Can I do another visa run to Thailand after December 20th, 2022, or must I wait until the next year?

Thai visa rules Visa run Visa exemption Immigration rules Thailand travel regulations

Jan 8, 2023

2 years ago

ORIGINAL POSTER

Hello,

I did a visa run to Laos on December 20th.

The officer told me that I could not do another visa run by land this year.

Does this only count for 2022?

Or can I do it again next January?

Thanks

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TLDR : Answer Summary

The user inquired about the restrictions on visa runs to Thailand after being informed by immigration that they could not do another visa run by land in 2022. Community responses clarified that travelers are allowed a maximum of two land entries under the visa exemption rule per calendar year, which resets on January 1st. Thus, it is permissible to conduct another visa run in January 2023. It was also noted that the concept of a 'visa run' differs from 'border bounces' and that long-term stays using tourist visas could lead to immigration complications.

Kool *******

Understand that there are NO rules about how many border bounces you can do in a year. Also think about the date you did this, December 20th, and why an immigration officer would tell you that with just 11 days left in the year, and your entry stamp being for at least 45 days. How this time frame started being circulated was because a few people were refused entry on their third attempt. If you are actually a tourist, doing tourist things in the country you go to you won't have any problems. If you are trying to stay long term on tourist entry stamps then after the second time you will face serious problems, as you are showing a pattern of trying to stay long term as a tourist, and immigration will refuse you entry. Immigration is very smart, and highly experienced at telling the difference between an actual tourist, doing tourist things, and someone just trying to stay long term pretending to be a tourist.

2 years ago

Brandon ************

@Kool ******

there are rules. You can only do 2 visa exempt land entries per calendar year. That is written into law.

2 years ago

Reply to

Brandon ************

Frank-Steven ***********

I would assume that was NOT a visa run. A visa run is traveling to a nearby country to obtain a new visa to return. It was rather a border run / or border bounce. And it would seem to particularly not have involved any visa, but having happened on visa EXEMPT. And thus, visa exemptions are limited to two entries per calendar year (on land borders).

2 years ago

Peter *********

Yes

2 years ago

Todd *********

2 entries per calendar year

2 years ago

Brandon ************

You're allowed 2 land entries by visa exempt per calendar year. This resets on January 1st.

2 years ago

Reply to

Brandon ************