Visa on Arrival, Visa Exemption.. Confusion!

[bluebird729]

I want to stay in Thailand for about a month.

 

I am a UK Passport Holder.

 

I read online there is a Visa on Arrival at Suvarnabhumi which gives 15 days

I also read online there is a Visa Exemption which is 30 days.

I also read that the 30 day exemption is now 45 days.

 

I can't work out the difference between a Visa on Arrival and a Visa Exemption.

Can I get either?

How would I choose the 30 or 45 day exemption?

 

 

Edited October 24, 2023 by bluebird729

[hotandsticky]

What passport do you hold?

 

 

You don't choose - visa exemption is determined by your passport.

Edited October 24, 2023 by hotandsticky

[BritTim]

A visa exemption (available to many nationalities) allows you to enter without a visa. Those who qualify just go straight to the immigration booth to be admitted into Thailand. The visa exempt entry is now back to its normal duration of 30 days. (For a time during the Covid era, to encourage tourists to stay longer, it was 45 days.)

 

Some nationalities not eligible for visa exemption, can instead apply for a visa on arrival in Thailand using a visa-on-arrival desk. They must pay for the visa.

[bluebird729]

19 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

What passport do you hold?

 

 

You don't choose - visa exemption is determined by your passport.

UK Passport

[bluebird729]

2 minutes ago, BritTim said:

The visa exempt entry is now back to its normal duration of 30 days.

 

Some nationalities not eligible for visa exemption, can instead apply for a visa on arrival in Thailand

I am a UK Passport holder. so does that mean I automatically get 30 days upon arrival in Suvarnabhumi.
Would it be the same if I arrive (internationally) to Don Muang or Phuket?

 

PS: So I guess this article is incorrect:
https://www.handyvisas.com/news/thailand-to-keep-45-day-visa-free-stays-until-the-end-of-2023/

 

[hotandsticky]

1 minute ago, bluebird729 said:

I am a UK Passport holder. so does that mean I automatically get 30 days upon arrival in Suvarnabhumi.
Would it be the same if I arrive (internationally) to Don Muang or Phuket?

 

PS: So I guess this article is incorrect:
https://www.handyvisas.com/news/thailand-to-keep-45-day-visa-free-stays-until-the-end-of-2023/

 

 

 

Correct.

 

30 days on entry at any of those arrival points.

 

As far as I am aware the 45 days has reverted to 30 days. You can extend that stay for 1,900 Baht at your local immigration office - do it in the second half of your stay.

[bluebird729]

2 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

 

 

Correct.

 

30 days on entry at any of those arrival points.

 

As far as I am aware the 45 days has reverted to 30 days. You can extend that stay for 1,900 Baht at your local immigration office - do it in the second half of your stay.

Thank you  🙂

[brewsterbudgen]

1. UK passport holders cannot get a 15-day visa on arrival.

2. UK passport holders can get a 30 days visa exempt stamp at the airport, which can easily be extended by another 30 days at an Immigration office.

3. 45 days visa exempt was a Covid benefit and has been stopped.

[KannikaP]

46 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

What passport do you hold?

 

I am a UK Passport Holder.  From the OP

Edited October 24, 2023 by KannikaP

[BritTim]

23 minutes ago, bluebird729 said:

I am a UK Passport holder. so does that mean I automatically get 30 days upon arrival in Suvarnabhumi.
Would it be the same if I arrive (internationally) to Don Muang or Phuket?

 

PS: So I guess this article is incorrect:
https://www.handyvisas.com/news/thailand-to-keep-45-day-visa-free-stays-until-the-end-of-2023/

 

 

You qualify for visa exemptions.

The proposal to keep visa exempt entries at 45 days was, in the end, not accepted.

[hotandsticky]

38 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

I am a UK Passport Holder.  From the OP

 

Yes, we know that....and the OP edited the information in sometime after the initial post.🫡

[KannikaP]

11 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

 

Yes, we know that....and the OP edited the information in sometime after the initial post.🫡

ok

[Maestro]

https://london.thaiembassy.org/en/page/exemp-visa

 

[Liquorice]

15 hours ago, bluebird729 said:

PS: So I guess this article is incorrect:
https://www.handyvisas.com/news/thailand-to-keep-45-day-visa-free-stays-until-the-end-of-2023/

 

The header is misleading.

TAT only proposed extending the 45-day visa exempt entries to the end of 2023.
The government dissolved pending new elections and never passed the proposal.
Visa exempt entries reverted to the standard 30 days at the end of March.

[jimn]

13 hours ago, Maestro said:

https://london.thaiembassy.org/en/page/exemp-visa

 

Absolutely disgracefull that the embassy can publish incorrect information.

[OJAS]

29 minutes ago, jimn said:

Absolutely disgracefull that the embassy can publish incorrect information.

Whereas more than acceptable, on the other hand, for those incompetent dimwits in charge of the HandyVisas website to do likewise, presumably?

 

[BritTim]

36 minutes ago, jimn said:

Absolutely disgracefull that the embassy can publish incorrect information.

 

Unfortunately, many (actually most) Thai embassy/consulate websites contain some incorrect or misleading information.

[jimn]

23 hours ago, OJAS said:

Whereas more than acceptable, on the other hand, for those incompetent dimwits in charge of the HandyVisas website to do likewise, presumably?

 

I expect some 2 bit websites to publish incorrect info, but coming from an official source like the Thai embassy is unacceptable. 

[Canadian Snowbird]

I sure hope you are applying for your visa through the Vancouver Consulate and not the Thai Embassy in Ottawa. A friend of mine recently got his visa through the Vancouver Consulate in 1 week. I applied through the Ottawa Embassy back on Sept 26 and I'm still waiting. My flight is in 2 more days. The same thing happened last year and I had to fly in on a visa exempt. It took 5 to 6 weeks to get my visa last year. The problem ... they keep moving the goal posts and extending the time they say they need to process after you have made your application. I'm going to have to seriously consider moving back to BC next year, or try a different winter destination.