We interrupt this broadcast to bring you a breaking News bulletin..
The new 60 day entry stamp program that started 3 days ago is not limited to two entries by land in a calendar year, it is unlimited entry by land.
Just had somebody that did two free stamp land entries this year bounce out and back and get a new 60-day entry with no questions at al. The officer said unlimited.
EDIT:
Okay here's the stamp "trail" and it's a screwy one with an overstay at every step of the process :O
The person entered their FIRST ENTRY BY LAND on March 16th was stamped in 30 days until April 14th.
They went to the immigration office on the 17th of April paid a 3 day overstay (no stamp image) and got a 30 day extension good until 14 of May
They went to the border on May 17th paid a 3 day overstay (no stamp image) and got a 30 day stamp until Jun 15th (note the stamp has 2/67 meaning second land entry this year)
They went to the immigration office on the 18th of June paid a 3 day overstay AND got a 30 day extension good until 15th of July
They went to the border July 18 paid a 3 day overstay AND got a NEW THIRD LAND ENTRY STAMP for 60 days
Remember you heard it first from Tod Daniels.
29,337
views
390
likes
780
all likes
153
replies
7
images
76
users
TLDR : Answer Summary
Recent updates indicate that the new 60-day visa exemption entry program for Thailand allows for unlimited entries by land, contrary to the previous rule of two entries per calendar year. Users report cases of individuals successfully obtaining a 60-day stamp after multiple land crossings, with immigration officials confirming the new policy. However, experiences may vary by individual officer interpretations, leading to discussions among expats about potential risks and the need for documented proof of departure when entering.
Any more field reports of 3rd or more Land Entry using Visa Exemption from other Land Borders?? Hopefully, reports from the Land Borders with Laos perhaps??
Great work as always, and, personally, heard this great news here 1st in this FB Group, not other websites, FB Pages, or FB Groups!
Tod *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Here's a slightly better version of stamp entry history
Tod *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
clearly shows a third land entry for 60 days after the 30 day extension from the second land entry ๐
Reply to
Tod *********
Reply
Jai *****
never trust immigration officer !!!! Few years ago they asked me to come back to immigration office on the next day even if i had a ticket number and it was my last day on my visa. They said i will not have overstay (and it was amnestie time during covid), next day the same officer gave me overstay. So unlimited? i don't believe it (yet)
I'm not asking you to believe it or not, I'm telling you how it is and that it's been confirmed now multiple times at the cambodian borders and the malaysian borders.
Reply to
Tod *********
Reply
Tod *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Just confirmed with border bounce companies in the south that Malay borders are giving 60 day unlimited entry ๐ฎ
shouldn't have any issue there it's the easiest land border crossing in the country
Reply to
Tod *********
Reply
Abigail ******
If anyone hears about this at Malaysia borders please comment!! ๐
Tod *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
post on one of those southern island groups and see what those people say they're always bouncing at those borders
Reply to
Tod *********
Reply
Mma *******
Let's keep an eye on it a bigger sample size would be good.
Sa *******
Which borders overland? Ranong to Myanmar, Satun, Sadao, Padang Besar? Any info about that?
Sevenk ******
Would it be a good or a bad news for people who are staying here with entries exempts for a long time (more than 4 or 5 months a year) ? I am not even sureโฆ.
The good thing with the 2 entries per year was that they were almost guaranteed. Now it could be exactly the same as arriving per air, and someone could just get a declined entry arriving from Vientiane for the first time in the year just because he would have stayed too long before ?
So i donโt know what to think about it and i think i prefer if they keep the 2 entries per year rules. But ofc thatโs just my opinion
you make a very valid point and I mentioned that to an officer when I was talking to them about the change ๐
IF there's limit of 2 visa exempt entries by land in a calendar year, at least you are almost "guaranteed" those two entries (y)
This way with no limit, who knows if the officers will start to take the same attitude as the ones at the airport when they see extensive entry/stay history
Well spotted (y) and I guess it remains to be seen how it will work out
Reply to
Tod *********
Reply
Shaun ****
Fantastic news. Awaiting for the official confirmation ๐
Bogdan *******
Tod Daniels Please confirm whether the stamp is valid at all land crossings for 60 days
Dca *****
Hopefully, more field reports at more land border checkpoints using different countries' passports come in!
