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Can you enter Thailand multiple times on a visa exemption without issues in 2025?

Dec 7, 2025
5 months ago
Codrin **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Did anyone enter Thailand recently for the third time in 2025 on a visa exemption ?

Thank you !
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The conversation discusses the experiences of individuals entering Thailand for the third time under the visa exemption rule in 2025. Contributors share their insights on successfully making multiple entries, with considerations like not overstaying the 150-day limit in a year and the discretion of immigration officers. Some users expressed concerns about entry refusals based on frequency and duration of stays. Various personal accounts highlight that individuals with appropriate travel patterns generally do not face issues at immigration.
Codrin **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
My last 3 times entering have been December last year to End of January ( about 42 days ) , Mid February ( about 10 days ) and mid March (8 days ) . Flew home to Romania between my second and third entry :.

This end of the year I plan to travel again and bring my parents (late 50s) and 17 year old brother . Do families usually pass immigration as a group or individually?
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Scott ********
@Codrin *********
this is normal tourist activity. You wont have any issues at all. From what I gather its people coming on visa exemptions and then extending. The first extention is 30 days and the 2nd just 7 days now making it 157 days. If you have no history of extensions and you have returned to your home country then 100% you will be given entry ! This is exactly what the visa exemption is for and Thailand wants you to spend your money in the country as a tourist.The problems arrive when people are trying to use the Visa Exemption as a means to live in the country, in which case a different 'paid' visa is required.
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Holger **************
@Codrin *********
everyone Go alone through the Immigration lane....except babies
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Holger **************
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Unkempt*******
Here is some guy who just got denied.

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Another guy I read has entered six times this year.

It’s up to the discretion of the officer.
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Martin ********
UnkemptClam444 so how many days s has he been in Thailand - probably more than a 180
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Heinz ***********
UnkemptClam444 that has happened all before the new rules came into effect.
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Unkempt*******
@Heinz **********
go research here and see people getting denied and people getting in with more than two entries. I’m not going to do the homework for you.

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Heinz ***********
UnkemptClam444 all changed 2, 3 weks ago mate. Go research. ;)
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Heinz ***********
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Doru ************
I finally found out 10 days ago when I came to Thailand for the third time this year, that it's not really about how many times within a year you attempt visiting Thailand. Visa exemption is about the number of days / year you are staying in the country : maximum 150! This information came from the immigration's officer at the airport.
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Sam *********
180 days (uSA), but it might depend on the visitor's home country. I'm currently on 3rd v.exempt entry at 163 days with 13 to go for a 176 total. Rules changed 14November so unsure if I can repeat, but I'm leaning toward your "not really about the number of times". I'll be doing 90 in, 90 out, 90 in, 90 out next year, with good possibility of switching to nonO and just stay.
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Ben *******
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Michael ***********
@Doru ***********
Which may be true, but the troubling thing about I.O.'s in Thailand and/or different Immigration Offices seem to like to have their OWN set of rules. Which of course, can cause problems. On Visa Exemption only, I've read a max of 97 days: Initial 60 days + one 30 day extension+ a 2nd extension of only 7 more days(hardly seems worth the 7 days IMO). Of course, it depends what Country you're home Country is. As far as this being for a total of 12 month's time, I am unclear. I would think one could do the Visa Exemption w/extension(s) AND also do a Tourist Visa within that same 12 month period(as an example)? IF it is a MAX of 150 days for the 12 months, then using my example, it would appear that doing a multiple entry Tourist Visa would be pointless? Or am I missing something here? (I probably am..I'm definitely no expert on all of this). I think I may have raised MORE questions than actually providing a concrete answer! 😅
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Doru ************
@Michael **********
Yes, it's confusing because it's first now they decided to look at this seriously. And also because I am not sure if even the officers at the immigration knows exactly how things are and the risk rises even more... My understanding is that with only exemption visa you can get a 60 days visa (depending on which country you're coming from) the first time entering the country. Then another 30 days as visa extension inside Thailand at Immigration. Visa runs looks like are out of the equation. But flying to a nearby country and back a few days later might still give you another 60 days. This makes it 150 days. After that you need to wait another 6 months before being allowed to get back to Thailand the same way. But, I guess it is still possible to visit Thailand earlier with a proper tourist visa or alternative visas... Need to learn more about it. Hopefully, things would change for the better somehow.
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Doru ************
@Razak *********
Very good question! And I am not sure! Because my concrete case is about 2025. Also, next time I will apply for a proper tourist visa and I am not spending much more time and effort to answer all the questions right now (to myself, of course)! But I have my visa now until 25 January. Supposed I will get another 30 days this will result in about 55 days stay in 2026. So, I could be counting on about 95 days left for 2026. Meaning that I could attend to come back to Thailand even with Visa Exemption already from first of October... But....
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Doru ************
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Mike *****
@Doru ***********
This makes sense. I've read that one extension on a 60 day visa exempt (90 day stay) isn't an issue but a second extension isn't guaranteed. My guess is it depends on how much time passes between those two stays.
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Doru ************
@Dan ******
Yes. Never happened to me before neither. That's why I am going to apply for a proper tourist visa in the future too...
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Dan *******
Thank you for the information. It’s been a bit of a headache this trip. I usually come for six months every year to escape the cold winters back home. Never had a problem before but now all of a sudden , everything’s changed.

