Max R Posted August 21, 2023 Share Posted August 21, 2023 Hello everyone, Me and 2 friends will arrive on 28 oktober via plane in Bangkok. We will only stay 3 weeks in the country in total, and as Belgian citizens we do not need a Visa in this case. However, we are supposed to prove we will leave the country within 30 days if we want to travel Visa free. Most people simply show their return flight ticket, but we dont have this since we will continue travelling to Laos. Does anyone know what we have to do (do we need a Visa after all or how can we prove we will leave the country on time?) Thanks everyone!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrJack54 Posted August 21, 2023 Share Posted August 21, 2023 (edited) Google "onwarticket.com" That works approx 12usd Or cheapest throw away flight. It's not immigration in Thailand that will be issue. It's your airline at departure. You mention Loas. If you are flying Bangkok to LP then airline would accept flight that as onward flight. How long do you wish to stay first entry to Thailand? Edited August 21, 2023 by DrJack54 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbko Posted August 21, 2023 Share Posted August 21, 2023 (edited) 33 minutes ago, Max R said: We will only stay 3 weeks in the country in total, and as Belgian citizens we do not need a Visa in this case. Are you sure about not needing a visa? This is what the Thai embassy in Brussels says about needing a visa or not; Visa on Arrival Purpose of visit “Tourism/Leisure activities” (less than 15 days)” ***If your intended stay exceeds 15 days, you need to apply for a visa before travelling to Thailand.*** https://www.thaiembassy.be/2022/08/29/visa-on-arrival/?lang=en Edited August 21, 2023 by bbko 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrJack54 Posted August 21, 2023 Share Posted August 21, 2023 (edited) 5 minutes ago, bbko said: Are you sure about not needing a visa? the following countries who can enter Thailand, without a visa, for a stay of not more than 30 days for tourism purposes: Andorra Australia Austria Bahrain Belgium + another 59 other lucky countries. Edited August 21, 2023 by DrJack54 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbko Posted August 21, 2023 Share Posted August 21, 2023 3 minutes ago, DrJack54 said: the following countries who can enter Thailand, without a visa, for a stay of not more than 30 days for tourism purposes: Andorra Australia Austria Bahrain Belgium If I was the OP, I'd ask the Thai embassy in Brussels, seems their website might need updating. If the OP is good for a 30 day visa on arrival, then go with onwardticket.com just incase the airlines ask to see a ticket. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritTim Posted August 21, 2023 Share Posted August 21, 2023 Just now, bbko said: If I was the OP, I'd ask the Thai embassy in Brussels, seems their website might need updating. If the OP is good for a 30 day visa on arrival, then go with onwardticket.com just incase the airlines ask to see a ticket. The OP is not eligible for a visa on arrival; he is eligible for a visa exemption (i.e. entering without a visa). Entering without a visa is often called a visa on arrival, but that is a misunderstanding. They are completely different. To the OP: your airline may or may not allow you to board your flight without an onward flight ticket when you are not in possession of a Thai visa. If you have future flight reservation on the same airline, perhaps to return from Vietnam to your home country, the airline supervisor will commonly waive the onward flight requirement, but you should be prepared for a possible need to book a flight (or rental ticket as suggested by DrJack) at short notice at the airport. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbko Posted August 21, 2023 Share Posted August 21, 2023 The Thai embassy in Brussels is confusing as hell, 555 Holders of Travel document issued by the Belgian government is NOT entitled to enter Thailand under the Visa Exemption scheme. ***Belgian and Luxembourgish passport holders are eligible to travel to Thailand without a visa and stay no more than 30 days under the visa exemption scheme. *** https://www.thaiembassy.be/2022/09/01/visa-exemption-scheme/?lang=en Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post GypsyT Posted August 21, 2023 Popular Post Share Posted August 21, 2023 "The Thai embassy in Brussels is confusing as hell, 555 " No, it's fair warning what's waiting here... 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max R Posted August 21, 2023 Author Share Posted August 21, 2023 Thanks DrJack54, BritTim and everyone else. Just to be clear, I am NOT flying from Thailand to Laos, but I am crossing the border via land. In total I will stay 21 days in Thailand before crossing the border and since I am allowed to stay 30 days visa free I just need to be able to prove this I think. I was hoping that for example showing reservations of a hotel in Laos would be enough, but based on your answers this is probably not the case. I will contact the embassy to see if I indeed need to show something to my airline in that case I will look for a rental ticket. However, if anyone else has had experience with visa exemptions and then leaving the country via land I would love to hear. Cheers, Max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maestro Posted August 21, 2023 Share Posted August 21, 2023 2 hours ago, bbko said: The Thai embassy in Brussels is confusing as hell, 555... See if the information on this web page helps you understand it. https://www.brussels.be/travel-document-refugees-stateless-persons-or-foreigners#:~:text=Some foreigners residing in Belgium,is valid for 2 years. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritTim Posted August 21, 2023 Share Posted August 21, 2023 1 hour ago, Max R said: I will contact the embassy to see if I indeed need to show something to my airline in that case I will look for a rental ticket. The Thai embassy is a terrible source of information on anything other than the services they directly provide themselves. If you want a reasonably reliable guide on the rules enforced by your airline, use the IATA Travel Centre guide to travellers. Note, however, that the airline supervisor may relax rules under some circumstances. