Thread: Please . What is it ?

My problem is the simple problem of going to Thailand for 40 Days . Soon .
I look up various Official Sites . They say that upon Arrival I will be allowed to stay for only 30 Days . ( My wife is Thai ) .

I go to another website .

It says this " A Single Entry Tourist Visa allows foreign nationals one entry into Thailand for tourism, leisure, or medical reasons. It gives someone permission to stay in the county for 60 days.

My problem is how on Earth you safely book your Return Flight if you don't know what the true situation is ?

Can anybody absolutely tell me for sure whether I can land with a UK Passport and know I'm going to get 30 Days or 60 Days ?????

Many Thanks . Please .

WASP

It scares me .
Needing to book your Return Ticket for say 40 Days and hoping to God you'll get whatever visa . But mostly .... getting past the Thai Immigration Officer if your Ticket is over the 30 Days .

Thanks Topper .

There's also apparently an e-visa site.... Official Website of Thailand Electronic Visa

You don't need to get a visa.

You will get a 30 day Visa Exemption stamp for 30 days (permission to stay stamp) when you arrive at the airport.

During this 30 days go to immigration and for 1900thb you can get another 30 days that will kick in at the end of the first 30 days.


Or you can get a visa from a Thai embassy/consulate before you arrive, a tourist visa will give you 60 days, a non-imm visa based on spouse will give you 90 days.

Originally Posted by Wasp

Needing to book your Return Ticket for say 40 Days and hoping to God you'll get whatever visa . But mostly .... getting past the Thai Immigration Officer if your Ticket is over the 30 Days .

Like I said, look the officer straight in the eye and lie out your ass, because they will fuck with you if you tell the truth, I know from first hand experience. You can explain to them all you want that you're going to extend your visa for another 30 days, but the requirement to get a VOA is that you have a return ticket before the 30 day visa they grant you is up.

Originally Posted by Wasp

Can anybody absolutely tell me for sure whether I can land with a UK Passport and know I'm going to get 30 Days or 60 Days ?????

30 days if you don't get a visa beforehand. You can add 30 days to this in country.

60 days if you get a tourist visa before you arrive.

Topper I believe that is not quite right..
My understanding is

A UK citizen can enter Thailand for 30 days visa exempt. A simple entry stamp is placed in the passport by the immigration officer

A visa on arrival is for an eclectic group of countries such as Bhutan and Bulgaria - it is not available to UK citizens. It requires lining up at the visa on arrival desk and paying a fee before heading to the regular immigration desk. I think it is mainly valid for 15 days.

A tourist visa needs to be applied for outside of the country. It is available for UK citizens and is valid for 90 days and permits a 60 day stay in country.

Rules and regs may have changed.

You can as Topper suggests enter Thailand visa exempt and extend your permission to stay in Thailand for a 1900 fee

or you can apply in the UK for a Tourist Visa and obtain a permission to stay for 60 days.

Originally Posted by Topper

visa on arrival

Originally Posted by Topper

but the requirement to get a VOA

Just to point out that he would not be getting a VOA visa on arrival.

He would be getting a VE - Visa Exemption.

2 different beasts.

The VE is free.

Like I said, look the officer straight in the eye and lie out your ass, because they will fuck with you if you tell the truth, I know from first hand experience. You can explain to them all you want that you're going to extend your visa for another 30 days, but the requirement to get a VOA is that you have a return ticket before the 30 day visa they grant you is up.

And that's exactly my worry .

Thanks " Happy " .

It's a late decision to go so I worry about getting my Passport back if I send it off for a Tourist Visa .

I hate all this stuff .

Originally Posted by Happy As Larry

A UK citizen can enter Thailand for 30 days visa exempt. A simple entry stamp is placed in the passport by the immigration officer

A visa on arrival is for an eclectic group of countries such as Bhutan and Bulgaria - it is not available to UK citizens. It requires lining up at the visa on arrival desk and paying a fee before heading to the regular immigration desk. I think it is mainly valid for 15 days.

I stand corrected on the terminology. Thanks!

Originally Posted by Wasp

It's a late decision to go so I worry about getting my Passport back if I send it off for a Tourist Visa .

Where are you at now? I'm guessing you can mail it off and get it back in a week or ten days, no problems.

Any plans on visiting Laos, Cambodia or such ?

Any consulate near you ?

Taxexile did the Evisa, says it takes 3-5 working days for a 60 day permit £30

VE is easy bit
Checking in with European airlines on a single is the issue
Get a throw away ticket for $15 solves issue or buy a cheapo to KL Penang etc

Various methods here

5 ways to get proof of onward travel for your next trip - Visa Traveler

Yes . I understand the VE is free . But its just 30 Days hey ?

Thanks for responding though .

Where are you at now? I'm guessing you can mail it off and get it back in a week or ten days, no problems.

I'm in UK .

Snow . Christmas Mail . I wouldn't be wanting to Book a Flight without my Passport and Visa in hand .

Visa Exemption and Bilateral Agreement | ThaiEmbassy.com

E Visa - no docs to send off, all online

Official Website of Thailand Electronic Visa

i give up....

helge : Any plans on visiting Laos, Cambodia or such ? Any consulate near you ?


No plans to go to Laos Cambodia .
Fly into BKK . The home is near Korat .
Mess around for ( it looks like ) 30 days . And fly back alone . Wife will stay on a while and follow back to UK .

WASP

Don't give up malmomike .

Let me do that .

I appreciate your help .

The standard way out of this dilemma for me is to buy a flex ticket with a return within 30 days. If I intend to stay longer I get a marriage visa extension and then change my return ticket to whenever I wish to return. The difference in price for a flex ticket is worth it for the reduced stress/worry.

Has anybody ever been asked by Thai immigration how long they intend to stay in country? I don't recall ever being asked. And only once has the airline queried it at check-in.

^ Yes, I have been asked at check-in and I have also been asked by Thai immigration when I arrived. Not often, maybe a half dozen times total in over 20 years.