Visa exempt....how many in a year?

[baneko]

Hi,

I've heard of the new laws coming in August but not exactly what they are. Where can I find a full list of the new rules and regulations.

Will there be a yearly limit to Visa exempt? I work 28/28 offshore Angola and have my leave 28 days here. Visa exempts have been easy up until now.

I did have an overstay before when my passport was in Luanda for my work visa. I know this isnt good but I was stuck in Thailand with no passport. Unfortunately nothing I could do. I now have two passports to stop this problem happening again.

Any info regarding visa exempt limits or other tips would be appreciated.

Thanks

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[paz]

There are other offshore workers that are in you exact same situation and have asked the same question.

The answer was that there is hope that common sense will prevail and they will have no problem showing up with cash in hand and a return ticket for visa-exempt entries.

However since there are no clear rules and is left to officer to determine any 'abuse', nobody can claim anything for sure.

[slipperylobster]

Nothing clear at present. No guarantees. The answer does not exist.

It depends on the border and Immigration Officer.

I sure would not do back to back anything, anywhere. If you have overstayed or done back to backs previously, it may be wise to fly in on a tourist visa... That should do the trick.

[wayned]

No one knows what the rules will be after August 12. If common sense prevails you shouild have no problem with your work schedulea and visa exempot entries. But "common sense" and "Thailand" are an oxymoron. We will all just have to wait and see!

[ubonjoe]

There will be no limit on the number of entries. The latest news is that it the new rules will only be for those that just leave and return to get a new entry. You will not be effected by the new rules.

[BoonToong]

I have been doing the Visa exemption gag for over 4 years, travelling on average every 4-5 weeks (staying outside TL for about a week at a time) and the only time I had a problem was when the airline returning me to TL asked to see a ticket for leaving TL again within 30 days (I checked. This has always been a requirement but not often enforced).

If your company are booking your flight ticket for your return to TL then it probably won't be a problem for you but I suspect that the Thai authorities are going to come down harder on airlines to stop them from letting a passenger board unless they have a valid TL visa.

I've now switched to a 'Retirement Visa' (good timing).

PM me if you want details of how I did my Retirement Visa.

[baneko]

I have been doing the Visa exemption gag for over 4 years, travelling on average every 4-5 weeks (staying outside TL for about a week at a time) and the only time I had a problem was when the airline returning me to TL asked to see a ticket for leaving TL again within 30 days (I checked. This has always been a requirement but not often enforced).

If your company are booking your flight ticket for your return to TL then it probably won't be a problem for you but I suspect that the Thai authorities are going to come down harder on airlines to stop them from letting a passenger board unless they have a valid TL visa.

I've now switched to a 'Retirement Visa' (good timing).

PM me if you want details of how I did my Retirement Visa.

Thanks for the reply. I have my return ticket to Luanda already. I can use this as proof of onward travel within 30 days.

I'm 41 so is a retirement visa possible? Otherwise it looks like I'll marry the gf and get a marraige visa. That would probably be easier.

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[Mario2008]

For retirement you must be 50 years or older.

[baneko]

Nothing clear at present. No guarantees. The answer does not exist.

It depends on the border and Immigration Officer.

I sure would not do back to back anything, anywhere. If you have overstayed or done back to backs previously, it may be wise to fly in on a tourist visa... That should do the trick.

I could also use the two passports to my advantage. One then the other on trips to split it up. They have different numbers.

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[baneko]

For retirement you must be 50 years or older.

Thanks...I thought I was a bit young to retire although it would be nice.

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[Suradit69]

No one knows what the rules will be after August 12. If common sense prevails you shouild have no problem with your work schedulea and visa exempot entries. But "common sense" and "Thailand" are an oxymoron. We will all just have to wait and see!

'But "common sense" and "Thailand" are an oxymoron."

And farang accepting the consequences of their abuse of the system without resorting to childish name-calling is oxymoronic too ... if you want to continue with your somewhat stretched employment of "oxymoron."

Unfortunately the misbehavior of some is having negative consequences for many others, but those who produced this mess still want to point their fingers at those trying to restore the enforcement of rules and regulations rather than themselves. Everyone applauds better enforcement of the law when it's applied to Thais, but then react with hissy fits when it's applied to farang too.

I've found "common sense" and "Thailand" to be more compatible terms than "farang" and "acceptance of responsibility" ... at least based on the evidence here at the hub of tantrum throwers.

Edited July 15, 2014 by Suradit69

[enuff said]

.

There will be no limit on the number of entries. The latest news is that it the new rules will only be for those that just leave and return to get a new entry. You will not be effected by the new rules.

correcto. The out/ins have to get right back to work and can't take 4 or 5 days off for touring around. It's the surest sign that they are not a tourist, but have OTHER BUSINESS going on.

Why can't people understand this ubonjoe?

Surely a true tourist who purchased a three entry tourist visa would want to, oh I dunno, spend more than 10 minutes in the neighbouring country? How dumb do you think IOs are?

Now come the cries of "HOW LONG? How long must I leave my beloved Thailand? If I have to spend 10 days in Vientiane I shall kill myself."

nothin' makes 'em happy ubonjoe but thanks for trying

'nuff said

~

[baneko]

Nothing clear at present. No guarantees. The answer does not exist.

