Free Tourist On Entry Visa > Dec 2020

[ubonjoe]

4 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

What was approved last Tuesday, the 45 day Visa Exempt program?

It depends how your read the news reports. Visa exempt entries were approved but the 45 day entry or 45 day extension is not clear yet.

[Danderman123]

2 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

It depends how your read the news reports. Visa exempt entries were approved but the 45 day entry or 45 day extension is not clear yet.

To be precise, not approved yet.

[ubonjoe]

42 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

To be precise, not approved yet.

I would say awaiting a decision by immigration and the MFA on which one will be done.

It has been approved or the embassies and consulates would not be posting it on their website.

 

[Danderman123]

13 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

I would say awaiting a decision by immigration and the MFA on which one will be done.

It has been approved or the embassies and consulates would not be posting it on their website.

 

The Interior Ministry will seek cabinet approval for a proposal to extend visa exemption for foreign tourists from 56 countries from 30 to 45 days in a bid to attract more tourist arrivals to revive the economy battered by Covid-19.

[impulse]

I know that semantics are important in Thailand, but isn't a COE about the same thing as a visa?  The advantage of visa exempt is no requirement to interface with the embassy/consulate before hopping on a plane.

 

I'm not seeing where a visa exempt program is meaningful if you still need to get a COE, with all the incumbent requirements.  Hell, they may as well stamp a visa into your passport when they issue the COE.  Of course, it's nice that there are no onerous visa requirements, but that could be handled within the various visa programs.

 

 

[JohnPark]

Can I apply for COE now? I’m in the UK and can’t see option on COE registration for visa exempt entry. 
 

 

 

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, JohnPark said:

Can I apply for COE now? I’m in the UK and can’t see option on COE registration for visa exempt entry. 

It may take a few day for them to up date that site.

[EricTh]

After the Covid-19 test result, there are still many who got caught having Covid when they enter Thailand everyday.

 

It seems that those tests can be faked in foreign countries.

[Scofield]

What a <deleted> show. So do I need a visa or will a CoE do?

[khunjeff]

7 hours ago, NanLaew said:

 

But isn't "semi-commercial" simply a faster way of saying, "Flights arriving with passengers that cannot get off the plane and are going to the next stop for the flight" ?

 

In pre-Covid times, I recall several routes and carriers where the cabin announcement was, "Transit passengers are requested to please remain on the plane."

 

No, just the opposite. In this context, " semi-commercial" means "flights arriving that are allowed to carry Thailand-bound passengers holding COEs".

[cubism001]

Today I'll start the insurance - I might have to take a physical-  then write the Lima embassy & see if the 30 day visa exempt entry is ok with them.

[Danderman123]

2 hours ago, impulse said:

I know that semantics are important in Thailand, but isn't a COE about the same thing as a visa?  The advantage of visa exempt is no requirement to interface with the embassy/consulate before hopping on a plane.

 

I'm not seeing where a visa exempt program is meaningful if you still need to get a COE, with all the incumbent requirements.  Hell, they may as well stamp a visa into your passport when they issue the COE.  Of course, it's nice that there are no onerous visa requirements, but that could be handled within the various visa programs.

 

 

Some people can’t get a visa for various reasons, whereas just about anyone anywhere can get a COE. It’s a paperwork nightmare, but no need to be in your home country to get it.

[cubism001]

I'm insurance illiterate; it's usually just included in my work. I suspect others of this; so which covid insurance did you use? (It's worse than being tech illiterate right now.) Thank you.

[daejung]

On 12/14/2020 at 2:07 AM, ubonjoe said:

That is why they are allowing a 45 day extension instead of 30 days. That would allow a 60 day stay after quarantine.

My current 1 year extension based on Non O (retirement) may have expired when I go back to Thailand.

 

How long would the new Non O visa I could get in Thailand be after this visa exempt ? 3 months or 1 year ?

I wonder if it would be better (and easier) :

• to ask for a new 3 months non O visa in a thai embassy then ask for 1 year extension once in Thailand
• or enter Thailand on visa exemption 30+45 then ask for a non O visa in Thailand

Thanks

 

 

[sudsy]

9 hours ago, gearbox said:

got the new SETV visa, which is 2 months + 30 days extension. My departure flight from Thailand is within the extra extension days,  there were no problems to get the visa. I plan to get a retirement extension during the stay and cancel the return leg.

 

I'm doing the same thing.  Who did you get for your Covid insurance?  How many months did you buy? 

[ubonjoe]

7 hours ago, daejung said:

My current 1 year extension based on Non O (retirement) may have expired when I go back to Thailand.

How long would the new Non O visa I could get in Thailand be after this visa exempt ? 3 months or 1 year ?

