Can a UK citizen still do a Visa exemption on arrival and then extend for up to 30 days afterwards?

[MarkGB]

Thank you in advance, I'm a UK citizen visiting Thailand with my Thai wife and our 3 year old son next month (first time back since 2019) and wanted to check if I could still do the 30-day visa exemption on arrival and then extend up to 30 days afterwards? We plan to stay 48 days in total. 

[aussiexpat]

Why would you think differently? Nothing has changed for visa exempt (30+30)

Edited February 22, 2022 by aussiexpat

[ubonjoe]

You can enter visa exempt and then apply for the 30 day extension.

Be aware that the airline can ask to see a ticket out of the country within 30 days of arrival. A one way ticket to anywhere can be used or a temporary onward ticket you can find by doing a search.

[ubonjoe]

1 minute ago, aussiexpat said:

Why would you think differently?

Because of the covid 19 restrictions. For the better part of 2020 visa exempt entries were not allowed.,

[aussiexpat]

2 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Because of the covid 19 restrictions. For the better part of 2020 visa exempt entries were not allowed.,

But he posted today and visa exempt are allowed now?

[MarkGB]

14 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You can enter visa exempt and then apply for the 30 day extension.

Be aware that the airline can ask to see a ticket out of the country within 30 days of arrival. A one way ticket to anywhere can be used or a temporary onward ticket you can find by doing a search.

Thank you kindly. The E-visa seems to require a lot of supporting documents. Not sure how that would work for a three-year-old's application.

[MarkGB]

14 minutes ago, aussiexpat said:

But he posted today and visa exempt are allowed now?

Sorry, I asked because I don't know. Covid regulations etc. Read conflicting stuff online so asking the experts.

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, MarkGB said:

Thank you kindly. The E-visa seems to require a lot of supporting documents. Not sure how that would work for a three-year-old's application.

Does you child have a Thai birth certificate issued by Amphoe or the embassy in London and a Thai passport? They do not need anything but their passport and be on a Thailand Pass.

If no Thai passport you could them a emergency travel document from the embassy.

A visa exempt entry does not need anything to be done on the e visa site. All the that is needed is a Thailand Pass. Website for it is here. https://tp.consular.go.th/

[MarkGB]

2 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Does you child have a Thai birth certificate issued by Amphoe or the embassy in London and a Thai passport? They do not need anything but their passport and be on a Thailand Pass.

If no Thai passport you could them a emergency travel document from the embassy.

A visa exempt entry does not need anything to be done on the e visa site. All the that is needed is a Thailand Pass. Website for it is here. https://tp.consular.go.th/

Thank you again. He just has a British passport. I've already booked flights for the 48 days and was planning to do the e-visa for us both but was surprised by the level of supporting documents at the end of the application and not sure how that would work for a child because I am in effect his sponsor. 

[ubonjoe]

You both can enter visa exempt no need to apply for a visa. Just buy a onward ticket for both of you within 30 days to show the airline if asked for it. See: https://onwardticket.com/

Not sure why think being your sons "sponsor" would effect anything since you are their father.

[MarkGB]

3 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You both can enter visa exempt no need to apply for a visa. Just buy a onward ticket for both of you within 30 days to show the airline if asked for it. See: https://onwardticket.com/

Not sure why think being your sons "sponsor" would effect anything since you are their father.

Thank you again. An Onward ticket out of Thailand back to London? 

[ubonjoe]

20 minutes ago, MarkGB said:

Thank you again. An Onward ticket out of Thailand back to London? 

It can be a onward ticket to anywhere.

[arithai12]

1 hour ago, MarkGB said:

Sorry, I asked because I don't know. Covid regulations etc. Read conflicting stuff online so asking the experts.

Fair enough! If you are planning for a little later, keep an eye open as things might evolve, for example there's talk of removing the requirement of a second hotel+test on day 5.

[Mickmouse1]

I thought all visa on arrival was cancelled and you have to apply online .I strongly suggest to ( do the only best way is to ) call the Thai embassy. 

[ubonjoe]

28 minutes ago, Mickmouse1 said:

I thought all visa on arrival was cancelled and you have to apply online .I strongly suggest to ( do the only best way is to ) call the Thai embassy. 

A visa on arrival is only for 15 days and they were not issued after applying for them and paying the 2000 baht fee for it from March or April of 2020 until October of 2021.

Visa exempt entries were stopped in April or March of 2020 until late that year.

[billp]

Tourist visas are really the answer for the trip you’ve outlined. I don’t understand <<surprised by the level of supporting documents at the end of the application>>. What documents are those exactly? All you need to send are data page of passport, a passport picture and one of the child holding the passport, flight bookings, and a declaration which you can sign on behalf of the child. (I’m trying to remember, I think I had to send scans of my passport showing no stamps for international travel in the past two years.) Obviously employment is moot. Sponsorship is moot in most cases anyway, I don’t know why they have it in there for a tourist visa.

[KhaoYai]

9 hours ago, MarkGB said:

I've already booked flights for the 48 days

That will almost certainly give you a problem without a visa.  The extension is not guaranteed so airlines want to see a flight out within 30 days. As UJ pointed out, if you go visa exempt there is a way around that - book a flight out (or at least show one - see UJ's post) within 30 days.

[flynn]

How many 30 day extensions can you get on a visa exempt entry ?

[DrJack54]

33 minutes ago, flynn said:

How many 30 day extensions can you get on a visa exempt entry ?

By via airport there is no stated limit however you can be questioned as to the number of visa exempt entries especially if they are back to back with short periods out of Thailand.

Land borders (when open) you can obtain 2 visa exempt entries per calendar year. 

 

Edit: op misread your question completely.

Refer to uj reply.

Edited February 22, 2022 by DrJack54

[ubonjoe]

11 minutes ago, flynn said:

How many 30 day extensions can you get on a visa exempt entry ?

Only one 30 day extension per entry is allowed.

[brianthainess]

17 hours ago, Mickmouse1 said:

I thought all visa on arrival was cancelled and you have to apply online .I strongly suggest to ( do the only best way is to ) call the Thai embassy. 

Visa on arrival is not the same as Visa Exempt.

[MarkGB]

Thanks for all the advice, observations. Much appreciated. Path ahead seems much clearer now.