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Is it safer to apply for a tourist visa rather than entering Thailand on a visa-exempt stamp?

Tourist Visa Visa Exemption Thailand Immigration Visa Rules Expat Advice Elite Visa Immigration Experience

Jan 20, 2023

2 years ago

Darren ********************

ORIGINAL POSTER

When regularly visiting Thailand as a tourist I always thought that you're more likely to be turned down at an immigration office when applying for the 2 month visa than you are turning up for at the airport for an exempt stamp. Is my thinking correct or wrong? 

My situation: 

I've entered Thailand 3 times already these past 6 months. Each time I leave Thailand I stay somewhere for around 2 weeks before returning so no quick boarder bounces or any overstays. I'm never asked any questions by immigration but I'm aware they soon probably will. Next time, in March, would I be safer applying for a two month visa somewhere or entering on another stamp if again leaving it a couple of weeks before returning? 

My Elite Visa application got rejected last year after being on a volunteer visa for a couple of years prior so I've been forced to do these tourist in and outs until I can find another legitimate way to stay here. Just curious of other's experiences and advice 👍 Thanks.

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TLDR : Answer Summary

The conversation revolves around the safety and likelihood of successful entry into Thailand when applying for tourist visas versus using visa-exempt stamps. The original poster has made multiple short visits to Thailand and is considering their options after a past rejection for an Elite Visa. Community members suggest that obtaining a tourist visa may provide a higher success rate at immigration compared to relying on visa exemptions, especially after several entries within a short time. They share personal experiences and insights regarding immigration practices, emphasizing that outcomes can vary based on individual circumstances and the officer on duty.

Jerem *******

Hi Darren, have you been rejected at first step of the process by the elite visa office or they give you approval and you got rejected after payment when due to visit immigration office to get the sticker on the passport ? Regards

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Darren ********************

ORIGINAL POSTER

First step but by immigration not Elite office. The Elite office are fine with it as they sent my application off for me. It's the dick heads at immigration who are turning us all down.

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Jerem *******

@Darren *******************

Thanks mate. You lucky then, just messaged another one who got rejected at the last step, money gone forever.

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Darren ********************

ORIGINAL POSTER

Jeez I didn't know they could do that. That's criminal!

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Darren ********************

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Jo **********

i have had 7 visa exempt entries in the last 8 months. I never maxed out in any of those cases only staying about 15 days each time. except christmas-new years where it was 30 days. never had any questions, probably because I am not in the country that long. If I know advance that I will stay more than 60 days then I will get a visa. what the officers are looking for is a pattern - consecutive maxing out stays with very short border bounces. if you have that you might have problems

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Terary **********

I did the back-to-back tourist visa thing for a few years, before covid. I never had any problems. Twice immigration pulled me aside talked to me a bit and let me in. Each time the IO would say 'next time you come....'. They knew I intended to stay long time.

One of the conversations with the IO, he told me its best to go to other countries for a couple of weeks each visa run.

Based on my experience I think you will be ok. However, I recommend travel with a plan b. Cross at land borders so when they deny you, you can easily travel to the next border and try again, or know you may get rejected and plan for unintended trip to SG.

I found Australia a pleasant place to spend a few weeks. A couple of the embassies there will give Americans Multiple Entry Tourist Visa. These may no longer be available.

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Darren ********************

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Terary *********

Thanks Terary. Is it marked in your passport or records when refused entry?

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Terary **********

@Darren *******************

I have never been refused entry, so I don't know.

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Terary **********

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Bob **********

Get an ED visa and study

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Darren ********************

ORIGINAL POSTER

I'm 42. My studying days ended 20 years ago.

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Darren ********************

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Bä ****

You’ve already answered your own question.

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Darren ********************

ORIGINAL POSTER

How so?

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Darren ********************

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Paul ********

Can I ask why your elite was declined?

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Darren ********************

ORIGINAL POSTER

Because most, if not all, previous volunteer visa holders have been blacklisted from obtaining the Elite. I was told it was still worth a try but failed.

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Craig ********

@Darren *******************

I wonder why? If you are able to spend your time working for free in Thailand and then later want to pay them a ton of money to stay in the Kingdom, why would that be a problem? Don't see their logic.

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Brandon ************

because 99% of volunteer visas were obtained illegally through an agent so that makes it so you can't get an elite visa. Same if you had an illegal ED visa.

