Can you confirm the limits on extensions for a visa exempt entry in Thailand?

@Neil *******

don’t need a visa if the trip is 60 days or less.

@Neil *******

that’s right - don’t go for tourist 60 day visa get the appropriate one but who knows how long this will last - it changes frequently 👍😊

@Stephen ****************

'that's it for the year'... Regarding extensions yes. For the 97 days in a year.. No, that's wrong.

@Jeremy *******

I don’t think there is a SETV.

@John ******

ITS already started this month

@John ******

Time machine?

@Kevin *******

no problem it’s still unlimited as long as you are coming from your country of origin

There are no new "visa rules" or a new law.

What has changed, mandated from above, is the strict monitoring of the number of visa-exempt entries and the check for "visa runs" (actually they meant to say "back-to-back border runs").

The new approach taken by border officials is intended to ensure that the option to do a "visa run" is not abused.

You can only extend a visa-free entry twice per calendar year.

The first visa-exempt entry can be extended by 30 days, but the second can only be extended by 7 days.

60 + 30 + 60 + 7 = 157 days maximum per year... regardless of whether you arrive by air or land.

Only these two extensions are possible per calendar year (!).

Visa-exempt entries themselves are not limited, even though some believe that unlimited visa-free entries are possible by air. This is simply not true.

Visa-exempt entries are not limited to two entries per calendar year. This is a misconception, and some agents spread this information to make profit from panicked people. Some agents are warning that you should not believe FAKE NEWS telling you that visa-exempt entries are limited to two per calendar year.

Under certain circumstances, but always at the individual discretion of the border official, multiple visa-exempt entries are possible, like four, five or even more, if you don’t abuse the system.

In this case, however, the entry history in your passport and on the immigration central computer must prove that your stays were short-term holidays like 2-4 weeks, and the total annual stay must not exceed 157 days (some will say not exceed 179 days)

And there should be several weeks or months between each stay. Your best proof of not abusing the system is when you can show that you returned to your home country between each visa-exempt stay.

The intended aim of the new regulations was to prohibit "visa runs," where you only entered briefly a neighboring country and then immediately re-entered.

You must be able to prove the planned short stay at the immigration counter—for example, with proof of onward travel or a return journey, such as a flight ticket.

I suspect (but cannot guarantee!) that a border official would consider you being a "genuine" tourist based on such short holiday trips within a year. In that case, they expect to see on their central computer that you never extended – i.e. maximized – any of these short trips.

The 7-day extension is a REAL extension. It's not the same as the stamp "application for extension denied, you have 7 days to leave the Kingdom"

At least, that's how I've interpreted the changes after following official announcements and personal accounts for many days. However, I'm still not guaranteeing its accuracy.

What has become crystal clear is that "per year" is defined as "per calendar year."

Those who want to be on the safe side should obtain a single-entry tourist visa in advance for stays of up to 60 days, with the option to extend for 30 more days.

Someone entering on single-entry tourist visas plus two extensions, with a few months interval between each stay, is good to go for a maximum of “touristic” 180 days "per a 1-year period" (not per calendar year – as this is calculated differently)

@Maitin ******

this seemingly is wrong, as I have already seen such 7-days extension stamps and they were issued after having entered though a land border . . Yet I believe we need more confirmations from official accounts on this . . it still is murky and unclear

@Andrew **************

Land borders > no extensions

@Stuart ********

it’s a rule not a law. so

in the thai culture their is room for interpretation. Its not black and white.

@Stuart ********

Hello Stuart. Didn't the visa guy on Buzzin Pattaya say this only applies to those entering on a visa?

@Stuart ********

That 7 days only on second extension is very smart move by Thai immigration, basically it says you got enough time to pack your bags and leave Thailand

@Stuart ********

they said it does nit matter if air or land entering...?!