Visa Help Please

[LukeH1987]

Can someone give me some advice please

 

I am a British citizen.

 

I wish to come to Thailand as a tourist in the first week of September on a return flight returning the middle of January.

I am planning to stay for two months in Thailand and then one month or two in Vietnam as I have never been there.

the last time I was on holiday in Thailand was last September but that was just on a three week holiday on a 30 day visa-exempt. I have a total of three visa exempts over the last 3 years.

Can I fly in on my 30 day UK visa Exemption then extend for 30 more days then fly to Vietnam before returning back to Bangkok to catch my flight back home to London?

I want to purchase my ticket to Vietnam nearer the time as I'm not sure of the exact day I want to travel yet and I also will be getting a three-month visa letter. I will have a flexible return from Thai airways so I can move my return date forward or backwards depending on my plans.

Will I have any issues boarding the plane at Heathrow or at immigration in Bangkok or will they just see I have a return flight and not have an issue with the return date being January?

or

do I need to have my return flight for the beginning of December to keep it in 90 days and get myself a SETV from London?

I'm not sure how long it takes to send your passport to London and receive the SETV inside back in the post with the new online application system.

 

Thank you everyone.

[elviajero]

46 minutes ago, Luke Hansford said:

Can I fly in on my 30 day UK visa Exemption then extend for 30 more days then fly to Vietnam before returning back to Bangkok to catch my flight back home to London?

You should be okay doing that, but you’d be better advised using a Single Entry Tourist Visa for the initial entry. That will give you 60 days. Then use Visa Exemption when returning from Vietnam.

 

If you fly to BKK without a visa the airline might want to see an onward flight dated within 30 days.

[LukeH1987]

I did fly from London with Thai Airways last Septembr the same airline I am planning to use this time.

 

I had a return flight and no visa just the visa exemption stamp and they didnt ask for a forward ticket. 

 

Is this different because my return was for three weeks time then and now it's for January or do they only ask for a forward ticket if you are on a one way flight?

 

Will Thai immigration ask to see I have a booked flight to Vietnam within 30 or 60 days?

 

Do you know how long it takes for the Thai Embassy to send back the passport and visa for the SETV from London? I am planning to book my flight to fly out on the first week of September. 

Edited August 15, 2019 by Luke Hansford

[PingRoundTheWorld]

If you booked a return flight on Thai Airways then they see it in their system which is why they didn't ask. Generally these days most airlines will ask to see an onward ticket if they don't already see it in their system. If they see a flight 3 months out they will not let you board without a visa.

 

If you get a SETV then I believe you don't need an onward ticket, although some airport staff may not know this and ask to see a return ticket anyway. Immigration rarely asks to see it unless there is a problem.

 

Keep in mind an onward ticket can be anywhere - a throwaway ticket to Laos/Myanmar/Vietnam would work just fine. Or if you can get a refundable ticket - even better. I believe Expedia offers free refunds if you cancel within 24-hours of booking, so you can just book a cheap ticket somewhere right before your flight, then cancel it when you arrive.

[ubonjoe]

A visa exempt entry requires a flight out within 30 days of arrival. Immigration normally does not normally ask to see the ticket out but it could be the airline you are flying on will ask to see one. I needed you could buy a low cost one way ticket to any nearby country that would be accepted.

You had a return ticket within 30 days for your previous entry in January.

The embassy in London now a has online visa application system in effect. You have to do the application before sending your passport and etc to the them. Info here: http://www.thaiembassy.org/london/en/services/7742

I think it is a bit late to start the application and mailing process to get a tourist visa from the embassy. If near one of the honorary consulates in Cardiff, Glasgow, Hull or Liverpool you could apply in person and get the visa on same day if you contact them first for an appointment. Contact info here: http://www.thaiembassy.org/london/en/organize/81958-Royal-Thai-Consulates-in-the-UK-and-Ireland.html