Liam ********
Tod bringing the good stuff as usual ๐
Tod *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Okay people enough chewing the fat on whether this is or isn't true,
Time will tell, now granted this was a train wreck of entry/extension history with the near endless 3 day overstay every step of the way ๐
BUT
The fact they were Filipino did NOT (as was falsely stated) get them any preferential treatment with entry to thailand by land ๐
They were on the same TWO per calendar year as most people were ๐
That's why their second entry stamp has
****
on it <- that meant it was their LAST bounce this year
This 60 day stamp was their THIRD land entry any way you wanna slice it
Simon ******
Interesting given the land entry is unlimited how does someone show evidence of their intention to leave Thailand within the 60 days? My understanding is that the criteria for the visa exemption is a flight out. Does this now mean a booked train ticket would be ok?
nope dunno who told you that you need to show proof of onward travel entering free stamp entry by land (or air).
No one asks when you come in by land AND people are rarely asked about it by air once they land here, most are asked by the air carrier bringing them here for onward travel as it's an airline policy
The core of Todโs statement is that you can use the 60-days visa-exempt entry back-to-back for an unlimited number of entries.
That would be a step back to the 1980-ies and 1990-ies.
The assumption is based on a statement of only one single immigration officer at a land border crossing. And I reckon we havenโt received any more such statements, so far
And the holder of the passport was a Filipino - they are indeed allowed to enter Thailand unlimited times, entitled so as being a citizen of an ASEAN country.
Arseniy **********
Hi. Thanks for sharing!
I'd be careful saying that's quite a normal situation with a softer entrance right after the rules update. There is no experience with new stamps yet, so the border staff could be more welcoming at the start.
It was almost the same after COVID stamps were lifted, it was almost the same when visa exemption stamps were extended from 30 to 60 days for some countries a few months ago.
So... I'd say we can't be really sure that it means "unlimited stamps", especially on land the border immigration points. For now, it looks like that. But the previous experience guides us to something different.
This post was ONLY to show that the old rule (implemented back in Jan 1, 2017) when the border bounces went from unlimited 15 days by land to 30 days by land with a limit of two per calendar year (Jan 1 - Dec 31) is no longer in effect.
It has abso-tively, posi-lutely ZERO to do with entering by air free stamp and no where did I say unlimited air entry. ๐ Don't read into this what you want to hear people
Tod *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Another company advertising unlimited entry by land now
Tod *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
now showing up on border bounce company websites too
Maximilian *******
Seems they want people to stay more then 183 days and tax them is what I suppose.
Bob *********
Where do I find the new 60 day rules the UK embassy still had not updated thier website when I looked
Olli *********
THX so much
Michael ********
Any update about the destination Thailand visa? Is this finally working?
Dennis **********
Besides the cost, the struggle and the time we spend, let's give them some credit for the reduced Co2 emissions. ๐
Chainie ******
It really depends on the immigration officer at the airport?
this post is about land entries tho and not by air.
Reply to
Henrik **************
Reply
Bart **************
I'm curious to see how this one ends because one (or three for that matter) immigration officers saying and doing something may not yet be as convincing. Just as embassies writing sometimes ludicrous things on their page, with the only difference that IO's actually execute the policy (so their mistake takes an actual effect).
It also kinda worries me that by now two embassies appear to write that exemption in general is limited to two per calendar year. I vaguely recall that some already had this posted so it may have just popped up because people looking for info found these (false) claims, but if it's newly posted... I guess time will tell.
it'll work until it doesn't and you'll know only too well when that happens ๐ because you'll either get in and told to get a visa to be here or they'll deny you entry and ship you back at your expense
Reply to
Tod *********
Reply
Richard ******
Visa exemption stamp.
Stein ******
So me asking a basic question in a comment gets removed by mods, but this misinformation gets to stand. Fantastic.
Now a bunch of people are going to get turned back at the border because of this fool.
you can message me about who got turned back at land borders and when/where it was
Reply to
Tod *********
Reply
Mark *************************
We will just have to see if this is a one off case or many others get it. Too early to make any conclusions, just too risky for people that are planning to do this.
I wasn't posting it so people could make plans to live here milking 60 day free entry stamps by land ๐ I was saying the old rule that limited it to two free entries by land per year was cancelled
well said as always. Great advice. At the end of the day this is for tourists and if they think you are not a tourist and abusing the system you will have issues.
2 free entries by land per calendar year cancelled will just mean more people milking the system for longer periods of time. As if we dont know many people are already starting to make plans on how to milk it till its dry. Anyway, we will just have to see if this is a one off case of getting stamped in more than twice a calendar year or they really scrubbed the old rule out.
