Hello,

I have a question regarding tourist visas in Thailand.

I am Japanese and 32 years old and currently based in Vietnam and I am planning to stay in Thailand.

As far as I understand, I can enter Thailand on a 60 (or 30) day tourist visa and extend it by 30 days at the nearest Immigration office. What I would like to know is what happens after that period and I can't find a clear answer anywhere.

• Can I repeat this same process through visa runs indefinitely?
  

• Is there a '90 days out of 180' in force that would force me to leave Thailand for a period of time before re-entering?
  

• Finally, in my case, is it even advisable to apply for a tourist visa before entering Thailand or just get a Visa on arrival and re-enter?
  

Thank you for any information!

Entering Thailand without a Visa will get you 30 days by air and 15 days by land.

A Tourist Visa will get a stay of 60 days and can be extended by 30 days at Immigration.

Try and get a double entry if possible.

At the end of your stay you can visit a Thai Consulate in another country and apply for another Visa or get a Visa Exempt entry of 15 days or 30 days.

There are no official limits on Visas or border runs but some Consulates and border checkpoints impose their own restrictions from time to time.

The question is how long you are planning to stay in Thailand and doing what.

If you really want to stay for a long time, more than 1 year, an ED-visa might be a good option.

The question is how long you are planning to stay in Thailand and doing what.

If you really want to stay for a long time, more than 1 year, an ED-visa might be a good option.

Or a non imm O visa,

The question is how long you are planning to stay in Thailand and doing what.

If you really want to stay for a long time, more than 1 year, an ED-visa might be a good option.

Or a non imm O visa,

That must be based on something. There is no indication he qualifies for a non-immirgant visa, which is why I asked about his plans.

Thanks a lot for your information so far!

Here's a bit of background to make it clearer.

I am moving to Thailand to join my partner (non-Thai, we're not-married) who will be working in Bangkok.

As we are not married, the Non-imm-O probably doesn't apply. So until I find a job myself that provides a non-imm-B, I assume I will be living in Bangkok on tourist visas, or is there a better way?

Hence my question as to for how long it is possible to re-apply for Tourist Visas.

Thanks again for your help!

No, the tourist visa's will be fine till you find a decent job.

In the region you will get about 5 tourist visa's.

Thanks a lot for your information so far!

Here's a bit of background to make it clearer.

I am moving to Thailand to join my partner (non-Thai, we're not-married) who will be working in Bangkok.

As we are not married, the Non-imm-O probably doesn't apply. So until I find a job myself that provides a non-imm-B, I assume I will be living in Bangkok on tourist visas, or is there a better way?

Hence my question as to for how long it is possible to re-apply for Tourist Visas.

Thanks again for your help!

Thanks a lot for your information so far!

Here's a bit of background to make it clearer.

I am moving to Thailand to join my partner (non-Thai, we're not-married) who will be working in Bangkok.

As we are not married, the Non-imm-O probably doesn't apply. So until I find a job myself that provides a non-imm-B, I assume I will be living in Bangkok on tourist visas, or is there a better way?

Hence my question as to for how long it is possible to re-apply for Tourist Visas.

Thanks again for your help!

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No hard and fast answer on how many back-to-back tourist visas you can get ... but expect you will be getting pointed questions about what you do to earn money (i.e. working) in Thailand after your 3rd visa.

If they even suspect you are actually working in Thailand without a Work Permit, they will not give you another visa.

Usually you won't get more than a max of 4 visas, even if you're lucky.

There's no limit (currently) on those 30 day entry on arrival stamps when you arrive at the airport. However, they to depend on immigration .... and you will start getting pointed questions on why you keep returning to Thailand after a few months,

At any rate, there will be questions asked at around 2 years in Thailand by immigration as you enter, There NOT going to believe you're here as a Tourist for more than 2 years.

I would suggest the 1 year ED visa, learning the thai language. If you will be living here, of course speaking and reading thai will be a great help6. You can study part-time to qualify for this visa, however you need to sign up for a 1 year program. Good luck and happy new year!

An ED Visa might be a good idea then and so is learning some Thai as you say.

Can you recommend any good Thai language centres in the Sukhumvit area?

Thanks again!

An ED Visa might be a good idea then and so is learning some Thai as you say.

Can you recommend any good Thai language centres in the Sukhumvit area?

Thanks again!

Google is your friend also Walen which is a sponser on TV

A tourist visa is the easiest in this scenario in my opinion. I had 3 back to back without a single question, admittedly this was via Penang* embassy in Malaysia. On or before the 60 day date go to local immigration and pay 1,900 to extend to 90 days, thus so far you've 270 days. Whilst third was practically guaranteed I was told I'd probably get a fourth but after that they may mark it so I wouldnt get a fifth. This was in the last six months.

If you drop your passport in to either Bannana Guesthouse or Jims guestbook (both on chulia street), they'll handle the running about to the embassy for about 300 baht (plus visa fees obviously) if I remember correctly, tourist visas also come back the same day at 3.50pm. Some skeptics dont trust agents but i my experience the two mentioned have all done what they say on the tin, without the hassle of taxis to embassy (like you would have to do in KL) and waiting around for cost of a few beers.

Book your penang flights in advance and its pretty reasonable trip cost wise.

Thanks a lot for your information so far!

Here's a bit of background to make it clearer.

I am moving to Thailand to join my partner (non-Thai, we're not-married) who will be working in Bangkok.

As we are not married, the Non-imm-O probably doesn't apply. So until I find a job myself that provides a non-imm-B, I assume I will be living in Bangkok on tourist visas, or is there a better way?

Hence my question as to for how long it is possible to re-apply for Tourist Visas.

Thanks again for your help!

Thanks a lot for your information so far!

Here's a bit of background to make it clearer.

I am moving to Thailand to join my partner (non-Thai, we're not-married) who will be working in Bangkok.

As we are not married, the Non-imm-O probably doesn't apply. So until I find a job myself that provides a non-imm-B, I assume I will be living in Bangkok on tourist visas, or is there a better way?

Hence my question as to for how long it is possible to re-apply for Tourist Visas.

Thanks again for your help!

-----------------

No hard and fast answer on how many back-to-back tourist visas you can get ... but expect you will be getting pointed questions about what you do to earn money (i.e. working) in Thailand after your 3rd visa.

If they even suspect you are actually working in Thailand without a Work Permit, they will not give you another visa.

Usually you won't get more than a max of 4 visas, even if you're lucky.

There's no limit (currently) on those 30 day entry on arrival stamps when you arrive at the airport. However, they to depend on immigration .... and you will start getting pointed questions on why you keep returning to Thailand after a few months,

At any rate, there will be questions asked at around 2 years in Thailand by immigration as you enter, There NOT going to believe you're here as a Tourist for more than 2 years.

Only if you use up the full 30 days each time (or 28 or 29) and then only make 1 or 2 day "border runs" before returning. If you spend say 20 days in Thailand, leave for 10 then come back for a month, then leave again for say 20, it will more likely appear you are a business traveller of some sort, but as the OP is leaving his job in VN and intends to stay put in Thailand for a while without working, it's more likely he will want to spend the full 30 (or 60-90 days if arriving on a tourist visa) and then only do a border run for a day or two in order to come back. It's in this case if he spends only a few days a year outside of Thailand on a combination of tourist visas and visa exempt stamps that problems might start to arise at immigration.