Is this viable for 6 months stay in Thailand

[spambot]

Theoretically it is possible to enter Visa exempt and get 60 days, then leave and re-enter and get 60 days, then leave and re-enter and get 60 days for 180 days

 

I am a UK passport holder and have been out of Thailand for last 15 months - I previously had mix of OA and O (retirement) over last 14 years, but my last visit was for just 6 months: 45 day exempt entry and 45 day exempt (Border hop)  and extension in Bangkok and tourist visa in single entry Venetian.

 

If my plan is possible, which border next to Thailand is the safest and how long is required to stay before returning for Immigration to accept re-entry for a land entry.

 

If I was to take a different option by doing the exit and re-enter via Vietnam on either entry, and since Vietnam is not bordering Thailand this will need to be an air crossing and not a land crossing - would this increase the probability of success for either of the attempts for exit / re-entries on visa exempt 60 days.

 

 

Edited September 24 by spambot

[Enoon]

 

Instead of doing 3 VE entries just do 2 and extend each one for 30 days at local IO.

 

Nobody is going to bother you about 2 VEs in 6 months.

 

Keep tuned to AN to see what the situation is with regard to how much time you are expected to stay out after your first 60+30 day stay.

 

I've been doing what you want to do since 2010.

 

 

Edited September 24 by Enoon

[DrJack54]

OP, sound advice above regarding just doing two visa exempt entries with 30 day extensions .

You can still border bounce same day (no overnight stay) at some places.

Bangkok or Pattaya to Cambodia agent mini van is good option.

Depending location Nong Khai also.

 

Regarding the Vietnam suggestion that would work however would suggest mini holiday there rather the very quick turnaround.

Also that plan would involve onward flight for return to Thailand visa exempt. 

[Lite Beer]

Yes. Extend at Immigration by 30 days each entry.

Edited September 25 by Lite Beer

[spambot]

6 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

OP, sound advice above regarding just doing two visa exempt entries with 30 day extensions .

You can still border bounce same day (no overnight stay) at some places.

Bangkok or Pattaya to Cambodia agent mini van is good option.

Depending location Nong Khai also.

 

Regarding the Vietnam suggestion that would work however would suggest mini holiday there rather the very quick turnaround.

Also that plan would involve onward flight for return to Thailand visa exempt. 

Sounds like the VE + Ext = Best solution. Thanks (also Enoon and Lite Beer) 

 

Last time I did a border hop Poipet Border and got a Cambodia and Tourist Visa via Nong Khai / Vientiane.

 

Poipet from my last experience should be completely disregarded for border hop.

 

- I am guessing that you are recommending Nong Khai  - For any border hops?

 

Yup Vietnam should be mini holiday, I have visited a number of times - Favourite is Da Nang.

[DrJack54]

6 minutes ago, spambot said:

Poipet from my last experience should be completely disregarded for border hop.

 

- I am guessing that you are recommending Nong Khai  - For any border hops?

100% avoid PoiPet. 

Which border bounce location is down to where you are staying in Thailand.

Example if located in Pattaya plenty of minivan border bounce companies. 

Where will you be staying in Thailand 

[Rob Browder]

17 hours ago, spambot said:

If I was to take a different option by doing the exit and re-enter via Vietnam on either entry, and since Vietnam is not bordering Thailand this will need to be an air crossing and not a land crossing - would this increase the probability of success for either of the attempts for exit / re-entries on visa exempt 60 days.

I would suggest make your Vietnam trip before coming to Thailand - so, when entering by air, you have not been in Thailand for ~6 months.  

Use a throwaway ~$10 "exit" ticket to get on the plane to Thailand w/o a visa, and/or show to immigration if asked.  Also, have an accommodation booking to show, and 20K Baht worth of cash to show, if asked - as unlikely as that is to be requested, better to be safe.

[DrJack54]

5 minutes ago, Rob Browder said:

I would suggest make your Vietnam trip before coming to Thailand - so, when entering by air, you have not been in Thailand for ~6 months.  

Use a throwaway ~$10 "exit" ticket to get on the plane to Thailand w/o a visa, and/or show to immigration if asked.  Also, have an accommodation booking to show, and 20K Baht worth of cash to show, if asked - as unlikely as that is to be requested, better to be safe.

