Can I enter Thailand on a 30-day exemption and then use my 60-day visa after a trip to Kuala Lumpur?

Jul 8, 2024
5 months ago
If i have a 2 months visa , and it can be used within 90 days , can i lgo into Thailand on a 30 days exemption, leave for a few days to Kuala Lumpur , fly back in and then use my 60 days visa ? Thanks .
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The general consensus is that if you have a 60-day tourist visa issued for use within 90 days, you are typically required to use that visa upon entry to Thailand. Entering on a 30-day exemption while having a valid visa may not be permitted, as immigration officers often insist on the use of any existing visas. If you leave Thailand for a short trip, you can apply for a re-entry permit to keep the 60-day visa valid. Alternatively, you can still leave and return on a 30-day exemption again, allowing for a potential extension at a local immigration office.
Bart **************
No, you cannot not use a visa. There are cases where IOs forget to use one, unwantedly, but they're supposed to use a visa if you have one.
Max *************
No,you can't officially choose to enter on a 30 days visa exempt if you have a valid 60 days tourist visa. But you can always leave Thailand and come back on a 30 days visa exempt. Then extend it another 30 days at the local immigration office.
Joe ******
I would not count on that. The immigration officer might use the visa already in your passport.

But you can extend your tourist visa by 30 days in Thailand anyway.
Brandon ************
You cannot choose to not use a visa that has already been issued. You can politely ask but we've never received a report of anyone being allowed to not use their visa to enter Thailand. In fact we've received multiple reports of people that tried to not hand the printed visa over with their passport, but the immigration officer saw it in the system and forced them to use it to enter.

So you should expect that you'll be required to use your visa to enter Thailand. You have the option to apply for a re-entry permit before you leave which will keep your 60 day entry stamp alive when you leave. This means when you return you'll be stamped in on that stamp instead of a new 30 day visa exempt stamp. The end date will remain the same as when you left and the days will continue ticking while you're outside of the country though. You will not get any "extra" days by using this method.
Jean **********************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Brandon ***********
thank you . Actually i have a ticket from enter 2 oct till 28 jan . So if i enter 2 oct with a 60 day visa and i extend for 30 days and then i go to eg cambodia for 1 day and come back in thailand with a 30 days exempt , i’m ok ? And i hope the airline won’t make a problem . Hopefully .
Jean **********************
ORIGINAL POSTER
So i should buy a ticket i won’t use ?
John **********
@Jean *********************
the problem is likely to be the airline rather than immigration. Check with the they will let you board. If they won't Google "onward ticket" and buy a cheap throwaway ticket
Jan ******************
@Jean *********************
but you’ll be fine with the return ticket you’ve already got for the 28th of January.
Jean **********************
ORIGINAL POSTER
Cause i was thinking to do one of these visa runs in 1 day . Go and come back
Jan ******************
@Jean *********************
You should be fine with this as long as you have an onward ticket out of Thailand within the 30 days of your visa exemption.
James *********
I've read the IO might make you use the Visa when you first arrive in Country. I'd wait for verification from one of the normals when the've woken up 😊
Lisa ********************
Yes if it is still within the 90 days.
Jean **********************
ORIGINAL POSTER
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