It depends on the border and Immigration Officer.

I sure would not do back to back anything, anywhere. If you have overstayed or done back to backs previously, it may be wise to fly in on a tourist visa... That should do

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[NomadJoe]

There will be no limit on the number of entries. The latest news is that it the new rules will only be for those that just leave and return to get a new entry. You will not be effected by the new rules.

Yep. Joe is correct a usual.

[TomThailand]

Nothing clear at present. No guarantees. The answer does not exist.

It depends on the border and Immigration Officer.

I sure would not do back to back anything, anywhere. If you have overstayed or done back to backs previously, it may be wise to fly in on a tourist visa... That should do the trick.

I could also use the two passports to my advantage. One then the other on trips to split it up. They have different numbers.

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Be careful about thinking that you can use two passports to get round this.

I travel to/from BKK and London every other month to be with my lovely (Thai) wife. Until the start of this year I always used my Irish passport, not my British passport (I was born in Northern Ireland so have the right to hold both passports). Anyway, I started using my British passport at the start of this year as I'm in the process of sorting out spouse settlement in London with me for my Thai wife.

When I exited BKK to fly back to London in February, using my British passport for the first time, the Immigration officer who stamped me out said, "You seem to have two different passports". I explained that I do indeed and that I was using the British one because I'm sorting out for my Thai wife to get entry clearance to join me in London.

The message seems to be that the IT system at immigration can match different passports held by the same individual.

That said, I am now here in BKK again but on my first entry using a triple entry tourist visa issued by the Royal Thai Embassy in London as I'm not risking the 30 day visa exempt route,

Anyway, that's my experience with using two passports thus far.

[stgrhe]

The new rules are actually not a change to any law but will be implemented in a new Police Order to be issued by the Immigration Bureau. It will probably be released in Thai shortly after the 12th of August and then we will have to wait until someone translates it into English.

[thairookie]

There will be no limit on the number of entries. The latest news is that it the new rules will only be for those that just leave and return to get a new entry. You will not be effected by the new rules.

Again, what should be the period one must remain outside Thailand before he is considered "just leave and return" ?

[Wanderingdrew]

I have the same problem work in cambodia and go to thailand for the weekend or week depending on my time off to visit my GF
I have been told it will not be a problem as i can prove residence and work there and i can just carry on using visa exempt as there is absolutely no visa that you can get for people such as myself

[ubonjoe]

There will be no limit on the number of entries. The latest news is that it the new rules will only be for those that just leave and return to get a new entry. You will not be effected by the new rules.

Again, what should be the period one must remain outside Thailand before he is considered "just leave and return" ?

More than a few hour for sure. Perhaps a day or two will be enough. At the moment there is no way to say for sure what it will be. But I would guess it will not be more than a few days. There are many tourists that leave and return after just a couple of days.

[Nemesis7]

Nothing clear at present. No guarantees. The answer does not exist.

It depends on the border and Immigration Officer.

I sure would not do back to back anything, anywhere. If you have overstayed or done back to backs previously, it may be wise to fly in on a tourist visa... That should do the trick.

I could also use the two passports to my advantage. One then the other on trips to split it up. They have different numbers.

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Be careful about thinking that you can use two passports to get round this.

I travel to/from BKK and London every other month to be with my lovely (Thai) wife. Until the start of this year I always used my Irish passport, not my British passport (I was born in Northern Ireland so have the right to hold both passports). Anyway, I started using my British passport at the start of this year as I'm in the process of sorting out spouse settlement in London with me for my Thai wife.

When I exited BKK to fly back to London in February, using my British passport for the first time, the Immigration officer who stamped me out said, "You seem to have two different passports". I explained that I do indeed and that I was using the British one because I'm sorting out for my Thai wife to get entry clearance to join me in London.

The message seems to be that the IT system at immigration can match different passports held by the same individual.

That said, I am now here in BKK again but on my first entry using a triple entry tourist visa issued by the Royal Thai Embassy in London as I'm not risking the 30 day visa exempt route,

Anyway, that's my experience with using two passports thus far.

its obvious, i mean you can use two passport and the immigration authority can tell it right away as your surname and date of birth are the same on both passports ( unless its different) and all the immigration data base records your surname and date of birth. So any one using two passprt , must use one at time to gt in and out and use the other on next trip, thus the immigration may not have much doubts.

[KamalaRider]

There are other offshore workers that are in you exact same situation and have asked the same question.

The answer was that there is hope that common sense will prevail and they will have no problem showing up with cash in hand and a return ticket for visa-exempt entries.

However since there are no clear rules and is left to officer to determine any 'abuse', nobody can claim anything for sure.

Common sense? In Thailand?

[JDLove]

Nothing clear at present. No guarantees. The answer does not exist.

It depends on the border and Immigration Officer.

I sure would not do back to back anything, anywhere. If you have overstayed or done back to backs previously, it may be wise to fly in on a tourist visa... That should do the trick.

I could also use the two passports to my advantage. One then the other on trips to split it up. They have different numbers.

