Best way to stay 59 days

[lorrilee61]

Hi all, I went mad and booked flights to Phuket for 17July returning on 13Sept, 59 days , then realized that I don't know how to stay that long. What is the best way? which visa? Coming from Australia. Had all our vaccinations etc. direct flights.

Cheers

Edited January 23, 2022 by lorrilee61

[Sheryl]

You have 2 options (assuming you have an Australian passport)

 

1. Enter visa exempt, which stamps you in for 30 days, then get another 30 day extension for a total of 60 days stay. This will require a trip to immigration.

 

2. Get a tourist visa, this will stamp you in for 60 days. No trip to immigration needed,  but need to apply for and get visa  pre-departure.

 

The tourist visa can be extended for 30 days to a total of 90 days with a trip to immigration. So if you want the flexibility of possibly staying more than 60 days that would be the best option. If you are certain you'll return in under 60 days either option works for you.

 

 

[DrJack54]

OP you didn't mention your departure date.

Your options have been outlined above. 

On Tues 25 we should know of Thai government decision regarding continuing covid extensions or not.

If continued you could travel knowing all bases covered.

 

If indeed your trip is exactly 59 days then a tourist visa good option.

We all do what suits personal situation. 

[ubonjoe]

You could enter visa extemp to get a 30 day entry that can be expended for 30 days at immigration. You might asked for a ticket out of the country by the airline to board you flight to here (one way ticket to anywhere or a onward flight from a site offering them for about $12)).

Or you apply for a single entry tourist visa that will allow a 60 day stay. You would apply for it at the Thai embassy in Canberra or the official consulate in Sydney.

[ubonjoe]

1 minute ago, DrJack54 said:

OP you didn't mention your departure date.

Yes he did.

11 minutes ago, lorrilee61 said:

Hi all, I went mad and booked flights to Phuket for July returning in Sept

 

[DrJack54]

4 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

OP you didn't mention your departure date.

OP, as ubonjoe pointed out ..your schedule was clearly outlined.

 

So you have time to choose the visa exempt vs tourist visa option.

 

To small extent the covid extension decision would give extra security to the visa exempt option in the knowledge that if your return date becomes a longer stay then covid extension is available. 

[Chivas]

17 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

You have 2 options (assuming you have an Australian passport)

 

1. Enter visa exempt, which stamps you in for 30 days, then get another 30 day extension for a total of 60 days stay. This will require a trip to immigration.

 

 

 

 

No...

Whilst Australian check in staff may take a different view to British ones but you'll get offloaded at check here in London without the visa soon as the 59 day flight ticket flashes up on screen

Need an onward ticket out in advance at the 30 day point even if you do a subsequent "workaround" whilst within Thailand

Edited January 23, 2022 by Chivas

[DrJack54]

2 minutes ago, Chivas said:

No...

Whilst Australian check in staff may take a different view to British ones but you'll get offloaded at check here in London without the visa

Need an onward ticket out in advance at the 30 day point as well even if you do a subsequent "workaround" whilst within Thailand

That's not what the person you quoted was talking about.

She was outlining how to have stay of 60 days.

The onward flight ticket that the airline requires was covered by ubonjoe post. 

Correct he will require an onward flight to show check in airline staff to obtain boarding pass. 

[Chivas]

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

That's not what the person you quoted was talking about.

She was outlining how to have stay of 60 days.

The onward flight ticket that the airline requires was covered by ubonjoe post. 

Correct he will require an onward flight to show check in airline staff to obtain boarding pass. 

You've lost me...I will copy and paste

 

"1. Enter visa exempt, which stamps you in for 30 days, then get another 30 day extension for a total of 60 days stay. This will require a trip to immigration."

 

You simply cannot out of the UK use that as an option without having an outbound (throwaway) ticket at the 30 day mark or earlier

 

Its blatantly wrong information and should not be remotely offered as an option

Edited January 23, 2022 by Chivas

[aussiexpat]

23 minutes ago, Chivas said:

You've lost me...I will copy and paste

 

"1. Enter visa exempt, which stamps you in for 30 days, then get another 30 day extension for a total of 60 days stay. This will require a trip to immigration."

