What should I do if I received an exemption stamp instead of my pre-approved visa stamp upon arrival in Thailand?

visa exemption Thailand entry stamps border run Cambodia border run work visa process tourist visa visa activation expat advice

November 25, 2022

2 years ago

Garth **********

ORIGINAL POSTER

Hey all,

Do hope this is allowed, I recently arrived in Thailand with a pre-approved visa in my passport, however they stamped an exemption stamp rather than my 60 day stamp.

Embassy says I should do a Cambodian border run and come back on my visa as it hasn't been used yet.

Any recommendations on fees or most convenient way to do this?

Also I am looking for work opportunities while here, what is the process in future to go from tourist to work visa?

Many thanks

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TLDR : Answer Summary

The user encountered an issue upon arrival in Thailand, receiving an exemption stamp rather than a 60-day stamp for their pre-approved visa. The embassy advised performing a border run to Cambodia to activate the visa. The discussion includes recommendations on the best ways to execute the border run, tips on entry stamps, how to check visa validity, and transitioning from a tourist visa to a work visa.

Tod *********

@Garth *********

sorry that happened, you're far from the first person whose had this happen stamping in to thailand,

the up side is you got some 'free time' in country, (y)

the down side is you have to exit/re-enter to get that visa activated and get the entry stamp from it. 😕

Somehow I have the feeling that from now on you'll be checking those entry stamps while you're standing there at passport control 😛 😉

Good luck with the bounce out and back, 🙂

2 years ago

Garth **********

ORIGINAL POSTER

I did it in advance before arriving here. My visa is only valid until December 14. So thinking of leaving and re-entering on December 2 long weekend

2 years ago

Mario *********

@Garth *********

same thing happened to me a few years ago, When i realized i was in Chiang Rai (my home) so i went to immigration office and io wrote to Bangkok and a few days later i got back the right stamp

2 years ago

Tod *********

@Garth *********

yep, you have until 11:59 on Dec 14 to stamp back in to thailand on that visa so you can get the entry stamp from it

2 years ago

Reply to

Tod *********

Garth **********

ORIGINAL POSTER

I handed him the passport open. He flipped through it and stamped at the back.

No idea what even made me open it and check randomly

2 years ago

Graham ******

@Garth *********

Always check if you expect more than the big standard entry and check as soon as you get the passport back

2 years ago

Reply to

Graham ******

Tod *********

The embassy is right, once you walked away from passport control you're on a visa exempt entry now.

Look at the visa sticker and see when the "valid until" or "enter before" date is. You have to exit the country and re-enter to activate that visa on or before that date otherwise you lose it.

You can do this "bounce out and back" by air OR land, and you might as well wait until just before the visa sticker is going to expire (giving you as much time as you can get on this 45 day visa exempt entry.

Example a tourist visa is valid for 90 days from the date they issue it; meaning you have 3 months to ENTER thailand on that visa and you'll get 60 days when you do.

2 years ago

Tod *********

So you applied for a visa from the thai consulate in your country before you came here but they didn't see that you had a visa and stamped you in visa exempt instead of on the visa.?

2 years ago

Reply to

Tod *********

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