I wonder if it would be better (and easier) :

• to ask for a new 3 months non O visa in a thai embassy then ask for 1 year extension once in Thailand
• or enter Thailand on visa exemption 30+45 then ask for a non O visa in Thailand

When applying for a non-o visa at immigration you first get a 90 day permit to stay and then during the last 30 days of the 90 days you would apply for a one year extension of say based upon retirement.

Most embassies and official consulate require proof of the 40/400k medical insurance to a apply for a single entry non-o visa that will allow a 90 day entry. It is the same insurance required for a OA visa application.

(see https://longstay.tgia.org/home/companiesoa ).

To avoid the insurance entering visa exempt or with a single entry tourist visa and then applying for the non-o visa at immigration is the best option.

[Peter Denis]

22 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

When applying for a non-o visa at immigration you first get a 90 day permit to stay and then during the last 30 days of the 90 days you would apply for a one year extension of say based upon retirement.

Most embassies and official consulate require proof of the 40/400k medical insurance to a apply for a single entry non-o visa that will allow a 90 day entry. It is the same insurance required for a OA visa application.

(see https://longstay.tgia.org/home/companiesoa ).

To avoid the insurance entering visa exempt or with a single entry tourist visa and then applying for the non-o visa at immigration is the best option.

Hi UJ,

> Is it now possible to apply for a Single-Entry 90-day Non Imm O Visa for reason of RETIREMENT at a Thai Embassy/Consulate in your home-country?

Obviously it depends whether your home-country's Embassy/Consulate previously issued such a type Visa (some countries like USA did not), but are there countries where it is now possible to apply for it?

 

[ubonjoe]

28 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

Is it now possible to apply for a Single-Entry 90-day Non Imm O Visa for reason of RETIREMENT at a Thai Embassy/Consulate in your home-country?

Due to covid 19 the embassies and official consulates that were not doing them before started issuing them to get a certificate of entry.

This from the Thai embassy in the US website that did not issue them before.

" For Thailand long stay/retirement visa (O, O-A, and O-X) or who is currently holding re-entry permit for such visas (click here for more information) Update on November 18th"  Source: https://thaiembdc.org/visas/

[NanLaew]

18 hours ago, Danderman123 said:

If you have a link that contains the official announcement of the reinstatement of the Visa Exempt program, please share.

 

However, I suspect that the Thai government is aware that reinstating a 30 day visa exempt program that requires a 15 day quarantine is a non-starter, in terms of encouraging tourism. Even a 45 day visa exempt status will only entice a handful to come to Thailand.

 

There should be an official announcement Real Soon Now.

 

This topic is about the re-introduction of the Visa Exempt program, let’s not have debates about quarantine or other  off topic issues. Please.

 

The only "official" link is the graphic in the OP.

 

There's also a couple of articles in the newspaper we cannot mention.

 

I suggest you get a subscription to the Royal Gazette then you'll have the news before it's news

 

 

17 hours ago, Danderman123 said:

https://thaiconsulatela.org/en/visa-exemption/

 

This consular website says that the 45 day visa exempt program is still pending.

 

Maybe they're waiting for their copy of the Royal Gazette as well?

[gearbox]

9 hours ago, sudsy said:

I'm doing the same thing.  Who did you get for your Covid insurance?  How many months did you buy? 

AXA Thailand,  got it straight from their web site. They have a fixed price, 90 days is 7500 baht.

[ChouDoufu]

3 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

When applying for a non-o visa at immigration you first get a 90 day permit to stay and then during the last 30 days of the 90 days you would apply for a one year extension of say based upon retirement.

Most embassies and official consulate require proof of the 40/400k medical insurance to a apply for a single entry non-o visa that will allow a 90 day entry. It is the same insurance required for a OA visa application.

(see https://longstay.tgia.org/home/companiesoa ).

To avoid the insurance entering visa exempt or with a single entry tourist visa and then applying for the non-o visa at immigration is the best option.

 

yes, but in order to enter thailand, along with the tourist visa, a COE from the embassy is required, which in turn requires the 40/400 medical insurance.

 

at least for now.  is that correct?  or is the minimum 100K + covid cover acceptable for the tourist visa and/or visa exempt entry?

[ubonjoe]

35 minutes ago, ChouDoufu said:

yes, but in order to enter thailand, along with the tourist visa, a COE from the embassy is required, which in turn requires the 40/400 medical insurance.

That is only required to apply for a non-o visa application at a embassy or official consulate. That proof is not required for the certificate of entry.

If on a OA visa proof of the insurance is required on entry to the country and the covid 19 insurance,

 

36 minutes ago, ChouDoufu said:

at least for now.  is that correct?  or is the minimum 100K + covid cover acceptable for the tourist visa and/or visa exempt entry?

Only the $100,000 covid insurance valid for the length of stay is required.

[Peter Denis]

5 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

...

