Hi guys

 

I'm heading back to Thailand on 11 November with my wife and kids. Apologies if I'm asking questions that have been answered before, but here goes.

 

Coming from the UK, do I need a visa using the Thaievisa site? I intend on staying less than 60 days. Normally I would go for visa exempt for 30 days and then head to get it extended for a further 30 days (60 with marriage certificates). Is that still possible in this day and age?

 

Am I best to wait till 1 November to use the new Thai Pass system or go through all the COE stuff and book hotel for 7 nights even though from 1 November it says only 1 night required for fully vaccinated? We are fully vaccinated with Pfizer a couple months ago.

 

Appreciate your answers chaps!

 

21 minutes ago, frequent said:

Normally I would go for visa exempt for 30 days and then head to get it extended for a further 30 days (60 with marriage certificates). Is that still possible in this day and age?

Yes.

 

22 minutes ago, frequent said:

Am I best to wait till 1 November to use the new Thai Pass system

Yes.

13 minutes ago, Salerno said:

Yes.

 

Yes.

Thanks man for your answers, much appreciated!

No worries, good luck with getting your ducks in a row.

Bear in mind that for a visa exempt entry you will need a return/onward flight within 30 days.  If you get a tourist visa you'll get 60 days on entry (no trip to immigration needed) and your return ticket can be one you want to use rather than have to change.

4 minutes ago, Upnotover said:

Bear in mind that for a visa exempt entry you will need a return/onward flight within 30 days.  If you get a tourist visa you'll get 60 days on entry (no trip to immigration needed) and your return ticket can be one you want to use rather than have to change.

Yeah I was kinda think that I'd need the onward flight for 30 days but change it later. Cheers for the reminder anyway.

I heard that it is now not possible to extend from visa exempt-entry. I'm not trying to frighten anyone or muddy the waters even more, just looking for clarity. Anyone with recent experience of this?

Can you enter visa-exempt and extend for 30 days?

Or is it better to get the tourist visa for 60 days?

5 minutes ago, bennn said:

Can you enter visa-exempt and extend for 30 days?

Yes you can.

They are certainly allowed.

@ubonjoe

 

Just to be clear, the visa exempt 30 day entry (for eligible countries on the list) has already been reinstated, or will be reinstated on 31 Oct.? 

 

Understand it can be extended once for an additional 30 days for a total of 60 days. 

 

At the end of that 60 (well, before that of course), can I have an agent switch it to something longer like a student/muay Thai/etc. visa, or will I have to definitely leave after 60? 

 

Much obliged....

 

 

 

 

 

10 minutes ago, Sandboxer said:

@ubonjoe

 

Just to be clear, the visa exempt 30 day entry (for eligible countries on the list) has already been reinstated, or will be reinstated on 31 Oct.? 

 

Understand it can be extended once for an additional 30 days for a total of 60 days. 

 

At the end of that 60 (well, before that of course), can I have an agent switch it to something longer like a student/muay Thai/etc. visa, or will I have to definitely leave after 60? 

 

Much obliged....

 

 

 

 

 

How long do you wish to stay.

Assume your under 50.

14 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

How long do you wish to stay.

Assume your under 50.

Still a fetus basically, only 45^^

 

Relatives in Phuket so I want to spend some time with them, at least 6 months, but perhaps even a year. 

Perhaps it's better to get the tourist visa and then extend that? Get it for 60 days, then extend for another 60?

I read somewhere (don't believe everything you read) that if you try to extend a visa -exempt for 30 days they may only extend it by 7 days?

4 minutes ago, bennn said:

Perhaps it's better to get the tourist visa and then extend that? Get it for 60 days, then extend for another 60?

I read somewhere (don't believe everything you read) that if you try to extend a visa -exempt for 30 days they may only extend it by 7 days?

Setv can be extended by 30 days.

Same for visa exempt entry.

If married to a Thai can obtain 60 day extension to visit wife

36 minutes ago, Sandboxer said:

Just to be clear, the visa exempt 30 day entry (for eligible countries on the list) has already been reinstated, or will be reinstated on 31 Oct.? 

They have allowed since December of last year and it was 45 days until September 30th.

 

38 minutes ago, Sandboxer said:

Understand it can be extended once for an additional 30 days for a total of 60 days. 

 

At the end of that 60 (well, before that of course), can I have an agent switch it to something longer like a student/muay Thai/etc. visa, or will I have to definitely leave after 60? 

Yes and Yes. 

You must have at least 15 days remaining on the 30 day extension to apply for a non immigrant visa.

20 minutes ago, Sandboxer said:

Still a fetus basically, only 45^^

 

Relatives in Phuket so I want to spend some time with them, at least 6 months, but perhaps even a year. 

"At least 6 months"....

Have you looked into Special Tourist Visa. 

STV could be an option to check out. Allows stay up to 9 months. 

17 hours ago, bennn said:

Perhaps it's better to get the tourist visa and then extend that? Get it for 60 days, then extend for another 60?

I read somewhere (don't believe everything you read) that if you try to extend a visa -exempt for 30 days they may only extend it by 7 days?

You are obviously a newbie and although you may be trying to be helpful unless you are certain of your advice maybe should not reply with guesses or misinformation. If coming in with a visa exempt (30 days) one can easily get a 30 day extension no problem. If they refuse a request for a 30 day extension or an application for some other type extension that is when they give you 7 days to leave the country . Since he is married to a Thai he could also request a 60 day permission/extension to visit his wife.  There are a host of other things he could do as well such as getting a 1 year  marriage extension since he is too young for a retirement extension.

No worries, maybe I phrased it badly, but I wasn't trying to be helpful I was trying to ask questions for my own information. In a nutshell, if I was sure I would definitely get a 30 day extension I would enter Thailand visa-free. But if there's a chance they would only extend by 7 days, then I would prefer to get the SETV. So I was just curious, if it happens often or if it has started happening recently, that 30 day extensions for visa exempt are rejected. I was on another website yesterday which repeatedly stated that this was the case.

9 minutes ago, bennn said:

I was on another website yesterday which repeatedly stated that this was the case.

The other website is publishing "fake news".