Have you ever been asked by IO to show an onward ticket or 20kB cash when you made a visa exempt entry into Thailand recently?

[Saigon]

Hi All,

 

I'm currently staying in Thailand on a visa now but will leave and come back to The Kingdom

on a visa exempt entry next month.

 

My question is 'Have you ever been asked by IO to show an onward ticket or 20kB cash when

you made a visa exempt entry into Thailand lately?' I've entered Thailand by air or by land,

on a visa exempt or a visa so many times, but never ever been asked by IO to show either of

the two before, though.

 

Thank you in advance!

[JayClay]

I wasn't asked specifically, but chose to show one when being grilled by an immigration officer at Suvarnabhumi.

 

They didn't seem terribly interested in it, I think they're well aware that people buy throwaway tickets, they were far more interested in the answers I gave to their questions.

 

It certainly didn't do any harm having an onward ticket, though, and it certainly helped validate my story.

[DrJack54]

36 minutes ago, Saigon said:

My question is 'Have you ever been asked by IO to show an onward ticket or 20kB cash when

you made a visa exempt entry into Thailand lately?'

That won't happen at immigration on arrival in Thailand.

 

The whole thing regarding onward ticket is being asked by the airline at departure.

Many are not asked and many are.

 

I'm starting to think that certain factors come into play and seems low cost carriers in particular require onward flight.

I have been asked by Jetstar from Melb to Bangkok and always using AirAsia.

In both instances it was my fault for clearly not identifying my reentry permit. 

BTW: From Saigon you will be asked for onward flight if visa exempt.

 

[problemfarang]

not me but 1 of my friend asked to show 20.000 at the Io desk. But this was before covid.

[thanaka]

2 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

That won't happen at immigration on arrival in Thailand.

 

The whole thing regarding onward ticket is being asked by the airline at departure.

Many are not asked and many are.

 

I'm starting to think that certain factors come into play and seems low cost carriers in particular require onward flight.

I have been asked by Jetstar from Melb to Bangkok and always using AirAsia.

In both instances it was my fault for clearly not identifying my reentry permit. 

BTW: From Saigon you will be asked for onward flight if visa exempt.

 

To add to this:

 

As far as I understand, the airline carrying you to Thailand is responsible for you in case you get denied entry. At least that's what they explained to my friend when he once got asked for an onward flight when checking in to a flight to Thailand. He didn't have an onward flight but showed them his bank statement and signed a paper that he would cover the costs himself in case he gets denied entry, basically transferring the responsibility from the airline to himself. That was sufficient enough.

 

Maybe the low cost carriers have a higher probability of asking for entry requirements since they have a higher risk of carrying passengers that may not have the necessary funds to pay for a flight back in case they get denied entry.

 

Personally I only got asked once for an onward flight, and that was not too long ago when I flew in from Manila with Philippine Airlines. Never got asked for anything in Thailand, though I do always keep ~1000 USD with me when traveling internationally in case they will ask for proof of money. At least for Thailand it's part of the entry requirements so better be safe. The same goes for an onward flight, technically you are required to show one if you plan to land on a visa exempt, so better be prepared.

[DrJack54]

39 minutes ago, thanaka said:

Personally I only got asked once for an onward flight, and that was not too long ago when I flew in from Manila with Philippine Airlines

Your account is pretty typical.

Flying from nearby countries Vietnam etc ..almost certain to be asked for onward flight esp with low cost airlines such as AirAsia.

The Waiver form that you signed is also a common option provided by the airline. Definitely good to be aware of and sometimes comes about by asking check in clerk to request someone further up the food chain. 

[Photoguy21]

Never buy I have a years visa. I always have money with me not for IO but from jobs.

[Saigon]

Dear All,

 

Thank you for all your info and opinions!

 

What would you think about it if I should

come back to Thailand by land?

[ubonjoe]

A off topic post meant to deflect the topic has been removed.

[BusyB]

When I flew in a short while back I was asked pre-departure by the airline ground staff what I was doing since I had no visa. I told them I was going for a visa exempt entry and follow up non-O and also had an onward ticket. They seemed to be familiar with it and didn't want proof. They seemed more to want to know if I knew what I was doing. They could see I had Thai visas in my passport (which they checked) so I wasn't a gormless newby and they let me through.

