Visa-exempt entry
Citizens of many countries can enter without a visa. Since July 2024 the standard exempt stay for most Western nationalities has been 60 days, and the government has discussed shortening it. Check the current figure for your passport before you book.
You can usually extend a visa-exempt stay once, by 30 days, at an immigration office for 1,900 THB.
Tourist visa
A single-entry tourist visa (TR) gives 60 days, plus one 30-day extension. It's useful if your nationality gets a short exempt stay, or if you want certainty before flying.
Border runs and visa runs
A border run means leaving Thailand briefly to get a new entry stamp. Land-border entries for visa-exempt travellers are limited each year, and airport officers can refuse entry to people who have spent most of the past year here on exempt stays. They may ask for onward tickets, accommodation and money.
Turning a scouting trip into a move
- Use the trip to choose an area and view homes. See living in Pattaya.
- Check whether your target visa can be converted in Thailand or must be applied for abroad.
- Leave before your stay ends. Even one day over is an overstay.