Onward flight

[Andyp123]

Hi just got a SETV but my return flight is 3 months after this do I need to book a flight out of Thailand before my visa expires to be able to travel to Thailand from England 

[wasabi]

I have never tried the 3 month ticket strategy so it might work, but I always buy an onward ticket within the allotted 2 month windows. Most people extend another month but it seems risky that immigration will factor this in and accept it.

[BritTim]

If you have a visa, your airline will not normally want to see an onward flight.

Immigration only starts asking about flights if they dislike your previous history of visits to Thailand. If you have a visa (which you will) you are not officially required to have a booked flight out of Thailand, period. That does not stop a rogue official at an airport deciding to invent unofficial rules mandating such requirements, but I do not think you need to worry.

 

By the way, your visa expiry date never has any relevance to your onward flight (if you have one). What would be important is your permission to stay. A rogue official might try to claim that you need an onward flight within 60 days of your arrival in Thailand, waving away your explanation that you will be making an intervening side trip to Laos by land, returning with a fresh permission to stay. The chance is remote. If an official is starting to invent such rules, he will likely decide to deny you entry anyway.

[elviajero]

1 hour ago, Andyp123 said:

Hi just got a SETV but my return flight is 3 months after this do I need to book a flight out of Thailand before my visa expires to be able to travel to Thailand from England

Airlines only - as a rule - only check if you have an onward flight if you do not have a visa. So you shouldn't have a problem with them.

 

Immigration at passport control do not - as a rule - ask to see your onward flight. If they do they would expect it to be within 60 days (max stay your visa allows) of your entry date. They only tend to check if they are looking to deny entry to a serial tourist.

[elviajero]

30 minutes ago, BritTim said:

A rogue official might try to claim that you need an onward flight within 60 days of your arrival in Thailand, waving away your explanation that you will be making an intervening side trip to Laos by land, returning with a fresh permission to stay. The chance is remote. If an official is starting to invent such rules, he will likely decide to deny you entry anyway.

All Tourist Visa holders should have an onward flight - it's the rules - and as the maximum stay is 60 days why do you conclude an official is "rogue" and making up rules by insisting the visitors onward flight is dated within 60 days?

[Sambotte]

Britim no offense but you post very inacurate info here.

 

I confirm as a frequent traveller that airlines (well i don't know for the Brits they are specials ;-)), since a few years, always ask me for the next ticket (onward in my case), with a visa or not.

I did pass last time without any, coming back to Thailand, but with a retirement visa (meaning i was living in the destination), and proving it.

Some airlines may be able to check online the return/onward ticket, some not (Ethiopian last time admited they could not check).

One of those things that make traveling (not just going on holiday) nowaday more complicated...

 

For the 3 months after, i think it should be ok. Airline is covered, and immigration will probably use another excuse to deny you if they want.

Edited October 22, 2019 by Sambotte
Add info

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, elviajero said:

All Tourist Visa holders should have an onward flight - it's the rules - and as the maximum stay is 60 days why do you conclude an official is "rogue" and making up rules by insisting the visitors onward flight is dated within 60 days?

I am aware of the requirement for visa exempt entries. Can you please cite a source (not an unreliable website but an official source) that states an onward flight ticket is required for those arriving with a tourist visa. If such a rule indeed exists, it is important that tourists planning overland trips after their initial arrival in Thailand are aware of it.

[elviajero]

6 hours ago, BritTim said:

I am aware of the requirement for visa exempt entries. Can you please cite a source (not an unreliable website but an official source) that states an onward flight ticket is required for those arriving with a tourist visa. If such a rule indeed exists, it is important that tourists planning overland trips after their initial arrival in Thailand are aware of it.

I didn’t say it was “required” on arrival. 
 

It has always been a requirement to have an onward flight to get a Tourist Visa; however, not all embassies/consulates insist - in the past or now - on seeing evidence of that booking. And immigration at the airport don’t - as a rule - insist on seeing the booking either. 

If you’re supposed to have one to get the visa it’s logical that immigration can ask to see that onward flight when deciding on entry to someone claiming to be visiting for tourism. Although they can’t deny entry to any tourist (TR holder or VE) specifically for not having an onward flight, they expect a typical tourist to have one.

 

MFA

TOURIST VISA 

	1. REQUIREMENT
	This type of visa is issued to applicants who wish to enter the Kingdom for tourism purposes .
	2. DOCUMENTS REQUIRED
	- Passport or travel document with validity not less than 6 months   - Visa application form completely filled out   - Recent( 4 x 6 cm.) photograph of the applicant   - Evidence of travel from Thailand (air ticket paid in full)

[Muppet2019]

Last year I flew with a return flight to Thailand for 6 1/2 months. Started with 2 month TV (no queries from BA) and extended for 30 days (showed return flight details at immigration with no problems). Then Thai embassy Hanoi for another TV and they said straight away you need a flight out within 2 months, allowed me to book one on my phone and email details which they printed and excepted. It never crossed my mind that I didn't have a flight out of Thailand within my visa time but it should of, going for 3 months in November (30 days exemption then 60 day TV from Hanoi) and have already booked onward flight.

