What are the rules for re-entering Thailand on a tourist visa or visa exemption?

April 21, 2024
5 months ago
Tod *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
ATTENTION MEMBERS:

People try to post; "how long do I have to be OUT of thailand when bouncing out/back or going to a thai consulate to buy a new tourist visa"?

The real answer is; there's no officially posted time you have to be out of thailand between entries.

What they look at when you come in on a visa exempt or tourist visa entry is your previous entry/stay history to thailand. <- That, more than anything else matters.

Also we've had people mistakenly think that buying a tourist visa gets you in to the country. Just because you have a valid visa for thailand in your passport doesn't mean you get in :O All it means is IF they let you in, you get in for the days allotted by that visa type.

We recommend anyone with an entry/stay history who is getting a tourist visa from a thai consulate to enter the country by land (if possible). There is far more scrutiny put on people with entry/stay histories comin' in by air than by land.

The other question people try to post is; "how many times by air can I enter on free stamp entries"?

Unfortunately the answer to that is "until they stop you from doing it" :O . Some people skate in time after time, some people get pulled aside on their second entry, there is abso-tively, posi-lutely no rhyme or reason to who gets in how many times without being questioned.

There is no official rule written that states people can have xxx visa exempt entries by air. It comes down to you can do it until you can't and believe me you'll know when you hit that 'limit' because they'll pull you aside, ask what you think you're doing and usually tell you next time you'll get denied entry.

Hope this was somewhat helpful (sorry it was long)

Safe travels everyone :)
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TLDR : Answer Summary
There is no official requirement for how long one must stay out of Thailand when re-entering on a tourist visa or visa exemption; rather, the key factor is your previous entry and stay history. Individuals with a history of frequent entries may face extra scrutiny, particularly when entering by air versus land. While some travelers repeatedly use visa exemptions without issues, this is subject to change, and immigration officers have significant discretion. Generally, it's advisable for those with complex entry histories to consider entering Thailand by land rather than air to reduce the chances of denial.
John ******
I get the impression that Thai immigration looks down on the visa exempt entries and prefers travelers to bump up to the tourist or other visas? Right now I go the visa exempt route but as my trips are increasing in number, I will look at the tourist or retirement visa options.
James ********
@John *****
you will be wise to get the correct Thai Visa for your planned visits to Thailand. Things have changed since COVID, and Thai Immigration Officers are more carefully looking at your Entry history into Thailand.
Raphie ****
Are you aware of any people getting denied entry on metvs?

Heard its the "best" and can do back to back (by applying in homecountry ofc)
James ********
@Raphie ***
doubtful that you would gain entry on a second METV back to back. Be prepared for questions from Thai Immigration Officers.
Tod *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Raphie ***
hearing it's the "best" and being able to pull off back-2-back METV's from your country are two completely different things 😕

However with that being said I have heard no denial of entries on an METV visa
Adriana **********
i honestly just wish the rules for thai entry were more cut and dry, like many other countries. 90 days in a 180 day cycle is very clear. but there's no clarity as to how often or when to enter. i have no issues following laws & rules when they are presented to me, but there's nothing clear about how many times in how many months you can enter thailand. it's really annoying
Michael ********
Thank you all this was an interesting chat to follow
Jai *****
@Tod ********
does that mean that even when a school ask us to get out of the country and come back to do new visa, it's better to do border run with an agency to increase chance to get accepted back?
Tod *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Jai ****
if you can bounce by land I'd say that's the better choice, especially after being here a year on an ED visa already
James ********
@Jai ****
if you have a recent history of staying in Thailand, yes it's safer to use an experienced border run service company for the border bounce.
Martino *******
I think the main problem for young people is that, unlike in other countries, there is no long-term visa for freelancers and online entrepreneurs who are not "high earners" if we exclude the very expensive thai elite visa.

So I saw A LOT of these remote workers using the education visa for YEARS or just using the land/air crossing...maybe some people should just start considering other countries in Southeast Asia, as I feel like Thailand wants immigrants who are "high earners" (more than 60K$/year)...
Bruce *********
So if you have been there several times and even lived their for a year, it's best to land in a neighboring country and just drive over the border?
James ********
@Bruce ********
use your own logic. Enter by land or with the use of a Fast Track Service to enter Thailand upon arrival at major airports. Google the topic of Fast Track Service providers.
마리오 ***
Happened to me enough times that I moved to the Philippines. When I turn 50 I will be back though. Even the Thai consulate was telling me to wait six months before applying for another tourist visa.
Jiji ***********
There are some individuals who are in a special state of denial there's any kind of tightening and that its totally stress-free to just stay here indefinitely on Tourist visas & exemptions.

