How many consecutive tourist visas can I get?

[McFly]

Can I keep getting back to back tourist visas to enter Thailand? Can I get it from the same country each time or do I have to hop to different countries? Is there a limit per year to this?

 

The reason is I want to stay in Thailand for a long time, but I like to travel and leave for a few weeks or a month at a time about every 3 months. I'd be spending about 8-9 months in Thailand a year, so it seems to be an easier option to get tourist visas when I want instead of pay for a multiple entry visa.

[Randy]

It depends what nationality you have. Look up the Thai embassy in your home country, they probably have a website with info. Or call them.

 

I remember that with tourist or multiple entry visa (max 3 x 2 months) you're not allowed to stay in Thailand more than 6 months of any calendar year. Whether that rule is strictly enforced or even still in place I don't know.

[Skygod]

I don't believe that back to back full visas is a problem as long as you leave the country every 90 days (visa run), however there has been some tightening on the issuance of back to back tourist visas with stricter checks that the visa is only for 'tourist' purposes and not for working illegally. If they consider that you are not just a tourist you may have the following stamp made on the visa page :

 

 

 

Stamp on entry visa exemption is limited to 4 x 15 day land border crossings after which it is necessary to exit and re-enter by air to obtain a 30 day stamp on entry visa exemption.

Edited December 12, 2009 by Skygod

[Scumbag]

You don't state where you are from. If you are at home try to obtain a multiple entry non-immigrant type-O visa before you leave for Thailand. This visa will allow you to move freely into and out of Thailand for one year with stays of up to 90 days. Your chance of getting one and the number of hoops you have to jump through will depend on which embassy or consulate you go to. Some give them to any joker for any reason (eg me in Perth, Australia) and some ask for things like marriage certificates and proof of funds and/or income.

[Dr.Winston]

I don't believe that back to back full visas is a problem as long as you leave the country every 90 days (visa run), however there has been some tightening on the issuance of back to back tourist visas with stricter checks that the visa is only for 'tourist' purposes and not for working illegally. If they consider that you are not just a tourist you may have the following stamp made on the visa page :

 

 

 

Stamp on entry visa exemption is limited to 4 x 15 day land border crossings after which it is necessary to exit and re-enter by air to obtain a 30 day stamp on entry visa exemption.

That Visa was issued in Vientienne (Laos). They've always been an awkward Consulate to deal with, real sticklers for the rules. I was refused a non-immigrant visa from that Consulate twice but received them from both Cambodia and the UK with the same paperwork. That's the first time I've seen one of those stamps.

 

I'm not sure with the current regulations on tourist visas. My approach would be to pay for a multiple entry Non-Immigrant Visa. It will save you hassle in the long run.

[Mike Asia]

There is a thread on Thai visa forum about the back to back tourist visa crackdown.

 

I would also check with http://www.1stclassvisaruns.com/ , they surely have the latest informationm

[bocelli27]

If you are British, you should consider investing £100 to obtain a MULTIPLE entry Non-Immigrant Visa as this will last up to 15 months and has unresticted entry to Thailand providing only that you leave the country every 90 days. This would eliminate the need to worry about reliance on consecutive Visa exemptions which only last 30 days.

 

Hull Consulate are helpful in issuing such visas.

 

http://www.thaiconsul-uk.com/downloads-and-visas.aspx

[McFly]

Thanks for the replies. I'm in my 30s and from the USA. I won't be working in Thailand.

 

It sounds like consecutive tourist visas are allowed in most cases. I hear people in Thailand saying they paid 20-30,000 baht for an O visa. I know tourist visas are free until March 2010 so after my next one I'll consider all options and go with the most affordable one.

Edited December 12, 2009 by Scout

[Bagwan]

Be very carefull with the back to back tourist visa's they are RED stamping some guys now!!!

[hillsy]

You don't state where you are from. If you are at home try to obtain a multiple entry non-immigrant type-O visa before you leave for Thailand. This visa will allow you to move freely into and out of Thailand for one year with stays of up to 90 days. Your chance of getting one and the number of hoops you have to jump through will depend on which embassy or consulate you go to. Some give them to any joker for any reason (eg me in Perth, Australia) and some ask for things like marriage certificates and proof of funds and/or income.

Hi Scumbag, i gather by reading your comment that you may know some of the visa conditions. I am on the Gold Coast and i am 48yo soon to be 49, my intent was to move to Thailand to live on an o multi entry visa, but when i went to thai connsulate in Brisbane they told me that i have to be 50yo for this visa, but i have been told age is not an issue with the O visa. So now i am considering runing two 3 mth back to back tourist visa if this is allowed which will take me to my 50thbirday and when i come back to Australia i would then apply for the O multi entry visa. There seems to be so many different rules or things u have to present depending on who you talk to. I if i have to show 800,000 bht in thai bank i will and i am on a milatary pension and is nearly double income from what my thai gf if earning. Can you shed some light on this please. Could you send your comment to my email address [email protected].

cheers.

