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Visa & Passport

07/11/16 12:32 2932
Passport

To enter Thailand, a passport valid for six months is required by all nationals referred to in the chart below

Note

Travellers coming from or have recently travelled through yellow fever-infected areas may be required to show a yellow fever vaccination certificate before being allowed to enter Thailand.

Nationality Passport required Return ticket required Visa required
Australian Yes Yes No
British Yes Yes No
Canadian Yes Yes No
Other EU Yes Yes No/1/2
USA Yes Yes No
 
Visa

Visas for Thailand are not required by all nationals referred to in the chart above for touristic stays of up to 30 days if entering via an international airport. If entering by land, you will usually be granted a stay of 15 days (apart from nationals of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the UK and the USA, who will be granted a 30-day stay). All visitors must hold valid passports, sufficient funds and confirmed airline tickets to leave Thailand within the time allowed by their entry stamp. Exceptions to the visa requirements are:

1. Nationals of Bulgaria, Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta and Romania who may apply for visas on arrival for stays of up to 15 days.

2. Nationals of Croatia, who must apply for a visa in advance from the embassy

Visa Note

Nationals of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the UK are also eligible to apply for an ACMECS visa, which is a 90-day joint visa allowing entry to Thailand and Cambodia. It's only really worth obtaining this visa if you're planning on spending more than 30 days in Thailand however.

Nationals not referred to in the chart are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements.

Application to

Nearest consulate (or consular section at embassy).

Temporary residence

Visitors to Thailand who wish to conduct business, work or study in the country can apply for a non-immigrant visa. This allows holders a stay for up to 90 days. In addition, to be able to work, visitors must hold a work permit issued by the Ministry of Labour.

Working Day

Applications to the embassy must be made in person. You can usually pick up your visa the day after you drop off your application.

Sufficient funds

Proof of adequate finances for the duration of your stay in Thailand is required at the point of entry into the country (ie traveller’s cheques and/or cash equivalent to ฿10,000 per person and ฿20,000 per family). In practice, you are unlikely to need to show this, but be prepared nonetheless.

Extension of your stay

Visa-exempt nationals wishing to leave Thailand and re-enter the country after their initial 15 or 30 days may only stay for a maximum of 90 days in a six-month period.

Be wary of visa-run or visa extension services offering to renew your visa - these are illegal and each year a number of tourists are jailed, having turned up to border crossings with a fake Thailand visa or entry stamp in their passport.

Thailand visa extensions must be made before the current visa runs out. A lengthy overstay can incur a maximum penalty of a spell in jail before being deported and banned from returning to the country. If you wish to extend your stay, contact the Immigration Bureau (www.immigration.go.th).

Entry with children

Children travelling with one parent or alone must have a notarised letter of consent from one or both parents.

Entry with the Pets

An incoming passenger can import up to two pets at one time.

These include all domestic animals such as dogs, birds, cats etc subject to the production of a required health certificate from their country of origin. Pets are still liable for the usual quarantine checks upon arrival.

Visa on Arrival

Securing Visas upon entry in Thailand

The VISA ON ARRIVAL allows passport holders of 19 countries to enter Thailand under this rule provided that they meet these requirements:

  1. The visit is strictly for tourism purposes.
  2. They must have a confirmed return ticket to show that they are flying out of Thailand within 30 or 15 days of entry, as appropriate. Open tickets do not qualify. Travelling overland out of Thailand by train, bus, etc to Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia (including en route to Singapore), Myanmar, etc is not accepted as proof of exiting Thailand.

    You may be asked to show your flight ticket on entering Thailand. If you do not possess a flight ticket to show you will be exiting Thailand within 30 or 15 days of entry you will be most likely to be refused entry.

  3. It will also be necessary to prove that you have funds of at least 10,000 THB per person and 20,000 THB per family during your stay in Thailand. A fee of 1,000 THB is payable upon entry and is subject to change without notice.

    However, persons who are not eligible to enter Thailand under the VISA ON ARRIVAL and VISA EXEMPTION RULE are advised to obtain visas with the Royal Thai Embassy prior to their visit.

19 Countries eligible to enter Thailand under the VISA ON ARRIVAL rule:

  1. Bhutan
  2. China
  3. Cyprus
  4. Czech Republic
  5. Estonia
  6. Hungary
  7. India
  8. Kazakhstan
  9. Latvia
  10. Liechtenstein
  1. Lithuania
  2. Maldives
  3. Mauritius
  4. Poland
  5. Saudi Arabia
  6. Slovakia
  7. Slovenia
  8. Taiwan
  9. Ukraine

 

Related

Public holidays in Thailand are regulated by the government, and most are observed by both the public and private sectors. There are usually sixteen public holidays in a year, but more may be declared by the cabinet. Other observances, both official and non-official, local and international, are observed to varying degrees throughout the country.
The currency of Thailand is the Thai Baht, American Express, MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted. ATMs are found in all major cities and almost all provincial banks.
Don’t become involved with drugs of any kind. Possession of even very small quantities can lead to imprisonment. If you are found guilty of being in possession of marijuana you could receive a long prison sentence and/or a heavy fine. If you’re found guilty of being in possession of 20 grams of a Class A drug at a point of exit from Thailand you risk receiving the death penalty. Amphetamines and ecstasy are regarded as Class A drugs and possession or trafficking carries the same penalty as heroin.
We continue to receive reports of the sexual assault, food and drink spiking, assault and robbery of foreigners, including around popular backpacker and tourist destinations such as Khao San Road in Bangkok, the night-time entertainment zones in Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket, and during Full Moon and other parties on Koh Phangan.Due to the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS, victims of violent crime, especially rape, are strongly encouraged to seek immediate medical assistance.
The standard of medical facilities throughout Thailand varies. While private hospitals with international standard facilities can be found in major cities, services can be limited elsewhere. Private hospitals generally require confirmation of insurance or a guarantee of payment before admitting a patient. Costs can be very expensive. Generally, serious illnesses and accidents can be treated at private or public hospitals in Bangkok and other large cities. However, medical evacuation to a destination with the required facilities may be necessary in some cases at considerable cost.
The Thailand climate is controlled by tropical monsoons and the weather in Thailand is generally hot and humid across most of the country throughout most of the year.
Thailand's attractions include diving sites, sandy beaches, hundreds of tropical islands, nightlife, archaeological sites, museums, hill tribes, flora and bird life, palaces, Buddhist temples and several World Heritage sites