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Can I maximize my stay in Thailand using a multiple entry tourist visa, and how does the extension process work?

Multiple Entry Tourist VisaThai Visa RulesVisa ExtensionVisa ExemptionStay Duration
Aug 12, 2022
2 years ago
Miguel *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
Two little topics:

1. I could swear I've seen a group expert here, that is very helpful and quite active, claim that if timed properly you can get 9 months out of a multiple entry tourist visa – That assumes 3 entries and one extension per entry, which makes sense. However, this is taken from a Thai embassy official page: "For Multiple Entries (stay up to 60 days for each entry within the period of 6 months)". Does anyone have any feedback on this?

1. This is probably a silly question, but here it goes: my visa exemption expires August, 24th. I assume that if I get the 30-day extension today, August, 12th, the date changes to September, 24th, not September, 12th. Please confirm what seems obvious but I want to make sure of.

Thank you!
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The discussion centers around the possibility of maximizing the stay in Thailand using a multiple entry tourist visa, where one can potentially extend their stay to up to 9 months through strategic entry and extensions. Additionally, it confirms that extending a visa exemption works by adding the extension period to the existing allowed stay date.
Stuart *********
Just as a side note you won’t be getting an extension today. Immigration offices are closed until Monday.
2 years ago
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Miguel *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Stuart ********
 yes, I found that out after I went there.
2 years ago
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Miguel *************
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Stuart *********
No idea who you mean, but they’re quite right. Your visa is valid for 6 months. Each entry gives you 60 days. If you enter on or just before the last date the visa is valid for you’ll get 60 days, which you can extend once for 30 days. So depending on how quickly you enter Thailand from the issue date of the visa you can get almost 9 months out of it.

When you extend a tourist or exempt entry they add on the days to your existing “allowed to stay until” date.
2 years ago
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Miguel *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Maxim **********
 it's funny how people who haven't even read (or can't read) a thread make this sort of comment. You clearly don't even know what jargon means, or you'd know there is none here, so I'm not surprised that you don't realize I am not disagreeing with Alan and Stuart on the effect of the visa.
2 years ago
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Miguel *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Alan ******
 you are contradicting yourself in your first two sentences, but again, I don't really care that it's inaccurate, just the practical application.
2 years ago
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Maxim ***********
@Miguel ************
 You are obviously a rookie, so I suggest you humble up a bit and listen to people who have been here for a very long time, like myself, Alan and Stuart. If we tell you that the wording is correct, it's because it is. Not understanding the wording simply mean that you are unfamiliar with the jargon. Everything Alan said is 100% factually correct. Again, you are simply not custom to such jargon. Be willing to learn instead of arguing non-stop.
2 years ago
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Alan *******
@Miguel ************
 It says “stay for 60 days for each entry within 6 months”.

That means each entry has to be within the 6 months.

If it said “stay for 60 days for each entry, your entire stay stay must be within 6 months” then your interpretation would make sense, but it doesn’t say anything along those lines.

Maybe it could be more clear but I had no trouble understanding it.
2 years ago
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Alan *******
@Miguel ************
 It’s not. It says it’s for multiple entries within 6 months and that’s correct. It says each entry is a stay up to 60 days and it is.

Nowhere does it say you must stay your entire 60 days within the 6 months.
2 years ago
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Miguel *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Stuart ********
 in terms of entry requirements in early covid days, even for Western European countries, I've had embassies say "we're not quite sure, so do this and that just in case". There is also the chance that the immigration rules are disparate depending on the passport.
2 years ago
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Stuart *********
@Miguel ************
 never take for granted what a embassy or consulate website says about rules for immigration inside of Thailand. They’re run by two separate government departments. Quite often they’re completely wrong about the rules.
2 years ago
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Miguel *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Alan ******
 I have no doubts that you can stay up to 9 months. My point is that, in that case, the wording is incorrect.
2 years ago
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Alan *******
@Miguel ************
 Also, I’ve stayed 9 months on METR three times now so it’s clearly possible.

Don’t confuse visas with entry stamps. A visa says you can enter, the stamp determines when you have to leave.
2 years ago
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Alan *******
@Miguel ************
 Each entry must take place within 6 months.

Your last exit doesn’t have to be within 6 months.

Visas and entry stamps are two different things.
2 years ago
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Miguel *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
Of course, you could say that:

1. The reality of it is in contrast with the legal wording.

2. This is specific to the Thai Embassy for the UK.

But what it says is plain and simple regarding the limitations of the visa.
2 years ago
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Miguel *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Alan ******
 again, saying that you can get 9 months contradicts the official wording. It is pretty clear that what the visa here says you're being granted is within a 6-month window. Not to mention that even if you enter on day one and somehow get the best out of the 6 months, 9 months would always assume an extension requested outside a 6-month window.
2 years ago
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Alan *******
@Miguel ************
 It doesn’t say the days you stay must take place in that 6 months.

It says the visa is valid for 6 months.

When you enter you are given a stamp which says how long you can stay.

That stamp is what matters. It determines when you have to leave not the visa.
2 years ago
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Alan *******
Yes, you can leave and enter as many times as you want in that 6 month window.

The clock starts when the visa is put in your passport.

If you enter Thailand the day you get your visa, you can basically get 9 months by extending each entry and doing your last entry the day the 6 month expires.
2 years ago
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Miguel *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Alan ******
, it's not. Whatever the number of days (in this case, 60), it says must take place "within the period of 6 months". A literal interpretation is that however many times you enter or whatever you do must take place in a 6-month window.
2 years ago
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Alan *******
@Miguel ************
 The wording is correct. You get 60 days each time you enter. Getting the 30 day extension is another step and fee, it’s not automatically given just by entering.
2 years ago
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Miguel *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Stuart ********
 I was referring to a message exchange with you, Stuart, but couldn’t find it anywhere, or any comments from you in any post, which I thought was odd.

If that’s the case, their wording is simply incorrect. Not ambiguous, plain incorrect.
2 years ago
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Miguel *************
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