 

On arrival, I was sidelined to show my C0Vaxes which are (EU type QR) on my mobile.

 

I was not asked for anything by IO.

 

However, I was carrying the required 10k (aka €300) and a genuine onward flight booked towards the end of my visa exempt entry. I'll be spending the 10k, and cancelling the flight to get a refund (eventually I suppose - they book it in faster than they refund usually).

 

It just makes sense for me to fulfill all requirements if I want to enter a different country, merely as a matter of respect. I doubt I'll ever be asked and never have been.

 

But there was a time a couple of years before Covid that they did turn some back. Who knows what that was about?

 

 

 

[BusyB]

4 hours ago, problemfarang said:

not me but 1 of my friend asked to show 20.000 at the Io desk. But this was before covid.

It's 10k for a singleton, 20 for a family.

[BusyB]

4 hours ago, thanaka said:

To add to this:

 

As far as I understand, the airline carrying you to Thailand is responsible for you in case you get denied entry. At least that's what they explained to my friend when he once got asked for an onward flight when checking in to a flight to Thailand. He didn't have an onward flight but showed them his bank statement and signed a paper that he would cover the costs himself in case he gets denied entry, basically transferring the responsibility from the airline to himself. That was sufficient enough.

 

Maybe the low cost carriers have a higher probability of asking for entry requirements since they have a higher risk of carrying passengers that may not have the necessary funds to pay for a flight back in case they get denied entry.

 

Personally I only got asked once for an onward flight, and that was not too long ago when I flew in from Manila with Philippine Airlines. Never got asked for anything in Thailand, though I do always keep ~1000 USD with me when traveling internationally in case they will ask for proof of money. At least for Thailand it's part of the entry requirements so better be safe. The same goes for an onward flight, technically you are required to show one if you plan to land on a visa exempt, so better be prepared.

Speaking as a former industry worker, it is about the airlines' responsibility and covering themselves against that liability.

[BusyB]

3 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Your account is pretty typical.

Flying from nearby countries Vietnam etc ..almost certain to be asked for onward flight esp with low cost airlines such as AirAsia.

The Waiver form that you signed is also a common option provided by the airline. Definitely good to be aware of and sometimes comes about by asking check in clerk to request someone further up the food chain. 

Ask for the Duty Officer. The D/O is God.

[DrJack54]

9 minutes ago, BusyB said:

When I flew in a short while back I was asked pre-departure by the airline ground staff what I was doing since I had no visa

Never heard of anything remotely like that.

 

Airline at check in would possibly ask for an onward flight if you did not have reentry permit or current visa or possibly ask nothing. 

[BusyB]

2 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Never heard of anything remotely like that.

 

Airline at check in would possibly ask for an onward flight if you did not have reentry permit or current visa or possibly ask nothing. 

I had neither current visa nor re-entry, as follows from the rest of my post. They were doing their job and happy with the answers.

 

They didn't ask me for an onward flight because I'd already volunteered the info in anticipation as they started asking questions. They didn't want to see it. They were happy with my answers.

[DrJack54]

34 minutes ago, BusyB said:

It just makes sense for me to fulfill all requirements if I want to enter a different country, merely as a matter of respect

Perhaps lost in translation.

You mention that you used a fully refundable flight.

Yes that is one of the many ways to cover potential request for same by airline at departure. 

You state...."merely as a matter of respect".

Bit thick. You are entering visa exempt with a onward ticket that you will obtain refund for. 

[MrJ2U]

Never.

 

I think if you look scruffy and have that "backpackers" aura it's more of a possibility. 

[Tropposurfer]

No ... never, not in 12 years of multiple per year entries.

[Andrew Dwyer]

I returned from the U.K. last week on a visa exempt entry, I had an OnwardTicket.com booking for BKK to Phnom Penh , for Sept 28th , costing 500 baht made the day before and valid for 48 hours.

I also had 20k baht in my hand baggage.

Neither were requested but I felt the cost of 500 baht worth it for peace of mind.

 

I was asked at MAN airport by Qatar staff if I lived “ here or there “ , “ both “ I replied which seemed acceptable to them.

My vaccination docs were also asked for before leaving the U.K., my 2 x Pfizer jabs over a year old also seemed acceptable. No vax requests upon entering Thailand.

