Visas on arrival being denied 18 nationalities

By The Nation

 

 

(Update) Beginning on Friday (March 13), visitors to Thailand from 18 countries will no longer be eligible for visas on arrival, Interior Minister Anupong Paochinda announced on Thursday.

 

The measure, aimed at checking the spread of the Covid-19 virus, will remain in effect until September 30.

 

Anupong said visitors must apply for visas in their home countries and bring a certificate of sound health.

 

Visitors from hard-hit locales Italy, South Korea and Hong Kong also become ineligible for visa-free entry, he said.

 

The 18 countries are Bulgaria, Bhutan, Cyprus, Ethiopia, Fiji, Georgia, India, Kazakhstan, Malta, Mexico, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu and “China (including Taiwan)”.

 

A government panel made the call on Wednesday at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, who is also heading the Covid-19 management centre.

 

Prayut and Anupong signed off on this Interior Ministry order on Thursday. 

 

However, Department of Consular Affairs' director-general Chatree Atchananant said earlier today that there would be no official announcement of the measure until the Cabinet considers it on March 17, before Anupong came out later to confirm that the measure would be implemented March 13. 

 

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30383919

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-03-13

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Again ?

 

 

At the airport, sorry cannot maybe getting a fair bit of usage

Edited March 12, 20206 yr by JAS21

Visa restrictions for citizens from VoA and high-risk countries effective March 13th

 

 

Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda have signed an announcement which temporarily suspends the visa on arrival facility for citizens of 18 countries and visa free entry for citizens of three COVID-19 high-risk countries, effective from March 13th.

 

The Prime Minister called an urgent meeting this morning with Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai, Interior Minister Anupong and director-general of the Consular Services Department, to discuss the visa restrictions, after concerns were raised that they may breach bilateral agreements with some of the countries involved.

 

The Prime Minister also signed an order appointing a committee to manage the Centre for the Management of the COVID-19 Situation, chaired by the Prime Minister.

 

The committee comprises 16 ministers, the national police chief, the secretary-general of National Security Council, secretary-general to the Prime Minister and the permanent secretary of the PM’s Office.

 

Source: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/visa-restrictions-for-citizens-from-voa-and-high-risk-countries-effective-march-13th/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2020-03-13

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And today’s  triple backflip with a forward pike by the Thai government, scores a 9.0

I wonder if Immigration has any idea what rules they are supposed to follow starting a few hours ago. It might depend on where you are entering Thailand (as usual).

Online applications for e-visa (usually the best way to get a visa on arrival) has definitely been suspended: https://thailandevoa.vfsevisa.com/v1/on-boarding

4 hours ago, webfact said:

The 18 countries are Bulgaria, Bhutan, Cyprus, Ethiopia, Fiji, Georgia, India, Kazakhstan, Malta, Mexico, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu and “China (including Taiwan)”.

Russia does not appear on the list of countries eligible for visas on arrival. They get a 30 day visa exempt entry under a bilateral agreement with Thailand which means Thais get a 30 day visa exempt entry.

From this official list. http://www.consular.go.th/main/contents/filemanager/VISA/Visa on Arrival/VOA.pdf

My wife & I came in from DaNang on Wednesday & as far as we could see nothing was being implemented on entering the Country. No temperature checks coming in however on leaving the Country 10 days earlier they checked temperatures on entering the departure lounges. Today UK Confirmed over 600 cases of Covid19 but Thailand with thousands of Chinese holidaying in all areas of the Country declaring only a handful. Also today the Guy who discovered Ebola maintains that you only need to talk to someone to contract the disease. Unbelievable....????

it is fair for each country to exercise its right to take whaeer precautionary measures it deems fit to safeguard the welfare  of its citizens under these difficult times.

Dont see many high risk countries on that list

I should think the ban on Vanuatu is more to protect that little haven from importing Covid 19 with its returning citizens.

40 minutes ago, Jimbo2014 said:

Dont see many high risk countries on that list

As I have already written before they have canceled visas on arrival for every country that qualified for them.

They decided it was best to just stop issuing them. 

I have removed several off topic troll posts and etc. No further notice will  be given when posts are removed.

Its strange, not a single case of the Corona virus has been reported in Papua New Guinea  and yet there country is now declared as high risk !!  

3 minutes ago, roderick17 said:

Its strange, not a single case of the Corona virus has been reported in Papua New Guinea  and yet there country is now declared as high risk !!  

 

It has not been declared high risk.

 

Thailand has simply stopped issuing visas on arrival, period, and PNG is one of the countries that used to be able to get one.

 

People from PNG can still enter if they get a visa in advance.

India has announced that all visas, barring a select few categories, will be suspended for a month in order to halt the spread of Covid-19.

If Thailand stopped all VOA what is the Visa  I get on  Arrival  from America?

 

Not sure anything has changed  for arrival from USA?  Even if we were to transit through Shanghai or Tokyo?

