Free Tourist On Entry Visa > Dec 2020

[George36]

I canceled the Orbitz flights with no penalty.  The Covid policy can be canceled or rewritten within 15 days with no penalty.  

 

Got an automatic reply on both visa applications stating. "Must upload docs section 3-5." No such animal can be found.  Sent email to Embassy.  HELP.  Cannot find section 3-5. 

 

Only words in response, "Carefully go line by line you will find."  I cannot find.  5555

 

Anyway, I am going to call these airlines tomorrow and get flights from whomever can get us there soonest.  January 13th seems perfect.  Will do visa exempt and get the quicker COE.

 

https://thaiembdc.org/visas/

 

Does that sound about right?

 

Hope this works.  5555

 

Thanks.  

Edited December 15, 2020 by George36
Added link.

[Suradit69]

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

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

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

Yes. It is amazing that some people can insist on calling everything a visa even when the announcement contains the phrase “ without a visa.”

Quote

Free Tourist On Entry Visa

 

Edited December 15, 2020 by Suradit69

[khunjeff]

27 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

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. 

 

Sure, Joe, I understand that - my only beef is with the strange terminology they came up with to describe it!

[NanLaew]

One-way from Manchester via Hamsterjam next March for £385... not too shabby.

[NanLaew]

1 hour 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).

 

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."

[gearbox]

8 hours ago, George36 said:

https://covid19.tgia.org/   We choose to start with 60 days policy for 60 days Tourist Visa.  Cost $288 each.  Seems coverage is about $90 a month.  

 

The policy indicates that it is extendable.  

I bought 90 days COVID inclusive insurance for inbound travellers from AXA Thailand for 7500 baht directly from their web site. The policy starts when I enter Thailand.

[Patjqm]

On 12/14/2020 at 2:06 AM, ubonjoe said:

You can apply for a non-o visa with a 30 day visa exempt entry or the 45 day extension extension of it. The extension would have to be applied for after you finish quarantine since you must have 15 days remaining on your stay to apply for the visa.

Ok thanks...Belgium is on that list, but here in B no info from embassy or consulat confirming this...:-(

[ubonjoe]

19 minutes ago, Patjqm said:

Ok thanks...Belgium is on that list, but here in B no info from embassy or consulat confirming this...:-(

Wait another day or so and it should appear.

It is not shown yet on the online certificate of entry site yet either. https://coethailand.mfa.go.th/regis/step?language=en

[gearbox]

Does anyone know if the holders of 60 days SETV would also get 45 days extension? So far it looks like only the 30 days visa exempt entries get this.

[ubonjoe]

5 minutes ago, gearbox said:

Does anyone know if the holders of 60 days SETV would also get 45 days extension?

It is not possible with a tourist visa entry.

[NanLaew]

10 hours ago, Salerno said:

11 hours ago, shinwon said:

After coming to Thailand under visa exemption scheme, would you be able to apply for a STV visa? 

 

No, but you can convert it to a Non-O.

 

...if you qualify for a Non-O.

 

To confirm, STV's are exclusively issued at overseas embassies and consulates and are NOT available in Thailand.

[Danderman123]

The visa exempt status decision still awaits the Thai cabinet. We should know within 24 hours.

 

 

[NanLaew]

9 hours ago, George36 said:

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

 

...in Pattaya of all places.

 

(tongue in cheek comment, no need for any rolleyes here)

[NanLaew]

4 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

The visa exempt status decision still awaits the Thai cabinet. We should know within 24 hours.

 

 

 

The way I read it is the reintroduction of the 30-day visa exempt entry is done and dusted. It's just the tacking on of an additional 14 days to cover ASQ and thus making it a 45-day visa exempt entry that needs to be given the nod and royally gazetted.

 

...but I've been known to be wrong before.

[Scofield]

This thread should be ‘George and his airline questions’. Talk about a hijack....

[Danderman123]

21 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

 

The way I read it is the reintroduction of the 30-day visa exempt entry is done and dusted. It's just the tacking on of an additional 14 days to cover ASQ and thus making it a 45-day visa exempt entry that needs to be given the nod and royally gazetted.

 

...but I've been known to be wrong before.

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.

[potless]

On 12/14/2020 at 8:06 AM, ubonjoe said:

You can apply for a non-o visa with a 30 day visa exempt entry or the 45 day extension extension of it. The extension would have to be applied for after you finish quarantine since you must have 15 days remaining on your stay to apply for the visa.