I’m going to get a METV or a DTV next year per the suggestion of the immigration officer at BKK.
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Len *****
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Tim **********
@Len ****
nope

Stop spreading lies

Immigration told me the same thing

150 days max a year now

So go ahead, try to stay 180

You’ll find out
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Len *****
@Tim *********
180 for me last year half with visa half without. Stop scaremongering
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Len *****
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Len *****
@Doru ***********
best thing to do
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Doru ************
@Len ****
This supposed to be ok even with only Visa Exemption until just a few weeks ago. And probably still possible depending on the officer at the Airport's immigration. But if someone will really want to look into the 150 days rule it could be a problem. Now, again. If a proper visa is used than this should be ok. Personally I am not staying more than 180 days / year myself because of some other rules in my country. In fact, lately I didn't stay more than 160 days (or less). So 150 days would be enough for me anyway. But I will apply for tourist visa (again) in the future (anyway).
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Len *****
@Doru ***********
I have a house here but I only stay a max of 179 days a year. So 90. Back to other country then 30. Then 59. So three separate visits each year.
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Len *****
@Doru ***********
last year I stayed 180 but 90 was with a non o
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Doug *******
@Len ****
Did you enter with a 90-day non O then exit at expiration and receive a 60-day exempt upon re-entry then extend 30 days?
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Doru ************
@Len ****
Yes. That's already different. I understand that this rule about 150 days without proper visa , only visa exemption (!) it's not even new! But, before, as in many other cases, the officials didn't really care about it. In fact, for about 2 years ago I was also able to get full extension by just leaving Thailand an coming back. Again, only with visa exemption.

Looks like right now , for some reason, they are reinforcing the law properly.
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Doru ************
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Doru ************
@Len ****
Well, I am just saying what I've been told by the thai immigration officer at the airport. She said repeatedly 150 days! So, if some other official will say different so be it. Myself I would never ever attempt a Thailand entry by (obs!) visa exemption after 150 days because I don't want to risk to be sending back. Now, a proper tourist visa (single entry ?) it's different. And I guess it offers 180 days.
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Doru ************
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Martin ********
Have so far done April, August and October. I have a two day visit this week, and then the following week will be back for 15 days, I would be seriously surprised if it was an issue, given I have no extensions or back to back stays in the last year.
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Steven ******
I imagine you will be fine. What you're doing surely wont be seen as abusing the system, in fact I would've thought that was the whole point in the system. They seem to be looking at people extending and border bouncing to stay here all year round without a visa.
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Martin ********
@Steven *****
precisely, it's exactly what they have been doing for years, they are cracking down on the border bouncers, and people who can show no real reason to be in Thailand long term without a proper visa - and there are options for that like Retirement, DVT and Elite - which at the moment, I do not need.
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Martin ********
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Heinz ***********
@Martin *******
if this was all on visa exemption, I’d be surprised if it was no issue. Let us know please.
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Martin ********
@Heinz **********
why would it be? There's absolutely no reason for it to be an issue given there's no suggestion I am abusing the exempt stamp entries - and am nowhere near the 180 days which appears to be the main point.
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Heinz ***********
@Martin *******
because Immigration has become very strict about 2 entries on exemption per calendar year only about 3 weeks ago.

Nevertheless good luck!
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Martin ********
@Heinz **********
they have been doing these types of crackdowns for years, I was living and working in Thailand for 17 years up until 2021, so this is pretty standard, in fact every few years it happened - it's people like you who spread fear around.
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Heinz ***********
@Martin *******
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Martin ********
And precisely my initial point 👉
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Heinz ***********
@Martin *******
read and understand khrab

Courtesy of Thai Visa Advice group ( Tod Daniels ) ...

REPEATED VISA EXEMPT ENTRIES & EXTENSIONS ON V/E ENTRIES

I think it's time that we address "the elephant in the room" and that's this 'new rule' about only 2 visa exempt entries per calendar year; the one where they are saying the first entry can get a 30 day extension, any entries after that can get a 7 day extension and if you entered by land on a visa exempt entry you can't get any extension.

