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Can you stay in Thailand with 2 passports?

How Many 30 Day Thai Visa Exemptions via Air Travel Will Thailand Allow for USA Citizen with a USA Passport?

  • I would like to know the definitive answer to a specific question regarding the subject of Thai Visa Exemptions via air travel for a USA citizen with a current/valid USA passport. I am a USA citizen with a current/valid USA passport with 9+ years remaining. I will be going to Thailand in the near future, and would like to spend the majority of 6 months there without having to apply/get the initial Non-Immigration "O" Visa or 60 day Tourist Visa. I have many family and friends in Bangkok and around the country there, but I don't want to jump through the Thai Immigration "hoops" and paperwork to get the "extension" for the Non-Immigration "O" or the additional 30 days for the Tourist Visa so to speak. Since the USA is on the list of countries which Thailand will grant USA citizens with current/valid USA passports a 30 day Visa Exemption to, I have the following question. How many 30 day Visa Exemptions via air travel will Thailand allow me? I would like to go to neighboring country such as Cambodia and Philippines via air travel on day 28 or 29 each time before the 30 day Thai Visa Exemption expires. On my return from either Cambodia or Philippines 3 to 5 days later, I am told that I will have the opportunity to receive a "new" 30 day Thai Visa Exemption at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok. This is called a "visa run" by air if I am not mistaken. Herein lies my dilema which provided the impetus behind me posting this question. I read where Thailand law will only allow 90 days total entry every 6 months. More than 90 days in a 6 month period = a daily fine multiplied by the number of days over the 90 day limit. They would impose this fine upon departing Thailand. I have also read this particular law was abolished in November 2008, and that there is no limit to how many 30 day Visa Exemptions I may get if I travel by air. In effect, I could do 30 day "visa exemption runs" via air travel ad infinitum upon returning to Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok each time from the various neighboring countries (e.g., Cambodia and Philipinnes). I have been told to have THB 10,000 on my person upon returning each time to Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok in the event the Thai official stamping my passport with the Visa Exemption asks for proof of solvency. Also, would the Thai official stamping my book ask for proof of my return trip to the USA? I plan on purchasing a RT ticket LAX-BKK-LAX so the return leg back to the USA will be in 3 months, but I will change the return date once in Bangkok to accurately reflect when I will actually return in month #6. If I stay in Thailand for 6 months, I would have to do 5 of these "visa runs" by air. Does anyone have a definitive answer to this question? Anyone have experience with getting multiple consecutive 30 day Thai Visa Exemptions via air travel? Thank you in advance for any productive answers.

  • Answer:

    Very simple you come here visa exempt and you do visa runs by air (30 days) or land (15 days) you can stay a max of 90 days. Now saying this, it doesn't mean the immigration official is going to stop you from reentering Thailand after you have 90 days here, it will be up to him, he could denied you entry or give you another 30 days. Also remember now Thailand is getting harder on overstays. They are now saying they will put you in jail if you overstay more than 42 days and then deport you. Also fine for overstay is 500 baht a day to a max of 20,000 baht. What you should do is get two tourist visas at the Thai embassy near your home, they are free until Mar 2010. You stay 60 days go to immigrations and get a 30 day extension. After your first visa and extension is up you do a border run and return on the second tourist visa, again you get an extension of that visa and you got your 6 months in Thailand with only leaving the country once.

John C. at Yahoo! Answers Visit the source

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Ok - I do not know the in particular current law abt 30 day renewals and frequencies - - but I do understand your confusion and may have an unsatisfactory answer as to why. I have seen and heard from others abt variations even from what the regulations state. It can depend on the person/ individual immigration officer and what they know or think they know. Some of the visa laws have many different stipulations, but they only really concern themselves w/a few of the regulations. That said, I have found immigration officials here to be quite helpful on the few occasions where I had misunderstandings abt requirements. I have been told by friends in one area that they need different paperwork than I have had to provide in other areas - - so, questions can abound - That said, on your issue, there are still companies that operate border runs from bkk that pick you up in the morn and return you afternoon with a newly stamped passport - so, surely the "visa run" is still in existence and though I did not answer your question precisely, I hope I gave you some insight. Don't get frustrated - - trust me, it is far crazier for a Thai wanting to go to USA... Be prepared for any contingency and hopefully you will get some better answers than mine - you can also try Thaivisa.com

spanky

Inquire from your nearest Thai Embassy and ask for a one-year-visa, with extension every three months.

Delauria

See your Embassy in the USA and get the facts straight You should get a 2 month visa for thailand before you travel and then stay for 2 months in Thai And then as you want to go other places stay there for a month for example then go to the next country another month and then back to Thailand so you get 3 months in thailand and then you are sure you are ok with the visas Then as you are there you can get the definitive answer while you are in Thailand go to the USA embassy for advice and make your plans accordingly That way you are not going to be worrying before you go and even if you cant stay as long as you want as you say you are going to visit other places so its not that much of an issue This way you are sure of a minumum of 3 months in Thailand

Mark :)

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