 

You simply cannot out of the UK use that as an option without having an outbound (throwaway) ticket at the 30 day mark or earlier

 

Its blatantly wrong information and should not be remotely offered as an option

The OP is from Australia not UK. I arrived from Aus visa exempt on January 14 with a one way ticket. Airline asked how long I was staying to check covid insurance, they didn't ask to see an onward ticket

 

I've also travelled many times on visa exempt with a ticket at 59 days (for some reason never wanted to risk going the maximum 60 days). Never had a problem.

 

Edited January 23, 2022 by aussiexpat

[DrJack54]

16 minutes ago, Chivas said:

Its blatantly wrong information and should not be remotely offered as an option

Every time I mention visa exempt entry I do not add the rider that onward ticket is often/usually required.

If the op follows up on visa exempt option then posters would point out the onward flight requirement.

Also small added details such as extension particulars etc.

[DrJack54]

7 minutes ago, aussiexpat said:

The OP is from Australia not UK. I arrived from Aus visa exempt on January 14 with a one way ticket. Airline asked how long I was staying to check covid insurance, they didn't ask to see an onward ticket

You didn't require an onward ticket.

Many do. 

Your post again pointless..

[North]

2 hours ago, Sheryl said:

You have 2 options (assuming you have an Australian passport)

 

1. Enter visa exempt, which stamps you in for 30 days, then get another 30 day extension for a total of 60 days stay. This will require a trip to immigration.

 

2. Get a tourist visa, this will stamp you in for 60 days. No trip to immigration needed,  but need to apply for and get visa  pre-departure.

 

The tourist visa can be extended for 30 days to a total of 90 days with a trip to immigration. So if you want the flexibility of possibly staying more than 60 days that would be the best option. If you are certain you'll return in under 60 days either option works for you.

 

 

 

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

You could enter visa extemp to get a 30 day entry that can be expended for 30 days at immigration. You might asked for a ticket out of the country by the airline to board you flight to here (one way ticket to anywhere or a onward flight from a site offering them for about $12)).

Or you apply for a single entry tourist visa that will allow a 60 day stay. You would apply for it at the Thai embassy in Canberra or the official consulate in Sydney.

If one arrives visa exempt, what requirements must be met to get the extra 30 days ?

[aussiexpat]

@lorrilee61 I've travelled many times from Aus on visa exempt and its pretty easy to get the 30 day extension for 1900 baht.

 

If you've never been to Thai immigration before it can be a little confusing so it's also easy to get the 60 day tourist visa which is valid to enter within 3 months of issue and costs A$60 (about 1400 baht). 

 

I chose not to get the tourist visa as it was unclear if covid insurance would then be required for 60 days (i got 30 days insurance for exempt) and it requires proof of accommodation, again unclear if that means all 60 days or just initial stay?

 

Here are the Tourist Visa requirements:  

https://canberra.thaiembassy.org/toursit-visa-category-tr/

[Sheryl]

2 minutes ago, North said:

 

If one arrives visa exempt, what requirements must be met to get the extra 30 days ?

You go to an immigration office, fill out a request form and pay a fee. No special requirements. They might at most ask to see proof of a TM30 on file - hotels will submit that for oyu but if you are staying elsewhere should make sure it gets filed.

[aussiexpat]

6 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

You go to an immigration office, fill out a request form and pay a fee. No special requirements. They might at most ask to see proof of a TM30 on file - hotels will submit that for oyu but if you are staying elsewhere should make sure it gets filed.

And a passport like photo and copy of passport cover page, exempt arrival stamp and TM 6 departure card

 

The form also asks for a "reason for extension". I always use wish to study Thai language more, but I don't think they really care what you say.

Edited January 23, 2022 by aussiexpat

[Sheryl]

8 minutes ago, aussiexpat said:

 

 

The form also asks for a "reason for extension". I always use wish to study Thai language more, but I don't think they really care what you say.

Can simply write "tourism"

[LukKrueng]

19 hours ago, Chivas said:

No...

