Living In Thailand without a Visa

Tipps and Infos for Newbe Expats about how to live and survive in Thailand

Last udate: August 2009

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Even if a proper Tourist or Non Immigrant Visa is the right way to stay for a longer period in Thailand, it is still possible do stay even without a Visa and there are quiet a lot of people doing so. It seems that the Thai authorities don't like those people without a Visa because they believe they running illegal business' and so don't pay taxes. Over the last few years, it became more and more difficult and complicated to stay inThailand without a Visa but it's still possible:

People from most european countries will get a "Temporary Permit of Stay" for 30 days, when entering Thailand without a Visa in their passports. Now you would simply have to make a Border Run to the next border, exit and reenter Thailand and you would get another 30 days in your passport.
Before October 2006 there were a lot of people living in Thailand for years, doing a Visa Run every 30 days and a lot of transport operations depended on them.

In October 2006 the rules were changed, allowing foreigners to stay in Thailand without a Visa for a total of only 90 days successively. After that they were sent home for at least 6 month or to come back with a proper Visa.
Since then, this rules have changed several times and this is the latest version by August 2009:

If you enter Thailand without a Visa via an Airport, you will get your 30 days allowance!
If you enter Thailand without a Visa by road or train you will get only 15 days allowance.
You are allowed to make up to 4 Border Runs by land transport before you must do one by plane to receive a 30 days allowance and you may start your 15 day sequence from the beginning.
If you stay in Thailand like this for 2 years or so, your passport will be full!

So if you want to stay in Thailand for one year without a Visa it looks like this:

	Runs	Allowance	No. of stamps in passport
1st entry via an airport:		30 days	1
2nd - 5th entry by land transport (4 x 15 days)	4	60 days	16
6th entry via an airport	1	30 days	4
7th - 10th enty by land transport (4 x 15 days)	4	60 days	16
11th entry via an airport	1	30 days	4
12th - 15th enty by land transport (4 x 15 days)	4	60 days	16
16th entry via an airport:	1	30 days	4
17th - 20th entry by land transport (4 x 15 days)	4	60 days	16
Total:	19	360 days	77

Every Border Run gives you 4 stamps in your passport:

Thailand out
other country in
other coutry out
Thailand in

If we calculate that a border run by land transport costs about 2000,- Baht and an exit by plane not less than 5000,- Baht we end up at 47,000,- Baht for one year. It might be cheaper to buy a ticket back home and come back with a Tourist Visa or Non Immigrant Visa!