How long do we need to be away (third country, not “home”) between 60-day exemptions?

I am a solo mom with two kids, all American passports on a 60 day exemption, which is up on the 26th of Dec. I intend to get a DTV as a digital nomad, but wanted to see how it is before going through the whole process, as this is our first time in Thailand.

My rough plan is to be in Taipei for Feb/ March, and apply for Thai DTV from there. In the meanwhile, we’ll be going to Malaysia over winter break and planning to return Jan 1. We won’t be there long enough to wait for the DTV to go through, so we’d be returning for another exemption. Is 8 days long enough they would be okay with another exemption? Or would they be okay with it because it would be only our second entry?

Alternately we could stay in Thailand over break and apply for an extension but I don’t know how likely it could be refused, or if the 30 days starts the day we apply, or if it gets added to our original date.

Hi, I applied for visa exemption extension online via VFA. This is my third visit to Bangkok Thailand this year.

1st visit - early jan 2 weeks or so.

2nd visit - mid July to October 60+30 days extension (I consumed roughly 78 days)

Between my 2nd and 3rd visit I went back to my home city Hanoi for 5 days

3rd visit mid October to present with online extension appointment in person on Monday 15th Dec, the day my visa exemption ends.

What's are the odds the IO will give me

30 days?

7 days?

0?

Thank you

Hello,

In the Past I’ve visited Thailand several times without overstaying or doing visa runs.

Recent history:

• Stayed 3 weeks december 2024, went vietnam for a week in January and cameback in Thailand January for a week.

• Returned Thailand in November for 1 week, then spent 1 week in Vietnam

• Came back to Thailand, was asked a few questions but got stamped

• Left a few days for a family event and will return 6 days later

→ Total: 3 entries in 2025, all on visa exemption.

Am I fine as long as I have an onward ticket, hotel booking, and cash?

Also, is the “VIP fast track” people talk about (paying someone to get stamped with no questions) legit?

Just wanna say my experience to get a tourist visa in Vietnam. It took 4 working days applying from HCMC embassy. They asked me why I applied for a tourist visa and I said because last time I entered IO told me to apply for one. I used an outbound cheap ticket from Krabi to Kuala Lumpur.

Now my question is: I have spent 52 days in the beginning of the year in Visa visa extemp, came back home 6 months and 67 from October in Thailand for a total of 119 days on 2025.

At the moment I'm in Vietnam and I would like to back for New year in Thailand. My idea was to travelling to laos because I wanna visit there first and enter by land from nong khai or could be that a problem and better fly to bkk airport and use a safe entry? Or atill better to wait january to come back?

Thank you guys

I’ve got tickets booked to arrive in Thailand next week. This will be my fourth visit for the year. Others being in March, June and October. Each visit, I stay for 3 weeks. Genuine tourist. Have return flight back to Australia paid for. Accomodation booked. Enough cash to pass the 20,000 baht test. Have I got anything to be concerned about? As in, entry refusal?

I see that you now can only travel to thailand on visa exemption two times in a calendar year (not 12 months), I have been there tree times this year and are traveling again in march, since that is a new calendar year, my previous trips don’t count anymore?

Just some info for others worried about entering.

I've spent the last 3 years on/off in Thailand on tourist visa, visa exemption, and a 1yr student visa.

I recently left for 9 months and did a world travel trip.

Yesterday I crossed via land at the Padang Besar border with Malaysia.

No issues at all, despite the many Thai stamps in my passport.

No questions, no proof, nothing.

Just a photo, fingerprints and a slightly grumpy officer, and I was stamped in for 60 days 👍

Arrived in Bangkok 11 December

This is not something I dreamed up.

Previous retirement visa but COVID and a death in the family screwed that up. So in

November 2024 Visa exempt with 30 day extention. Left the country for a week and back from Vientiane to get another Visa exempt and left before the 60 days in April 2025. That entry did raise a few eyebrows and required input of a senior IO but nothing was said. That was the only visa run done.

For the record, no over stays or any other issues in 35 odd years. A clean slate as far as I am aware.

On arrival got taken out the queue to the immigration office. Had to fill out a Passenger Information Form and was told I needed a Wife visa. The IO supervisor, firm but polite, wanted to see Baht 20,000 CASH, marriage certificate 35 years married to a Thai, wife ID card and a ticket out of Thailand. I had a genuine reservation to Ho Chi Ming city, thought that might be helpful.

I was given a 60 day visa exempt and TOLD in no uncertain terms to get the correct visa. I doubt if a 30 day extension will be given

On a side note there was another Brit who seemed to have been stopped for visa "irregularities" and told to return to the UK. When he asked if he could buy a ticket to Loas he was told no, go back to the UK.

There were at least 6 others in the office, the one where seniors over 70 can fast track, being interviewed.

So there will be two types people that will read this.

1. Those who think this will not happen to them and continue to think visa exempt is the way to long term stays. Your entitlement will be your undoing.

2. Those that will take on my experience and be prepared. I honestly believed that the ticket to Vietnam saved me from being sent back to the UK.

So why did not get the correct visa before coming. I have been trying to get funds out of a fund run by STM Malta, useless company, for 4 months. They keep changing the goal posts.

Far too many posts thinking this is a joke it is not. Long term stays require a visa.

Hello everyone basically I had a 60 day Visa on arrival and then extended it. I’m reaching of my 30 day extension and I have booked a flight to Vietnam for a week and then I come back obviously after my 90 days has finished.

I have to leave half my stuff in Thailand, like cameras, drones, expensive equipment. This is because I am unable to purchase additional baggage due to already of reaching the max baggage allowance for the flight.

I have a friend I’m coming back with to spend Christmas time and then going back to Vietnam with the rest of my stuff

However, I am worried that I will be denied entry. I have paid for fast track and I have a Thai person meeting me at my gate when I arrive back to Bangkok however, I am just scared that I will lose all my belongings and get denied entry just so everyone knows as well. This is my first ever time visit in Thailand right now I’ve never been before.

I would want to know does the Visa get reset on 1st January anyway 100%

The people think I will be OK considering it’s my first time in Thailand. What extra precaution should I take to ensure a safe arrival?

Also as for proof of funds does it have to be cash or can it be bank

Hello everyone

Did anyone ever do a changing of visa from visa exempt/tourist visa to a 90 days non O visa (married to a thai) inside thailand ?

I went to immigration with all the documents and did the application. Got a note from the immigration officer in my passport that says "in process of changing visa. And the date I was there. That was all.

No information about when to come back to get my stamp.

My visa exempt stamp is finshed in 3 days now. (I had enough days left when I did the application)

And I wonder if anyone have done this process and if I am allowed to stay here and wait for my 90 days non o stamp even though my exemption stamp has expierd?

And how will I know when the visa is finished for me to go back and get the stamp?

Any one knows ?

I sadly cant just go there and ask as I live on an island 2 hour boat from immigration and ive tried calling but no answer.

Any help is so appriciated. 🙏☺️