When is the 60 day visa-free entry changing?

[kwilco]

Does anyone have a date for when 60 day visa free entry will be reduced to 30 days?

 

At present this is a sword of Damocles hanging over anyone making long term plans to visit the country?

What other restrictions will or will not be introduced?

[DrJack54]

No information as to when/if it will change to 30.

Also no updates re specific countries regarding particular changes to visa exempt. 

SETV is also an option 

[kwilco]

11 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

No information as to when/if it will change to 30.

Also no updates re specific countries regarding particular changes to visa exempt. 

SETV is also an option 

one of the great things about the 60 day was more than 60 day - it was the unlimited re-entries - which meant you could stay in thee region and visit multiple countries  without worrying about multiple re-entry visas. Basically it gave/gives great freedom of movement.

Whereas few people may stay for the whole continuous 60 days, it's nice to be able to stay 31 or 40 without worrying.

[DrJack54]

12 minutes ago, kwilco said:

- it was the unlimited re-entries - which meant you could stay in thee region and visit multiple countries  without worrying about multiple re-entry visas. Basically it gave/gives great freedom of movement.

Have you not read any of the many threads where back to back visa exempt entry, particularly via air is not a good plan. 

Consider a METV if long stay in Asia is the aim and enables visiting other countries. 

[kwilco]

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

Have you not read any of the many threads where back to back visa exempt entry, particularly via air is not a good plan. 

Consider a METV if long stay in Asia is the aim and enables visiting other countries. 

Which ones, and why via air? - all the ones I've read were all out of date and I have a government official talking about the 60 libralisation but that was a few months back - now the new policy is to go to 30 days but I can't find any info on when or what thet entails - do you have any references?

[DrJack54]

17 minutes ago, kwilco said:

now the new policy is to go to 30 days but I can't find any info on when or what thet entails - do you have any references?

You asked......

"Does anyone have a date for when 60 day visa free entry will be reduced to 30 days?" 

 

Answer: No. No date (if any) has been announced. 

 

You also stated ....

"one of the great things about the 60 day was more than 60 day - it was the unlimited re-entries " 

 

Suggest you read all current threads regarding concerns about being refused entry without visa or reentry permit.

Especially back to back.

Obviously of more concern if entry via air.

Also border bounces via land have become problematic without agent. 

[kwilco]

8 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

You asked......

"Does anyone have a date for when 60 day visa free entry will be reduced to 30 days?" 

 

Answer: No. No date (if any) has been announced. 

thanks - I'll watch this space.

[black tabby12345]

When they stop 60-day visa waiver stay?

 

Absolutely no clear announcement from any sources.

Even though they declared weeks ago.

 

Bangkok Post - Visa-free stay in Thailand to be cut to 30 days

 

Another example of Thai Bureaucracy: Saying, but not doing.

 

So enjoy your continuous visa-free entry and 2 months stay Until they say something Definite...

[Lancelot01]

On 4/12/2025 at 12:26 PM, kwilco said:

Which ones, and why via air? - all the ones I've read were all out of date and I have a government official talking about the 60 libralisation but that was a few months back - now the new policy is to go to 30 days but I can't find any info on when or what thet entails - do you have any references?

When I did a back to back 60 day last October, the IO at BKK wasn't going to allow me to to reenter. I had to go to the referral area where I was told in uncertain terms 'you need a visa' possibly because 60 days with the possibility of a 30 day extension each time could result in 180 days in the country. The IO then eventually tapped something into the computer system and allowed me entry. 

[kwilco]

15 minutes ago, Lancelot01 said:

When I did a back to back 60 day last October, the IO at BKK wasn't going to allow me to to reenter. I had to go to the referral area where I was told in uncertain terms 'you need a visa' possibly because 60 days with the possibility of a 30 day extension each time could result in 180 days in the country. The IO then eventually tapped something into the computer system and allowed me entry. 

the decision to allow entry or not can often be decided by the IO in front of you. 