Whilst Australian check in staff may take a different view to British ones but you'll get offloaded at check here in London without the visa soon as the 59 day flight ticket flashes up on screen

Need an onward ticket out in advance at the 30 day point even if you do a subsequent "workaround" whilst within Thailand

That's a misunderstanding or misconception of the regulation. The need for an onward or return ticket is simply in case you're refused entry for any reason. In such a case, if the passenger doesn't hold a ticket, the airline is responsible for his departure and also for a fine. Back in the good old days an open dated ticket with a 1 year validity was good enough. Since the introduction of e- tickets there's no such thing is an open ticket and most cheap tickets cary a fee for date changing (now with covid most airlines don't charge for changing flight dates). 

If the check in staff try to stop you from boarding with a return ticket showing more than 30 days of stay, simply ask to speak to a supervisor/ Station manager and ask them to show you the printed rules where is states the return date must be within 30 days. They won't find it. The rules state a return/ onwards ticket is needed. That's all. 

 

[LukKrueng]

32 minutes ago, LukKrueng said:

That's a misunderstanding or misconception of the regulation. The need for an onward or return ticket is simply in case you're refused entry for any reason. In such a case, if the passenger doesn't hold a ticket, the airline is responsible for his departure and also for a fine. Back in the good old days an open dated ticket with a 1 year validity was good enough. Since the introduction of e- tickets there's no such thing is an open ticket and most cheap tickets cary a fee for date changing (now with covid most airlines don't charge for changing flight dates). 

If the check in staff try to stop you from boarding with a return ticket showing more than 30 days of stay, simply ask to speak to a supervisor/ Station manager and ask them to show you the printed rules where is states the return date must be within 30 days. They won't find it. The rules state a return/ onwards ticket is needed. That's all. 

 

From IATA Timatic system

 

[JackGats]

20 hours ago, Sheryl said:

 

 

The tourist visa can be extended for 30 days to a total of 90 days with a trip to immigration. So if you want the flexibility of possibly staying more than 60 days that would be the best option. If you are certain you'll return in under 60 days either option works for you.

 

 

Didn't know 90 days (twice +30) were possible. Does this hold for all nationalities?

 

In the EU country where I come from, the embassy insists for a 60-day visa a hotel booking is needed covering the whole duration of the stay. Why this unreasonable requirement? I think of only one reason: the embassy doesn't want the additional work.

[Sheryl]

1 hour ago, JackGats said:

Didn't know 90 days (twice +30) were possible. Does this hold for all nationalities?

 

In the EU country where I come from, the embassy insists for a 60-day visa a hotel booking is needed covering the whole duration of the stay. Why this unreasonable requirement? I think of only one reason: the embassy doesn't want the additional work.

Yes, all nationalities.

 

You may be thinking of the "Special Tourist Visa" which has much more complex requirements.  There is no requirement for proof of hotel bookings (other than for initial quarantine or Test & Go or Sandbox) for a regular tourist visa.

 

Tourist visas are now obtained online from the MoFA.  https://www.thaievisa.go.th/

[ubonjoe]

23 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

Tourist visas are now obtained online from the MoFA.  https://www.thaievisa.go.th/

Embassies and official consulates still issue the visas. When the application is done online it is sent to designate embassy or consulate for a person is livng.

Not all embassies or official consulates use the evisa website.

[JackGats]

1 hour ago, Sheryl said:

Yes, all nationalities.

 

You may be thinking of the "Special Tourist Visa" which has much more complex requirements.  There is no requirement for proof of hotel bookings (other than for initial quarantine or Test & Go or Sandbox) for a regular tourist visa.

 

Tourist visas are now obtained online from the MoFA.  https://www.thaievisa.go.th/

 Thanks I'll have a look at that e-visa site. Good if it works coz the embassy in my EU country has this requirement for both "above-mentioned (tourist) visas":

 

(I was wrong, hotel booking only for 1 month. Still ...)

 

Edited January 24, 2022 by JackGats

[MajorTom]

Would it be possible to apply for a Thai e-visa in your home/passport country (where eligible) while staying in a third country?

Is everything done online?

I have checked the application process briefly. They request uploading travel documents, but there are workarounds for that. Is this plausible?

 

The reason i ask is i'm going to Taiwan for work, and Its not possible for me to visit a Thai embassy while there. (e-visa not available)