The OP is only interested in Vietnam in order to bypass a border bounce for second visa exempt entry.

Did you even read thread.

His options and replies very clear

[JeffersLos]

Yes, no problem, the 60 day VE's are indefinite. 🙂 You can do it indefinitely, as per the rules. 🙂 

[DrJack54]

3 minutes ago, JeffersLos said:

Yes, no problem, the 60 day VE's are indefinite. 🙂 You can do it indefinitely, as per the rules. 🙂 

Such an incorrect post.

There is no limit on visa exempt via air. 

Does that mean unlimited entries visa exempt.

Of course not.

Same for land border 

Very incorrect post

[JimTripper]

You're gonna give up on being here real quick if you need to border bounce every 60 days. I did it for awhile many years ago and it was a pretty short bus trip cm-tachilek (closed now I think). Even then it wore me out quickly and jaded me even more.

Edited September 25 by JimTripper

[Nick Carter icp]

23 minutes ago, JimTripper said:

You're gonna give up on being here real quick if you need to border bounce every 60 days. I did it for awhile many years ago and it was a pretty short bus trip cm-tachilek (closed now I think). Even then it wore me out quickly and jaded me even more.

 

   I did the CM -Maesai border bounce every 15 days for years , used to go out drinking and go straight to the bus station at 6 AM and up to Maesai and back home by the evening , every 15 days for 3 years 

[Rob Browder]

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

The OP is only interested in Vietnam in order to bypass a border bounce for second visa exempt entry.

Did you even read thread.

His options and replies very clear

Yes - read the thread.  Why did they mention Vietnam, if they didn't want to go there / see it?  

 

I would never advise to fly in to Bangkok airports unless out of the country for months beforehand - especially on an "extended" prior-entry (they seem to hate that) - because there is no way to predict what the orders were to the IOs the day one enters.  If there was some defined rule, it would be different - but there is not.

[freedomnow]

2 hours ago, JimTripper said:

You're gonna give up on being here real quick if you need to border bounce every 60 days. I did it for awhile many years ago and it was a pretty short bus trip cm-tachilek (closed now I think). Even then it wore me out quickly and jaded me even more.

Yup, rough roundtrip after a while.

[freedomnow]

1 hour ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   I did the CM -Maesai border bounce every 15 days for years , used to go out drinking and go straight to the bus station at 6 AM and up to Maesai and back home by the evening , every 15 days for 3 years 

HARDCORE...why 15 days, thought most got 30...is this way way back with more restricted entry ?

[Nick Carter icp]

52 minutes ago, freedomnow said:

HARDCORE...why 15 days, thought most got 30...is this way way back with more restricted entry ?

  15 days visa exempt was all you got ten years ago , it was either that or a 3/4 day trip to Savanakhet to get a tourist visa 

[treetops]

8 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

  15 days visa exempt was all you got ten years ago , it was either that or a 3/4 day trip to Savanakhet to get a tourist visa 

 

What passport do you hold?

[Nick Carter icp]

11 minutes ago, treetops said:

 

What passport do you hold?

 

  UK , although not the full UK blue passport yet , still got my  red E.U passport 

[treetops]

30 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

  UK , although not the full UK blue passport yet , still got my  red E.U passport 

 

I'm not sure why you got 15 day visa exempt entries 10 years ago then.  I was getting 30 well before then IIRC.

[Nick Carter icp]

5 minutes ago, treetops said:

 

I'm not sure why you got 15 day visa exempt entries 10 years ago then.  I was getting 30 well before then IIRC.

 

   It was 30 days about 20 years ago, then went down to 15 days from 2009-2014 , not sure when it went from 30 to 15 days though , some time prior to 2009

[john donson]

800k in the bank permanently and one long visit at immigration and you would sleep better?

[Yagoda]

I did a 30/30 a few times a few years ago.  Ive never had a problem but im old

[DrJack54]

55 minutes ago, john donson said:

800k in the bank permanently and one long visit at immigration and you would sleep better?

That is extensions dependant on being over 50 years.

The OP has not stated age. 