[Scumbag]

Hi Scumbag, i gather by reading your comment that you may know some of the visa conditions. I am on the Gold Coast and i am 48yo soon to be 49, my intent was to move to Thailand to live on an o multi entry visa, but when i went to thai connsulate in Brisbane they told me that i have to be 50yo for this visa, but i have been told age is not an issue with the O visa. So now i am considering runing two 3 mth back to back tourist visa if this is allowed which will take me to my 50thbirday and when i come back to Australia i would then apply for the O multi entry visa. There seems to be so many different rules or things u have to present depending on who you talk to. I if i have to show 800,000 bht in thai bank i will and i am on a milatary pension and is nearly double income from what my thai gf if earning. Can you shed some light on this please. Could you send your comment to my email address [email protected].

cheers.

Hi, did you make it clear to them that it was the O class visa that you wanted and not the O-A class. The O class is for other reasons to visit Thailand (eg family, wife, girlfriend or just a friend depending on the office) and the O-A is the retirement visa. A couple of years back people where reporting that Brisbane was very easy to get the non imm-O visa from, perhaps that has changed. Like I stated some offices are very easy others are very difficult.

[TehVen]

When you talk about back-to-back or consecutive tourist visa's, are you talking about single entry or double entry visa's ?

 

Visa's confuse me, definately a murky area, I think they need to add the disclaimer "Results may vary"

 

My understanding for the tourist visa was that it allowed a maximum of 90 days (60 days + 30 day extension) in any 6 month period.

 

So a single entry tourist visa is good for 90 days and any attempt to obtain and use a second single entry visa within the proceeding 90 days would be rejected ?

 

Double entry tourist visa's on the other hand ? That's where I get confused. Can you take 60 days + 30 day extension, leave, re-enter and then take another 60 days + 30 day extension using the same visa because it is double entry ?

Edited December 13, 2009 by TehVen

[Cheetah]

Can you take 60 days + 30 day extension, leave, re-enter and then take another 60 days + 30 day extension using the same visa because it is double entry ?

 

That’s an interesting question, I am planning to make a 6-month trip to Pattaya this year and have been recently making some enquiries too.

 

There was a discussion in Thai visa about that same question yesterday and the reply from one of the mods was that it is possible.

 

So I guess that there are 2 options to have a stay of 180 days with a tourist visa:

 

1. Getting a double-entry visa and do 2 stretches of 60 + 30 day extension, with a visa run between them.

 

2. Getting a triple-entry visa and do 3 stretches of 60 days with 2 visa runs in total between them.

 

I can’t see any problem with any of these 2 arrangements in principle, if anyone can please let me know.

[Expat46]

Hull in UK is always very Non-O friendly.

 

** Tourist visa's: I've stayed on them since 2000, back-to-back.

 

Been back home only 1 times in these years, the rest I stayed full time in Thailand.

No problems for most nationalities.

 

Vientiane Laos, been there 5 times, no red stamp. Going there again soon.

Edited February 23, 2010 by Expat46

[jimmy37]

You can always go to cambodia for a short stay and then return to the track.

[TehVen]

Well, I just got my passport back from the Thai consulate in Sydney. I applied for a double entry tourist visa as I was planning to visit Vietnam for a month before returing to Thailand and using the second entry. Unfortunately they only gave me single entry, stating that my second entry fell outside the validity of the visa (3 months).

 

Im sure I read somewhere that validity of a double entry visa was 1 year but I guess not.

 

I guess my options now are to either re-arrange my trip or apply for a second tourist visa while in Vietnam or maybe to cross

my fingers and hope I have no problems getting a visa exemption + extension due to nationality.

 

On a side note - they also advised Sydney consulate will no longer be issuing visa's via post, only in person. What a pain in the arse !

[larryroaddog]

Hull in UK is always very Non-O friendly.

 

** Tourist visa's: I've stayed on them since 2000, back-to-back.

 

Been back home only 1 times in these years, the rest I stayed full time in Thailand.

No problems for most nationalities.

 

Vientiane Laos, been there 5 times, no red stamp. Going there again soon.

Thanks for the personal example. Although things may change, it is good to know it can be done!

[Expat46]

TehVen: You should have applied in Perth - they are still very friendly according to the latest reports.

You could have get Multi entry there, good for 12 (15) months.

Validity for double entry visa is also 3 months, so you must activate the 2nd part within 3 months.

Although you can just fly in to BKK and get 30 days on arrival (for most nationalities).

[TehVen]

Thanks Expat46, I will keep that in mind for next time.

 

Didn't realise validity was still only 3 months for multi entry visas. I might have been ok had I applied for it a little closer to my arrival date.

[Expat46]

Validity 3 months for double entry.

Multi entry has longer validity of course.

Better luck next time.