How many times can you enter with a 30 exemption ?

[Macthehat]

I think it's basically pot luck who u get on the day and what mood they're in .... I have always travelled one way without buying a visa .... but now I ask myself is it really worth pushing my luck ....so I bought a cheap ticket £20....IMO it's crazy but so are a lot of the rules and regulations in Thailand

[KCM]

Earlier this year when entering Thailand by air for the sixth time in less than 12 months I was pulled aside at Immigration and told I would need a visa on my next arrival since they now only allow six entries in a 12 month period with the 30 day exemption. When entering for the sixth time, a message automatically popped up on the Immigration officer's screen saying that it was my sixth entry, so it does look like they are enforcing this rule. I have entered Thailand twice more since that time, both with tourist visas without any problems.

Even though there is a rule requiring an onward flight out of Thailand, it is rarely enforced. I've entered Thailand countless times over the last 10 years and the only time I had to show proof of an onward ticket before boarding was soon after the Erawan Shrine bombing. Around that time some friends also had to show proof, but that didn't seem to last very long.

[hawker9000]

Earlier this year when entering Thailand by air for the sixth time in less than 12 months I was pulled aside at Immigration and told I would need a visa on my next arrival since they now only allow six entries in a 12 month period with the 30 day exemption. When entering for the sixth time, a message automatically popped up on the Immigration officer's screen saying that it was my sixth entry, so it does look like they are enforcing this rule. I have entered Thailand twice more since that time, both with tourist visas without any problems.

Even though there is a rule requiring an onward flight out of Thailand, it is rarely enforced. I've entered Thailand countless times over the last 10 years and the only time I had to show proof of an onward ticket before boarding was soon after the Erawan Shrine bombing. Around that time some friends also had to show proof, but that didn't seem to last very long.

Such a message apparently does appear on their workstation screens, but rather than a matter of a "rule" (which actually doesn't exist, as others have pointed out) being "enforced", it's "discretion" being "exercised". This is how law enforcement in Thailand works, for better or for worse. You just have to work with it. But I've never heard of an IO actually asking to see an onward ticket tho' I see absolutely no reason why they couldn't if the mood so struck; that's an airline thing.

My guess is that checking onward ticketing for every 30d visa-exempt arrival would add another step to the process that would make more work for the IO, increase the time they already spend, and not be enthusiastically embraced.

[chaawlepcha]

Following some comments made above, I have done some digging to find the official document to define the Tourist Visa Exemption Scheme.

 

Spending much more time than initially thought, it has been found that the relevant official document would be a ministerial regulation by the Ministry of Interior named
"กฎกระทรวงกําหนดหลักเกณฑ์  วิธีการ  และเงื่อนไขในการตรวจ  การยกเว้น  และการเปลี่ยนประเภทการตรวจลงตรา  พ.ศ.  ๒๕๔๕" (Ministerial Regulation of the year 2545 stipuilating principles, ways and conditions in examining and exempting visa and in changing the types of visa),
which has been set under such authorities as given by
"มาตรา  ๑๒  (๑) วรรคสอง  แห่งพระราชบัญญัติคนเข้าเมือง  พ.ศ. ๒๕๒๒" (Sub-pagagraph 2 of Sub-section 1 of Section 12 of the Immigration Act of the year 2522).

 

A link to the said Ministerial Regulation would be
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0Bzph6rB0IoM-bXNXQ29BZEcxMVk/view  (the pdf file is also attached)
If it does not work, you could find it by googling word groups, such as
 "การยกเว้นการตรวจลงตรา กฎกระทรวง", a link you are looking for would probably appear in the first page of the search results. Unfortunately, it's all written in Thai language.

 

The relevant clause of the said Ministerial Regulation is
"ข้อ  ๑๓  วรรคหนึ่ง  (๓)" (Paragraph 3 of Sub-article 1 of Article 13),
which is read in my eyes to deal with the Tourist Visa Exemption Scheme. It seems that sub-paragraph "(ค)"(or (c) in English) of the said paragraph deals with a certain type of onward ticket requirements.