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Be careful about thinking that you can use two passports to get round this.

I travel to/from BKK and London every other month to be with my lovely (Thai) wife. Until the start of this year I always used my Irish passport, not my British passport (I was born in Northern Ireland so have the right to hold both passports). Anyway, I started using my British passport at the start of this year as I'm in the process of sorting out spouse settlement in London with me for my Thai wife.

When I exited BKK to fly back to London in February, using my British passport for the first time, the Immigration officer who stamped me out said, "You seem to have two different passports". I explained that I do indeed and that I was using the British one because I'm sorting out for my Thai wife to get entry clearance to join me in London.

The message seems to be that the IT system at immigration can match different passports held by the same individual.

That said, I am now here in BKK again but on my first entry using a triple entry tourist visa issued by the Royal Thai Embassy in London as I'm not risking the 30 day visa exempt route,

Anyway, that's my experience with using two passports thus far.

I also have two passports and last trip I went o Philippines for a week, left Thailand, entered and left Philippines on ('A') then entered back in Thailand on ('B').

It was the second time I have done this as I tend to fill up the passports quickly and wanted to use both up, also was a test given the current changes.

This trip I hit a trainee and he looked at every page, then asked his colleague who also looked briefly then asked me if my name was Mr Smith and I smiled and said yes and all was good.

I expected some issue as I guessed you were required to travel on the passport at which you booked the flight and checked in. Twice this has not been an issue !

I also assumed they can easily track two passports, I have no idea of the legaities but it helped as this passport is clean of stamps since 2011, but if they track both then I am exposed to trouble.

Edited July 15, 2014 by JDLove

[KarenBravo]

The immigration officer can see what country you have arrived from. If it is from an African country, he will know that you are not a visa runner.

Those people arriving on flights from neighbouring countries will be scrutinized closely.

Edited July 15, 2014 by KarenBravo

[thairookie]

The immigration officer can see what country you have arrived from. If it is from an African country, he will know that you are not a visa runner.

Those people arriving on flights from neighbouring countries will be scrutinized closely.

In which case you might be scrutinized even more closely.

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[rollrunna]

There will be no limit on the number of entries. The latest news is that it the new rules will only be for those that just leave and return to get a new entry. You will not be effected by the new rules.

Again, what should be the period one must remain outside Thailand before he is considered "just leave and return" ?

If i understand the rules i read....

.

If you have had 3 x Back 2 Back Tourist Visas. (9 months to include ext.s ).then you must remain out of the country for 3 months...

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Again, what should be the period one must remain outside Thailand before he is considered "just leave and return" ?

More than a few hour for sure. Perhaps a day or two will be enough. At the moment there is no way to say for sure what it will be. But I would guess it will not be more than a few days. There are many tourists that leave and return after just a couple of days.

I think those are fair answers by Joe at this point, "perhaps" and "guess", to the posed question.

As others have noted, thus far, Immigration has not publicly, precisely defined just how they will differentiate between a "bad" visa runner and a "good" repeat/recurring tourist/visitor.

Perhaps there will be some kind of public, published order/criteria put out sometime between now and mid-August when the serious enforcement is supposed to start at the main international airports. Unfortunately, such a clarification hasn't been forthcoming yet.

[dddave]

Again, what should be the period one must remain outside Thailand before he is considered "just leave and return" ?

More than a few hour for sure. Perhaps a day or two will be enough. At the moment there is no way to say for sure what it will be. But I would guess it will not be more than a few days. There are many tourists that leave and return after just a couple of days.

I think those are fair answers by Joe at this point, "perhaps" and "guess", to the posed question.

As others have noted, thus far, Immigration has not publicly, precisely defined just how they will differentiate between a "bad" visa runner and a "good" repeat/recurring tourist/visitor.

Perhaps there will be some kind of public, published order/criteria put out sometime between now and mid-August when the serious enforcement is supposed to start at the main international airports. Unfortunately, such a clarification hasn't been forthcoming yet.

I think it's safe to assume that they'll look closely at the number of times an individual has done "short term" exits; maybe not "In & Outs" but consecutive exits of short term duration; like a week or two. They might also do what a lot of countries do: when was the last return to home country.

One thing is clear: loopholes will be hard to find.

[KarenBravo]

They might also do what a lot of countries do: when was the last return to home country.

And just how will they ("a lot of countries") do that when your home country does not put a stamp in your passport for exit, or entry?

Wish people would think before they post (or just make stuff up).

Edited July 15, 2014 by KarenBravo

[thairookie]

They might also do what a lot of countries do: when was the last return to home country.

And just how will they ("a lot of countries") do that when your home country does not put a stamp in your passport for exit, or entry?

Wish people would think before they post (or just make stuff up).

Your disembarkation card plus flight number.

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[KarenBravo]

They might also do what a lot of countries do: when was the last return to home country.

And just how will they ("a lot of countries") do that when your home country does not put a stamp in your passport for exit, or entry?

Wish people would think before they post (or just make stuff up).

Your disembarkation card plus flight number.

Sent from my GT-N7105 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Only applicable if you have come direct from your home country.

How do they tell when "was the last return to home country" if it wasn't from Thailand?