Can I Enter With A 30-Day On-Arrival When I Already Have A 60-Day Tourist Visa?

[Mightycabage]

Hi Everyone,

I've been to Thailand several times and I am familiar with the 30-days on arrival, 15 if by land, 90 days maximum per 6 months with 30-day visas, and some other rules.

So now I plan on going to Thailand for 7 months, and am obtaining three 60-day tourist visas. For one of them I will be applying for a 30-day extension. I plan on exiting the country two times. Once to Bali for a 10 day trip and once to India for a 7 day trip. That's all fine.

Now, if all of a sudden I wanted to throw in an additional exit (on a short trip to Myanmar or Laos for example), I would have to forego one of my 60-day visas, and when I re-enter Thailand I would have to use a new visa. My question is, does this new visa HAVE to be my next (possibly 3rd/last) 60-day tourist visa, or would it be possible to enter with a 30-day visa on arrival (therefor saving my 60-day visa for my next exit/enter when I know I'd need it)?

If only these 60-day tourist visas were multiple entry the problem would be solved.

I can go into more detail with departure/return dates if this doesn't make sense. Thanks all for your time and input.

[lopburi3]

You are talking about visa exempt entry (15 and 30 days) and there is no 90 day limit for any time period (that ended years ago). Yes they may allow entry for 30 day visa exempt if you have a visa if you request that - but it may not be approved or they may stamp your visa used if you insist. So very much not something to depend on.

But for any entry you can obtain a re-entry permit to return and continue the current permitted to stay time. So if you buy re-entry permit for 1,000 baht from immigrant and leave after 20 days of a 60 day entry for 10 days you would return to continue the remaining 30 days by using that. You can also extend any or all tourist visa entries if you wish. You just have to make last entry while visa is still valid for use.

[2008bangkok]

You are talking about visa exempt entry (15 and 30 days) and there is no 90 day limit for any time period (that ended years ago). Yes they may allow entry for 30 day visa exempt if you have a visa if you request that - but it may not be approved or they may stamp your visa used if you insist. So very much not something to depend on.

But for any entry you can obtain a re-entry permit to return and continue the current permitted to stay time. So if you buy re-entry permit for 1,000 baht from immigrant and leave after 20 days of a 60 day entry for 10 days you would return to continue the remaining 30 days by using that. You can also extend any or all tourist visa entries if you wish. You just have to make last entry while visa is still valid for use.

I seriosuly doubt you can get a 30 day when you have a valid visa in your passport, bjut whether you can or not good lukc tryig to explain that to immigration

[Mightycabage]

But for any entry you can obtain a re-entry permit to return and continue the current permitted to stay time. So if you buy re-entry permit for 1,000 baht from immigrant and leave after 20 days of a 60 day entry for 10 days you would return to continue the remaining 30 days by using that. You can also extend any or all tourist visa entries if you wish. You just have to make last entry while visa is still valid for use.

Cool well that works! If I do decide I want to leave in the middle of one of my 60-day visas, I'll have to sack up and buy a re-entry permit. Thank you for clearing that up.

I've never had to visit immigration for any reason whether it's getting a 30-day extension or getting that re-entry permit you're talking about. Does it get pretty hectic? Is it about the same length process for both?

[lopburi3]

About the same - in Bangkok normally an hour or so wait in queue but only a couple of minutes to obtain.

[HappyInCM]

You are talking about visa exempt entry (15 and 30 days) and there is no 90 day limit for any time period (that ended years ago). Yes they may allow entry for 30 day visa exempt if you have a visa if you request that - but it may not be approved or they may stamp your visa used if you insist. So very much not something to depend on.

But for any entry you can obtain a re-entry permit to return and continue the current permitted to stay time. So if you buy re-entry permit for 1,000 baht from immigrant and leave after 20 days of a 60 day entry for 10 days you would return to continue the remaining 30 days by using that. You can also extend any or all tourist visa entries if you wish. You just have to make last entry while visa is still valid for use.

I seriosuly doubt you can get a 30 day when you have a valid visa in your passport, bjut whether you can or not good lukc tryig to explain that to immigration

I've done it last year with a triple entry tourist visa entering bkk. No problem explaining it or using the visa when I left and reentered two weeks later.