[Scottie12]

I sent two emails to the Thai embassy in London saying for the past two years I have had the tourist visa i.e. 60 days plus 30 day extension. I asked them if I still required to do it through them as I read that the system had changed,I received two replies saying their mailbox was full, you couldn't make it up.

[JeffersLos]

15 hours ago, JeffersLos said:

Yes, no problem, the 60 day VE's are indefinite. 🙂 You can do it indefinitely, as per the rules. 🙂 

 

15 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Such an incorrect post.

There is no limit on visa exempt via air. 

Does that mean unlimited entries visa exempt.

Of course not.

Same for land border 

Very incorrect post

 

There is no limit on how many VE's one can get in a row, they are indefinite, and are currently 60 days long for nationals of 93 countries. Unlimited 60 days entry, come and go every 60 days. No need for visas or extensions. Please only post correct information or don't post at all. Thank you. 

[DrJack54]

12 minutes ago, JeffersLos said:

 

 

There is no limit on how many VE's one can get in a row, they are indefinite, and are currently 60 days long for nationals of 93 countries. Unlimited 60 days entry, come and go every 60 days. No need for visas or extensions. Please only post correct information or don't post at all. Thank you. 

Your post is incorrect and reckless.

BTW you used the word "indefinite" you meant unlimited as per that word was used when the change was made.

Better statement would have been along the lines ...."the limit of 2 visa exempt entries via land borders has been removed. There is no stated limit" 

That is in line with VE entry via air.

Is there refusal via air for ongoing back to back ve yes.

Will same thing apply to entries via land yes. 

[JeffersLos]

6 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

the limit of 2 visa exempt entries via land borders has been removed. There is no stated limit

 

Correct. 

 

All limits have been officially removed and 60 day VE entries are unlimited indefinitely, there is no defined timescale for this official change of rules. Unlimited 60 days entry, come and go every 60 days. No need for visas or extensions. This is the rule. 

[oldcpu]

Even thou the 60 day VE entries are purportedly unlimited , it still comes down to the individual Thai Immigration Officers (IOs) whom one must meet at Thai immigration counter when one enters Thailand.

 

If the IO observes (in one's passport or on their computer system) a massive number of back to back border hop re-entries under the new 60-day VE, I will wager that they will be concerned the foreigner is illegally working in Thailand, and they may deny entry - despite the public statements that may state VE is 'unlimited'.

 

It boils down to the IOs at the border, and they have full power to implement the immigration laws as they see appropriate. 

 

I believe that this (denial of entry on VE) will feel as being unjust to some, but as has been stated many times on this forum, This is Thailand.

 

I believe we will need to wait and see over the coming months, at which point in times IOs at different border crossings start denying entry to those trying to do multiple VE entries.

Edited September 26 by oldcpu

[Rob Browder]

2 hours ago, JeffersLos said:

 

Correct. 

 

All limits have been officially removed and 60 day VE entries are unlimited indefinitely, there is no defined timescale for this official change of rules. Unlimited 60 days entry, come and go every 60 days. No need for visas or extensions. This is the rule. 

There is no more "hard limit" of 2 land-border visa-exempts per-year.  We have not seen reports of denied-entry by land since this change.  That could change at any time, and those using land entry-points should check this site before making a border-bounce.

 

We HAVE seen both "warnings" and denied-entry by air on repeat VE entries - which is nothing new, and pre-dated the change regarding land-entries.  It is cruel to advise people to assume this will always work, unless they pay for agent-service.

[JeffersLos]

2 hours ago, Rob Browder said:

We HAVE seen both "warnings" and denied-entry by air on repeat VE entries - which is nothing new, and pre-dated the change regarding land-entries.  It is cruel to advise people to assume this will always work, unless they pay for agent-service.

 

As rare as hen's teeth, how many VE's arrive from the 93 countries everyday? Perhaps 2.5 million per month out of the 3 million that arrive here. 

 

Every IO decision is at the discretion of the IO, for every extension and every entry. Posters trying scare monger instead of listing the rules should be banned from the forum.

 

Unlimited 60 days entry, come and go every 60 days. No need for visas or extensions. This is the rule. 🙂