Can You Do 3 Consecutive 30 Day Visas For Americans

[farang000999]

Cutting it close and don't want to risk sending my passport for a visa in the USA and not getting it back in time. The Thai embassy in my area only opens 2 days a week so who knows?... I was wondering if it is still possible in Thailand to arrive, leave in 30 days, come back a few days later, leave again in 30 days, come back a few days later and then leave for good in another 30 days... so 3 30 day consecutive visas... I remember a while back, before I was on a non-o visa they were monitoring the amount of tourist visas you had.

[stoneyboy]

There is no limit currently to the amount of back to back visa exemptions ( its not a 30 day visa ) so yes you can do as you describe,but be aware that you will most likely have to show proof of onward travel,not to immigration but to the airline,as I am lead to believe its their responsibility to check this,although I have read numerous reports from TV members that this is not the case when they enter Thailand by air from neighbouring countries such as Laos and Cambodia.

Edited March 22, 2012 by stoneyboy

[metisdead]

Moved to the visas forum.

[notmyself]

It's only 15 days by land, get a visa.

[CharlieH]

As stated above, 30 days by Air and 15 days by land, you dont have to stay away overnight etc you can turnaround walk/fly straight back if you want.

The airline from the states will be your problem if you dont have a return ticket or proof of onward travel within 30 days. They may refuse to board you.

This is not an immigration thing its an airline condition.

[bunnydrops]

I do not know where you are located in the US. But send your app to the Portland Or. Embassy. I sent for multi-O, Friday afternoon, They are closed on the weekend, got it back Thursday morning. Same day turnaround at their office

[BlueEasySleep]

I've done several 30 day visa exemptions. No problem.

I've never had to show onward tickets to Air Asia or Lao Airlines.

Edited March 23, 2012 by BlueEasySleep

[lopburi3]

I really do not believe AirAsia or Lao Airlines will be the method of travel from the USA. He is much more likely to have a check made on that run than local hops.

[duiter]

..." you dont have to stay away overnight etc you can turnaround walk/fly straight back if you want.

How to turnaround walk at Suvarnabhumi airport ( Bangkok ) ?

[attrayant]

As stated above, 30 days by Air and 15 days by land, you dont have to stay away overnight etc you can turnaround walk/fly straight back if you want.

I'm curious; could you turn upon your heel right there at Suvarnabhumi after you've been stamped out of the country and come right back in without flying out? Or is it a requirement that you actually touch the soil of another country first?

The airline from the states will be your problem if you dont have a return ticket or proof of onward travel within 30 days. They may refuse to board you. This is not an immigration thing its an airline condition.

The first two times I came here there was no onward ticket requirement for me. I'm sure of it because I didn't have one. Both times I was due to fly onward to Vietnam but I didn't purchase my ticket from BKK to HCMC until I arrived in Thailand. So at the time I left, the airline in the USA had essentially no idea what I was planning to do (travel wise) once I left.

Those trips were in 2009 and 2010. I suppose it could have changed now, but why couldn't you use the excuse that you're planning to take a bus from Thailand into Cambodia and that's a ticket that can't easily be bought through an air carrier.

Maybe call KAL or All Nippon and see what they say.

[stoneyboy]

As stated above, 30 days by Air and 15 days by land, you dont have to stay away overnight etc you can turnaround walk/fly straight back if you want.

I'm curious; could you turn upon your heel right there at Suvarnabhumi after you've been stamped out of the country and come right back in without flying out? Or is it a requirement that you actually touch the soil of another country first?

The airline from the states will be your problem if you dont have a return ticket or proof of onward travel within 30 days. They may refuse to board you. This is not an immigration thing its an airline condition.

The first two times I came here there was no onward ticket requirement for me. I'm sure of it because I didn't have one. Both times I was due to fly onward to Vietnam but I didn't purchase my ticket from BKK to HCMC until I arrived in Thailand. So at the time I left, the airline in the USA had essentially no idea what I was planning to do (travel wise) once I left.

Those trips were in 2009 and 2010. I suppose it could have changed now, but why couldn't you use the excuse that you're planning to take a bus from Thailand into Cambodia and that's a ticket that can't easily be bought through an air carrier.

Maybe call KAL or All Nippon and see what they say.

No you are dreaming,of course you have to leave,gain an exit stamp,enter another country which often means obtaining another visa upon arrival and then return.

Could you pretend to leave the US and return to obtain more time without leaving the country,of course not what rubbish,why should Thailand be any different.

