Visa exemption of 45 days

[Lima61]

Sawasdee, anybody has an idea when the proposed 45 days for the tourist visa will come effective ? I have asked this to my embassy but they say that it is not yet made officially. I am in urgent need to apply for a visa since I will stay 43 days as off 4 october. So for now I am still in doubt to apply for an e- visa or not. Thanks for any correct advice,

 

Kind regards, Lima61

[Faz]

Hi Lima, welcome to the forum.

A Tourist Visa grants a stay of 60 days on entry - no change.

The Visa exempt scheme (entering without a Visa) currently grants a stay of 30 days, but from October 1st 2022 - March 31st 2023, this period of stay will be extended to 45 days.
Thailand grants visa extension for tourists to stimulate upcoming high season - TAT Newsroom

No problem entering Oct 4th for 43 days without a Tourist Visa.

[Lima61]

42 minutes ago, Faz said:

Hi Lima, welcome to the forum.

A Tourist Visa grants a stay of 60 days on entry - no change.

The Visa exempt scheme (entering without a Visa) currently grants a stay of 30 days, but from October 1st 2022 - March 31st 2023, this period of stay will be extended to 45 days.
Thailand grants visa extension for tourists to stimulate upcoming high season - TAT Newsroom

No problem entering Oct 4th for 43 days without a Tourist Visa.

Why does my embassy (on the 64 countries list) say than that I still need to apply for a tourist visa ? And I must say that on the website from my embassy there is nothing publiced yet about this matter. So I wonder what TAT approve is that officially exepted or approved by the Thai governement ? 

[Faz]

1 hour ago, Lima61 said:

Why does my embassy (on the 64 countries list) say than that I still need to apply for a tourist visa ?

I assume you're referring to this;
Purpose of visit “Tourism/Leisure activities (less than 30 days)” 

***If  your intended stay exceeds 30 days, you need to apply for a visa before travelling to Thailand.
Visa Exemption Scheme – Royal Thai Embassy Brussels

Because that's the standard permitted stay via VE entry.

2 hours ago, Lima61 said:

And I must say that on the website from my embassy there is nothing publiced yet about this matter.

Rarely is until the 11th hour.

2 hours ago, Lima61 said:

So I wonder what TAT approve is that officially exepted or approved by the Thai governement ? 

 

Thailand grants visa extension for tourists to stimulate upcoming high season

Effective from 1 October, 2022, until 31 March, 2023, for tourists from countries/territories entitled for a visa exemption and visa on arrival to Thailand.

That's official!

 

[Faz]

The Thai Embassy DC has a notice regarding the VE entry extension, albeit with a grammatical error.
» Visa Exemption and Visa on Arrival (thaiembdc.org)

 

Visa Exemption and Visa on Arrival

For a visit of up to 30 days**
(**Previous permitted period of stay was 30 days; the extension to 45 days will be in effect until (should read 'from') 30 September 2021)
 

 

[Lima61]

OK, thank you, I really want to follow your advice but I will only be 100% convinced (sorry for that) if I can read it on the website from the Thai embassy in my country, that would reassure me more. And does that mean that for the American people the exemption of 45 days already excists since last year  ? 

Kind regards.

[Faz]

11 minutes ago, Lima61 said:

OK, thank you, I really want to follow your advice but I will only be 100% convinced (sorry for that) if I can read it on the website from the Thai embassy in my country, that would reassure me more.

If you know anything about Thailand, it's that they have no consideration for those trying to make plans amongst changes to entry rules or requirements. TAT are responsible for posting the latest up-to-date information on entry to Thailand, as they did during the changing Covid requirements. 

20 minutes ago, Lima61 said:

And does that mean that for the American people the exemption of 45 days already excists since last year  ? 

No, as explained, it's a grammatical error.
Replace the word 'until' with 'from' to be correct.
The change is the same for all 64 nationalities entitled to VE entries.

[Lima61]

OK, I 'll guess I can follow (trust) what TAT has anounced then, thank you for clarify this issue. 

[Leo]

On 9/5/2022 at 6:40 PM, Faz said:

The Thai Embassy DC has a notice regarding the VE entry extension, albeit with a grammatical error.
» Visa Exemption and Visa on Arrival (thaiembdc.org)

Visa Exemption and Visa on Arrival

For a visit of up to 30 days**
(**Previous permitted period of stay was 30 days; the extension to 45 days will be in effect until (should read 'from') 30 September 2021)
 

Faz, they mean "from 30 September 2022"? I'm about to use that in mid October, I had a TR visa since December with Covid extensions till August 23 when I exited the country (i.e. one entry stamp the whole time). Do you foresee any issues at Suvarnabhumi? Is an onward flight asked/checked?

Edit: What might be the advantage of using a TR visa now, other than the extra 15 days? Does it make a difference if one needs to convert to a Non-B or Non-O?

 

Edited September 24, 2022 by Leo

[Faz]

4 hours ago, Leo said:

Faz, they mean "from 30 September 2022"?

For arrivals between Oct 1st, 2022 - March 31st, 2023. 
 

4 hours ago, Leo said:

I'm about to use that in mid October, I had a TR visa since December with Covid extensions till August 23 when I exited the country (i.e. one entry stamp the whole time). Do you foresee any issues at Suvarnabhumi?

 You may well be stopped and questioned, and/or refused entry via VE entry, due to the time already spent in Thailand during the previous 12 months. Under normal circumstances, a 'Tourist' would not be permitted to stay for 10 months in a year. It would be purely at the discretion of the IO to allow a further entry.
 

4 hours ago, Leo said:

Is an onward flight asked/checked?

An onward flight will be required by the airline carrier entering VE.

 

4 hours ago, Leo said:

Edit: What might be the advantage of using a TR visa now, other than the extra 15 days? Does it make a difference if one needs to convert to a Non-B or Non-O?

If you intend to stay long term, I'd apply for the Non Imm O in the first instance.
You can change to a Non B later if you intend to work.

[Leo]

5 hours ago, Faz said:

For arrivals between Oct 1st, 2022 - March 31st, 2023. 
 

 You may well be stopped and questioned, and/or refused entry via VE entry, due to the time already spent in Thailand during the previous 12 months. Under normal circumstances, a 'Tourist' would not be permitted to stay for 10 months in a year. It would be purely at the discretion of the IO to allow a further entry.
 

An onward flight will be required by the airline carrier entering VE.

If you intend to stay long term, I'd apply for the Non Imm O in the first instance.
You can change to a Non B later if you intend to work.

So you're saying there's little benefit to applying for another TR visa, and it might be rejected in fact, even with zero visa runs in the previous 12-24 months.

Btw, the onward flight is required even for a TR e-visa, as there is a specific section on travel dates and upload of travel documents.

[Faz]

2 hours ago, Leo said:

So you're saying there's little benefit to applying for another TR visa, and it might be rejected in fact, even with zero visa runs in the previous 12-24 months.

You suggested entering VE.
Obtaining and entering with a valid Tourist Visa presents a far lesser risk of being refused entry.

Regardless of any border runs, IO's may use their discretion to determine whether they consider you a genuine tourist, or spending too much time in Thailand using the guise of being a tourist.

Most Countries have clear Immigration rules regarding lengths of permitted stays as a tourist, usually 3 months in a 6-month period, or 6 months in a 12-month period. Other than a formal order restricting land border VE crossings to a maximum of two per annum, the rest is an open book.