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Darren ********************

ORIGINAL POSTER

Exactly. The general thought is that immigration want us find other ways of staying here that will involve them getting lots of bribes (cash). They all survive on corruption money.

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Darren ********************

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Paul ********

@Darren *******************

interesting, so as long as I stick to a tourist visa I'm safe until I upgrade

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Paul ********

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Chris ************

some thai embassies wrote that to stay only 90 days within always the last 180 days is tolerated on visa exempted entries.

I did not find anything about that in immigration law.

it would be interesting to hear about real cases who have been denied to enter on that background.

I did not meet any yet.

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Brandon ************

@Chris ***********

it's not law. Embassy can write whatever they want. The only thing that matters is the immigration officer you're speaking to who has the power to accept or deny entry based on their decision.

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Chris ************

@Brandon ***********

and that is what I wrote, actually. Read properly.

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Brandon ************

@Chris ***********

I was confirming. No one is denied entry and told it's because they spent 180 days. They're just told "you spend too long in Thailand, you are not tourist. Entry denied"

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Chris ************

@Brandon ***********

so is there any experience about cases after which amount of days they usually deny the entry?

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Alistair **********

@Chris ***********

pretty much as Brandon said. It's widely reported that around 6 months using visa exemptions to live here is when you'll start getting questioned by immigration and its exactly when it first happened to me.

After that it just depends, they might ask a couple questions and you're free to go, they might give you a light warning, they might give you a proper warning and flag you in their system and say something like this is your last entry on a tourist visa (or exemption).

What I've seen reported online is that denying people is rare, those that do seem to have been questioned / warned multiple times before being denied. So it really is up to the officer you get on the day.

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Chris ************

@Alistair *********

thank you for your informative comment

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Brandon ************

@Chris ***********

there's no way to answer that. Some people get hassled after 2 exempt entries. Some do it for 2 years and are never asked a single question. It comes down to your personal history in Thailand and how the immigration officer is feeling that day. If they hit extra traffic or spilled coffee on themselves that morning you may be in for trouble. If they just won 10,000₿ in the lottery the night before they might be feeling generous that day. It's all completely random.

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Chris ************

@Brandon ***********

I see. thanks Brandon.

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Chris ************

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Charles ********

Followup questions regarding your elite visa.. We have a lot of discussion in the elite groups about the volunteer visa issue... Did elite deined your application during the check portion? In other they discovered before approval and rejected? I also want to assume this was an agent volunteer visa, but correct if wrong.

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Dewi *********

@Charles *******

Hi Charles, could you point me in the right direction for the elite visa Facebook page please?

Cheers 🙌

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Charles ********

elite discuss groups? These two.

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Dewi *********

@Charles *******

Thank you

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Dewi *********

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Darren ********************

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Charles *******

Yeah it seems to be a common problem for most past volunteer visa holders. I went through a friend who has a personal contact in the elite office so it was a direct application. No agency. But it's immigration who makes the decision, not the elite office 😔

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Alan *******

@Darren *******************

They ask up front about whether or not you’ve had a volunteer visa or more than 2 overstays.

Supposedly they only care about these things for the last 3 years so unless things change (and they always do), you could probably apply again after that volunteer visa ending is 3 years in your past.

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Alan *******

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Mma *******

Visa Exemption - on arrival You get 45+30 now so 75 days vs. 90 on TR 60+30. Come in on Visa exemption and see what they say. Also note you can get 2x border runs to Cambodia/ calender year, regardless of your recent history, this is guaranteed if you use an agent such as Thai Visa SErvice out of BKK.

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Charles ********

Having a tourist visa is better than visa exempt for successful entry. If you are granted a tourist visa at am embassy you will have a higher success rate at the border. In your situation you are probably better to get a visa.

Regarding your situation..You don't say how long you were in Thailand.. Which is the biggest part.

3 visa exempt trips is no big deal if they were 1 week each...but I am assuming you extended each on for 60~75 days? Then you will likely be pulled aside soon and given the visa talk and may be deined entry.

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Darren ********************

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Charles *******

Thanks Charles. Yes I always use the max stamp days but extended only once in the last 6 months. Will extend my current stamp soon though to take me through to March.

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Charles ********

@Darren *******************

now it sounds like you want to keep living here... If it's just one more time get a tourist visa or risk it. No one can tell you if you will have problems or not... Just up the officer on the day.

There are other long term options. Ltr, investors, work permit, business... There are companies that can help you set this up too... Some of them can be in a grey area though.

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Charles ********

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