Reply to
Mark *************************
Reply
Lee ***********
That may not be correct, please see the latest from the London Embassy, limited to 2 times a year by any means.
embassies are notorious for having websites with info that hasn't been updated in years. Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Thai immigration are completely seperate and one knows very little about the policies of the other.
I wouldn't trust an embassy outside thailand the sells visas about anything to do with free stamp entry at the land borders ๐ they don't have a dog in that fight
Reply to
Tod *********
Reply
Michael ********
Bit of a big statement following just 1 immigration officerโs decision on 1 person !!!
I presume because you say the, not an immigration officer, that you entered Thailand 'the other day' ? the IO would confirm what you reckon 'the IO', said to everyone entering at Suvarnabhum? Or did you specifically ask an IO when you entered, or did you not enter at all and your just assuming 2 by land? Why would an IO tell anyone at the airport that they are only allowed 2 by land? unless they asked?
yep no issue at all getting a 30 day extension on a 30 day or 60 day entry stamp UNLESS you're russian or taiwanese (they can't get 30 day extensions on the entry stamps)
I hope we can get this confirmed further somehow, not that I don't trust you but I like to see it happen again or some government information about before I pack my bags and traveling back to Thailand faster than first planned as I was planning for October simply because I've already done 2 land entries at the beginning of the year and don't want to be denied entry and have to go back to europe faster than planned as I can't stand the cold here in the winter.
No I meant that if I was to travel to Thailand betore October, lets say next month August I would get 60(+30 extension) and that would allow me to stay until October/November, after that I would need to visit my closest land border crossing which is located at the friendshipbridge in Nong khai, if I was to be denied entry there I would either have to go home or wait in Laos until January 1..
Reply to
Henrik **************
Reply
Goodd *******
Surprised you of all people take this as gospelโฆ.๐๐
๐ it's not about the new 60 day entry program at all (which btw I broke the story on that too ๐ )
It's about the fact that this person already had TWO free entry stamps by land this year (and there was a rule that said you are allowed TWO free stamp entries in a calendar year) and then they got a third entry today (which just so happened to be a 60 day entry stamp) and were told there is no longer a limit of them when you enter by land
FILIPINO CAN MAKE LAND BORDER RUN UNLIMITED! THE PASSPORT ON THE PIC IS A FILIPINO PASSPORT! HIM ENTER THAILAND FROM CAMBODIA TO CHANTABURI PROVINCE! HOPE THIS HELPS.
, Iโd like to thank you for all that you do for this group, in keeping us informed of changes and the information you provide. Volunteering your services like this is amazing!
Hopefully all officers have the same interpretation of the law. I have an example of the opposite. On the 16th, the day after the change came into force, a friend with a Bulgarian passport received a visa-on-arrival for 15 days instead of 60 days with the explanation that the law "had not yet come into force". I never found a logical explanation why countries appear in both lists - 60 days and 15 visa-on-arrival. Absolute nonsense that allows officers to interpret the law according to their mood. I know, I know TIT๐
i suspect he made the mistake of going to the VOA desk first, rather than going directly to passport control desk. A lot of first timers entitled to exempt entry do that, myself included first time. Usually they get sent directly to passport control as their country isnt on the VOA list. Unfortunatly for your friend, his is, and the VOA team didn't enlighten him that he didnt really need it.
In which case he would not have got a 15 day entry stamp as he had not purchased a VOA, he would have been turned away. I guess he purchased an online VOA before he travelled.
If he went to the VOA desk or had purchased one in advance then he would get 15 days as both VOA and Visa Exempt are possible for certain nationalities during this "promotion"
I love the last sentence ๐๐คฃ๐๐คฃ๐๐๐ป๐๐ป
Dave *******
Great news, thanks for the update. I got questioned when coming in last week due to having been on a visa-exemption just a couple of months ago. Flight entries each time. The officer reluctantly stamped me in, however did not say anything about getting a proper visa next time; going to anyway rather than take any risks.
yep nothing to do with this thread at all, IF they think you're living here on free entry they'll call you on the carpet when you fly in
Reply to
Tod *********
Reply
Mayo **************
Oh wow, and itโs a Philippine passport!
Michael *********
Arrived one day before this went into effect!
Thomas ********
Yes, but for those who are already having ideas, remember that immigration officers probably won't let you abuse the system now more than they did in the past. If you keep doing back to back visa runs, you'll get pulled aside and told to get the proper visa, eventually. I did that for a while and got away with it but considering all the extra questioning I was subjected to, it became apparent that after 5 back to back visa runs complete with extensions for each of them, if I tried to do it just one more time, I would have been turned away.