Immigration Terms for Visitors to Thailand

making sense of incorrect terms used by youtubers and influencers

There is always some confusion regarding entry requirements due to misuse of terms by social media, in travel forums and even some Immigration offices. So wanted to spell things out to help with clarity.

Visa versus Entry Stamp

A "Visa" is essentially pre-qualification of a traveler and permission to travel to the country and ask to be admitted. It does not guarantee admission. The "Entry Stamp" placed in your passport is what lets you enter the country and stay for the period specified.

The period of validity on your "Visa" is the time during which you can travel to the country and ask to be admitted. You can enter on the last day and still get the full stay allowed for your nationality. You can not enter before or after the valid period regardless of reason.

The period specified by your "Entry Stamp" is the time you can spend in country. Staying past that time frame is considered overstay with various penalties depending on length of overstay.

Visa Free Entry

Citizens of 93 countries are allowed to travel to Thailand for short visits without a visa. Some of these are under Tourist Visa Exemption rules, some under Bilateral Agreements. But in all cases, the visitors receive simply an "Entry Stamp". They do not get 60 day visa exemptions or 60 day VOAs, they only get an "Entry Stamp".

VOA - Visa on Arrival

VOAs are available ONLY to citizens of 18 countries and allow a shorter period of entry into the country than a normal "Tourist Visa". They are "Visas" applied for at the VOA counter before going to Immigration and like a regular visa are subject to final approval by the Immigration officer you deal with before they give you the "Entry Stamp".

Visa

"Visas" are available to citizens of all nations and are applied for in advance from the Thai Embassy in your home country or a country you currently are residing in. The Tourist Type TR Visa allows stays of up to 60 days. The various Non-Imm Visas allow up to 90 days. But again you get an "Entry Stamp" when allowed to enter.

Extensions

Thailand allows visitors to apply for additional time in country. Travelers in country visa free or with a Tourist Visa can apply for 30 more days, travelers with Non-Imm can apply for 60 days or one year. These extensions apply to the dates on your "Entry Stamp" only and are added to the "Admitted Until" date on your "Entry Stamp". They do NOT extend the valid period of your visa if you have one.

Exit and Re-Entry

When you depart Thailand your "Entry Stamp" is finished, doesn't matter how many days left on your original stamp, your permission to visit is terminated.

If you entered under any Visa scheme and want to visit a neighboring country for a short period, you can apply for a "Re-Entry Permit" before leaving. The "Re-Entry Permit" keeps your "Entry Stamp" valid while you are outside Thailand and allows you to return without obtaining a new visa. BUT the clock keeps counting while you are out of the country, so the "Admitted Until" date on your original "Entry Stamp" still applies.

If you entered visa free, there is no real need to apply for "Re-Entry Permit" as your return would likely also fall under visa free admission.

A list of countries eligible for visa free entry:
https://image.mfa.go.th/mfa/0/91fPdh6NtO/VISA_Information/Visa_Exemption_Revised_16_July_2024.pdf

We have deliberately left out rules and procedures for the various entry methods as they vary based on your nationality and are known to change on a regular basis. The best source of current info is the Thai Embassy nearest you. Don't go to thaiembassy.com, it is a law office, the embassy websites are all thaiembassy.org.