Tourist Visa Question

[Simon1287]

Hi all,

 

Was in Thailand on a retirement extension for many years but have been back in UK for almost 3 years now due to a sick family member.

 

Probably will want 3 months in Thailand fairly soon now. I notice I can obtain a 60 day tourist visa which is extendable in Thailand by a further 30 days.

 

I also notice that I need a flight booked out from Thailand, which, presumably would need to show my departure from Thailand within the 60 days or do they allow 90 days in case I extend the visa? Can't quite see how I can be there to extend to the full 90 days if my flight left on the 59th day.

 

Presumably the visa can be extended at any immigration office? Is there any way these days of staying a full 90 days without a visit to an immigration office?

 

Simon

 

[Upnotover]

You could get a single non-O in the UK which would give you 90 days.  You would need to show either a pension or GBP10k in the bank.

[BritTim]

An alternative to visiting an immigration office is to do border bounces. This could especially be your best option if you fancy side trips to, say, Vientiane or Phnom Penh.

 

There are various ways of dealing with the requirements for a return/onward flight when making the visa application. One is to book a ticket that allows your return flight to be changed free of charge (or for a nominal fee). Another is to purchase a cheap flight anywhere outside Thailand within the original 60 days. You could also have the return flight after 89 days, but include a note that you plan a side trip during your stay that means you will be in Thailand for less than 60 days at a time. (Usally, the embassy will accept this.) Finally (but a bit risky IMHO for a visa application) there are ticket rental services that allow you to rent an onward flight ticket for a very limuted period. These services are very cheap. However, for a visa application, they are iffy as you cannot ensure that the ticket will be valid at any point the embassy decided to check.

[Red Phoenix]

If you want to stay 90 days in Thailand, your original plan of applying for a 60-day Tourist Visa, and extending that Visa with an additional 30 days when you are in Thailand, would be the easiest option.

I presume that you would book a return-flight with return leg 90 days after departure. 

But in that case you would ALSO need an onward flight to an international destination on a date before the expiry of your 60-day Permission to stay for which you would be stamped in on arrival by border -Immigration. 

You can buy such a fully legit onward-flight reservation online for 10 to 15 US $ dollar (the companies that sell such service automatically cancel that reservation before it is due, but the reservation is genuine). 

~< erroneous statement removed >~

Edited April 7, 2023 by Red Phoenix

[BritTim]

12 minutes ago, Red Phoenix said:

Also note that in order to get the full 90 days, you would need to apply for the 30-day extension on the last day of your 60-day Permission to stay, applying earlier would make you lose the days you didn't use up, meaning that your 30-day extension would expire before your return flight if you booked that one at 90 days. 

This is incorrect. Regardless of when you apply for the 30-day extension, it is added to the original 60-day permission to stay.

[DrJack54]

14 minutes ago, Red Phoenix said:

Also note that in order to get the full 90 days, you would need to apply for the 30-day extension on the last day of your 60-day Permission to stay, applying earlier would make you lose the days you didn't use up, meaning that your 30-day extension would expire before your return flight if you booked that one at 90 days. 

That's not correct.

The tourist visa would give 60 day stamp upon entry.

The 30 day extension will commence at end of that stamp.

Usual policy is to apply for extension week or two prior to expiry of current permit. 

 

Edit: posted same time as BritTim

Edited April 7, 2023 by DrJack54

[Red Phoenix]

correction

Edited April 7, 2023 by Red Phoenix

[gomangosteen]

Some notes on the previous post.

 

My most recent 30-day extension on a 60-day Tourist visa - Chanthaburi immigration gave me the extension at around the 45 day mark (this after my phone inquiry) they did not add the 30 days from that date, but from the date of the 60 day expiry as stamped in my passport.

 

Not a new thing this has always been the way for me while working offshore intermittently for the past six years.

 

 

[Red Phoenix]

6 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

That's not correct.

The tourist visa would give 60 day stamp upon entry.

The 30 day extension will commence at end of that stamp.

Usual policy is to apply for extension week or two prior to expiry of current permit. 

7 minutes ago, BritTim said:

This is incorrect. Regardless of when you apply for the 30-day extension, it is added to the original 60-day permission to stay.

