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Answered3 years ago

How Many Times Can You Enter Thailand on a Visa Exempt Entry or Tourist Visa?

Tod *********
asked Aug 4, 2023
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We are getting a LOT of people trying to post asking;

How many visa exempt entries can I get flying in?

How many tourist visas can I get in a row..

There is no answer to those questions people, and that's why we decline those posts. :O :/

The honest answer is you can do it until you can't.

Despite what people say, what people read, what immigration officers at passport control tell you, what they show you on a website, there is NO official rule about how many times you can enter thailand on a visa exempt entry by air.

In fact no one has ever been denied entry under the reason "entered too many times" because that isn't a reason to deny people entry. The denial of entry reason is always "no means to support themselves" (ไม่มีปัจจัยยังชีพตามสมควร)

It's the same for tourist visas, there is no official policy on how many you can get back-2-back.

Some consulates are "one-&-done" meaning you can get one tourist visa from them and if you go back they'll deny you. Others will give you get another one. Some look at your previous entry/stay history (especially for those b/s volunteer & ed visas or covid extensions) and some don't care.

It's a total crap shoot, and it's even worse for the countries who use the online eVisa system because each consulate can decide what their criteria is as far as how many you can get in a row from them.

Pre-covid sh*t show there were people who got 3 back-2-back METV's from the consulate in their country. That means they spent close to 21 MONTHS here on those three 6 month METV's and there was no problem with immigrations when they were flying in-&-out, and no problem with the consulate giving the visa.

BUT that is not the case anymore, and we're seeing consulates deny peoples' applications after looking at the entry/stay history AND we're seeing people get denied entry coming IN to the country based on previous entry/stay history..

We also don't let the posts asking "I've been here xxx months, had yyy and zzz visas and don't want to go home, will I get back in?" There is just NO way to tell if you'll get in or not and someone else who did get in safely doesn't mean YOU will skate thru..

All we can say is if you have an extensive entry stay history is have the 3 proofs;

*onward travel within the days you'll be stamped in for

*proof of 20K baht or the equivalent in CASH

*proof of lodging

IF they're going to hassle you about entry the first thing they're going to ask for is onward travel.

Anyway, sorry this was long, just wanted to touch on a few things for you people was all.. It's not that we don't want to answer those questions, it's that there is no definitive answer to them..
Answer summary
There are no definitive rules on the number of visa exempt entries or tourist visas one can obtain for Thailand. While anecdotal experiences suggest various outcomes at immigration and from different consulates, individuals may continue to receive entries until formally denied. Key suggestive practices include presenting proof of onward travel, sufficient funds, and accommodation to mitigate potential entry issues.
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Tod *********
Tod *********
OP
and alas I can see this thread has ran it's course.. Remember just because you skate thru OR get grilled getting in doesn't mean that will happen to the next person.

Your mileage can and will vary. it's luck of the draw..

We are done, good luck everyone (y)
Adelina *********
Adelina *********
I just entered in through Bangkok. I’ve done 1 border bounce (two extensions) and this was my first trip via plane out and back in (3 week holiday). I’ve never stayed in Thailand before this. The lady hassled me. Told me I overstayed and I’m like no I extended. Then she gave me 29 days instead of 30 😅 so yeah they don’t discriminate. It sounded like she said I can’t extend again, but I think she just didn’t like me and was sending threats my way.
Adelina *********
Adelina *********
Eugene Baker that’s so interesting because I thought the women would be nicer!! I was hoping for her 😅 but it all turned out fine. They are doing their jobs and I am not doing anything wrong so it is all good.
Tod *********
Tod *********
OP
@Adelina ********
you always only get 29 days 😕 (look at one of your other visa exempt entry stamps)

The day you stamp IN is counted as day ONE 😉

you certainly can go get your 30 day extension like normal
Adelina *********
Adelina *********
@Tod ********
oh you’re right 😅 I can’t count. Yeah I thought i would be fine! She was just having a bad day, all is fine. Thank you for the feedback 🙏🏼
Shamrah *******
Shamrah *******
When it comes to Visas and doubts related to it, people usually do get very stressed, especially since the information online, at times, may not be that straightforward... Maybe that's why👍🏻). Anyway this group is v useful and I've read many helpful responses from the members and admin(s).

Cheers.
Syble ***********
Syble ***********
Tod Daniels. Thank You for this post. You explained it very well and it will help us in applying for a Tourist Visa.
Tod *********
Tod *********
OP
On the subject of what immigrations (here inside thailand) can access with your current passport.

They can see your entry stay history going back 10+ years with the touch of a few buttons, they can tell if you hold two passports (of different or the same countries) and see your entry history on both of them, they can tell your extension history and every visa you got in country.

The days of getting a new passport and thinking it 'wiped the slate' clean are gone. True it eliminates an officer from paging thru the passport to see the stamps, BUT if they wanna LOOK at your history believe me they can (this is at ALL entry/exit points and ALL immigration offices)..