If someone enters Thailand on the 1st day of a month and then leaves quarantine on the 16th of the month ( 15 nights 16 days) , would that mean that a person entering on a 30 day visa exempt would have to apply for an extension on the very same day they leave ASQ ? Thanks.

Edited December 15, 2020 by potless

[Danderman123]

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

 

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

[KannikaP]

3 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

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

Who, if they do happen to be asymptomatic or have a dodgy certificate, will have possibly been in close contact with and probably infected all the passengers getting off in Thailand.

No, worries, they are all going into quarantine anyway.

[ubonjoe]

18 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

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

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

It basically says the are not sure what it will be when you enter the country at this time. I think they expect it to be finalized by the time people are entering the country.

I am not sure if is 30 day or a 45 day entry or a 30 day entry and then a 45 day extension yet. The wording used in news reports and etc are not clear about it.

[DogNo1]

I think that the visa-exempt entry will be appealing to people whose intention is to convert to a 90-day Non-O and then apply for a one-year extension.  I know several people who have been waiting for this.

[Danderman123]

32 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

It basically says the are not sure what it will be when you enter the country at this time. I think they expect it to be finalized by the time people are entering the country.

I am not sure if is 30 day or a 45 day entry or a 30 day entry and then a 45 day extension yet. The wording used in news reports and etc are not clear about it.

The short term issue for those planning to enter under the Visa Exempt status is the requirement to show a departure flight from Thailand. Should the return date be 30, 45 or 60 days from the date of entry?

[gearbox]

18 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

The short term issue for those planning to enter under the Visa Exempt status is the requirement to show a departure flight from Thailand. Should the return date be 30, 45 or 60 days from the date of entry?

I 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.

 

Tips for the Aussies or anyone with Qantas Frequent Flyer points - you can use your points with Qatar or Emirates. Until 31 March 2021 there is free cancellation for the Classic Award points - you get all your points back + taxes if you cancel. No messing around with vouchers and so on. I booked my flights from Europe to BKK, seems plenty of flights are available under the Classic Rewards.

[KhaoYai]

On 12/14/2020 at 1:06 AM, ubonjoe said:

You can apply for a non-o visa with a 30 day visa exempt entry or the 45 day extension extension of it. The extension would have to be applied for after you finish quarantine since you must have 15 days remaining on your stay to apply for the visa.

Confused.  I thought they had simply increased an exempt entry to 45 days to allow for quarantine. I.E. 15 days quarantine + 30 days holiday = 45 days?

 

Are you saying that a 30 day visa can be extended by 45 days totalling 75 days Joe?  That's how I read the above post.

Edited December 15, 2020 by KhaoYai

[ubonjoe]

8 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

Confused.  I thought they had simply increased an exempt entry to 45 days to allow for quarantine. I.E. 15 days quarantine + 30 days holiday = 45 days??????

As I written before it is not clear whether it will be a30 day entry and then a 45 day extension or 45 day entry and then a person could apply for a 30 day extension that would be a stay after quarantine of 60 days.

I think immigration would more than likely prefer the 45 day extension since it would be easier to authorize than a 45 day entry.

[KhaoYai]

4 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

As I written before it is not clear whether it will be a30 day entry and then a 45 day extension or 45 day entry and then a person could apply for a 30 day extension that would be a stay after quarantine of 60 days.

I think immigration would more than likely prefer the 45 day extension since it would be easier to authorize than a 45 day entry.

Clear as mud at the moment then.  However, given that the exempt entry was for 30 days, an increase to 45 would make sense to cover the quarantine period.

[Danderman123]

14 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

Confused.  I thought they had simply increased an exempt entry to 45 days to allow for quarantine. I.E. 15 days quarantine + 30 days holiday = 45 days?

 

Are you saying that a 30 day visa can be extended by 45 days totalling 75 days Joe?  That's how I read the above post.

To be clear, the Thai cabinet has not made a decision yet.

[ubonjoe]

2 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

To be clear, the Thai cabinet has not made a decision yet.

It was approved last Tuesday by the cabinet.

[Danderman123]

3 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

It was approved last Tuesday by the cabinet.

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

[KhaoYai]

 

'The Foreign Ministry has now asked the Interior Ministry to consider extending the visa free stay for nationals of the 56 countries from 30 to 45 days.'

 

 

 

That would seem to confirm my understanding of the proposal no?????

 

I think the confusion is that, as so many do, they have referred to a 30 day exempt entry as a 30 day visa.

 

 

Edited December 15, 2020 by KhaoYai