 

On a separate note:

My trip was partially to “ kill “ my OA extension, return visa exempt with a view to obtain an O visa in-house and subsequent retirement extensions. Thai immigration officers, exiting and entering, both made sure I was aware that a) my OA retirement extension would die and b) my entry stamp was 30 days only.

Seemed like a new regime of informing the passenger exactly what is happening is in place ……. or is that just wishful thinking on my part ?

[thecyclist]

In 30 years of in and out not once by Thai immigration, but often by airline during check-in, most recently in Saigon 2 weeks ago by Vietjet ground staff. I had a round trip ticket. Don't know what they would have done if I hadn't had one. 

[DrJack54]

4 minutes ago, thecyclist said:

Don't know what they would have done if I hadn't had one.

Not issue boarding pass or if lucky allow you to sign waiver or you book onward flight. 

[Skeptic7]

In 25 years made well over 100 visa exempt entries. Was never asked once for an onward or return ticket. 

[DrJack54]

13 minutes ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

I was asked at MAN airport by Qatar staff if I lived “ here or there “ , “ both “ I replied which seemed acceptable to them.

Nothing to do with airline clerks where you live.

If you had onward flight that's all they could/should ask about.

 

Re your comment re exit Thailand without reentry permit and io being helpful pointing that out...

In my experience that is standard. At DMK reentry permit is just other side of passport control and every new extension I obtain permit at airport. 

They always mention it when I'm exiting first time on new extension. 

[raysunshineray]

What concerns me about showing the equivalent of 10,000 THB in cash is that any note that has the slightest nick in it, or a pen mark or even a barely visible degree of damage will be rejected by Thai banks.

I did manage to change a UK £50 note that had a practically invisible minute tear in it at an exchange kiosk one time, but it's extremely inconvenient to have a note that's difficult to exchange, especially when one is in Thailand for extended visits.... (proposed one year multi-entry in my case.)  

I read one post that reckoned that a current bank statement showing funds wouldn't satisfy immigration on arrival with a visa exempt.

I mean... people don't travel with cash these days... do they?

And travellers cheques are archaic... plus there are charges.

[Andrew Dwyer]

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

 

1 hour ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

I was asked at MAN airport by Qatar staff if I lived “ here or there “ , “ both “ I replied which seemed acceptable to them.

Nothing to do with airline clerks where you live.

If you had onward flight that's all they could/should ask about.

 

So, I should have told him to mind his own f&£@ing business ?

[BusyB]

2 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Perhaps lost in translation.

You mention that you used a fully refundable flight.

Yes that is one of the many ways to cover potential request for same by airline at departure. 

You state...."merely as a matter of respect".

Bit thick. You are entering visa exempt with a onward ticket that you will obtain refund for. 

 

Seems perfectly reasonable to me. I'm protecting the airline, and ready to leave if immigration insist, although I see no reason why they should not grant my request for a non-O. I'm not trying to pull the wool over anyone's eyes.

The core answer to OP was that IO didn't want to see cash or ticket on arrival. I was merely trying to add information and perspective for anyone interested in a bit more background.

 

[BusyB]

1 hour ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

 

Neither were requested but I felt the cost of 500 baht worth it for peace of mind.

 

This of course is a great advantage in simply complying with their simple requirements ???? 

[DrJack54]

15 minutes ago, BusyB said:

The core answer to OP was that IO didn't want to see cash or ticket on arrival.

You would be hard pressed to find report of that being required by immigration upon arrival. 

[AsianAtHeart]

I was once asked to show cash, but it was over a decade ago at the Mae Sot border to Myanmar when I had done a quick border run and, upon returning, was alone in a line of mostly Burmese.  That was also the time that the IO mistakenly stamped me in for something like 15 days -- which must have been what all those Burmese were getting.  It was a bit of trouble to get that fixed--and they had to initial their correction of it in my passport.  The mistake required some explanations at immigration later on, as well.

 

(I vaguely remember some cash getting passed back down the line of Burmese ahead of me, as each one passed the checkpoint.  But I was unaware of the cash rule at the time, and didn't realize what was likely going on, which is why my memory of it is faint.)

 

I've never been asked when arriving by air.

[Lemsta69]

2 hours ago, BusyB said:

I'm protecting the airline

I hope you're on a profit-sharing arrangement with said airline ????