Now the ONLY embassies that can see your previous visa history are ones where you apply online using the world wide eVisa system (currently 38 cities in 23 countries) ALL of them can see your previous online eVisa history every time you apply no matter what consulate your eVisa went thru.

At embassies where they do not use the eVisa system they just page thru your passport to look at your previous stamps SO a new passport in that situation can be beneficial.
Ryan ********
Ryan ********
@Tod ********
where is my comment? Fingerprint matching is a pseudoscience. That’s a fact. Do you really think there is some computer program out that automatically compares billions of fingerprints or compares your face to billions of other photos? Even if there was there would be unacceptably high false positives. It would be useless (and require a lot of computing power, servers, expense, etc). Notice nobody ever gets randomly accused of being someone else? That’s what should be happening of such a system was actually being used.

It’s one thing to police these forums for misinformation about visas, but it’s another entirely to push myths about biometrics, forensics and computing.
Tod *********
Tod *********
OP
@Ryan *******
dunno where your comment is and don't care in the least about how you believe it works. I'm telling you they will know if you entered on a passport from another country

You are free to not believe me and do what ever you want..
Žan *********
Žan *********
@Tod ********
Does the eVisa system have access to your entry stay history too? Or do they only see the eVisa application history?
Tod *********
Tod *********
OP
@Žan ********
you copy the pages in your passport with thai stamps, all they can access is your previous eVisa history
Ryan ********
Ryan ********
@Tod ********
how do they know if you have passports from different countries?
James ********
James ********
@Ryan *******
facial recognition software and your fingerprints will match you up with any passport you have held or now have.
Tod *********
Tod *********
OP
@Ryan *******
matches against name, DOB, sex, it'll come up as an option to look at that persons data
Alan *****
Alan *****
Also, an addition of what Immigrations can do with looking up your passport. They can also tell if you're staying at any hotels and such. Funny story, My gf and I was at the immigrations office and the officer told my gf that I recently stayed at a hotel for 2 days, the exact name and location.
Tod *********
Tod *********
OP
that's just because IF you use your passport to check in the hotel files a TM30 <- notification of foreigner in residence via the online system, it's been like that for years and years
Alan *****
Alan *****
@Tod ********
but it’s just funny how the officer told my gf like I snuck out and stayed somewhere else without her knowledge..
Kate *********
Kate *********
Is it okay to ask if anyone knows which embassies are more strict or more relaxed for issuing tourist visas? I'm wondering about Vietnam and Malaysian Thai embassies
Tod *********
Tod *********
OP
@Kate ********
that's another one of those "how long is a piece of string" questions, that can't be answered easily if at all.
Ellie *******
Ellie *******
@Kate ********
there is no simple answer to that. It involves many factors that consulate is "relaxed" or not. Such as your nationality, your detailed history in Thailand, etc.
Jeremy ******
Jeremy ******
That is a terrific summary and true. I believe that the key is to not overstay the date stamped in your passport. They always check your history. If you “have behaved” in the past, I believe that you can enter with no problem.
Tod *********
Tod *********
OP
@Jeremy *****
well, in reality it's not that simple, and as a rule a short overstay isn't gonna really affect you getting in or not, BUT it's always good to pay attention to your stamp's expiration date 🙂
Ellie *******
Ellie *******
Also, we are aware that there are embassies/consulates that have their own regulations on issuing visas such as one tourist visa per xxx period, yyy interval, or maximum zzz times for any (not only Tourist visa). For those rules, you would know for sure when you ask the exact embassy/consulate you want to apply for your visa at, or, in the worst case, you will know only when you actually apply for a visa and get rejected (if you could even know). Those are one of the questions this group cannot answer.
Brandon ************
Brandon ************
So many people want to argue that cash isn't necessary. "it's 2023, showing my banking app should be fine"

Why even take the risk, especially when you've been told it's cash only and you're already high risk? The denial stamp specifically says you don't have money. Don't make it that easy for them! They might just give up and let you in if you can make it more difficult to deny entry.
Ben **********
Ben **********
@Brandon ***********
I had the "chat" recently. They are not that bad actually at immigration. Have no idea why I was pulled either at that particular time.

There was another guy there and the immigration officers were saying to him “look, just book a hotel now and show us the proof and we will let you in”. The vibe I got was they don’t actually want to turn people away, but just need to highlight maybe it’s time to get a proper visa.

I had the cash on me and the proofs too. Was asked for the cash, and counted out 21k which was sweet. That was written on the form I had to sign.

Not having that 20k is a marvellous reason to not be allowed in. At that stage (when you’ve been pulled for the chat) they are actually only doing their jobs.
Wayne *******
Wayne *******
Unsurprisingly…. “proactive” as usual mate. 👏

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