60-day visa exemptions are now unlimited at land borders

[Reddavy]

5 hours ago, Tod Daniels said:

ATTENTION ALL MEMBERS: (I edited this to better show the entry / stay (overstay) history 😛 )

 

We interrupt this broadcast to bring you a breaking News bulletin..

 

The new 60 day entry stamp program that started 3 days ago is not limited to two entries by land in a calendar year, it is unlimited entry by land.

 

Just had somebody that did two free stamp land entries this year bounce out and back and get a new 60-day entry with no questions at al.   The officer said unlimited.

 

Here are the  two 30 day land entry stamps and the new 60 day stamp they just got this morning.. as you can see they even had a 3-day overstay this morning when they left.

Remember you heard it first from Tod Daniels.

 

EDIT:

Okay here's the stamp "trail" and it's a screwy one with an overstay at every step of the process

The person entered their FIRST ENTRY BY LAND on March 16th was stamped in 30 days until April 14th.

They went to the immigration office on the 17th of April paid a 3 day overstay (no stamp image) and got a 30 day extension good until 14 of May

They went to the border on May 17th paid a 3 day overstay (no stamp image) and got a 30 day stamp until Jun 15th (note the stamp has 2/67 meaning second land entry this year)

They went to the immigration office on the 18th of June paid a 3 day overstay AND got a 30 day extension good until 15th of July

They went to the border July 18 paid a 3 day overstay AND got a NEW THIRD LAND ENTRY STAMP for 60 days

 

 

 

 

 

Great. What border crossing did you use?

[wmlc]

5 hours ago, Tod Daniels said:

ATTENTION ALL MEMBERS:

 

We interrupt this broadcast to bring you a breaking News bulletin..

 

The new 60 day entry stamp program that started 3 days ago is not limited to two entries by land in a calendar year, it is unlimited entry by land.

 

Just had somebody that did two free stamp land entries this year bounce out and back and get a new 60-day entry with no questions at al.   The officer said unlimited.

 

Here are the  two 30 day land entry stamps and the new 60 day stamp they just got this morning.. as you can see they even had a 3-day overstay this morning when they left.

Remember you heard it first from Tod Daniels.

 

EDIT: there seems to be some confusion about the stamps.

 

The person got their first land entry March 15, then they took a 30 day extension (which I didn't post) good until May 14), then they bounced out and back for their second 30 day land entry stamp on May 17 (3 day overstay) good until June 15, then they took another 30 day extension good until July 15, then they bounced out today (3 day overstay) and got a new 60 day entry until Sept.

 

 

I can also confirm that this is true. However, officers at land border crossings will still allow entries based on their own discretion. What does that mean? They can still ask for evidence of a return or onward ticket, proof of travel funds. and proof of accommodation. I have also confirmed they will refuse entry for the same reasons as they do when people fly in. In no way does Todd's post invite there to be open season on people to come in by land every 90 days forever. Meaning they can fly in and get 60 days, do an extension for 30 days, then do a border run and get 60 day more days and then an extension for 30 days and then continue the land border runs forever under the 60 day exemption. However, I was also told that if you use an agency for your border runs you will be successful. Therefore, if you want to try this, do it with an agency and not on your own. Otherwise, you may fall victim to being refused entry just like some get refused entry at the airport. Todd neglected to mention if these examples were done while the passport holders did the border runs alone or with an agency. That makes a world of difference as the agencies pay immigration to overlook past entry history. 

Edited July 18 by wmlc

[visarunner]

1 hour ago, nickmondo said:

the smarmy agents will continue to bull<deleted> you and say that you have to use them..........there will always be idiots that use agents.

no one force anybody to use agents

[DrJack54]

5 minutes ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

This claim has been beaten to death here....and I am proof it is isnt true..also never been asked to show $$$..which i also have

Your experience is proof of nothing.

You are correct that this topic has been done to death.

People have been refused boarding pass by airline flying visa exempt without an onward flight. 

 

Seems dependant on brand of airline, city of departure etc 

Many reports of this requirement.

Including my own experience. 

Need to show funds and onward flight by immigration on arrival basically never occurs

[Myran]

So you have info from ONE immigration officer, and you think that's enough to declare "UNLIMITED 60 DAY RUNS!!!!"? Feels very irresponsible.

[wmlc]

6 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Your experience is proof of nothing.

You are correct that this topic has been done to death.

People have been refused boarding pass by airline flying visa exempt without an onward flight. 

 

Seems dependant on brand of airline, city of departure etc 

Many reports of this requirement.

Including my own experience. 

Need to show funds and onward flight by immigration on arrival basically never occurs

You are dead wrong. We have first hand accounts of people being asked to show their return or onward flight by airport immigration. Just today in fact. Some are asked and some aren't. Same with proof of travel funds and accommodation. What makes you think it never happens???????? 

