Answered2 years ago
Does the 6 months per year stay in Thailand start at the beginning of each calendar year or can it be any 12-month period?
Just a quick question please - does the 6 months per year stay in Thailand start at the beginning of each year, ie January through December or is it in a any 12 months period ie from April through March?. Thank you in advance.
Answer summary
The 6-month stay rule in Thailand refers to the total duration allowable in the country within a year and does not reset at the beginning of a calendar year (January to December). Instead, it is calculated based on a rolling 12-month period from the date of arrival, meaning your stay is counted regardless of when you entered Thailand previously. Therefore, if you stayed for six months from April to March, that counts as your half-year limit for that period.
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Ty *******
Everything based on โStampsโ in your passportโฆarrival & exit. Though if stay longterm, lots of niches.
James ********
@Tod ********
has replied before about staying in Thailand... and THIS applies to all entries into Thailand...."BEFORE the rule change in July that moved free stamp entry from 30 days to 60 days, people WERE able to stay long term bouncing out and back every 60 days and they really weren't given much scrutiny stamping in at the airports.
I believe this last week between Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang they denied over 1000 people (many who thought they'd just bounce out/back to milk another 60 day stamp ๐ฎ ) Those people were shipped back out on their dime.. ๐
They have got a LOT harder on "living here on free stamp entries" since that rule change"
James ********
AND he has also said...
'People need to understand that just because the rule of 2 free visa exempt entries by land in a calendar year was rescinded on July 15th the fact there is no official limit to entries by land does not mean unlimited entries ๐ฎ
All that happened is rather than being guaranteed TWO relatively safe free stamp entries by land in a calendar year, you're now 100% completely at the mercy of the officer you're standing in front of to stamp in to the country.
THEY are the gate keepers, they get to decide if they think you're living here milking free 60 day entry stamps, and they get to decide if you can bounce out/back the same day, need to stay in the neighboring country a day or two, or if you'll be denied entry, sent back to the country you just stamped out of, go to an airport and fly back in ๐ฎ
If you're going to bounce out/back by land use a service provider in your area that takes you to the border and back.
Those companies have the "pre-wheels greased" so you can get out and back in the same day. That's why they charge what they do ๐
Remember; ๐ป๐ผ ๐น๐ถ๐บ๐ถ๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ฒ๐ ๐ก๐ข๐ง ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ป๐น๐ถ๐บ๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฎ
Safe travels,'
'People need to understand that just because the rule of 2 free visa exempt entries by land in a calendar year was rescinded on July 15th the fact there is no official limit to entries by land does not mean unlimited entries ๐ฎ
All that happened is rather than being guaranteed TWO relatively safe free stamp entries by land in a calendar year, you're now 100% completely at the mercy of the officer you're standing in front of to stamp in to the country.
THEY are the gate keepers, they get to decide if they think you're living here milking free 60 day entry stamps, and they get to decide if you can bounce out/back the same day, need to stay in the neighboring country a day or two, or if you'll be denied entry, sent back to the country you just stamped out of, go to an airport and fly back in ๐ฎ
If you're going to bounce out/back by land use a service provider in your area that takes you to the border and back.
Those companies have the "pre-wheels greased" so you can get out and back in the same day. That's why they charge what they do ๐
Remember; ๐ป๐ผ ๐น๐ถ๐บ๐ถ๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ฒ๐ ๐ก๐ข๐ง ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ป๐น๐ถ๐บ๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฎ
Safe travels,'
James ********
BOTTOM LINE...
In reality there's NO SIX MONTHS RULE... PERIOD ๐ฉธ
In reality there's NO SIX MONTHS RULE... PERIOD ๐ฉธ
Richard *******
Are you asking as a visa related question or a taxation related question?
Dave *******
OP@Richard ******
visa related.
Graham ******
@Dave ******
there is no 180 day limit relating to Visas
Bob **********
@Dave ******
who said you can only stay 6 months?
Robert *******
Your stay inside Thailand, meaning actually being inside this lovely country, starts at the moment you pass an Immigration check point at arrival and stops when the Immigration Officer stamps your passport again on leaving.