 

If I understand it correctly, a visitor with one of nationalities of the eligible countries fails to have an onward ticket within 30 days, the visior thus becomes a no-visa visitor, and immigration officers can deny his or her entry based on Section 12.1 of the Immigration Act. It would be up to IOs concerned whether or not they let the visitor in question buy a necessary air ticket at an airline counter.

 

Hope that this be of help to some of you.

กฎกระทรวงกำหนดหลักเกณฑ์ วิธีการ และเงื่อนไขในการตรวจ การยกเว้นและการเปลี่ยนประเภทการตรวจลงตรา ๒๕๔๕.pdf

[LawrenceChee]

For this year, I have entered on the 30 day visa exemption rule on multiple times.

I count 20 such stamps on my passport. On 16th one onwards, I was pulled aside for an interview, once I had to show my funds, the others were filling up a form and some general questions.

On stamp #20 , I was told by the Immigration Chief in CM airport that I had to get the right visa and she did it very politely and I told her I would ...so off I went to Laos to get a multiple entry O as I was always in / out for a few days and off to work for another meeting. 

Now she stamps me in with a smile with my multiple entry O. So I would say even though at Stamp No 6 they flag you on the computer screen, it is still a matter of who is stamping at the counters and how much they want to apply the rule. 

P/S - I have never entered through a land border for 2016 on all these visa exempt stamps ; all was done through mainly CM airport and a few at Bangkok. 

 

[Putmak]

On 7/29/2016 at 7:02 AM, KCM said:

Earlier this year when entering Thailand by air for the sixth time in less than 12 months I was pulled aside at Immigration and told I would need a visa on my next arrival since they now only allow six entries in a 12 month period with the 30 day exemption. When entering for the sixth time, a message automatically popped up on the Immigration officer's screen saying that it was my sixth entry, so it does look like they are enforcing this rule. I have entered Thailand twice more since that time, both with tourist visas without any problems.

Even though there is a rule requiring an onward flight out of Thailand, it is rarely enforced. I've entered Thailand countless times over the last 10 years and the only time I had to show proof of an onward ticket before boarding was soon after the Erawan Shrine bombing. Around that time some friends also had to show proof, but that didn't seem to last very long.

Many thanks for the info KCM. I was not aware of this "rule". Its a pitty that they don't explain this on the embassy's website. Regarding the 12 month period when do you count this from ?. For example if i enter on November 5th 2016 when would i count my previous visits from ?....   

[elviajero]

54 minutes ago, Putmak said:

Many thanks for the info KCM. I was not aware of this "rule". Its a pitty that they don't explain this on the embassy's website. Regarding the 12 month period when do you count this from ?. For example if i enter on November 5th 2016 when would i count my previous visits from ?....   

The alert that the IO's get after 6 entries is not a limit or a rule, but to help them weed out people using visa exempt entry to live/work here or overuse the scheme. I know people that enter countless times a year for short periods and have never been stopped or questioned. IMO the longer you stay per entry, and the shorter the time out of the country between entries, is what they are assessing when the 6 entry flag is activated. And if they do question someone they are looking for evidence that they are a tourist such as onward flights and hotel bookings.

I don't think anyone knows for sure the time period that the 6 entry flag is activated.

[IMA_FARANG]

The royal Thai embesyy in London is giving you incorrect infomation as th rule they told was susoended years ago.
They have incorrect informstion, eithe by mistake, or perhaps deliberately, but I can't say deliberately for sure.

However, they are wrong with  their infomstion.

As for your question about how many visa exempt 30 day entries you can get before the immigration starts  asking questions when you enter Thailand wirthout a visa......to be honest no one can say for sure as there are no published guidelines.

However, they are monitoring such visa fre enteries, and there are reports of travelers being stopped and questioned.

Most people being stopped and questioned are being asked tto show funds to cover thei stay in Thailand.

However  there are no reports of those people with tourist visas being stopped for questioning.

The logical respons to that is to arrive with at least a single entry tourist visa to minimise yout chance of being stopped.

Actually getting a visa  may be cheaper than arriving with no visa if the immigration require you to show funds to enter Thailand.

