Can I exit and reenter Thailand after multiple visa exemptions?

May 20, 2024
6 months ago
Victor ****
ORIGINAL POSTER
I entered Thailand by air on visa exemption in January. I did 2 land border runs, also visa exemptions in March and May. I recently applied for an education visa but it may not get processed in time before my most recent visa exemption stamp expires. Will I be allowed to exit and reenter Thailand again?
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The user is concerned about whether they can exit and reenter Thailand after having spent several months in the country under visa exemptions, particularly regarding their recently applied education visa. Comments indicate that reentry is uncertain and subject to the discretion of immigration officers at the airport. While land border runs have limits, there are no official limits on air entries. Various suggestions included leaving Thailand for several days, carrying documentation related to the education visa application, and ensuring proof of accommodation and onward travel. Some users shared personal insights about being questioned at immigration, emphasizing the importance of timing and having proper documentation when considering reentry.
DeShay ******
If you're going to get a Tourist visa in Laos you need to go to the website now and book an appointment now. There's no walk-ins and the appointments are booked up weeks in advance. There isn't another open Laos visa appointment until June.
Tony *************
By air
Marcus ************
Same situation. Immigration in Korat informed me that I would need to go to Laos for VISA at the Thai embassy. I’m uncertain which one though. Waiting on papers from the States so I can get married. Can’t get the 90 day 0 type unless you are already married.

Have until Friday to figure it out.
Victor ****
ORIGINAL POSTER
I enrolled on the 13th. Hopefully there is enough time to get me on EDU visa.

***************************************************************************
Victor ****
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Marcus ***********
where are you now?
Marcus ************
@Victor ***
Issan. Wishing I wasn’t a procrastinator.
Victor ****
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Marcus ***********
me too but I was hoping to find a job. I did not expect that it is going to drag like this
Marcus ************
@Victor ***
was expecting papers from the States so I could marry my wife legally in Bangkok.

These people are scaring me into believing I should just go back to America and try again.
Bart **************
Only by air
Victor ****
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Bart *************
where is the best place to go?
Bart **************
@Victor ***
depends on your budget. I think Singapore can be nice for a couple days. Big contrast with Thailand, if that's what you look for. More expensive to stay, but free to enter. Kuala Lumpur is more like Thailand and also free to enter. Can be nice for a couple days. Saigon can be nice, but whether you can enter for free depends on nationality. We (Dutch) cannot.
Victor ****
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Bart *************
I am British and a brokie so the cheapest option would be best. Do I have to stay there more than 1 day?
Bart **************
@Victor ***
you don't need to stay a day. The cheapest option you can find with Skyscanner: look from Bangkok to 'anywhere'. That gives you the cheapest option per month but not necessarily with 0 or 1 day stays. So you have to check a few places to see what those flight combos come at.

Factor in visa cost as well. I think for Brits Vietnam is free for 15 days. Malaysia and Singapore are free as well. Cambodia and Laos are not.
Christopher ********
They can still deny your entry with the education visa. They can deny you entry for any reason it sounds like you’re pushing it.
Bart **************
@Christopher *******
no need to worry about refusal if you have an education visa. It's not that everything depends on the IO's mood alone - they do actually care what kind of visa you come with.
Christopher ********
@Bart *************
even the schools told me that you have to worry about traveling with an education visa
Bart **************
@Christopher *******
nah. Unnecessary warning. There have been accidents with people who entered with active student visa extensions, which of course normally can't be refused. But with a fresh new one from a nearby country you should always be ok.
Christopher ********
@Bart *************
but you want the immigrations and customs, and you aren’t to school. I think about five schools warned me about it, not to travel on it.
Bart **************
@Christopher *******
yeah it's good they warned about the erroneous refusals. Would have been better though to warn the interior ministry about officers not fully understanding what they can and cannot do.

Not sure if that also happened. I would suppose so. Not sure if these excesses are still ongoing. I would think maybe not. It's not a situation the Thai central authorities can accept. Officers cannot just refuse entrants on long stay extensions for reasons that are beyond their scope. It's between the student and the school. And if absence should have consequences on staying, that's between the student and the immigration office. Border officers are no part in that and should not interfere. Permission was granted to stay so you should get in.
Us *****
You should ask your school if you have to start the visa process over if you leave and come back.
Shaughn ***********
So when I re-entered last month after maxing out my METV (was away 6 weeks after METV finished) I was questioned at DMK airport. The reason given was I had been in the country for over 180 days in the past year “as a regular tourist”. The 180 day in country appears to be a trigger point they are applying at the major airports. Assuming you have maxed out your 3 entries by the time you plan to return you will also be around the 180 mark. In hindsight doing your land border runs last may had been safer.

If your education provider is legitimate then would suggest carrying a copy of your application and school documentation with you to show to immigration when you return. Also leaving now while you are still under the 180 days and returning closer to the time of your course could be a way to increase your chances of re-entry.
Raed ****
yes if you leave for several days by air to another country i recommend to go to sigon for some days maybe a week because if you do visa run for 1 day you will be under the mercy of the immigration officer maybe yes maybe no so safety better than sorry my advice from 10 years experience in visiting Thailand 🩷🩷
Marcus ************
@Raed ***
so maybe 5 days in Laos? The embassy there makes 60 day tourist VISAs. Would that allow another land crossing, with a new VISA?
Raed ****
@Marcus ***********
yeah if you purchase TR60 visa of course you can enter Thailand by land
Marcus ************
@Raed ***
thanks. I am concerned because I’ve done two land crossings to get a visa on arrival. They said no more of those. It would be awful to be turned away at the border! I can’t imagine.
Raed ****
@Marcus ***********
and you can stay in Thailand up to 60 days without leaving the country i always purchase TR60 no hassle with immigration officials 😅🙃
Marcus ************
@Raed ***
you don’t know how much help you have been. So many thanks for this. I was going to drive to Bangkok and go by plane. By car is so much less stressful. Done it twice 😄
Jiji ***********
Its up to the imm officer you're in front of.

Officially, no limit on *air* entries (land entries are officially limited to 2 per calendar year), but if you've been here since January on out-then-straight-back-in visa-exemptions, you're at the point where you have a fair to high likelihood of being pulled aside and questioned on what you're doing here.

All you can really do is have the three proofs with you on the way back in; proof of accommodation, 20K Baht in cash, and onward travel ticket.
Stuart *********
By a land border no. By air is a coin flip. You could or perhaps you won’t be allowed to. Entry at an airport is up to the individual officer to decide. There aren’t any “rules” that govern whether they should let you in or shouldn’t. Their call.
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