I've been here since 2013, just before the coup. When I got here, people were just living here for decades on serial border runs, Thai wives, illegal work in a small town school etc.

Then the crackdown happened circa Feb-March 2014. Everyone said it wouldn't last, everyone said that it would totally go back to the old days soon.

Welp, turns out they were in fact serious, and the rules simply got codified, or at least made less chaotic, leading us to the current situation where imm officers are given all the discretion, but with guidelines that anyone suspected of using the tourist visa system to just live here should be questioned.
Dannie ***************
@Jiji **********
The shift from administration to enforcement of immigration laws and regulations has, as you pointed out, changed.

It is now, again, changing with scrutiny of Thai nominees with foreign shareholders in businesses, education visas, foreign monied interests, non-Thais working jobs that are reserved for Thais, and other practices.

With enforcement, the risks of being seen as lax can be costly to officers.
John *********
Thanks for update 😃
John ********
One time at Suvanabhumi I got questioned quite heavily. The computer showed I had been in Thailand for in excess of 180 days in 10 months.

I was just here that trip for a few weeks so was after the 30 day stay.

I answered questions honestly and got my entry, along with the stern warning, " get a visa in Australia before returning again"
Jani ********
Covid was plessing for me. They didn't care how long you've stayed and I just ran through immigration. 24 years of history being here with all sorts of visas and exemptions.

Once I even flew to Phnom Penh from Europe and took a bus to Thailand. Was so sure that they'll not let me in.

Now I'm 50y , so don't have to play the system anymore. The only good thing for coming old.
Paul *******
@Jani *******
They will still go through your passport when entering, especially coming by land even if you're on a retirement visa. They may ask you some questions too, but will generally grant re entry quite quickly.
Jay ******
Genuine tourists rarely complain its those who don't go home and don't qualify for a long stay visa who aren't happy being denied entry as the pretend to be tourists but aren't able to fool every immigration officer by attempting continuous exempt entries .....
Tod *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Jay *****
sadly that is all too often the case and it is getting harder and harder to "fool" the officers at passport control into thinking you're a "tourist" especially with a passport filled with 30 day stamps maxed out AND 30 day extensions on those stamps with just a few days between the entries
Tod *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Sorry this isn't going to turn into a thread about what people think having a tourist visa in your passport gives you as far as some imaginary right to enter

AND

it's sure not gonna turn into another mind numbing thread about getting denied entry at the Aranyaprathet/Poipet land border. <- we beat that horn and toot that drum plenty, if you try to bounce yourself out/back there, sadly you get what you get
Dannie ***************
@Tod ********
Pay your money and time and take your chances
Tod *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
The purpose of this post was more to let people know that some questions have no 'cut in stone' answer 😕

It comes down to nationality, port of entry, previous entry stay history, type of visa/entry you're trying to do, and often the officer you're standing in front of <- ALL those things factor in

There is no one size fits all answer
Dannie ***************
@Tod ********
It may even come down to when you try to enter, before or after an officer has eaten…low blood sugar affects mood. 😂
Dannie ***************
There is no country on the planet in which non-nationals have an unrestricted right to enter.

Thailand is NOT an exception.

Not that long ago one could live in Thailand long term on border bounces…then it changed, and you couldn’t.

Immigration policy does change and will change.
Henrik **************
@Dannie **************
Bs, as a EU citizen I can choose to live in all different EU countries even as a non-national.
Dannie ***************
@Henrik *************
As a U.S. citizen I can choose to live in all fifty states and U.S. territories, but confound it, I discovered other countries set immigration rules that serve THEIR interests and needs.
Tod *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Henrik *************
I think they were taking some creative license in the statement, meaning more that a visa doesn't guarantee you get in
Paul **********
@Dannie **************
yep, l got caught wen they changed the rules
Colin *******
Good post Tod
Roy ******
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