VOA

[twix38]

I'm in uk and plan to come to Thailand without arranging any visa. I assume I can stay for 30 days on a VOA entry?

Can this be extended for a week or more at Immigration?

Or what's best option to extend a VOA for a further period when approaching its expiry?

 

General question irrespective of covid, although helpful to also include any related ramifications/covid changes and looking to depart uk in late January 2022

Edited October 17, 2021 by twix38
Update info

[Salerno]

Assuming you're a Brit, you arrive visa exempt (VOA is a different beast) and get stamped in for 30 days, you can then extend for a further 30 days for 1900 Bht. By then who knows, unlikely IMO but a possibility to still be able to extend for 60 days using a Covid extension for .... 1900 Bht. If Covid extensions scrapped by April chances are there would be a possibility of a border hop for another visa exempt if you need more time.

 

[steve187]

UK passport holders can not  apply for a VOA,( only a few country allowed) instead they get a visa exempt entry of 30  days, which can be extended once only for 30 days at local immigration office for 1,900 baht

[Lite Beer]

A VOA costs 2,000 Baht and gives a stay of 15 days.

British citizens are not entitled to this.

[twix38]

Thanks for info.

Yes, I am a brit. So on arrival I can just roll up at BKK Airport Thai immigration with passport and no visa at all and be granted 30 days stay courtesy of being Visa Empt and then able to extend my stay for another 30 days at immigration. Great!

 

How long before 1st 30 days expire should I go to Thai immigration to extend for another 30 days?

 

Can I book my return flight back to UK for 60 days after UK departure date, knowing I will extend after 1st 30 days, for a further 30 days at local Thai immigration?

Edited October 18, 2021 by twix38
Update

[ubonjoe]

 

7 minutes ago, twix38 said:

Yes, I am a brit. Do I can just roll up st Thai immigration with passport and no visa at all and be granted 30 days stay. Being able to extend that for another 30 days at immigration.

How long before 1st 30 days expire should I go to immigration to extend for another 30 days?

Just arrange you flight to here. I assume you are aware that you will need Thailand Pass applied for online and donning a possible quarantine.. Are you fully vaccinated for covid 19? Being vaccinated will greatly reduce the quarantine period.

You can apply for a 30 day at immigration about a week early.

 

8 minutes ago, twix38 said:

Can I book my return flight back to UK for 60 days after departure date, knowing I will extend for a further 30 days at Thai immigration?

The airline will more than likely ask for ticket out of the country within 30 days. You could use a one way throwaway ticket to anywhere to meet the requirement or get a low cost temporary ticket (search for onward ticket and you find companies offering them).

 

[Jumbo1968]

22 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

 

Just arrange you flight to here. I assume you are aware that you will need Thailand Pass applied for online and donning a possible quarantine.. Are you fully vaccinated for covid 19? Being vaccinated will greatly reduce the quarantine period.

You can apply for a 30 day at immigration about a week early.

 

The airline will more than likely ask for ticket out of the country within 30 days. You could use a one way throwaway ticket to anywhere to meet the requirement or get a low cost temporary ticket (search for onward ticket and you find companies offering them).

 

You will need too show a return ticket but you can get a throw away ticket or change your return flight if up you have a flexible ticket.

[kevin612]

22 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

 

Just arrange you flight to here. I assume you are aware that you will need Thailand Pass applied for online and donning a possible quarantine.. Are you fully vaccinated for covid 19? Being vaccinated will greatly reduce the quarantine period.

You can apply for a 30 day at immigration about a week early.

 

The airline will more than likely ask for ticket out of the country within 30 days. You could use a one way throwaway ticket to anywhere to meet the requirement or get a low cost temporary ticket (search for onward ticket and you find companies offering them).

 

What about the USA? Can I enter Thailand with Visa exempt? Because I want to apply for Thai language school visa once I arrive there. Thank you.

[Jamusmcscramus]

15 minutes ago, twix38 said:

Thanks for info.

Yes, I am a brit. So on arrival I can just roll up at BKK Airport Thai immigration with passport and no visa at all and be granted 30 days stay courtesy of being Visa Empt and then able to extend my stay for another 30 days at immigration. Great!

 

How long before 1st 30 days expire should I go to Thai immigration to extend for another 30 days?

 

Can I book my return flight back to UK for 60 days after UK departure date, knowing I will extend after 1st 30 days, for a further 30 days at local Thai immigration?

My understanding and what I plan to do is arrive and get 30 day visa but have flexible ticket to leave before end of 30 days. (You’re ticket needs to show you will depart before visa expires I believe) Apply for 30 extension (maybe longer if needed) and then change flexible flight ticket. I have accommodation arranged for my full stay however long. You will need to put accommodation address on visa. 

I am a uk resident double vaccinated. 

Singapore, Etihad and Emirates do flexible ticketing. Qatar used to show as flexible and I think they still are but you’d need to check. You need to book with travel agent company that will allow use of flexible ticket. Check with travel agent first. Booking directly with airline automatically gives you flexible ticket. At present you will still need $100000 covid insurance coverage. 

You should probably wait for the Thailand pass system to be announced as there will be changes. This is supposed to start on November 1st

[Jamusmcscramus]

Finnair are now showing as flexible ticket on skyscanner today for January with good prices and flight times. 

You can select flexible ticketing only in the filter on skyscanner (bottom of the list)

Austrian are also showing flexible ticketing. 

[ubonjoe]

7 minutes ago, kevin612 said:

What about the USA? Can I enter Thailand with Visa exempt? Because I want to apply for Thai language school visa once I arrive there.

Yes you can.

