Free Tourist On Entry Visa > Dec 2020

[George36]

4 minutes ago, SEAsia Traveler said:

SafetyWing policy is about 40% cheaper and covers more with a higher maximum. I might try that and fall back to the other if rejected. 

 

The dreaded 40/400 coverage requirement seems absent for visa exempt COE.

We found some cheaper Covid policy but was not sure what is accepted.  So, we went for the one that seems recommended by embassy.

 

I did not see anything having to do on 40/400 policy needed.  

 

Anyone know if 40/400 necessary for visa exempt or Tourist Visit?  I did see it mentioned under STV and longer term visas.

 

Thanks.

 

[George36]

1 minute ago, SEAsia Traveler said:

It seems that an ASQ booking is REQUIRED before advancing past the first screen of the COE application under a **visa exempt** scheme. RTE DC website. Probably to limit applications to those who are serious about coming.

That is interesting.  It was not required this morning for our Tourist Visas' applications.  

 

Thanks.  

[George36]

We have a reservation at Best Bella Pattaya and they have packages starting at 39k.  We booked a two bedroom family suite for 90k. 

 

Expensive but just spending our kids' inheritance.  5555

[gt162]

7 hours ago, George36 said:

My wife and I are going to be starting the process for the Tourist Visa today.  The visa exempt would work as we intend to roll into retirement visas after quarantine.  However, we noticed that the same documents have to be submitted for the Certificate of Entry (COE) as TV so might as well get the extra 15 days.

 

Unless,, of course, we misread the situation.  555

 

Why don't you apply for retirement visa Non O-A in USA?

[George36]

2 minutes ago, gt162 said:

 

Why don't you apply for retirement visa Non O-A in USA?

The requirement for in country application is less than what you need in your own country.  Plus, not sure if they are processing those now for Americans.  Plus, wanna go now with as little work as necessary.  555
 

https://thaiconsulatela.org/en/visa/visa-type/non-immigration-category-o-a/

[ubonjoe]

8 hours ago, George36 said:

My wife and I are going to be starting the process for the Tourist Visa today.  The visa exempt would work as we intend to roll into retirement visas after quarantine.  However, we noticed that the same documents have to be submitted for the Certificate of Entry (COE) as TV so might as well get the extra 15 days.

For the single entry tourist visa you have to do application for it and at many it embassies and official consulate it will have to be done by mail. The best option in your case would be the visa exempt entry.

The visa exempt entry only has one additional document for the COE and that is the standard 20k baht financial proof.

Not all embassies and consulates are showing the visa exempt entries yet.

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, George36 said:

Plus, not sure if they are processing those now for Americans.

They are doing the OA and OX visas.

See: https://thaiconsulatela.org/en/visa/related-procedures-in-requesting-for-a-certificate-of-entry-and-visa-to-enter-thailand/

[Issanman]

Are the "repatriation" flights the only way to enter Thailand by air now?

[Salerno]

2 minutes ago, Issanman said:

Are the "repatriation" flights the only way to enter Thailand by air now?

 

No, there are "semi commercial" flights too.

[George36]

Posted this in another thread:

 

 

“List of upcoming repatriation flights (For Semi commercial flights, please contact airlines directly)”

 

Do you have 1. an e-ticket for one of the repatriation flights OR semi commercial flights AND 2. Booking confirmation for Alternative State Quarantine (ASQ)? required

 

https://thaiembdc.org/onlinevisaapplication/

 

This is the application for Tourist Visa/COE.  It discusses semi commercial flights. 
 

The Best Bella Pattaya packages start at 39k Baht.  https://thaiest.com/bookings/alsq/best-bella-pattaya

 

[madmen]

16 minutes ago, Salerno said:

 

No, there are "semi commercial" flights too.

Can you give an example? 

[Inala]

9 hours ago, stubuzz said:

I thought this thread would be more popular.

 

It's popular with me!!

[thaitero]

3 minutes ago, madmen said:

Can you give an example? 

https://bit.ly/2Ude2kx

full list

[Salerno]

5 minutes ago, madmen said:

Can you give an example? 

 

Depends where you are, just search for flights as you normally would. If flights come up, they are "semi commercial" (why the name change who knows?).

 

Edit: or see link in above post 555

Edited December 15, 2020 by Salerno

[George36]

Okay, I am confused and may have messed up on the flights.  If so, I can cancel within 24 hours.  I posted about semi-commercial flights above and then a list of the semi commercial flights was posted.

 

Salerno’s post above indicates “search for flights as your normally would.”  I searched Orbitz and booked the flight below for February 2021.  
 

Did I do it right?  Appreciate your response.

 

Thanks

 

Departure

American Airlines 8479 operated by JAPAN AIRLINES

San Diego (SAN) Airport check-in with Japan Airlines  11:55am Terminal: 2 Tokyo (NRT) 4:45pm +1 day  Terminal: 2 Arrives on

Cabin: Economy / Coach (O)

11h 50m duration

1h 25m stop Tokyo (NRT)

American Airlines 8411 operated by JAPAN AIRLINES

Tokyo (NRT) 6:10pm Terminal: 2 Bangkok (BKK) 11:35pm

Cabin: Economy / Coach (O)

7h 25m duration

[SEAsia Traveler]

Try the website of your airline of choice. Korean Air, for example, has specific info about their flights into various countries in their Covid 19 update section. 

[thaitero]

That list i gave tells how things are now. Feb 2021 is long way ahead so best to check airline directly if they have approval for semi com flight or if they are just "hoping for the best" for full commercial flights to start by then,,.