Edited July 18 by wmlc

[Tod Daniels]

Listen people, this was ONLY to show that the old rule (implemented back in Jan 1, 2017) when the border bounces went from unlimited 15 days by land to 30 days by land with a limit of two per calendar year (Jan 1 - Dec 31) is no longer in effect.

I don't care how long you've been here, I've found time IN country rarely equates to knowing sh*t from Shinola about things. I have a limited skill-set here in the glorious "Land 'O Thaiz" and that is I know entry/visa/extension stuff about this place inside, outside, upside down, in a box with a fox. 😛  

Believe what I'm saying or don't 😮 I didn't post this to get into a 'who can piss further in the sandbox' game with every Tom, Dick and Somchai foreigner here .

   

[Tod Daniels]

This post also has abso-tively, posi-lutely ZERO to do with entering by air free stamp and no where did I say unlimited air entry. This is a rule change in the number of times you're allowed in by land free stamp entry

Believe me IF you try to live here on back-2-back free stamp air entries w/30 day extensions and you're gonna get pulled aside SOONER rather than later and asked WTH you think you're doing. If they let you in, you'll be told to get a visa sorted, OR they'll just deny you entry and ship you out on your dime. 

 

[DrJack54]

5 minutes ago, wmlc said:

. What makes you think it never happens?

It's rare

[itsari]

3 hours ago, cnx101 said:

Yes exactly I just got an email off the agency saying I can renew the retirement visa two months in advance and price drop of 5000 baht, no thanks I won’t be renewing it.

They see the writing on the wall well before the punters

[wmlc]

3 minutes ago, Myran said:

So you have info from ONE immigration officer, and you think that's enough to declare "UNLIMITED 60 DAY RUNS!!!!"? Feels very irresponsible.

There is no limit. This means there is no posted law. However, officers will still refuse entry if they don't like your travel history the same as they will do when you enter by air. Todd is not wrong. I have checked it out myself. But whether you will be successful will depend on your previous travel history and sadly whether you use a land border run agent or not.

[wmlc]

1 minute ago, DrJack54 said:

It's rare

Now you go from never occurs to rare. Come on man. You are wrong. Admit it!!!

[novacova]

6 minutes ago, Myran said:

So you have info from ONE immigration officer, and you think that's enough to declare "UNLIMITED 60 DAY RUNS!!!!"? Feels very irresponsible.

Right! As mentioned previously, a possible oversight of the IO. Wait and see. 

[SunsetT]

3 hours ago, parafareno said:

so what it means you get 2 month visa on arrival and then you extend it for 1 month and then border run to get 2 months and then extend again for 1 month?

I have a retirement visa. I Winter on the border so I will now do three border runs rather than deal with the ignorant Neanderthals at my immigration office for an extension. Last time they even did a home visit 9:15 on a Sunday morning like they do for a marriage visa. They asked for a witness that I actually lived there and sent my girlfriend to get  photocopies of 3 documents that I'd already submitted for the extension just a  week or so before! They phoned her later asking her, as a witness to my living there, to bring a copy of her house book to the immigration office. Harassment or what!?!

[isaanistical]

2 hours ago, impulse said:

 

Sadly, many "Official" websites are not a reliable source of correct and current information.  Some are out of date even when they're posted (not to be corrected for months, if ever), and others are just plain wrong.

 

 

Sure. This remains a global TIT hub. 

 

Mind you, the MFA site SHOULD carry some weight - I wonder what's going to happen in a few months' time when I point the page to an IO on arrival!

..............because I'm not going to go thru the hoops in 6 weeks time to extend my non-O Marriage just so they can come and drink free tea, when I could do a few day-trips across the year instead.

 

 

[Liquorice]

3 minutes ago, novacova said:

Right! As mentioned previously, a possible oversight of the IO. Wait and see. 

Just checked with my local Immigration office and they confirm what Tod has posted.

Unlimited 60 day entries via land borders.

[Bday Prang]

3 hours ago, nakhonandy said:

I'm not sure what you mean by unsavoury, that could cover a lot.

However people that didn't meet the requirements for the non O 12 month variants have been using agents for years.

Doesn't make them unsavoury at all,  and  many truly unsavoury characters have no trouble laying their hands on the money required 

[Tod Daniels]

15 minutes ago, isaanistical said:

the MFA site SHOULD carry some weight -

and why is that? The MFA <- Ministry of Foreign Affairs office runs the Embassies and Consulates scattered around the world and sell VISAS outside of thailand
They have less than zero to do with free stamp entry to thailand OR anything visa/extension wise that happens inside the country
That stuff is run by the Immigration Division of the Royal Thai Police.

