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Is it possible to stay in Thailand for 6 months a year using visa runs without issues?

Thai Visa RulesVisa RunsImmigration ProcessVisa ExtensionsLong-term Stay in ThailandExpat AdviceVisa Exemptions
Feb 16, 2025
6 days ago
Fąndn *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
I have 3 inquiries, can anyone advise :

1) if one stays in Thailand for only 6 months each year , would that mean he only need to do ONE-TIME visa run this way ? :

> Flight to Thailand

> 60 days + 30 days (extension)

> Border RUN ( by flight/road)

> 60 days + 21 days (extension)

> Flight out of Thailand

(Total stay <180 days in Thailand per year )

2) "Visa run" and "border run" means the same thing right ?

3) Is the above method feasible - would this be safe from being questioned by the officers ?
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The user inquired about the possibility of using a visa run strategy to stay in Thailand for about 6 months a year and whether this method would be safe from immigration scrutiny. Responses indicated that while some users have successfully used this tactic in the past, recent changes in immigration policy and increased scrutiny could lead to denial of entry if officers suspect the individual is living in Thailand without a proper visa. Additionally, there's a distinction between a visa run (applying for a visa abroad) and a border run (crossing a border and returning without a visa). Several community members advised that relying on this method could pose significant risks in the current immigration climate.
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Henrik *****
If wanting to stay 180 days, then get a visa that allows staying for 180 days, not visa exemption which is 60 days.

What you want, isn’t always the same as, what you can get.
5 days ago
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John **********
A visa run and a border run are not the same. A visa run involves visiting a Thai consulate in another country and applying for a visa. A border run just involves crossing a border, entering another country and returning to Thailand.

Your proposed plan will likely be ok for a few trips, especially if you use a border run agency for your border crossing, but you do stand a chance of being denied entry to Thailand once a pattern of you using these entries to live in Thailand for just under 180 days every year emerges.
6 days ago
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Marco *******
It will works 1 time and will be at discretion of the IO, if you do it trough the years the chances of be denied the entry are quite high
6 days ago
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Ant ***********
6 days ago
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Fąndn *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Ant **********
 yes I am still reading it, thanks 👍
6 days ago
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Fąndn *******
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Ant ***********
This was posted yesterday
6 days ago
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Ian **********
2) Visa run (go to another country and apply for a visa that is not available within Thailand) border bounce ( go to a nearby land border and re-enter visa-exempt) Always best to do this with an organised travel company as they have agreements in place for a trouble-free re-entry.
6 days ago
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Jo **********
i know that most people will say you will have a problem but you most likely will not. For many years I entered 8-12 times visa exempt but I never had a problem. If you significantly separate the 2 - 90 stays you should be alright.
6 days ago
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Henrik *****
The rules was changed
****
2024, so what happend before that date is obsolete.
5 days ago
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Jo **********
@Henrik ****
 what rule was changed? i think the only rule that changed was 30 to 60 day visa exempt. I could be wrong
5 days ago
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Henrik *****
Before there was a number on how many times you could enter ( 2 ), now ?
5 days ago
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Henrik *****
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Brandon ************
@Jo *********
 those "for many years" was before visa exempt was increased to 60 days. It's a whole new game now. Taking the 30 day extension after the 60 days seems to be the signal now that you've spent enough time in Thailand and you have no reason to return before a few months have passed.
5 days ago
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Jo **********
@Brandon ***********
 ok I can understand that. However, we don’t have hard statistics on denials.
5 days ago
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Brandon ************
@Jo *********
 we just have more and more reports of people being denied entry since last year. Getting increasingly more every month
5 days ago
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Brandon ************
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Nongnuch ********
@Jo *********
 you seem to ignore the many reports that indicate Immigration has changed their behaviour since the visa-exempt entry went from 30 days to 60 days. Hundreds of people have been denied entry since, so beware, your advice is not valid any more
6 days ago
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Jo **********
@Nongnuch *******
 simply saying my advice is no longer valid based on some wild assertion that 100s have been denied. Can you show scientifically credible data to support that.
5 days ago
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Jo **********
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Marco *******
@Jo *********
 it absolutely depends on the length of the stay, you can enter even 30 times on visa exemption in 1 year and have no problem, the OP intends to live permanently in Thailand with visa exemption through the years and this have high chances of trouble
6 days ago
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Fąndn *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Marco ******
 it's visiting Less than 50% of mths a year , I wouldn't call the permanently... But I guess it's really up to the officers mood that day 🙈
6 days ago
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Marco *******
@Fąndn ******
 technically it’s 1 calendar year, practically the IO at his own discretion can deny the entry if he suspects that you are living in the country without an appropriate visa and in the case that you mentioned the chances that the IO will think this way are high
6 days ago
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Marco *******
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Chuck **********
Nope!
6 days ago
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Greg ***********
@Fąndn ******
 not recommended, because you can be denied entry at the second attempt to enter visa-exempt. We do not know what the Immigration officer at the border will decide if he sees your stamp history and decides that you are milking the visa-exempt rule for a longstay
6 days ago
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Michael ********
Here is the post

********************************************
6 days ago
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Michael ********
Nobody knows there was a post earlier this week somebody got refused for tbe second entry doing this.

Safer with multi entry tourist visa or the DTV
6 days ago
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Michael ********
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