Latest Information On Thai Visa Requirements For Traveling To Thailand
Thailand’s visa requirements has changed quite a lot from when the pandemic first started. We understand how hard it can be to find an up to date information on what Thailand’s entry requirements are, whether you can get a visa on arrival and how one can apply for a tourist visa. In this blog we will cover them all.
Visa Requirements For Traveling To Thailand
For those who are planning to visit Thailand for a holiday may or may not need to get a Thailand Tourist Visa, this will depend on their nationality or what passport they hold. A Thailand Tourist Visa will allow you to enjoy your vacation in Thailand for up to 60 days. Please note that you will not be able to work or even volunteer in Thailand if you have this kind of visa.
Can I Get A Visa On Arrival In Thailand? Do I Need To Apply For a Thailand Tourist Visa?
Currently travelers from over 64 countries can get a 30 day visa on arrival in Thailand, and this includes the likes of USA, UK, Australia and Canada. This means you don’t have to get a visa before you leave your home country, and from October 2022 this is being extended to 45 days which is great news for us travelers. This means you don’t have to get a visa in advance, it’s a very simple process so long as your passport is in order. You will need an address in Thailand, so be sure you know the name and address of your hotel or where you’ll be staying. You may also be asked to provide information about your return flight.
If you want to stay longer, it is possible to extend this by another 30 days by visiting the immigration office and paying a fee. Again this is quite straightforward if all of your documents are correct. You’ll need your passport and a photocopy of it, a passport photo and a TM7 form which you’ll find available at the immigration office, plus the fee of 1,900 baht. If your home country, or the country your passport is issued from, is not on the list mentioned above, you will need to apply for a tourist visa.
How To Apply For A Thailand Tourist Visa?
The first thing to mention is that, whichever country you’re from, you must make sure that you have at least six months left on your passport before you start, it’ll make life a lot easier.
If you know you want more time, you can apply for a tourist visa before you arrive through the Thai embassy. This will give you 60 days and can also be extended for an additional 30 days with the same process as above.
It’s great news for those planning to travel to Thailand before the end of March next year, 15 days extra without having to do anything. If you’re arriving between 1st October and 31st March, you’ll automatically be given a 45 day stamp.
Step By Step Guide On How You Can Apply For a Thailand Tourist Visa
1. Contact the Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate in your country
Your first step is locating the Thai Embassy or Consulate nearest to you, there is one in most countries, however, if there isn’t one, you can contact the one in a neighboring country through a reputable visa application agency. Information about how to best contact them is available on their website or you can give them a call. You’ll be able to find out whether or not you need to make an appointment, what their opening times are, and what their preferred payment method is for the fees.
2. Collect the required documents for a Thailand visa
You will need to supply some documentation when you apply for a Thailand tourist visa but they’re all pretty straight forward.
- A passport, which is valid for at least another six months from the date of your application and has at least two blank pages.
- You must be able to show a return ticket to prove that you intend to leave the country before your visa expires.
- A completed and signed Thailand Visa Application Form.
- Two passport size photographs, they must be recent and be of passport quality, i.e. no headwear, taken against a plain, light background.
- You must be able to show that you have sufficient funds for the duration of your stay in Thailand.
- Proof of payment of the Thailand Visa fee.
3. Submitting the Thai visa application
There are a couple of ways you can submit your application, it will depend on the information you found on your local embassy or consulate website. In general it will be one of the following:
- In person. If you have an appointment, make sure you are on time and reasonably smartly dressed.
- By post. Be sure to send all of your documents by registered mail and include a prepaid, self-addressed envelope to ensure the safe return of your passport and visa.
4. Thailand visa processing time
The time it takes to process a tourist visa can be anything from two to ten working days, this will very much depend on where you’re applying. Do not leave it until the last minute! Make sure you allow yourself plenty of leeway just in case there’s a delay.
5. Receiving your Thailand visa
If you applied in person, you’ll have to go back to the embassy or consulate and pick up your passport and all of your other documents. If you sent it through the mail service, then that’s how you’ll get it back.
What Are The Visa Requirements:
The Thai Tourist Visa requirements are pretty simple, these are what’s currently needed, however, they do change from time to time so be sure to double check with your local Thai embassy or consulate just to be sure, and there may also be some regional differences.
- A passport, which is valid for at least another six months from the date of your application, and has at least two blank visa pages.
- A return travel ticket, proving you intend to leave the country.
- Completed and signed Thailand Visa Application Form.
- Two recent passport-size pictures.
- Proof of sufficient financial funds to cover the duration of your stay. They’re looking for around $550 for an individual or $1,100 for a family.
- Proof of payment of the Thailand Visa fee.
Your application will be put under consideration as soon as the fee has cleared and all the documents are received. You’ll not always be asked for proof of your travel documents or proof of funds for your stay, however, if you provide them, it might speed things up a bit.
Covid-19 Restrictions In Thailand
Although face masks are now only voluntary in Thailand as there is no law in place to say you have to wear one, the CCSA still recommends wearing one in indoor public spaces such as shops, in crowded spaces such as markets and in badly ventilated areas. Basically if you’re in an area and everyone’s wearing a mask, it’s polite just to put one on, the Thai people generally still wear them. Plus they are still required on public transport.
Most night time curfews have been pushed back to 2am for bars and entertainment venues, there are some places where it’s still 1am though. Although life is pretty much back to normal, there is still an emergency decree in place, it’s the 19th one, and it runs up until the end of September. Under the decree, public gatherings are banned but that doesn’t mean you can’t meet up with your friends on the beach!
While many of you might think of visiting Thailand for just a holiday, there are many people like us who started out the same way, and who ended up coming back for longer, and longer each time, and eventually ended up relocating to Thailand. So if you do get to that part of the journey, you might want to check out what other types of visas are available in Thailand to suit your needs.