Plain and simple there is NO OFFICIAL RULE about this. :O There is no Royal Police Order stating it, nothing has been published in the royal gazette, in short there is abso-tively, posi-lutely nothing out there that makes these "new rules" official..

However that doesn't stop immigration officers at the borders and at immigration offices from enforcing them.. :O We are seeing more and more that people are being denied exiting the country by land (if they're going to just bounce out/back even if they stay out a couple days)

and

we are seeing more and more immigration offices telling people they can get only a 7 day extension on their current visa exempt entry (if they've had other v/e entries this year w/30 day extensions).

There are also reports of immigration offices denying an extension because the visa/exempt entry was made by a land crossing.

SO while there is no official rule, we sure are seeing those "not real rules" being enforced, (albeit haphazardly) at immigration offices and entry points around the country.. In fact Several Immigration offices have made up their own notice and posted it.

We are also seeing a LOT more people pulled aside when flying in free stamp (visa exempt) especially with previous visa exempt entries and not that much time out of the country between them.

My advice if you're "living here" on free back-2-back visa exempt stamps w/30 day extensions STOP doing it :O because you're going to get pulled aside and denied entry sooner rather than later. (and no I don't care if you've been doing it since the rule went from 30 to 60 days back in July 2024, times are different now and you will get caught out on it)

Now they are NOT targeting "real tourists", <- people who come here couple times a year free stamp, tour around then go back to where they came from, then later in the year come back again. The sad thing is it is up to the immigration officer you're standing in front of at passport control to decide what a "real tourist" means :/

Your best bet if you're coming in free stamp, is to have proof of onward travel within the 60 days you'll get stamped in for. Because if the immigration officer is gonna hassle you about anything it will be for proof of onward travel :)

Here is the Public Relation Department of Thailand's "official" press release;

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Heinz ***********
No more silly grins
@Martin *******
?
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Heinz ***********
@Martin *******
you’re not up to date.
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Heinz ***********
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Darren *******
@Martin *******
first flight back to Mumbai for you, Mr Peters!
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Martin ********
@Darren ******
see you in a few weeks mate 🍺
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Darren *******
@Martin *******
will do mate 🍻
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Darren *******
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Heinz ***********
I’ve seen posts on here of people who were refused a 3rd entry.
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Greg *********
I was denied a 3rd entry. I had to fly from Laos to Bangkok to get in. I did one extention on my last trip and returned to the US
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Codrin **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Greg ********
so when were you denied then ?
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Greg *********
@Codrin *********
that was at mid 2025 at laos border. They pulled me in to a office and asked me questions about finances but eventually denied me.
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Heinz ***********
@Greg ********
so this was also before the “new” rules were implemented.
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Greg *********
Yes before the crackdown. I lived in Thailand for 9 months. The next time I come it will be a retirement visa. The 9 months was to see if I liked it
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Greg *********
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Codrin **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Greg ********
so did you get in eventually?
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Greg *********
@Codrin *********
yes bought a plane ticket and flew to Bangkok. I was nervous but got in, no problems. I did a 30 day extension and stayed the full 90 days.
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Greg *********
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Jim *******
@Heinz **********
You have seen fcuk on the net, people like you.
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Jim *******
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Andrew *********
Likely ok if it wasn't back to back and not border runs.
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Pertti *************
Tens of thousands🙏
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Bob **********
Perfectly fine as long as you haven’t abused earlier stamps
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Jim ***********
I did, with no return ticket
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Paul ********
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Codrin **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Jim **********
which airport , was there any extra scrutiny?
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Jim ***********
@Codrin *********
no I just breathe right through. Maybe I was just lucky
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Jim ***********
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Jim ***********
I stayed two weeks in January and 3 weeks in July, hope to be here much longer this time 45 to 90 days
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Jim ***********
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Gordon ************
Yes, maybe another one “taking the piss” 🙏🙏🙏 #itsallover 😭😭😭
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Chuck **********
@Gordon ***********
taking piss???????????
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Steve ****
@Chuck *********
very definitely English. A UK expression meaning roughly “wasting people’s time”.

Most English expressions and terms are fine in the US. Except for the one used for cigarettes.

In a meeting in the US years ago. In San Francisco. An English participant said “I’m stepping out for a <English expression for a cigarette here>

You could have heard a pin drop.
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Gordon ************
You’ve “lost me” ???
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Chuck **********
@Gordon ***********
no , that’s not even in English language!
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Andrew *******
@Chuck *********
its definitely English :)
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Andrew *******
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