To give you an idea of how bad some of the websites are out there at the embassies/consulates SOME are still saying land entry is limited to 15 days, 😞 That stopped in 2017

 

[geisha]

3 hours ago, recom273 said:

Speaking as someone who has abused every visa that the Thai government introduced over the years I can suggest that the only people this decision will benefit will be backpackers with little budget, now doing a bi-monthly land border run, digital nomads / YouTubers or uncertified teachers working in schools. It doesn't make sense.

 

Just maybe it would apply to a small number of tourists that arrive in BKK, do a vacation in Thailand, pop over to see Ankor Wat, back to Thailand, over to Laos, back into Thailand then fly to VN or overland to Malaysia. Making a move like this now only benefits people here now, no one will plan a holiday for next high season around visa rules.

And it will be very good for snowbirds as myself, staying in Thailand through the EU / cold winters of home. This has been my MO for going on 40 years. There must be thousands of wealthy pensioners who spend their winters here, where I currently stay in Jomtien the owners/;renters are practically all staying 4/5 months.   They  have a mini bus that picks them up every morning to go golfing. Pensioners have more spending strength than a lot of tourists in general. 

[Old Croc]

48 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

Well some of us have been here a lot longer in Thailand, but to Label yourself as an Expert doesn't mean you are, and I find it a bit Pompous to even suggest one is.

I had 45 years experience in a very technical trade, I would still not have the audacity to call myself an  Expert in it.

So, your knickers are in a twist because of him being described as an expert. His name is in green in the member list, so I presume he has been granted that status by Thaiger.  It seems to be a new category.

As stated, I do consider him to fit that description, more than many others who ply the trade.

[NoshowJones]

4 hours ago, brianthainess said:

Not meaning any offence or trying to be rude, what makes You a Thai Visa Forum "EXPERT" ?

You are being rude, both Tod Daniels and Dr Jack54 have both been a great help to me and from what I can see to many AN posters, these guys are as much experts as anyone where Thai Visas etc are concerned.

[impulse]

25 minutes ago, isaanistical said:

..............because I'm not going to go thru the hoops in 6 weeks time to extend my non-O Marriage just so they can come and drink free tea, when I could do a few day-trips across the year instead.

Not a good plan.  At least not yet.  Even with no specified limit on airside arrivals, there's plenty of stories about guys getting knocked back because of the stamps in their passport.  Generally, they were told they they spent too much time in Thailand for the visa they had, or didn't have.

 

I hope it goes back to the olden days before the coup when visa run buses were a great business for all the perpetual tourists that stayed for years on border runs.  I lost some good friends when that snapped shut.  But I think it's prudent to wait and see what lifting the 2 land run annual limit really means.

 

[transam]

1 hour ago, brianthainess said:

Well some of us have been here a lot longer in Thailand, but to Label yourself as an Expert doesn't mean you are, and I find it a bit Pompous to even suggest one is.

I had 45 years experience in a very technical trade, I would still not have the audacity to call myself an  Expert in it.

But, you might be a bit thick.............🤔

[impulse]

2 hours ago, nickmondo said:

the smarmy agents will continue to bull<deleted> you and say that you have to use them..........there will always be idiots that use agents.

 

And there's other guys who like to make sure their papers are in order for this year's requirements (which may be different than last year's), and don't mind paying a few bucks for someone else to wait in the queues.  Agents have their place and not all of their services are dodgy.  I used one (company paid) for the 6 or 7 years I worked in Thailand, and I don't recall them breaking any laws for me.  They just saved a lot of my time, and the company didn't mind paying to keep me slaving over my spreadsheets instead of waiting in a queue.

 

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, itsari said:

If you like traveling why bother with a 12 month visa .

The agents will miss out on this new arrangement.

Cheaper to do a visa with a multi entry permit?

[Bday Prang]

10 minutes ago, isaanistical said:

Sure. This remains a global TIT hub. 

 

Mind you, the MFA site SHOULD carry some weight - I wonder what's going to happen in a few months' time when I point the page to an IO on arrival!

..............because I'm not going to go thru the hoops in 6 weeks time to extend my non-O Marriage just so they can come and drink free tea, when I could do a few day-trips across the year instead.

 

 

                Well don't get too carried away , remember unlimited visa exempt entries have always been available , theoretically at least, at the airports , but there have been countless reports of  people being denied entry or at least being given a hard time, sometimes they were serial border-bouncers others pulled over on just  their second time, None were breaking the law all were hassled purely on the whim of an awkward immigration officer.   

