Upon entering DMK immigration yesterday, I encountered a Female IO and a second female who interceded and took me aside regarding multiple Visa exemption arrivals (my second this year but third in a row counting 2022). She said I can't enter the country again without a legit visa. She proceeded to type a great deal of info into the computer before stamping me in. That was a bit concerning...

She said they don’t believe that I’m a tourist and also that I can’t return to Thailand without a proper Visa which is fair enough as I have no plans of doing so.

However, I have this unfortunate blip (passport is only 8 months old!) where a previous STV Visa was crossed out and cancelled by Chiang Rai immigration in November. The female IO referenced it. Only one day after issuing me the 90 day extension last October they called me the next morning asking me to come back to the office and then proceeded to cancel my visa and refund my money. They told me to go to Laos and do a border bounce. They told me I could do it twice inside a calendar year, arrive on a Visa Exemption followed by a 30-day extension. Their words.

So my question is: I’ve recently been accepted as a student at MFU set to start my degree in August. I’ll be returning to Canada in the meantime. When I next return to Thailand it will be on an Education Visa sponsored by the University, for a 4 year program. Will I have continued difficulties at Immigration for the duration of my degree and my existing passport all because of the events described above? Will the University encounter difficulties because of it? The ED-Visa would be issued by the Embassy in Ottawa, should I expect any problems there also?

I’ve been here off and on since 2021 on an STV Visa, and some exemptions. I did have multiple visa extensions during COVID, etc via Pattaya, Koh Chang and Chiang Rai immigration offices.

Any advice or help greatly appreciated.

Hello guys so i have a question regarding my stay in Thailand. I came to thailand on stv visa in july 2022 (90 day without possibility of extention) then I crossed the border by a car to get the 45 exemption + 30 days extension. After that i crossed again the border in the end of december to get again 45+30 extention. The extention will end in the middle of march.

So totally i got 2 times 45 days exemption + 30 days extention in 2022 year.

So my question is:

1) right now will i need to cross the border by a plane? i cannot find the information if i can cross the border by car twice a calendar year or just a year?

2) after i will enter thailand again (land or plane) will i be able to get the 45 days exemption + 30 days extention? I found the info that it will end in the end of march.

Thank you for all your help🙏🙏

Hello,

Is it better to get A tourist visa on arrival in Thailand or apply for it online.

Thanks 

Hey there,

We did our first land border bounce last month at Nong Khai/Ventiane (Laos). Came straight back to Thailand. It was very easy from Bangkok so thinking about going there again next month.

Came in August on STV (90 days).

Did the above border bounce as our STV had ended and came in on first Visa exempt (45 days) and did one extension for 30 days last week.

Hoping to come in once more on visa exempt and one more extension before heading home in April. We thought our STV was good for 270 days, which is why we booked that date to go home.

Thoughts about going back to the same border, is that ok? Will stay one night if it helps.

Or is it better to go with a border run company to Cambodia (same day return)?

Thanks!

Silly question, probably asked a lot. I am a UK citizen wanting to visa Thailand for 90 days. I went to apply for a STV (i.e. 90 days) and its not listed anymore. So are they still available or do you just apply for a 60 day TR visa and then extend when you are there? Thanks so much in-advance....I have a Thai Bank account now and so long term plan on getting a Retirement visa, but wasn't planning too this visit...

I have plans to travel internationally in January, but currently I have the STV (Special Tourist Visa). I was wondering if anyone has left Thailand & reentered with the STV? I do not know with my visa if I can apply for a re-entry permit.

Cheron Gonzalez

for my son entered Bangkok in STV visa initially issued by embassy - went immigration said cannot be renewed as no longer avail and was informed to do border crossing to get the 45 days coming back in.

Am I correct in understanding that if we take a flight to eg: Laos stay a day or two and then fly back to Bangkok he just gets a 45 day visa stamped into passport again at customs?.

I am aware of the land borders and agents (read up on it) and just trying to way up best options here. It will be his 1st time doing this.

Also which airport’s in Laos gives the least probs asking for stuff. TIA

Hello : ) thanks for this super informative page. We (an Irish and a British national) are planning to come from our place of residence in Germany to visit family living in Thailand from December until March 2023 (90 days). During this period, we are also planning to visit Vietnam / Cambodia and/or Laos for around 2 weeks. What would the best visa option be? Get the 90 day SVT, if it is still possible? ( or is this only single entry?) OR enter Visa exempt for 45 days, travel to Vietnam / Cambodia / Laos then after reenter visa free to Thailand? Is it a risk to do it that way? Thank you very much in advance!

Admin - please feel free to ignore this if you think it’s not informative.

Hi all. I’m American, just did a visa run after being in Thailand for 9 months on STV + one Covid extension. Here’s my visa experience flying from BKK to Hanoi & back, if it’s any help to others:

1 - My airline - Vietnam Airlines - did not ask about a ticket out of Thailand during the visa period. (Although I bought one, after reading posts on here.)

2 - At immigration in BKK, the officer asked me if I have a visa. I replied that I thought American citizens can enter visa-free for 45 days. She said yes, but how long do I plan to stay in Thailand - obviously she saw I’ve been here for almost a year. So I showed her my exit ticket & she stamped me right in. (My actual plan is to apply for retirement extension, but I didn’t have to go into all that at that time.)

3 - Re the exit ticket out of Thailand - this won’t work for everyone, but I bought an airline ticket using frequent flyer miles to a destination that I will definitely go to at some point. So only had to lay out $20 USD. Yes, now I need to change that ticket & there will be a fee involved, but it will get used sometime in the future.

I am plannig to move to Chiang Mai later this year. I have applied for the STV tourist Visa for 90 days by mistake. I meant to get the standard tourist Visa and then extend it.

They have requested additional documents proving accomodation for whole 90 days and payment of that, plus specific travel insurance. Should I try to overcome this or give up and do a new Visa App?

I have mentioned I want to view the apartments available in person as it will be for several months. I also have family and friends living there long term already, and am welcome to stay there temporarily while I find an apartment. Not sure if they will consider this relevant or important but I think it is!

Any advise appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Dan.