You are right.  Thanks for correcting, and makes it even easier for the OP when not having to take that issue into consideration!

[London Lowf]

I've done numerous 60+30 holidays in Thailand from London Heathrow and only once been picked up at check-in on the fact that my return ticket was outside the 60 days - I told the clerk that I would be getting an extension and she happily accepted that - I think that she was just checking!

 

Apart from the check-in counter I've never had to show my ticket, only passport at immigration and boarding pass in addition at boarding. In fact, last week flying home from Phuket they didn't even want my ticket at check-in, just my passport.

 

[Red Phoenix]

31 minutes ago, London Lowf said:

I've done numerous 60+30 holidays in Thailand from London Heathrow and only once been picked up at check-in on the fact that my return ticket was outside the 60 days - I told the clerk that I would be getting an extension and she happily accepted that - I think that she was just checking!

 

Apart from the check-in counter I've never had to show my ticket, only passport at immigration and boarding pass in addition at boarding. In fact, last week flying home from Phuket they didn't even want my ticket at check-in, just my passport.

 

You probaby have been lucky, as normally Airline staff at check-in won't let you board when you have a one-way flight ticket or your return flight is on a later date than the Permission to stay you would receive on entering Thailand, and you cannot show an onward-flight ticket reservation on a date before that Permission to stay expiry date. 

The reason being that the airline will be forced to return you home at their expense, when Thai border-immigration would deny you entry because of that issue.

But you can buy such onward flight ticket reservations on-line and would even be able to do so on the spot when denied boarding, so it's actually not much of an issue.

[DrJack54]

47 minutes ago, Red Phoenix said:

You probaby have been lucky, as normally Airline staff at check-in won't let you board when you have a one-way flight ticket or your return flight is on a later date than the Permission to stay you would receive on entering Thailand, and you cannot show an onward-flight ticket reservation on a date before that Permission to stay expiry date

That applies to obtaining border pass from airline at departure flying without a visa and plan to enter Thailand with visa waiver (visa exempt entry) .

 

The guy you quoted had a tourist visa.

The airline clerk should not have questioned his onward flight.

 

Happens rarely but often down to clerk need to feel relevant. 

 Nor would someone with a reentry permit be questioned by airline.

 

On arrival it is rare that even a person entering visa exempt would need to show onward flight by Thai immigration. 

Edited April 7, 2023 by DrJack54

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

That applies to obtaining border pass

Typo. Not border pass.

Boarding pass from airline check in. 

[Enoon]

11 hours ago, Red Phoenix said:

You probaby have been lucky, as normally Airline staff at check-in won't let you board when you have a one-way flight ticket or your return flight is on a later date than the Permission to stay you would receive on entering Thailand, and you cannot show an onward-flight ticket reservation on a date before that Permission to stay expiry date. 

The reason being that the airline will be forced to return you home at their expense, when Thai border-immigration would deny you entry because of that issue.

But you can buy such onward flight ticket reservations on-line and would even be able to do so on the spot when denied boarding, so it's actually not much of an issue.

"You probably have been lucky"

 

Then I have also been "lucky"............every year since 2014 (except 2020 and 2022) I have flown to Thailand on a ticket with a return date after the expiry of the 60 day duration of stay that my initial entry on either my 3ETV, METV or SETV has allowed me. 

 

On one occasion someone at check-in asked me If had a visa........they didn't ask what sort of a visa and they didn't bother to look at it in my passport!

 

They were probably "new".......had they asked I would have told them how it's done once you get to Thailand.

 

Nobody has ever required me to explain my method of staying until the return flight (either 5 or 6 months after arrival in Thailand)

 

There are about 3 regulars here who know the visa stuff.......you sound like one of the many others who "heard it" somewhere.

 

I expect you're "new" as well.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 8, 2023 by Enoon

[Red Phoenix]

10 minutes ago, Enoon said:

"You probably have been lucky"

 

Then I have also been "lucky"............every year since 2014 (except 2020 and 2022) I have flown to Thailand on a ticket with a return date after the expiry of the 60 day duration of stay that my initial entry on either my 3ETV, METV or SETV has allowed me. 

 

Nobody has ever required me to explain my method of staying until the return flight (either 5 or 6 months after arrival in Thailand)

 

There are about 3 regulars here who know the visa stuff.......you sound like one of the many others who "heard it" somewhere.