Any idea on what  clean bill of health  would entail?  I cant imagine every  getting a test for this reason  as hard as it is to get a test.   And 1300$

1 minute ago, Elkski said:

If Thailand stopped all VOA what is the Visa  I get on  Arrival  from America?

 

Not sure anything has changed  for arrival from USA?  Even if we were to transit through Shanghai or Tokyo?

Any idea on what  clean bill of health  would entail?  I cant imagine every  getting a test for this reason  as hard as it is to get a test.   And 1300$

You get a visa waiver - in other words you are on the list of countries that qualify for such. Not the same as a visa on arrival.

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

As I have already written before they have canceled visas on arrival for every country that qualified for them.

They decided it was best to just stop issuing them. 

A good idea.. it cannot guarantee anything but it is a step in the right direction, no health cert, no boarding a flight. Something has to start somewhere.

My question is I work in Kazakhstan and have a US passport am I able to travel from Kazakhstan to Thailand and get a visa on arrival let I do every other month.

38 minutes ago, Elkski said:

If Thailand stopped all VOA what is the Visa  I get on  Arrival  from America?

 

Not sure anything has changed  for arrival from USA?  Even if we were to transit through Shanghai or Tokyo?

Any idea on what  clean bill of health  would entail?  I cant imagine every  getting a test for this reason  as hard as it is to get a test.   And 1300$

You are in a category called "Visa Exempt," which is different from "Visa On Arrival". Regarding your transit airport, I would not recommend China or Hong Kong. At the moment, the better choices would be Tokyo or Singapore, since people coming from these locations still do not need a "CV-free clean bill of health in order to board a plane."

15 minutes ago, Fig1 said:

My question is I work in Kazakhstan and have a US passport am I able to travel from Kazakhstan to Thailand and get a visa on arrival let I do every other month.

You will get a 30 day visa exempt entry not a 15 day visa on arrival after applying for it.

2 hours ago, les1 said:

Also today the Guy who discovered Ebola maintains that you only need to talk to someone to contract the disease

I saw that. But what he didn't address was that, as far as I remember, Ebola had a close to 100 percent fatality rate, whereas Covid19 has a very tiny fatality rate. Very very VERY big difference. With Covid19 you get a flu-type illness (okay, which is probably (?) more easily spread than flu), but that's all it is for most. And in a few days it's gone. The ease of it spreading is the problem, not the illness it causes.

6 hours ago, BritTim said:

I wonder if Immigration has any idea what rules they are supposed to follow starting a few hours ago. It might depend on where you are entering Thailand (as usual).

The motto of Thailand is "Order, Counter Order and Disorder".

30 minutes ago, AlienHermit66 said:

You are in a category called "Visa Exempt," which is different from "Visa On Arrival". Regarding your transit airport, I would not recommend China or Hong Kong. At the moment, the better choices would be Tokyo or Singapore, since people coming from these locations still do not need a "CV-free clean bill of health in order to board a plane."

From Thai Embassy website, "TRANSIT PASSENGERS:  Passengers transiting these countries for fewer than 12 hours do not have to present a health certificate or fill out the T-8 questionnaire.  They will be subject to enhanced screening.  Passengers transiting these countries for more than 12 hours will be treated as if they are passengers arriving from those designated locations."    The countries they're referring to are "China, Korea, Hong Kong, Macau, Italy, and Iran"

ref:https://th.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information/

Why Vanuatu and Nauru???

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Visa restrictions for citizens from VoA and high-risk countries effective March 13th

 

 

Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda have signed an announcement which temporarily suspends the visa on arrival facility for citizens of 18 countries and visa free entry for citizens of three COVID-19 high-risk countries, effective from March 13th.

 

The Prime Minister called an urgent meeting this morning with Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai, Interior Minister Anupong and director-general of the Consular Services Department, to discuss the visa restrictions, after concerns were raised that they may breach bilateral agreements with some of the countries involved.

 

The Prime Minister also signed an order appointing a committee to manage the Centre for the Management of the COVID-19 Situation, chaired by the Prime Minister.

 

The committee comprises 16 ministers, the national police chief, the secretary-general of National Security Council, secretary-general to the Prime Minister and the permanent secretary of the PM’s Office.

 

Source: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/visa-restrictions-for-citizens-from-voa-and-high-risk-countries-effective-march-13th/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2020-03-13

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That picture does not show visa on arrival, these entry stamps are for all, also those arriving from visa exempted counties... mind the difference, topic was VoA...

A friend of mine - Italian passport holder who grew up and lives in Switzerland - was told by the Thai embassy in Switzerland that he's banned from visiting. Period. The risk is in the passport, not in where people might and might not get exposed.

 

Yes, Einstein, I know: how can Immigration tell? They can't, but the embassy offered zero support such as certificate of Swiss residency would be okay or such...

9 minutes ago, Stokakrishna said:

Why Vanuatu and Nauru???

Because they have no idea where these places are but think that they could have a land border shared with Korea or China.

 

Better safe than sorry .