Answered9 months ago
What are the current immigration rules for entering Thailand multiple times on a visa exemption?
Good morning, just 15 minutes ago at Souvarnabhumi through immigration. As always 60 days, about 2 to a maximum of 3 times a year. I was strongly advised to come up with a visa next time to enter, as 60 days are not a tourist stay.
Answer summary
A recent experience at Souvarnabhumi Airport revealed that travelers may be warned about relying on 60-day visa exemptions for multiple entries into Thailand without a tourist visa. Commenters shared varied experiences with immigration, indicating that the perception of being a tourist may change based on the frequency and duration of stays, especially when presenting documentation indicating ties to Thailand, such as invitation letters for marriage. General consensus suggests applying for a proper visa for longer stays to avoid complications on future entries.
55 repliesnewest first
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Grant ***********
I work oil and gas and come in and out a month at a time this time i got questioned as i had a month in thailand 10 days on cambodia and came back i showed return ticket accomadation and letter from employer and was fine . But were definetly under scrutiny
Todd ********
Strongly advised here too but people dont listen.
John **********
Am doing 67 days .but I will visit Australia in between the 67 days.do I need a visa .as I will do 1 month go to Australia for 1 week then return to thailand for 1 month b4 I go back to the uk
Ian ********
I put 90 days on my TDAC, told them I’d be extending and they were fine. First time though.
Michael ******
Seems to be happening to many coming through immigration at Bangkok Airport, but not to me and my brother but we are retired from work so that could be why.
Andreas *********
OP@Michael *****
also retired 😁
Alan **********
Without knowing your previous history of days/stays, there is nothing anybody can really comment about. You didn't even mention visa-exmpt and the invitation letter ? Why would that have anything to do with a visa-exempt entry or 10 ?
Sissi *******
That actually makes sense from an immigration point of view.
If you enter on a tourist visa or visa exemption, but at the same time present an invitation letter from your Thai partner stating you are about to get married, it clearly shows a non touristic travel.
Tourism is supposed to be short term and without local ties. Having a Thai partner, upcoming marriage and repeated long stays naturally raises questions for immigration officers.
If you enter on a tourist visa or visa exemption, but at the same time present an invitation letter from your Thai partner stating you are about to get married, it clearly shows a non touristic travel.
Tourism is supposed to be short term and without local ties. Having a Thai partner, upcoming marriage and repeated long stays naturally raises questions for immigration officers.
Andreas *********
OPSissi Gzlez Obviously hard for you to understand, or you're something like a teacher. 60 days is 60 days, whether with a tourist visa or a visa exemption. 60 days are just no longer happy to see what the IO's answer was like. The official rule therefore contradicts the statement of the IO. I didn't say anything else, I also got married mentioned. Never extension or boarder runs. never exceeded the permitted annual number of days. The reasoning is a little ridiculous, because why I'm here, traveling, sitting at the toilet with diarrhea or getting married quickly, has no influence on the 60 days. Interesting which Specialists here get up again and interpret things that were neither said nor discussed. Simple statement was, 60 days is not tourism.
How can tourism be defined?
Tourism refers to the activity of visitors who undertake a journey to a primary destination outside their usual environment for less than one year, for any primary purpose, including business, leisure, or other personal purposes, other than taking up employment with a resident business in the place visited.
How can tourism be defined?
Tourism refers to the activity of visitors who undertake a journey to a primary destination outside their usual environment for less than one year, for any primary purpose, including business, leisure, or other personal purposes, other than taking up employment with a resident business in the place visited.
Sissi *******
Andreas Trummer omg 😂
Let’s keep this factual, personal attacks only show your lack of solid arguments and global comprehension of the situation...
Nobody is questioning your age, intelligence or experience, we’re discussing immigration logic, not personalities! This is not the topic at all.
If you come here asking for opinions or avices but refuse to acknowledge the factual reality of your situation, then there’s little point in complaining afterward.
You’re mixing two different things: length of stay and purpose of stay.
Yes, 60 days is legally allowed. No one disputes that! 👍🏼
But immigration does not assess only the number of days : they assess intent. That’s exactly why different visa categories exist (tourist, marriage, retirement, ED,...)
Presenting an invitation letter from a Thai partner and mentioning an upcoming marriage clearly shows non touristic intent even if the stay is 60 days.
That is precisely why the officer warned you for next time. The warning itself confirms their assessment. Ignoring what the officer clearly told you is exactly how people end up facing problems at immigration later...
Let’s keep this factual, personal attacks only show your lack of solid arguments and global comprehension of the situation...
Nobody is questioning your age, intelligence or experience, we’re discussing immigration logic, not personalities! This is not the topic at all.
If you come here asking for opinions or avices but refuse to acknowledge the factual reality of your situation, then there’s little point in complaining afterward.
You’re mixing two different things: length of stay and purpose of stay.
Yes, 60 days is legally allowed. No one disputes that! 👍🏼
But immigration does not assess only the number of days : they assess intent. That’s exactly why different visa categories exist (tourist, marriage, retirement, ED,...)
Presenting an invitation letter from a Thai partner and mentioning an upcoming marriage clearly shows non touristic intent even if the stay is 60 days.
That is precisely why the officer warned you for next time. The warning itself confirms their assessment. Ignoring what the officer clearly told you is exactly how people end up facing problems at immigration later...
Stuart **********
That’s funny because the last 3 tourist visas I have had I have always had to provide a cover letter from my wife inviting me to stay in our house
Sissi *******
Stuart Johnston and that's why they are enforcing controls now...