 

 

You are correct, and I jumped in to quickly but it was too late before I noticed my error and was not able anymore to amend/delete my post.  

Dr Jack's post was fully correct stating that when entering Thailand on a VISA there is no need for having an onward flight-ticket. 

Edited April 8, 2023 by Red Phoenix

[Keeps]

On 4/7/2023 at 12:53 PM, London Lowf said:

I've done numerous 60+30 holidays in Thailand from London Heathrow and only once been picked up at check-in on the fact that my return ticket was outside the 60 days - I told the clerk that I would be getting an extension and she happily accepted that - I think that she was just checking!

 

 

 

Same here. Recently flew EVA from London Heathrow. Had single entry tourist visa but duration of stay in Thailand 90 days. Explained I would obtain 30 day extension to original 60 day entry and check-in happy with this explanation. 

 

One off topic thing I would mention about EVA flights is they now operate a 2 piece luggage (max each luggage 23kg) system as opposed to the previous weight system. Slight inconvenience for me as used to take one suitcase with circa 30kg weight. I travel to and from airport across London on public transport so not practical for me to take 2 suitcases in addition to hand luggage.

[London Lowf]

5 hours ago, Keeps said:

I travel to and from airport across London on public transport so not practical for me to take 2 suitcases in addition to hand luggage.

Try doing the same from Devon!

 

[Jaggg88]

On 4/7/2023 at 6:12 PM, Upnotover said:

You could get a single non-O in the UK which would give you 90 days.  You would need to show either a pension or GBP10k in the bank.

I've had 2 non O visas in the last 7 months based on marriage and I noticed the e-visa instruction says £10,000 in the bank but both mine have been issued with just a couple grand in the bank so I assumed it was a typo for £1000.

[Upnotover]

2 minutes ago, Jaggg88 said:

I've had 2 non O visas in the last 7 months based on marriage and I noticed the e-visa instruction says £10,000 in the bank but both mine have been issued with just a couple grand in the bank so I assumed it was a typo for £1000.

I had wondered the same but of course there is nothing really clear about what is required.  I think the £10k is however applicable to multi-entry which I have read are being issued, at least for retirement.

[Jaggg88]

On 4/7/2023 at 7:40 PM, Red Phoenix said:

You probaby have been lucky, as normally Airline staff at check-in won't let you board when you have a one-way flight ticket or your return flight is on a later date than the Permission to stay you would receive on entering Thailand, and you cannot show an onward-flight ticket reservation on a date before that Permission to stay expiry date. 

The reason being that the airline will be forced to return you home at their expense, when Thai border-immigration would deny you entry because of that issue.

But you can buy such onward flight ticket reservations on-line and would even be able to do so on the spot when denied boarding, so it's actually not much of an issue.

I used to buy a fake ticket for about $10 just to keep the airline happy. Immigration never ask

[Simon1287]

OP here.

 

Decided on the Non O 90 day route.

 

Excellent service from the Thai Embassy in London.

 

Applied online earlier this week. Non O visa was approved 3 days later.

 

Simon

[Upnotover]

34 minutes ago, Simon1287 said:

OP here.

 

Decided on the Non O 90 day route.

 

Excellent service from the Thai Embassy in London.

 

Applied online earlier this week. Non O visa was approved 3 days later.

 

Simon

Nice one.  What finances did you have to show?

[Simon1287]

I must confess I wasn’t paying a lot of attention to that bit as I knew I was showing far and away over whatever finances they were likely to want to see. 

 

I did notice that if a state pension was on the bank statement sent to them then only one months statement was necessary otherwise they required 3 months.

 

They also required details of the flight and accommodation booking.

 

I only had the first 10 days room booked which seemed to work.

 

Now I have the eVisa what do I actually do with it? Presumably print out a copy of the email with the details to show the airline and immigration in Thailand?

 

Simon

[Upnotover]

4 minutes ago, Simon1287 said:

Now I have the eVisa what do I actually do with it? Presumably print out a copy of the email with the details to show the airline and immigration in Thailand?

Yes print it for immigration, make sure they stamp you in for 90 days.  The airline may ask about it so have it to hand, onward flight not required.