[BritTim]

4 hours ago, elviajero said:

If you’re supposed to have one to get the visa it’s logical that immigration can ask to see that onward flight when deciding on entry to someone claiming to be visiting for tourism. Although they can’t deny entry to any tourist (TR holder or VE) specifically for not having an onward flight, they expect a typical tourist to have one.

Mostly, your post clarifies what you meant, and thank you for that. However, I disagree with the above. There is absolutely no reason why Immigration should want to double check that the consulate has applied the rules Immigration thinks should have been used during the screening of the visa application. You might just as validly say that Immigration should insist on seeing the employer letter when someone is entering with an METV. Screening of applications for visas is done by the consular officials, not Immigration.

 

With visa exempt entries, it is a very different situation. Immigration is occupying the function that belongs to consulates in the case of visas. It is appropriate that Immigration screen applicants according to guidelines Immigration has been given. Those requirements, broadly speaking, have been made public (though it would be nice if the rules were prominently listed in one place) and I do not think there is much cause for complaint when Immigration decide you do not qualify, as it was made clear in 2014 that they are supposed to use their discretion on whether visa exempt entries are being used appropriately.

[DrJack54]

16 hours ago, Sambotte said:

Britim no offense but you post very inacurate info here.

 

I confirm as a frequent traveller that airlines (well i don't know for the Brits they are specials ;-)), since a few years, always ask me for the next ticket (onward in my case), with a visa or not.

I did pass last time without any, coming back to Thailand, but with a retirement visa (meaning i was living in the destination), and proving it.

Some airlines may be able to check online the return/onward ticket, some not (Ethiopian last time admited they could not check).

One of those things that make traveling (not just going on holiday) nowaday more complicated...

 

For the 3 months after, i think it should be ok. Airline is covered, and immigration will probably use another excuse to deny you if they want.

Say what. Maybe this is specific to airline you use. I fly in out los every 2 weeks. The airline staff (in Asia and other countries I fly to) want to see VISA or reentry permit or Onward flight. Since this comes up often on Thai visa I have taken time to ask boarding check in staff about this. They confirm what I post.

In any event if issue arises, step back from check in and book most cheap flight onward. ~ 1000baht.

Most Thai consulates require onward flight for visa, hence airlines not concerned. Flying visa exempt different.

Edited October 23, 2019 by DrJack54

[jackdd]

4 hours ago, elviajero said:

MFA

TOURIST VISA 

	1. REQUIREMENT
	This type of visa is issued to applicants who wish to enter the Kingdom for tourism purposes .
	2. DOCUMENTS REQUIRED
	- Passport or travel document with validity not less than 6 months   - Visa application form completely filled out   - Recent( 4 x 6 cm.) photograph of the applicant   - Evidence of travel from Thailand (air ticket paid in full)

But this is most likely a mistake (should say "to" instead of "from") because this list doesn't a mention a ticket TO Thailand, but the ticket to Thailand is what many places actually require.

[Sambotte]

47 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Say what. Maybe this is specific to airline you use. I fly in out los every 2 weeks. The airline staff (in Asia and other countries I fly to) want to see VISA or reentry permit or Onward flight. Since this comes up often on Thai visa I have taken time to ask boarding check in staff about this. They confirm what I post.

In any event if issue arises, step back from check in and book most cheap flight onward. ~ 1000baht.

Most Thai consulates require onward flight for visa, hence airlines not concerned. Flying visa exempt different.

Actually you may be right.

I travel a lot, but i barely remember the last time i needed a visa. French passport, usually visa on arrival (Colombia, Panama, Mexico, Philippines, Cambodia, Madagascar, South Africa...). I am asked to show a onward ticket then.

Some countries require a kind of online autorisation to desembark, but it's not a visa, i have been asked then by Ethiopian for a onward ticket recently.

With a visa or re-entry, last for me was in Thailand, not been asked for a further ticket, but to show my retirement visa (not sure they wanted any visa but possible). 

 

Not a very big deal, as you say you may want to try it and to buy a ticket at airport, personally i prefer to know before. And to buy a cheap forward ticket.

Already so many issue with travelling nowaday.

Example : a trip from Asia to Latin America, transit AT AIRPORT in Vancouver (not even a real stop, we where in a separated room for 2 hours), so a technical transit, same plane, well you better know you need a online autorisation for Canada ! Crazy but real. This one was difficult to know, and a saw many people having to stress to do that online in the middle of China (witch was a real stop/change of plane, but no online autorisation required there for transiting at airport in China)... 

 

I miss the good old time when i had fun to take a flight, no massive crowd in airport, no visa required, no return/onward ticket required, no multiple-redondant security check, smoking in the plane (yeah that one was bad), almost empty plane, etc. ????