Were you land or air crossing? Whereabouts how long had you been in Thailand before  - multiple entries over several months, one 60 day - "back to back" is just going out and coming straight back within 24 hours?  THere is also the possibility he just took offence to something you did or said. Trouble is once you've been told, it is hard for that officer to reverse because they would lose face

[Beerzy65]

Its not

[kwilco]

8 hours ago, Beerzy65 said:

Its not

Do you have any evidence for that?

[Rob Browder]

On 4/18/2025 at 5:27 AM, Beerzy65 said:

Its not

Unlimited use of visa-exempt?  Agree, unless you pay for it via Immigration's agent-partners, in which case it is unlimited, as long as you pay each time. 

By land, if willing to spend a couple nights out, one can repeat-entry at several crossings - even without the "van agents" - per existing reports.  But, the only way to rest assured re-entering on visa-exempts or TR-Visas will be "no problem" is to pay for agent-service.

 

If under 50, the best option is the DTV - both in terms of trouble and cost.  If over 50, a retirement-based Non-O extension is the winner hands-down.

[kwilco]

22 minutes ago, Rob Browder said:

Unlimited use of visa-exempt?  Agree, unless you pay for it via Immigration's agent-partners, in which case it is unlimited, as long as you pay each time. 

By land, if willing to spend a couple nights out, one can repeat-entry at several crossings - even without the "van agents" - per existing reports.  But, the only way to rest assured re-entering on visa-exempts or TR-Visas will be "no problem" is to pay for agent-service.

 

If under 50, the best option is the DTV - both in terms of trouble and cost.  If over 50, a retirement-based Non-O extension is the winner hands-down.

According to the government spokesman on this, you are meant to stay out for 24 hours.

[Rob Browder]

1 minute ago, kwilco said:

According to the government spokesman on this, you are meant to stay out for 24 hours.

Yes - have heard a MFA spokesperson quote this for DTV border-bounces, required every 6 months. 

Unfortunately, there is no defined "safe" amount of time out-of-country between tourist-type entries.  The policy varies by your past history over years, the entry point, the IO you get at the entry-point, and/or whatever marching-orders they were given for their work-shift. 

[kwilco]

10 hours ago, Rob Browder said:

Yes - have heard a MFA spokesperson quote this for DTV border-bounces, required every 6 months. 

Unfortunately, there is no defined "safe" amount of time out-of-country between tourist-type entries.  The policy varies by your past history over years, the entry point, the IO you get at the entry-point, and/or whatever marching-orders they were given for their work-shift. 

ASEAN NOW (or was it Thaiger?)  had a long video interview with a minister when the 60 visa exempt was introduced. I Can't find a copy of this but he stated that 60 visa exempt could make unlimited re-entrie so long as they stayed out for 24 hours.

[BrandonJT]

4 hours ago, kwilco said:

ASEAN NOW (or was it Thaiger?)  had a long video interview with a minister when the 60 visa exempt was introduced. I Can't find a copy of this but he stated that 60 visa exempt could make unlimited re-entrie so long as they stayed out for 24 hours.

It doesn't matter what you saw, or what this person said.  They were from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  The MFA does not get to decide any policy on who can enter Thailand, how long they have to stay out of Thailand, or how many times they can enter Thailand.  

 

That is determined by the Immigration Department, which falls under the Royal Thai Police within the Ministry of the Interior.

 

But you're free to show the immigration officer a Youtube video that says it's unlimited and see how that goes.

[Rob Browder]

11 hours ago, kwilco said:

ASEAN NOW (or was it Thaiger?)  had a long video interview with a minister when the 60 visa exempt was introduced. I Can't find a copy of this but he stated that 60 visa exempt could make unlimited re-entrie so long as they stayed out for 24 hours.

Replied to your other post with the interview links here (for others curious):

https://aseannow.com/topic/1328518-thailand-visa-exemption-60-days-and-visa-on-arrival-voa-15-days/page/14/#findComment-19746446

 

Money-quote:

"I have to stress, the final decision depends on the discretion of the immigration officer."

(... who accept agent-payoffs for unlimited entries)