You would only have about 45 days to apply find a school and apply for the non-ed visa at immigration since you must have 15 days remaining of your permit to stay when you apply.

A tourist visa may be your best option since it allows you a 60 day permit to stay that can be extended for 30 days. In the US would apply for it online and get a stickerless visa by email. See: https://thaievisa.go.th/

[twix38]

Many thanks all.

Yes I am double vaccinated and by departure will also have had booster.

 

Do you have link to apply for online Thailand Pass?

 

So I just need Thailand pass, covid test result within 72 hours UK departure, flight tickets - date/details fitting as stated above and passport, if nothing changes meantime?

Edited October 18, 2021 by twix38
Update

[ubonjoe]

11 hours ago, twix38 said:

Do you have link to apply for online Thailand Pass?

So I just need Thailand pass, covid test result within 72 hours UK departure, flight tickets - date/details fitting as stated above and passport, if nothing changes meantime?

The Thailand Pass website is not working yet.

There should be some announcements about the new requirements later this week. At this it is unknown what exactly will be required for entry.

It is fairly clear that you will have to spend one night at a SHA+ hotel while waiting for your negative covid test done when you enter the country.

[JayClay]

12 hours ago, Jamusmcscramus said:

Apply for 30 extension (maybe longer if needed)

There's no "maybe longer if needed", and there's no further 30 day extension (as another post spoke about). On a visa exempt (or tourist visa) the option you have is a single extension of 30 days.

 

It is possible, maybe even probable, that you can use 'emergency' 60-day covid extensions after this, but they are constantly being reviewed and may or may not still be available when you need them.

 

If you know that you need 60 days, and think you may want longer then you should apply for a tourist visa which gives you 60+30 for a total of 90 days. This also saves you a trip to the immigration office in the eventuality that 60 days in fact turned out to be enough.

 

[spoon1967]

14 hours ago, twix38 said:

Thanks for info.

Yes, I am a brit. So on arrival I can just roll up at BKK Airport Thai immigration with passport and no visa at all and be granted 30 days stay courtesy of being Visa Empt and then able to extend my stay for another 30 days at immigration. Great!

 

How long before 1st 30 days expire should I go to Thai immigration to extend for another 30 days?

 

Can I book my return flight back to UK for 60 days after UK departure date, knowing I will extend after 1st 30 days, for a further 30 days at local Thai immigration?

"Can I book my return flight back to UK for 60 days"  - I tried this only a few days ago, as my return flight was over 30 days from arrival, they would not issue the CoE, I had to get a 2 month visa, + insurance must cover until return flight date, other option is book flight to return within 30 days and change it when you arrive - I didn't want to lose my booked flight on the 46th day so went for the visa option. 

[Jamusmcscramus]

9 hours ago, JayClay said:

There's no "maybe longer if needed", and there's no further 30 day extension (as another post spoke about). On a visa exempt (or tourist visa) the option you have is a single extension of 30 days.

 

It is possible, maybe even probable, that you can use 'emergency' 60-day covid extensions after this, but they are constantly being reviewed and may or may not still be available when you need them.

 

If you know that you need 60 days, and think you may want longer then you should apply for a tourist visa which gives you 60+30 for a total of 90 days. This also saves you a trip to the immigration office in the eventuality that 60 days in fact turned out to be enough.

 

Sorry should of mentioned I’ll be getting married ???? which was originally on 2 May last year ???? so have other options. But yes only option for Twix  if arriving and using 30 day. 

[Jamusmcscramus]

20 hours ago, twix38 said:

Many thanks all.

Yes I am double vaccinated and by departure will also have had booster.

 

Do you have link to apply for online Thailand Pass?

 

So I just need Thailand pass, covid test result within 72 hours UK departure, flight tickets - date/details fitting as stated above and passport, if nothing changes meantime?

Plus Covid insurance $100000 cover for Thailand. This may change with Thailand pass announcements which could be by end of week. Not sure when Thailand pass will be online but believe the address will be 

thailandpass.go.tb

also as stated by others will probably need to stay in ASQ hotel in Bangkok for first night until negative test received from pcr test at airport. Visa will require address of where you are staying after that I understand. 

[Jamusmcscramus]

London Embassy visa and consular services here

https://london.thaiembassy.org/en/page/cate-7742-visa-consular-services?menu=5f4b6eb3f6ae4b236972c562

 

 

check your visa requirements here

https://thaievisa.go.th/

[Jamusmcscramus]

20 hours ago, twix38 said:

Many thanks all.

Yes I am double vaccinated and by departure will also have had booster.

 

Do you have link to apply for online Thailand Pass?

 

So I just need Thailand pass, covid test result within 72 hours UK departure, flight tickets - date/details fitting as stated above and passport, if nothing changes meantime?

 

[Jamusmcscramus]

All clear as mud as usual ????

now mentioning ‘fit to fly’ documentation! Hopefully this is just the pcr test less than 72 hrs before flight and vaccination passport. 
The digital vaccine pass in Wales renews/updates  every 30 days or each time you access it so I phoned them and got a paper one sent which doesn’t expire but will need to be updated when I receive booster or further vaccinations. England is similar I believe.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/nhs-covid-pass

 

 

[Jamusmcscramus]

21 hours ago, twix38 said:

Many thanks all.

Yes I am double vaccinated and by departure will also have had booster.

 

Do you have link to apply for online Thailand Pass?

 

So I just need Thailand pass, covid test result within 72 hours UK departure, flight tickets - date/details fitting as stated above and passport, if nothing changes meantime?

You will also probably still need to download one or both of the Mor Chana /Thailand Plus track and trace apps which they ask to see at the arrival airport I understand. I plan to download before departure if still listed as a requirement.