How long does it typically take to obtain a tourist visa to Thailand from the UK?

You can only extend 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 unlimited, even though some believe that unlimited visa-free entries are possible by air. This is simply incorrect.

Under certain circumstances, but only at the individual discretion of the border official, multiple visa-free entries are possible, for example, five or more.

In this case, however, your entry history in your passport and on the immigration central computer must prove that your stays were short-term (!!) like two or three weeks, and the total annual stay must not exceed 157 days (some say it is 179 days)

There must be several weeks between each entry. The aim of the new regulations was to prohibit "visa runs," where you only stay briefly in 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, departure, or return journey, such as a flight ticket.

I suspect (but cannot guarantee!) that a border official would consider you a "genuine" tourist based on such short trips within a year. In that case, they should be able to see on their central computer that you never extended these short trips.

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

At least, that's how I've interpreted the changed rules regarding visa runs after following official announcements and personal accounts for days. However, I'm still NOT guaranteeing its accuracy.

What has become 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+30 days.

Someone entering on two single-entry tourist visas plus two extensions, with a corresponding 2- to 4-month interval between them, would reach a maximum of 180 days "per a 1-year period" (not per calendar year – this is calculated differently!).

I received mine back in April in 3 days

Before you get a visa watch this .

Im flying back today. The 5th time this year. See what happens 🥶

The enforcement by thai immigration is denying visa exempt more than 2 times if its back to back, on the 2nd one you can only extend it by 7 days. Enough time to get out the coutry. You can come many times if you travel back to your country and have some space between trips. You must look like a tourist with hotel booking, flight out etc

I applied last Wednesday. I did email in after I submitted my application and was told 15 working days nut if extra documents is required the 15 days start again when submitted.

Why do you need a visa. Just go on exempt.

For 90 visa it took 16 days for me

The embassy in London is known for being one of the fastest, with many applicants receiving their visas within just a few days. The formal processing time is 10 working days. I am aware that it has taken longer recently, and several applicants have been informed to expect a processing time of around 15 days.

Anything from a couple of minutes to a couple of days