Edited March 23, 2012 by stoneyboy

[crazygreg44]

Walk and turn in Subvarnabhumi? A dazzling thought ! If it wasn t for the air-ticket check at the entrance to the immigration area for exiting or at the immigration officer's booth , I guess you could actually do a walk-and-turn-around in Subvarnabhumi ! Nobody says you have to touch soil of another country - just assumed it was your home country, there would be no visa or stamp revealing you had been abroad. When you are past the immigration, you are already on exterritorial grounds, or am i wrong on this ?

[rayinkrabi]

As far as I know there are no longer any restrictions on how many visa runs you can do

Edited March 24, 2012 by rayinkrabi

[moe666]

As mentioned earlier Portland has a very fast turn around, though you donot mention how much time you have.

[lopburi3]

You must fly out and return on a flight - you can not just process through immigration and return (and this is often the reason boarding pass is required at entry immigration counter as a double check). Both sides of immigration are Thailand as you will find out if you try to steal something from duty free.

[duiter]

To / @ CharlieH

You said ..." you don't have to stay away overnight etc you can turnaround walk/fly straight back if you want....."

How to "turnaround walk" ?

Have successfully you done it ?

Many thanks

[Lite Beer]

Thousands of people do it every year.

Leave Thailand and enter another Country.

Immediately turn round and come back again.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

What the OP is probably referring to is the FORMER Thai Immigration rule that limited the number of 30-day visa exempt entries a person would be granted by Thai Immigration within any 6 month period, as I recall.

That rule was enforced for awhile, but was dropped some time back and is no longer enforced. But one accompanying change they did make was to reduce the time duration giving to visa exempt land border entries down to 15 days... unlike the 30 days still granted for airport entries.

[notmyself]

You must fly out and return on a flight - you can not just process through immigration and return (and this is often the reason boarding pass is required at entry immigration counter as a double check). Both sides of immigration are Thailand as you will find out if you try to steal something from duty free.

People used to do it quite a lot at DM. Some even managed to uncheckin (is that a word?) after and get their Bangkok airways ticket moved back 30 days. Never heard or met anyone who has done it at Swampy.

[kurtmartens]

To / @ CharlieH

You said ..." you don't have to stay away overnight etc you can turnaround walk/fly straight back if you want....."

How to "turnaround walk" ?

Have successfully you done it ?

Many thanks

Really? Everyone is going to make comments on this post, when he clearly meant you can either walk/drive across the landboarder or take a flight, land wherever and get back on a return flight without overnighting and return the same day. Hence fly straight back.

[andrew55]

I have done 6 consecutive years to date on 30 day exemptions.

I work in Singapore and KL for a few days each month so I depart at least once a month. The 6 months in 12 clause used to worry me but I was never unlucky enough to have an officer who could be bothered (or had the mathematical ability) to count the period I'd spent in the Kingdom. I do occasionally let some fish go for lucky at the local wat - at'll be why.

Hey TallGuyJohninBKK - Do you mean this is no longer a rule or just not currently enforced - 'crack-downs' worry me if the latter. If the former appreciate if you would link to info. Not meaning to doubt you.

I almost always do not have an onward ticket as flight to BKK is my return leg. Can be a hassle and cause stress. However, I have boarded 150 times to BKK. Only once a couple of years ago did I have to buy an onward ticket on the spot. Singapore Changi's efficiency and check-in staff's fear of being caned or something. Next 3 score times at Changi no problems.

If questioned at check-in about no onward ticket, showing them that you have cash and credit card/s will usually make them feel a little more secure. The senior person at check-in will usually have a waiver/disclaimer thingy that you can sign to say you'll be financially liable if entry at Thailand is denied. Hypothetical.

All that said on a long-haul to Thailand check-in will need an onward ticket to somewhere. The 2 choices are a budget disposable ticket or an expensive changeable/open one.

Wouldn't it just be easier to get a real visa?

A.

[AlexDorneles]

I flew on Air China from Spain changing planes in Beijing and when I arrived at the immigration at BKK nobody asked for a return ticket. The airline did not ask me for a ticket out of Thailand prior to boarding. I know if you are flying out of the US on a american passport the airline will not let you board without a round trip ticket. Since you are outside the US I would bet you will not have a problem boarding the plane but if you want to be safe go on airasia.com and buy the cheapest ticket you can find to anywhere, it will not cost more than 75 bucks.

[andrew55]

I flew on Air China from Spain changing planes in Beijing and when I arrived at the immigration at BKK nobody asked for a return ticket. The airline did not ask me for a ticket out of Thailand prior to boarding. I know if you are flying out of the US on a american passport the airline will not let you board without a round trip ticket. Since you are outside the US I would bet you will not have a problem boarding the plane but if you want to be safe go on airasia.com and buy the cheapest ticket you can find to anywhere, it will not cost more than 75 bucks.

Immigation don't ask for an onward ticket, but they have the right to. If a passenger is denied entry for any reason the onus is on the airline to get you somewhere else.