[George36]

The below is now on the application.  Seems to indicate that you get a commercial ticket to get visa, cancel that ticket and book repatriation or semi commercial flight???  Thanks.  
 

In order to travel to Thailand, you will need BOTH a visa AND Certificate of Entry (COE). E-tickets for a regular commercial flight may be used to apply for a visa. However, ONLY repatriation flights and semi commercial flights are allowed to enter Thailand. You must submit both E-ticket for one of the repatriation flights AND booking comfirmation for Alternative State Quanrantine (ASQ) before Certificate of Entry (COE) can be issued.

Once your visa is approved, you will recieve a link to upload your E-ticket for repatriation flight AND booking comfirmation for Alternative State Quanrantine (ASQ)

 

 

[George36]

Where is a list for repatriation flights from the United States please?  Thanks.

 

 

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, George36 said:

Where is a list for repatriation flights from the United States please?  Thanks.

There is a list of repatriation and semi commercial flights on the page of the embassy website. 

https://thaiembdc.org/visas/

[ChakaKhan]

Well...seems we are getting closer....bit by bit....now to scratch the ASQ and insurance -- vaccines starting!

[Issanman]

57 minutes ago, George36 said:

Okay, I am confused and may have messed up on the flights. 

 

Did I do it right?  Appreciate your response.

 

Thanks

I would look for flights that show the final leg into Thailand corresponding with one of the flights shown on the semi-commercial list linked to previously. 

I searched and found such flights using a conventional flight search. (via a Delta-Korean AL connection) However, yours does not seem to match the JAL flight into BKK as shown on the semi-commercial list, but your February flight may fall outside of the scope of the list as currently shown. 

Edited December 15, 2020 by ubonjoe
moved reply from quoted text

[George36]

23 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

There is a list of repatriation and semi commercial flights on the page of the embassy website. 

https://thaiembdc.org/visas/

Thanks.  Is there a list somewhere for the semi commercial flights for January or February?

[Issanman]

3 minutes ago, George36 said:

Thanks.  Is there a list somewhere for the semi commercial flights for January or February?

The list has a column on the far right hand side which shows the "Schedule Period". 

Some go beyond February. 

[NanLaew]

On 12/14/2020 at 6:50 AM, ubonjoe said:

It is not a visa. It is a 30 day visa exempt entry.

I was approved by the cabinet last week. Also a 45 day extension of it instead of 30 days.

 

Maybe change the thread title to "Visa Exempt Entry restored > Dec 2020"

 

That may stop a flood of irrelevant, "Can I get this visa in Thailand?" questions cluttering up the thread

[NanLaew]

25 minutes ago, ChakaKhan said:

Well...seems we are getting closer....bit by bit....now to scratch the ASQ and insurance -- vaccines starting!

 

This time next year seems like a safe bet for those add-ons to go away.

[ubonjoe]

22 minutes ago, George36 said:

Thanks.  Is there a list somewhere for the semi commercial flights for January or February?

I typed in the website address shown in the infographic and it led me to this file.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ijBJOTgFJPAuWUfkPIA60iniXB9j9Ba2XHafXzA6JCw/edit#gid=548708966

[khunjeff]

3 hours ago, George36 said:

Okay, I am confused and may have messed up on the flights.  If so, I can cancel within 24 hours.  I posted about semi-commercial flights above and then a list of the semi commercial flights was posted.

 

Salerno’s post above indicates “search for flights as your normally would.”  I searched Orbitz and booked the flight below for February 2021.  
 

Did I do it right?  Appreciate your response.

 

Thanks

 

The whole thing is a bit confusing, since most of the Thai Government websites indicate that particular airlines are approved as "semi-commercial", while the MFA spreadsheet makes it seem as though only particular flights on those airlines are acceptable - and yours isn't on the flight list.

 

I think the issue is that the flight you booked isn't currently operating, so it didn't make the list. When I looked it up, it seems that JAL isn't selling tickets on that flight until late January, and then they will supposedly make it daily as of February. If you want to feel 100% confident that your flight is acceptable, you should probably stick to the actual flights on the spreadsheet, even though I suspect that in actuality any flight from the approved airlines will be ok.

 

Also, I personally would be leery about using a third-party seller like Orbitz to buy a ticket on a flight that may or may not end up flying. If JAL's optimistic projections end up falling short, and they either don't restart that flight or don't fly it every day, getting reaccommodated  or refunded could be more straightforward if you bought your ticket directly from the airline itself. But maybe that's just me.

[khunjeff]

3 hours ago, Salerno said:

Depends where you are, just search for flights as you normally would. If flights come up, they are "semi commercial" (why the name change who knows?).

 

Yes, "semi-commercial" is a made-up and pretty much meaningless term. My guess is that they came up with that turn of phrase in order to maintain the CAAT fiction that commercial flights are banned from entering Thailand, when in fact there are dozens of commercial flights coming and going every day (just with severe restrictions on what kind of passengers they can bring in).

[ubonjoe]

9 minutes ago, khunjeff said:

 

Yes, "semi-commercial" is a made-up and pretty much meaningless term. My guess is that they came up with that turn of phrase in order to maintain the CAAT fiction that commercial flights are banned from entering Thailand, when in fact there are dozens of commercial flights coming and going every day (just with severe restrictions on what kind of passengers they can bring in).

Only certain airlines have been allowed to board passengers that will be entering the country. This from the embassy website,

"At present, certain air operators are permitted to operate semi-commercial flights to Thailand, and the list of air operators participating in semi-commercial flights program can be found here,

There are flights arriving with passengers that cannot get off the plane and are going to the next stop for the flight.