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrJack54 Posted August 22, 2023 Share Posted August 22, 2023 5 hours ago, Max R said: In total I will stay 21 days in Thailand before crossing the border and since I am allowed to stay 30 days visa free I just need to be able to prove this I think. Think you are missing the point. To fly to Thailand without visa it's not Thai immigration that is the issue. The airline at departure may want to see onward flight A bus ticket to Laos or whatever doesn't cut it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzzzz Posted August 22, 2023 Share Posted August 22, 2023 from $7https://onwardflights.com/buy/ buy the ticket to Leave Thailand before the 30 day stay ends> arrive FREE 30 day visa exempt> easy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impulse Posted August 22, 2023 Share Posted August 22, 2023 8 hours ago, Max R said: I will contact the embassy to see if I indeed need to show something to my airline in that case I will look for a rental ticket. However, if anyone else has had experience with visa exemptions and then leaving the country via land I would love to hear. You're better off contacting the airline. The rule is (was?) that you have to show hotel reservations, a flight out and some amount of cash at arrival immigration. That's probably the only answer the Thai Embassy is allowed to dispense. In about 20 arrivals (5 this year), I have never been asked for any of that at immigration. (US citizen) However, I have been asked to show cash and an outbound itinerary by some airlines before they'll issue a boarding pass to Thailand. Other airlines don't seem to care. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
circa02 Posted August 22, 2023 Share Posted August 22, 2023 2 hours ago, zzzzz said: from $7https://onwardflights.com/buy/ buy the ticket to Leave Thailand before the 30 day stay ends> arrive FREE 30 day visa exempt> easy Careful. You want a valid PNR, not just a PDF, that doesnt say it gives you a real PNR like the $12 to $15 sites. I've had check-in girl check mine on her phone, this was traveling from BKK to HCMC when I didn't know how many days I would stay exactly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toby1947 Posted August 22, 2023 Share Posted August 22, 2023 Why not fly to Laos from BKK. within your 30 day exemption on arrival in Thailand. Very cheap and simple and no hassle on boarding departure flight showing intention to leave Thailand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyf Posted August 22, 2023 Share Posted August 22, 2023 13 hours ago, Max R said: Thanks DrJack54, BritTim and everyone else. Just to be clear, I am NOT flying from Thailand to Laos, but I am crossing the border via land. In total I will stay 21 days in Thailand before crossing the border and since I am allowed to stay 30 days visa free I just need to be able to prove this I think. I was hoping that for example showing reservations of a hotel in Laos would be enough, but based on your answers this is probably not the case. I will contact the embassy to see if I indeed need to show something to my airline in that case I will look for a rental ticket. However, if anyone else has had experience with visa exemptions and then leaving the country via land I would love to hear. Cheers, Max There are a couple of points that you have not mentioned, firstly when you intend to return to Belgium and where from. If trying to travel on a single ticket a red flag will be raised immediately. The other point is which land crossing you intend to use. If it it is Nong Khai/Vientiane then you would probably get away with a train booking from Bangkok to Nong Khai and hotel booking in Laos with appropriate dates. I would also suggest getting an e-visa for Laos. Airlines have to be satisfied there is a credible intent to leave Thailand within 30 days. If you were thinking about one of the other border crossings credibility becomes difficult and the cheap air ticket may be the only option. You can book train tickets here, the tickets can be collected from the office or sent to your hotel prior to departure. https://12go.asia/en/travel/bangkok/nong-khai?date=2023-08-29&date2= Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sticky Rice Balls Posted August 22, 2023 Share Posted August 22, 2023 6 hours ago, zzzzz said: from $7https://onwardflights.com/buy/ buy the ticket to Leave Thailand before the 30 day stay ends> arrive FREE 30 day visa exempt> easy confirmed as i used this when came back duing covid testing...no one asked to see it tho ???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maestro Posted August 22, 2023 Share Posted August 22, 2023 4 hours ago, circa02 said: Careful. You want a valid PNR, not just a PDF, that doesnt say it gives you a real PNR like the $12 to $15 sites. I've had check-in girl check mine on her phone, this was traveling from BKK to HCMC when I didn't know how many days I would stay exactly. How can you verify yourself that the flight reservation confirmation or the e-ticket you have gives a real PNR (passenger name record)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
circa02 Posted August 22, 2023 Share Posted August 22, 2023 Directly on the airlines website under manage my booking usually. Surname and PNR all that's needed in 95% of times. Onwardticket often issued Vietnam Airlines business class and that can be verified under manage my booking - you can even select a specific seat iirc ???? Checkmytrip used to work too across most airlines, but it looks like its App only now and I cant be bothered installing it to check Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maestro Posted August 22, 2023 Share Posted August 22, 2023 Is the PNR you mention the 6-digit alphanumeric code that on a Singapore Airlines ticket of mine looks like this (partially pixelated): Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ54 Posted August 22, 2023 Share Posted August 22, 2023 OP … if Belgians need a visa to Laos … if it’s possible to process online … maybe that would work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dickie Dee Posted August 23, 2023 Share Posted August 23, 2023 On 8/21/2023 at 9:47 AM, Max R said: Hello everyone, Me and 2 friends will arrive on 28 oktober via plane in Bangkok. We will only stay 3 weeks in the country in total, and as Belgian citizens we do not need a Visa in this case. However, we are supposed to prove we will leave the country within 30 days if we want to travel Visa free. Most people simply show their return flight ticket, but we dont have this since we will continue travelling to Laos. Does anyone know what we have to do (do we need a Visa after all or how can we prove we will leave the country on time?) Thanks everyone!! Is Belgium not on the 64 countries list that can go to Thailand for 45 days visa free until the end of 2023 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritTim Posted August 23, 2023 Share Posted August 23, 2023 9 minutes ago, Dickie Dee said: Is Belgium not on the 64 countries list that can go to Thailand for 45 days visa free until the end of 2023 There are no countries whose nationals can currently get 45 days on entry with a visa exemption. That ended in March, in spite of rumours about it being extended until year end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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