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Can I use the 30-day visa exemption by air entry multiple times within a year in Thailand?

30-day visa exemptionThai visa rulesair entry visavisa exemption limitationsborder bounceThai immigration regulationsexpat guidance in Thailand
Mar 20, 2024
9 months ago
Sab *****
ORIGINAL POSTER
Settle my mind please - can the 30 day visa exemption by air entry be used 2 times per calendar year or 2 times within a rolling 12 months period 🤞
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The 30-day visa exemption for air entry into Thailand does not have an official limit on the number of entries per year, but repeated entries may raise scrutiny from Thai immigration officers. While some expats report being allowed 2 or 3 air entries before facing questions, others emphasize the necessity of obtaining the appropriate visa for longer stays. In contrast, there are restrictions on land border entries, typically allowing only two visa exempt entries per calendar year.
James ********
I believe that the OP has the answers needed for his question.

Thanks all for your helpful replies 😊

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9 months ago
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Cliff *********
You can use it a lot more than 2 times
9 months ago
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Sab *****
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Cliff ********
 my concern is that by that time we stayed in Thailand already 158 days. Twice with visa exempt, from which one was extended for 30 days and then another time on TR which has been extended by 30 days as well. So feel it might be a bit risky. Don't want to travel in from Taipei only to get denied .
9 months ago
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Tod *********
@Sab ****
 it's totally a crap shoot on whether you skate in or you get pulled aside for questioning,

you have a much higher risk of being pulled aside at either airport in Bangkok (BKK / DMK) or Phuket (HKT) than you do at say Chiang Mai (CNX) or another less busy airport.
9 months ago
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Sab *****
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Tod ********
 yes I realise. We would have been Chiang Mai but with so many days already we might be better off going somewhere else. It's just doing my head in that there are no clear rules. I know it's a bit our fault as we are pretty 'spur of the moment' decision maker, but still, rules would make it easier then. Oh well, thanks for your feedback.
9 months ago
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Sab *****
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Tod *********
@Cliff ********
 easy with the broad brush answers like that,

because you or anyone else for that matter skated in on visa exempt entries many times by air without being talked to about it doesn't mean everyone gets in that way.
9 months ago
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Tod *********
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Michael ********
Note if you have your Thai wife with you at passport control you end up going in a line where the officer may not speak any English, since the line is for Thai nationals that can’t use the autogates. So you don’t seem to get questioned much.
9 months ago
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Sab *****
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Michael *******
 thanks but we are both Australian citizens
9 months ago
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Sab *****
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James ********
You're a bit confused 🤔

IF you are eligible, you can do a BORDER BOUNCE entries into Thailand as Visa Exempt Entry a maximum of 2 LAND BORDER BOUNCE entries EACH CALENDAR YEAR.

PLUS those can be extended for 30 ADDED days at your local Thai Immigration office for 1900 Thai baht.

There's NO limit on arrival into Thailand by air ✈️. However repeated entries into Thailand will result in being questioned by Thai Immigration Officers and possibly being DENIED entry.

Get the correct visa for your planned stay in Thailand before you fly to Thailand.

Your prior post about getting Getting a Thai tourist visa in Penang suggests that you are trying to stay in Thailand longer.

There's available Thai Visas available...look at your Thai Embassy or Consulate website.

What is your passport nation?

Are you now in Thailand?

What's your recent history of staying in Thailand?
9 months ago
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Tod *********
There is no official limit to visa exempt entries by air,

BUT

what you're not gonna do is live here on back-2-back free entry stamps by air 😮 You'll get pulled aside sooner rather than later, questioned, told to find a visa, and/or get denied entry.

Most people get 2 or 3 air entries (if they're lucky) before they're pulled aside and talked to
9 months ago
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Thomas ********
@Tod ********
 I've done 4 back to back free entry stamps after having had a Non-B for 3 years. I spoke Thai to the immigration officials at the booth and explained very clearly my intentions. Yes I am trying to enter on a free visa stamp, yes I live here and I am planning to get a proper visa to settle down again properly but needed some time to prepare the right visa type.

They did not object, and gave me the stamp without further questioning every single time. I am not planning to repeat the experience a fifth time though as I will be making my new non immigrant visa soon.

