Get 30 Or 15 Days.

[Prajak]

A guy has no ret visa or marriage visa, just wants to go back to the Netherlands every year for his family and than he buys in Amsterdam a new non im O for one year. That non im O visa is good for 14,5 months stay here.

At the end of the last 90 days, his bankaccount is not good enough for a trip to Europe, so he wants to wait one more month. So he will make a trip to Laos and come back same day.

In my opinion he will get 30 days; there is no valid visa in his passport.

But some say, he will get 15 days (comes over land...).

Others say, he will not be allowed into Thailand unless he stays in Laos for 15 days.

I think there is a lot of hear say in this matter.

Am I right about 30 days ?

Thanks.

[thaiphoon]

If he re-enters Thailand by land border with no visa he will get 15 day 'visa exempt' permission to stay, or 30 days if entry is by air. There is no requirement to spend 15 days in Laos. He can spend 1 minute in Laos if he wanted to, but make sure he has cleared Laos immigration and is stamped into that country before returning.

[Prajak]

Thanks. But....

I do not understand 15 days. He had no 30 days before, he had a non im O visa. I think the 15 days is only when you had 30 days already.

Anyone over a land border gets 30 days unless he had 30 before. Than he gets 15.

Am I wrong ?

[thaiphoon]

He was using Non-O visa before and therefore getting 90 day permission to stay on each entry.

Once he leaves Thailand this time his Non-O visa will finish, so he will re-enter the Kingdom with no visa and will therefore obtain a 'visa exempt' stamp at immigration. I said in my post above "If he re-enters Thailand by land border with no visa he will get 15 day 'visa exempt' permission to stay, or 30 days if entry is by air". That is correct. As he needs an extra 30 days he will have to fly out of/back into Thailand OR do two land border crossings.

[TerryLH]

It used to be 30 days but was changed in one of the most recent immigration rules changes.

[Prajak]

Seen that. But also first timers and that is strange. They should be given the benefit of the doubt.

[thaiphoon]

What are you asking? The 'visa exempt' rules are the same for all foreigners entering the Kingdom, whether first timers or not.