Will returning to Thailand after a long stay on a tourist visa cause problems at immigration?

Thai Tourist Visa METV Immigration Policies Visa Re-entry Visa Exemptions Thailand Travel Regulations

Jul 17, 2024

5 months ago

ORIGINAL POSTER

Hello all,

I  stayed with with my Tourist Visa Multiple Entry in Thailand from mid January 2024 until now (about 6 months).

During this stay, I traveled two times out of Thailand for a few days each time to extend my visa.

In summary I entered Thailand 3 times this year via airport and using always the same METV! (No visa runs or visa exemptions so far)

I plan now to leave Thailand for 3 month and would like to re-enter after probably with the new visa exemption of 60 days in November 2024.

My question is now, based on your knowledge and experience if that could be a problem at immigration since I already stayed about 180 days this year. 

For sure I will have the three proofs with me than.

Looking forward your feedback and recommendations, thanks!

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TLDR : Answer Summary

A user is inquiring about the implications of returning to Thailand after staying for almost six months on a Multiple Entry Tourist Visa (METV), along with advice gathered from community comments. Key points discussed include concerns about immigration discretion, with some suggesting that a three-month absence from Thailand will help avoid any potential issues related to the length of their stay. Suggestions also recommend having a strong reason for re-entry, while emphasizing that the unpredictability of immigration officers complicates guarantees.

Shaughn ***********

Have a good reason just in case they question you.

5 months ago

Kool *******

Being out of the country for three months doesn't show a pattern of trying to live here long term as a tourist. You'll be fine.

5 months ago

Ken ***********

@Jan *****************

wrote, no one can predict what Thai immigration will do; however, with being away 3 months, I think returning would be ok and even a 30 day extension. But I would expect issues with any furthet entries this year without a longterm visa.

Chok dee.

5 months ago

Alex ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Ken ******

thanks for your feedback. So I would come back to Thailand in November and using the full visa plus extension would let me stay until end of January 25.

Do you think entering afterwards in year 2025 again could be an issue?

Or do they start to count only from January onwards each year?

5 months ago

Ken ***********

@Alex **********

the 2 land borders are per calendar year...but I think Thai immigration would use a rolling 12 months. I am not psychic, but I think you may get questioned with any additional entries for the first 6 months of 2025. If you really want to stay in Thailand so much, you should look into a longterm visa ... an education for learning Thai or muay thai or something or another way. Tourist visas and visa exempts so often is going to eventually cause questions by immigrations and possible denied entry.

All the best.

5 months ago

Reply to

Ken ***********

Todd *********

You will have no issues whatsoever. Could they question you? Absolutely. That’s their job to ascertain your intent. Will they deny entry? Nope

5 months ago

Jan ******************

As you apparently already knows, no one can give you a straight answer to that question as everything is in the discretion of the IO your standing in front of at the immigration. 180 days seems sometimes to be a turning point, on the other hand you haven’t maximised the METV and stayed 270 days as you could and we also known people have stayed for 270 days just on single entry tourist visa. Personally I would have applied for a 60 days tourist visa before I left, even though you’re entitled to a 60 days visa exemption. Pre approved visa is always a bit “stronger” in the immigration and if something happens you’ll most certainly will manage to enter by a land border with a valid tourist visa. That’s at least the advice I would have given previously.

5 months ago

Alex ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Jan *****************

thanks for your feedback! So to minimize risk, I understood entering Thailand with a TR visa via land border would be the way to go?

The point of entering with a visa instead no visa is total clear and makes sense!

But could you quick tell me, why entering via land is more promising than entry via air?

5 months ago

Jan ******************

@Alex **********

The main airports as Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang are known to be more strict. Phuket and Chang Mai are more easy.

Can’t give you a accurate answer, but based on other skilled peoples knowledge (Tod Daniels) and general feedbacks over a period of time there’s almost no reports of tourists visas turned down by a land border (unless you use the (crazy) strict Poipet border to Cambodia). People who got turned down with a tourist visa at the airport and have managed to fly to a nearby country have entered by a land border with the same visa without any issues.

But I agree with other people commenting, since you’ve been home for 3 months and not are going back to back my bet are that you’ll be fine even at an airport, but just mention it as you know the options.

5 months ago

Reply to

Jan ******************

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