I guess the way you present yourself is also pretty important as, after all, no matter what the law says, they're the ones who decide whether or not to let you in.
9 months ago
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Tod *********
@Thomas *******
 as I said there is no official rule about the number of free entry (visa exempt) 30 day stamps you can get entering by air.

AND

It's luck of the draw as far as if you're gonna get pulled aside (and you can talk your way IN) or they decide you've had enough and they make you fly yourself back out at your cost.

There is often no rhyme or reason to it, it just comes down to the officer you're standing in front of and what their mood is at the time they go to stamp you in
9 months ago
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Tod *********
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Sab *****
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Tod ********
 we have been visa exempt end of September last year and got an extension.Then left and came back to Bangkok on exemption for another 14 days in December last year. For this year we got a TR which we will extend so we will get 90 days out if it but once we leave we like to come back after 11 days for a visa exemption which we plan to extend.

What are your thoughts?
9 months ago
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James ********
@Sab ****
 be prepared for serious questioning by Thai Immigration Officers. Good Luck 🍀
9 months ago
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Tod *********
@Sab ****
 my thoughts on it are totally meaningless, 😮 because I'm not the one stamping you in 😉

As I said it's gonna come down to the person you're standing in front of when you go to stamp IN to the country at passport control on a free entry stamp after just being here for 3 months on a tourist visa + 30 day extension

I would say have PROOF you're flying OUT of thailand in 30 days (the amount of time you'll get stamped in for on a free stamp) so that if you are questioned you can show you're actually leaving

It doesn't matter you want to get a 30 day extension 😮 , You get stamped in for 30 days and having proof you're leaving IN that time can make the difference between getting in or not)
9 months ago
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Sab *****
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Tod ********
 thanks appreciated
9 months ago
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Sab *****
ORIGINAL POSTER
Btw, the TR visa is 60 days plus 30 day extension, isn't?
9 months ago
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Steven *******
@Sab ****
 yes
9 months ago
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Steven *******
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Ryan ********
@Tod ********
 how long are they expected to stay out of the country before immigration considers it reasonable to return as a tourist?
9 months ago
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Tod *********
@Ryan *******
 there is no "how long to stay out" rule either, it's totally up to the person you're standing in front of when you go to stamp in

THEY are the gate keeper and they will talk to you if they think you're living here on free entry stamps
9 months ago
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Steve *******
@T**
, Before retirement I was working in offshore industry on rotation. And would return by air sometime I could go for a long time before been question may 5 to 6 entry. But once I had been question I would get a 6 month METV after I would have no problem. Once the visa had run out. I would return on a visa excemt until I was question again. Then repeat the process this seem to keep them happy. But now have a full time extension stay visa now retire.
9 months ago
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Steve *******
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James ********
@Ryan *******
 it's the recent history that is watched. Not just time away from Thailand.
9 months ago
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Ryan ********
@James *******
 recent history of what?
9 months ago
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James ********
@Ryan *******
 entries, extensions, use of varied visas and extensions during recent years. You have options for the correct Thai Visa. Do yourself a favor and get one and avoid the questions from Thai Immigration Officers.
9 months ago
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Ryan ********
@James *******
 by “you,” do you mean it in the plural? I was not asking about my situation in particular.
9 months ago
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James ********
@Ryan *******
 referencing anybody reading the post and reply.
9 months ago
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James ********
IF you are in your home country, suggest you look at getting the METV multiple entry tourist visa. You can get up to 9 months stay in Thailand with the METV and a few simple land border crossing entries.
9 months ago
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Gorgon *****
@James *******
 since COVID and the new e-visa system an application for multi entry is very complicated and frustrating depending on which embassy one has to use..what used to be a simple task is now complicated by numerous requests for more info, including bank statements, iteneries, etc..Ottawa, Canada is a long process in this example..a long string of successful awards is more a liability than an asset..in my case, will try the single entry to see how it works and exit and either apply from neighboring country or enter as visa exempt and possible extension.
9 months ago
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James ********
@Gorgon ****
 the METV multiple entry tourist visa is easy to obtain. Just Read the forum posts about it. It's ONLY available in your home country. Nowhere else.
9 months ago
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Gorgon *****
@James *******
 very familiar with the process..
9 months ago
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Gorgon *****
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Tod *********
I think you have your wires crossed

Most countries can get TWO 30 day visa exempt entries by LAND in a calendar year (Jan 1 - Dec 31)
9 months ago
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Tod *********
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