                A common  reason for denying entry is a suspicion that one is abusing the system and misusing the visa exempt scheme  to effectively stay here long term there are many reports of people being told to "get the right visa next time or else" sometimes even writing remarks in passports indicating that a tourist visa is required.  I have been asked in the past why I was entering visa exempt when my previous stay had been 

extended to visit wife, she stamped me in but it ruffled her feathers a bit

                I know many don't consider the immigration officers to be the sharpest pencils in the box , but I'm pretty sure that somebody who has been living here for years on marriage extensions and now suddenly changes to back to back visa exempts will be  easily recognised, and may suffer a similar experience. I'd certainly wait as long as possible and check for any negative reports before giving up a marriage extension and reverting to visa exempts. 

                 They recently imposed financial requirements  for multi entry Non Os from Laos,  as people were using them to avoid tying their money up in the bank for a few months, so that gives some  indication as to  how they feel 

                 This is Thailand after all and one never knows how things will pan out,  If it all turns out as we hope , a married guy could theoretically stretch a single visa exempt entry to 150 days   (with a 30 day extension and a 60 day extension to visit the wife)  whether  the immigration authorities will cheerfully  encourage  this , is in my opinion doubtful    and whether they allow it at Aranya is  another matter entirely

                 I wouldn't rely too much on what the  officers at the local immigration tell you,   The officers at the border are a law unto themselves  

                  It would be bad enough getting denied entry and  sent home at an airport, imagine the hassle at some remote cambodian border crossing when they wont let you in, and send you back to cambodia 5 minutes before the border closes, at least at some there's a casino  

[Bvor]

31 minutes ago, Tod Daniels said:

That stuff is run by the Immigration Division of the Royal Thai Police.

I wonder where i can see a media announcement from these officials confirming "new" policy/practise re this topic. 

[itsari]

9 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Cheaper to do a visa with a multi entry permit?

5700 baht for a multi entry which includes  the 12 month extension.

Border crossings into Thaiand cost nothing .

 

Edited July 18 by itsari

[transam]

7 minutes ago, Bday Prang said:

                Well don't get too carried away , remember unlimited visa exempt entries have always been available , theoretically at least, at the airports , but there have been countless reports of  people being denied entry or at least being given a hard time, sometimes they were serial border-bouncers others pulled over on just  their second time, None were breaking the law all were hassled purely on the whim of an awkward immigration officer.   

                A common  reason for denying entry is a suspicion that one is abusing the system and misusing the visa exempt scheme  to effectively stay here long term there are many reports of people being told to "get the right visa next time or else" sometimes even writing remarks in passports indicating that a tourist visa is required.  I have been asked in the past why I was entering visa exempt when my previous stay had been 

extended to visit wife, she stamped me in but it ruffled her feathers a bit

                I know many don't consider the immigration officers to be the sharpest pencils in the box , but I'm pretty sure that somebody who has been living here for years on marriage extensions and now suddenly changes to back to back visa exempts will be  easily recognised, and may suffer a similar experience. I'd certainly wait as long as possible and check for any negative reports before giving up a marriage extension and reverting to visa exempts. 

                 They recently imposed financial requirements  for multi entry Non Os from Laos,  as people were using them to avoid tying their money up in the bank for a few months, so that gives some  indication as to  how they feel 

                 This is Thailand after all and one never knows how things will pan out,  If it all turns out as we hope , a married guy could theoretically stretch a single visa exempt entry to 150 days   (with a 30 day extension and a 60 day extension to visit the wife)  whether  the immigration authorities will cheerfully  encourage  this , is in my opinion doubtful    and whether they allow it at Aranya is  another matter entirely

                 I wouldn't rely too much on what the  officers at the local immigration tell you,   The officers at the border are a law unto themselves  

                  It would be bad enough getting denied entry and  sent home at an airport, imagine the hassle at some remote cambodian border crossing when they wont let you in, and send you back to cambodia 5 minutes before the border closes, at least at some there's a casino  

With all that is going on with visa stuff, something tells me Savvanakhet has had a word in their ear from above. The 3 day thing, who gains, the local hotels....

 

The rest is a bit of scaremongering, remember, the Gov has increased the number of times you can enter at land border crossings, nobody else..........🤔

[zzzzz]

1 hour ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

im on year 16 here....each visit is 6 months....come on a one way ticket and NO visa

 

get my 30 day stamp--ext....do my allowed 2 border hops and ext those=6 months at a time.....go home to work the other 6

 

never been asked to show cash..which i have 4k on me...never been an issue one way.....it what it is.....so your claim is FALSE

ur staying ONLY 6 months /year
bet u cant stay a full year with 4 entries>>>

its the airlines that ask for onward tickets and i was asked Nov 22 flying in after 15 months in Cambodia  
u have been lucky but doesn't really mean much for someone else 
--------------
if its unlimited land entries is it still unlimited flying in?

at least until they say no more
 

Edited July 18 by zzzzz