It may sound as a surprise but many expats are living multiple years in Thailand without leaving. There is no need to count the days, you are allowed to stay as long as you stay within the limits of your entry stamp OR Extension of Stay.
It may sound as a surprise but many expats are living multiple years in Thailand without leaving. There is no need to count the days, you are allowed to stay as long as you stay within the limits of your entry stamp OR Extension of Stay.
Lloyd ********
The 90 days in any 180 was rescinded in about 2009, so don't worry.
Greg ***********
@Lloyd *******
a few days ago, an arriving passenger, who intended to enter visa-exempt, was pulled aside at the Suvarnabhumui Airport and given this notice. So, Lloyd Turner, sorry to say, there never was any rescisionLloyd ********
@Greg **********
Lol, sorry, but there was, you will not find that written in any law. Getting handed a piece of paper does not change the law, (many embassy websites still mention it, but they are wrong too).James ********
@Lloyd *******
correct โ
Lloyd ********
@Greg **********
Also, since 1998 the Royal Thai police (of which immigration is a bureau) has been under the Office of the Prime Minister. It was Ministry of the Interior prior to that. (Maybe you are not such a font of visa knowledge?).Lloyd ********
@Greg **********
Seriously, go away!! You can tell it has been rescinded, because you now no longer get the running tally of days written inside your exempt stamp, as you used to prior to 2009.Greg ***********
@Lloyd *******
Well, the rule still exists and was never really rescinded. However, all entries were always upon the discretion of an Immigration officer, regardless if showed up on a visa or without. An Immigration officer is allowed to ignore a rule and decide individually. All the recent years, this rule has never really been applied, but this doesn't mean it has been rescinded. It still is posted on many Embassy websites, and the leaflet that passenger got handed at the BKK airport clearly shows it still exists. You might now argue that Immigration is not a part of the Ministry of Foreign affairs, and actually, YES, they are n ot, they are Ministry of Interior, and they can officially make up their own rules or ignore an existing rule.Lloyd ********
@Greg **********
Then you must no the 90 day rule was rescinded!!!!!Greg ***********
@Lloyd *******
Section 12 paragraph 2 applies to people that are not able to show 20,000 THB cash. And because Immigration cannot bring up any rule that permits a visa-exempt entry, they use Section 12 ยง2 (having no funds) as an excuse, even if the passenger can show enough cash. I have been visa-advisor for 15 years, I know it and I think you know it, tooGreg ***********
Royal Thai Embassy Wellington, New Zealand. "there is no rule?" They keep updating their website every couple of months. Are they lazy, too?
Lloyd ********
@Greg **********
Jeez, no 90 day in 180. Those people who got refused will have been under section 12(2). Seeing as you know everything, you will know what that section says too.Greg ***********
@Lloyd *******
and James Miller, another moderator in this group, and Tod Daniels as well, wrote a litle bit earlier in this thread: "I believe this last week between Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang they denied over 1000 people (many who thought they'd just bounce out/back to milk another 60 day stamp ๐ฎ ) Those people were shipped back out on their dime" . . . . . . so WHY were they denied, I thought you said there is no rule? ๐๐Lloyd ********
@Greg **********
No, just immigration are lazy, and in nearly 15 years, have not bothered changing their homemade info sheet. I have told you it is not a rule anymore, I even told you when it stopped. Believe what the f!CK you like!Greg ***********
@Lloyd *******
so pray tell, why would Immigration give him a leaflet that says there is a 90-days-within-180-days rule? Are we hallucinating? Did he dream this up?Lloyd ********
@Greg **********
He got stopped for the visa exempt entry, they are really clamping down on these since they changed to 60 days. As I said, there is no 90 day rule.Greg ***********
@Lloyd *******
he got pulled aside, warned, had to prove cash, onward travel and accomodation, was allowed to enter after having been warned to use a proper visa next time, and was handed this leaflet. Suvarnabhumi airport, on his SECOND only attempt to enter visa-exempt. So maybe he met an Immigration officer having a bad day, or this could be the beginning of a series of entry refusals in the coming weeks, we shall seeActivity
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