Pantha ****
Thanks for telling us.
Tom **********
Has anyone seen the timeframe on the IOs' screens? Unfortunately, I am short-sighted, but I saw last time that a screen pops up with visitors' stays in Thailand. Is that total, or last 365 days?
Tom **********
So, it's 150, or 157 days it is safe to visit over 365 days. Four months over that period in the country, and next time, one may be in trouble... 😟
Andreas *********
OP@Tom *********
You don't see the screen, but the information states that your entire timeline can be seen. Extensions are said to be set to zero annually, but the normal stay accompanies you
Susanne *********
@Tom *********
.interesting question... following.
Dennis **********
I was there 5 times last year with no questions asked , all depends on if the io is having a good day I think
Vinson *******
TDAC is collecting searchable info , most counties have something similar and no doubt they will soon be sharing info if it’s to their benefit
This technology is giving them info to get a handle on all visitors
This technology is giving them info to get a handle on all visitors
Bent *************
Depends on the officer in Imigration
John ********
If it's true , lucky you ! 👹
Ian **********
157 days is the max guideline for visa-exempt entries per year. The number of entries is not the issue
Tom **********
@Ian *********
So, is it 157 days 'before' and then being questioned, or, say, 120 days 'before' and being quizzed next time, as, potentially, one could add another 60 days to the 120 days 'before', i.e. 180 days?Ian **********
@Tom *********
there are no hard and fast rules but reports from people say 60 days + 30, then 60 days + 7. No extensions allowed from land border entries. If you've already done 120 using visa-exempt then get a tourist visaAndreas *********
OPThis refers to stays with extension or boarder runs. I never had that
Ozan *******
I just entered and exited twice for 2026 this year and asked him if you can enter and exit as much as you want, I stayed for 4 days on both visits and I am coming again for 13 days next month. And she told me I could come and go as many times as I wanted this way.
Mark **********
Yep immigration got that correct. Why I always get and pay for a visa
Andreas *********
OP@Mark *********
However, correct is still 60 days of visa-free entry. but only touristySissi *******
@Andreas ********
But you’re no longer a tourist, and that’s precisely why immigration warned you to come with a proper visa next time.Sissi *******
@Garrett **********
Showing an immigration officer an invitation letter and stating that he is going to marry a Thai woman clearly shows that he has no tourism purpose...
Garrett ***********
@Sissi ******
What makes him not a tourist?Garrett ***********
@Mark *********
You want a cookie?
Brett *****
Fascinating... 🤷
CleverM********
Bs
Patrick ********
Same as me 10 minute interview and let in
SerenePa********
Strange. I entered 6 times last year with the recent arrival in end of november.
No questions asked
No questions asked
Brendan *********
SereneParrot7873 luck of the draw, your not special.
SerenePa********
@Brendan ********
Didn’t say that. And no luck. Just follow the rulesBrendan *********
SereneParrot7873 You miss peoples point, they are following the rules, and losing out. As the rules are open to interpretation by the person holding the stamp. I will not continue to discuss a point with someone who fails to see the nuance in peoples comments. Good luck
Stephen *********
November the rules changed. I was told the same. Told to get a visa next time when I applied for visa exempt extension last week. No good people saying what they did before November. Senseless
SerenePa********
@Stephen ********
I came november 28th. The rules ”changed” the 15th
John *********
SereneParrot7873 if you return each visit to your home country during the 60 day visa exemption period then you are only considered to be a tourist. It’s when folks keep extending, they start to put you in another box for further questioning, even denied entry.
Most know the rules, Thai Immigration know who to look out for now
Not long before they use high technology Ai etc so there will be no more passport stamps but they will be able to track everyone and rid the country of undesirables and criminals, who will flee to Cambodia etc
Most know the rules, Thai Immigration know who to look out for now
Not long before they use high technology Ai etc so there will be no more passport stamps but they will be able to track everyone and rid the country of undesirables and criminals, who will flee to Cambodia etc
Reg ***********
I'm no expert but I don't think its the number of times ,its the duration and extentions, 😃
Sylvester *********
@Reg **********
yes agree normally I'd come to Thailand 3 times a year for 4 weeks because of the 60 day stamp now I've come for 5 weeks on the 5th Jan not had any problems doing that for close on 8 years now
Peter **********
@Reg **********
yes, obviously they can see how many entries, the duration of each and the total no. of days so far, in thailand this and previous years
Darren *******
Did you stay 60 days each time with extensions on top...?
SerenePa********
@Darren ******
No, only one time of them. And that ended out in a 90 day stay.Darren *******
Then they won't see anything irregular and will view you as not trying to live there on visa exemptions. I can't remember how many times I entered last year but around 8-9 times, probably an average of 3-4 nights per trip with last entry being Christmas Day.
Jon **********
Seems the nomal now, just get 60 day visa in your own country before coming.
Brendan *********
I guess the vibe is this "you can afford it, pay or don't come"
Jim *******
@Jon *********
What is that 60 days visa? Austrian passports get 60 days visa exemption.Andreas *********
OP@Jim ******
Correct, only you want a visa now at 60 days. Too many days for a tourist stay. The IO checked my return ticket right away. Wasn't very friendly today.
Michael ********
@Jim ******
is a 60 days tourist visa cost 35 euro apply from your home country via the embassy or consulateAndreas *********
OPAndreas *********
OP@Jon *********
I even had my wife's invitation letter, we're getting married in the next few weeks. Thing me, no problem with the Austrian passport. Yes, times are changing.Activity
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