[HerbalEd]

I have arrived in Thailand scores of times over the past twenty years with no visa and easily got the standard 30-day entry stamp (it is not a visa, even though most people call it that.). Also, many times I have gone over the Thai border into Laos, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia, China for as little as a few hours and then returned to Thailand to again easily get another 30-day entry stamp (no need to stay longer unless you want). Also, I have never been asked to show any amount of money or an onward ticket.

Don't really know if it helps or not, but I always am clean shaven and always dress decently (not fancy dress, but no blue jeans, ghetto shorts, T-shirts, tank tops, flip-flops/shower-shoes, etc.).

[mogoso]

I don't know how close,close is. I might try calling the Thai Embassy in DC. The lady who does visa applications is extremely helpful albeit busy but she can overnight your passport back to you with a 90 day visa. I think the fedx charges to and fro plus the $175 visa fee would certainly be less than going to and fro outta the country every 30 days. I think she'd want to see a copy of your plane ticket (*itinerary)

It's worth a phone call

I've forgotten her name but she is quite competent at her job assisting the public. There is a list on the embassy's web site of requirments

[ScubaBuddha]

... many times I have gone over the Thai border into Laos, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia, China for as little as a few hours and then returned to Thailand to again easily get another 30-day entry stamp...

When was the last time you did that? Land boarders give 15 days, not 30, for a few years now. Or am I to assume you flew "over the Thai boarder" since China and Singapore don't share land boarders with Thailand.

OP should look here for my report on Sihanoukville. http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/479111-visatrip-to-sihanoukville-for-a-double-entry-tourist-visa/page__p__4671579#entry4671579

Unfortunately they recently stopped giving multiple entry tourist visa's at PP. I confirmed this with 2 agents recently. And single entry visas are taking a week to issue.

Edited March 25, 2012 by ScubaBuddha

[RichardinBKK]

OK, let me answer your original posting to the best of my ability:

Cutting it close and don't want to risk sending my passport for a visa in the USA and not getting it back in time. The Thai embassy in my area only opens 2 days a week so who knows?(It is a shame you do not have time to get an "o"...it saves so many hassles. Other postings have advised [correctly, since I did it] that you call Portland or Seattle, arrange the stamp, Fedex passport and they do actually turn it around in the same day, so you can send it Monday morning (one day overnight)and expect it in hand Friday at the latest (prepaid one day overnight return) ... I was wondering if it is still possible in Thailand to arrive, leave in 30 days, come back a few days later, leave again in 30 days, come back a few days later and then leave for good in another 30 days... so 3 30 day consecutive visas... I remember a while back, before I was on a non-o visa they were monitoring the amount of tourist visas you had. (The answer to all this is "Yes, you can easily do this without a problem")

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Tourist visas are entirely different from 30-day visa-exempt entries that can be granted to a lot of Western country travelers (among others) who can enter Thailand without any visa being required.

The 30-day visa exempt entries are granted by the immigration officers at the airport, provided you're from a qualifying country and don't have any other problems (like being on a blacklist or anything similar). There's not a lot of discretion involved there. If you're from a qualifying country and don't have visa, you'll get a visa exempt stamp. Many countries on are the 30-day list, some countries qualify for lesser/shorter visa-exempt entries. Some don't qualify at all.

AFAIK, the past rule limiting the number of 30-day visa exempt entries a person can receive in succession has been rescinded. It's not just an issue of Thai-style ceasing to enforce something, in this particular case.

Tourist visas, on the other hand, are typically granted by the Thai consulates in other countries. And the consulate officers in those cases, depending on the country, can decide to simply not grant a tourist visa if they think the applicant has been abusing the tourist visa process.

I don't believe there are any specific rules/numbers of visas attached to that issue across all the different Thai consulates. But as you might expect, it's typically the countries closest nearby Thailand and with common borders that tend to be the toughest on issuing repeat tourist visas because they're on the front lines of the visa abuse issue.

[hawker9000]

Am confused about Non-Immigrant 'O' visas (for US citizens). The Los Angeles Consulate's webpage specifically says "Non-immigrant visas will NOT be issued for such purposes as tourism". That seems to rule out anything except a retirement visa (O-A), 30d visa-exempt status, or tourist visas (60-d) for US tourists. Have I missed something? I'm eligible for the retirement visa (over 50, have the financial means, etc.), just don't want to get involved with what seems like a huge document hassle, and don't really intend to "retire to Thailand". I'd just like to be able to stay for more than 30-d at a time.

[Lite Beer]

Non Immigrant O Visa.

O means Other.

This could be visiting family, Doing voluntary work, Looking to retire, Visiting Thai Spouse. etc.