How long you stay in Thailand on a visa exempt entry, whether it is 30 days or 28 days means nothing.

All I can say for sure is that if you arrrive on a visa exempy entry, and are llowe to enter Thailand you almost certaily can get anothe 30 day entry at the immigration in Bangkok for a fee of 1900 Baht if you want one.

I myself, have done that once this year, so I know for a fact it does work.

Beyond that, all I can honestly say is theer is no real cwetainty on the "limits" on visa exempt entries.

But as i said, the smartest thing is to get a single entry toursit visa before arrival.

Think of it as "travel insurance" in a way.

 

 

[Putmak]

21 hours ago, elviajero said:

The alert that the IO's get after 6 entries is not a limit or a rule, but to help them weed out people using visa exempt entry to live/work here or overuse the scheme. I know people that enter countless times a year for short periods and have never been stopped or questioned. IMO the longer you stay per entry, and the shorter the time out of the country between entries, is what they are assessing when the 6 entry flag is activated. And if they do question someone they are looking for evidence that they are a tourist such as onward flights and hotel bookings.

I don't think anyone knows for sure the time period that the 6 entry flag is activated.

I think you are spot on.....thanks for the reply.  

[Putmak]

19 hours ago, IMA_FARANG said:

The royal Thai embesyy in London is giving you incorrect infomation as th rule they told was susoended years ago.
They have incorrect informstion, eithe by mistake, or perhaps deliberately, but I can't say deliberately for sure.

However, they are wrong with  their infomstion.

As for your question about how many visa exempt 30 day entries you can get before the immigration starts  asking questions when you enter Thailand wirthout a visa......to be honest no one can say for sure as there are no published guidelines.

However, they are monitoring such visa fre enteries, and there are reports of travelers being stopped and questioned.

Most people being stopped and questioned are being asked tto show funds to cover thei stay in Thailand.

However  there are no reports of those people with tourist visas being stopped for questioning.

The logical respons to that is to arrive with at least a single entry tourist visa to minimise yout chance of being stopped.

Actually getting a visa  may be cheaper than arriving with no visa if the immigration require you to show funds to enter Thailand.

How long you stay in Thailand on a visa exempt entry, whether it is 30 days or 28 days means nothing.

All I can say for sure is that if you arrrive on a visa exempy entry, and are llowe to enter Thailand you almost certaily can get anothe 30 day entry at the immigration in Bangkok for a fee of 1900 Baht if you want one.

I myself, have done that once this year, so I know for a fact it does work.

Beyond that, all I can honestly say is theer is no real cwetainty on the "limits" on visa exempt entries.

But as i said, the smartest thing is to get a single entry toursit visa before arrival.

Think of it as "travel insurance" in a way.

 

 

I think what you have said makes perfect sense. So i think the hassle of sorting a SETV in London will be better than the hassle of dealing with an IO after a long flight. Thanks very much for your reply.  

[freedomnow]

On 7/29/2016 at 1:02 PM, KCM said:

Earlier this year when entering Thailand by air for the sixth time in less than 12 months I was pulled aside at Immigration and told I would need a visa on my next arrival since they now only allow six entries in a 12 month period with the 30 day exemption. When entering for the sixth time, a message automatically popped up on the Immigration officer's screen saying that it was my sixth entry, so it does look like they are enforcing this rule. I have entered Thailand twice more since that time, both with tourist visas without any problems.

Even though there is a rule requiring an onward flight out of Thailand, it is rarely enforced. I've entered Thailand countless times over the last 10 years and the only time I had to show proof of an onward ticket before boarding was soon after the Erawan Shrine bombing. Around that time some friends also had to show proof, but that didn't seem to last very long.

Is that reset after the 12-month period to fresh 6 entries ?

[BritTim]

11 minutes ago, freedomnow said:

Is that reset after the 12-month period to fresh 6 entries ?

 

It does not appear to reset after 12 months. It is unclear how old prior entries need to be before they are ignored for purposes of alerting IOs that your entry should be scrutinized more closely.