months, then home to  S of France  for the other  6/7 months. All totally legal. 

[StayinThailand2much]

On 4/24/2024 at 1:05 PM, Dexxter said:

Happened to me at Don Muang coming back from a Phnom Penh holiday just before Covid early 2020. Got pulled over and sat next to an IO desk being asked questions for 30 minutes. I was worried I would not be allowed in even though I had a 6 month METV. The IO said I should get a more "appropriate" visa for my "longer" stays. Then Covid hit and I was out of Thailand for more than 2 years so I expect everything reset.

 

Yes, me too. Was pulled aside and questioned for up to half an hour at three immigration checkpoints in early 2020. Left Thailand later for about six months. After that no issues, and I got a long-term visa following that.