Only the $100,000 covid insurance valid for the length of stay is required.

@ChouDoufu > Worth mentioning that the 'length of stay' in practice refers to the permission to stay the Visa on which you enter Thailand will provide you.  So for a Non Imm O-A Visa entry it is 1 year, but for a 60-day Tourist Visa it is only 2 months (even if you intend to use that one as a spring-board for an in-country 90-day Non Imm O Visa application and subsequent 1-year extension).

[Danderman123]

4 hours ago, NanLaew said:

 

The only "official" link is the graphic in the OP.

 

There's also a couple of articles in the newspaper we cannot mention.

 

I suggest you get a subscription to the Royal Gazette then you'll have the news before it's news

 

 

 

Maybe they're waiting for their copy of the Royal Gazette as well?

To be clear, the resumption of 30 day visa exempt status has been announced on multiple consular websites.

 

But, there has been no announcement published of a decision to extend the 30 day visa exempt status to 45 days.

[sudsy]

https://www.cognitoforms.com/RoyalThaiEmbassy1/onlineapplication

"The embassy is currently updating the website and the procedures for obtaining visa and the COE. 
If you plan to travel to Thailand in January 2021 or onwards, please check back soon on the embassy's website for the official guidelines."

You can't even do the COE for travel in January.  How is it possible to coordinate everything in such a short time?

[jacko45k]

15 hours ago, Danderman123 said:

To be clear, the resumption of 30 day visa exempt status has been announced on multiple consular websites.

This morning I notice that the text in large red lettering announcing the suspension of them, located on the 'Requirements for Certificate of Entry during travel restriction'  for the London Embassy, has been removed. There is no addition of Visa Exempt yet added to the requirements though. 

[daejung]

22 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

When applying for a non-o visa at immigration you first get a 90 day permit to stay and then during the last 30 days of the 90 days you would apply for a one year extension of say based upon retirement.

Most embassies and official consulate require proof of the 40/400k medical insurance to a apply for a single entry non-o visa that will allow a 90 day entry. It is the same insurance required for a OA visa application.

(see https://longstay.tgia.org/home/companiesoa ).

To avoid the insurance entering visa exempt or with a single entry tourist visa and then applying for the non-o visa at immigration is the best option.

 

Thanks

With the visa exempt option, then applying for non O visa, will the permit to stay, based on non-o visa, only for 90 days ?

Same paperwork for application at immigration and at embassies abroad?

 

I also have to think about the anniversary date of the extension renewal (I usually spend the summer in Europe ???? and this anniversary should not be during this period)

[DrJack54]

5 minutes ago, daejung said:

I also have to think about the anniversary date of the extension renewal (I usually spend the summer in Europe ???? and this anniversary should not be during this period)

Very much so.

For folk that wish to obtain annual extensions to their original non O and have a pattern of returning to home country each year. They need to plan the date of that first extension as that is the date (or 30/45 days earlier) they will need to be in Thailand each year to apply for ongoing extensions

[Peter Denis]

53 minutes ago, daejung said:

...

With the visa exempt option, then applying for non O visa, will the permit to stay, based on non-o visa, only for 90 days ?

Same paperwork for application at immigration and at embassies abroad?

,,,

When the Visa Exempt option becomes available, for applicants of most Western countries that means they will be stamped in for a 30 days permission to stay on arrival.

But as the first 15 days of their stay will still be in quarantaine, they will have to apply first for a 30-days extension of stay BEFORE applying for the 90-day Non Imm O Visa at the IO in the province where they intend to stay.  This because such in-country 90-day Non Imm O Visa application has to be done when applicant still has at least 15 days (some IOs require 23 days) left on his permission to stay.  So on a 30-day permission to stay from which the first 15 days are already eaten by the quarantaine there is simply insufficient time for doing the 90-day Non Imm O Visa application.  Also at the moment of application the applicant would need to show that he meets the financial requirements, so for many that would mean opening a Thai bank-account and transferring the required funds (+400K for a marriage application or +800K for a retirement application, when using the Funds-in-Bank method to meet the financial requirements).

So a one-time 30-day extension of stay (1.900 THB) will be necessary for those entering Thailand VisaExempt to provide sufficient time to do the 90-day Non Imm O Visa application after they have left the 15-day quarantaine.

Note: The above might be the reason that Immigration is considering to provide a 45-day permission to stay for those entering VisaExempt. 

 

[ubonjoe]

30 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

When the Visa Exempt option becomes available, for applicants of most Western countries that means they will be stamped in for a 30 days permission to stay on arrival.

It is already available. It was approved by cabinet last week and is already posted on many embassy and official consulates websites.

Details have not finalized yet but it may be a 45 day visa exempt entry now. Or maybe a 45 day extension of it instead of 30.