Thailand Visa Exemption (60 days) and Visa On Arrival (VOA) (15 days)

[bkk_mike]

It doesn't look like good news for everyone.

I seem to remember Russians were getting 90 days on arrival in the last year or so (Russia has a bilateral agreement meaning Thais don't need a visa for Russia), but they're getting downgraded to 60 days also.

[phetphet]

Those queues at immigration are only going to get longer.

[bkk_mike]

5 minutes ago, kwilco said:

Where do you get thet from?

I've travelled for work to enough countries, enough times to know what immigration deem as covered, and what they would have issues with.

Admittedly I'm talking about going to the local office of the company you already work for in another country. (Maybe another company if you're going on a training course).

 

Essentially it sounds like Thailand wants their rules to be the same as other countries - maybe in an attempt to simplify matters for multinationals where they might currently skip Thailand and just go to Hong Kong and Singapore.

i.e. Rather than require people on a business trip to get a special visa for Thailand if they're touring around their regional offices (which is what Thailand has demanded in the past), they want to be as easy to travel to as other business locations.

 

Admittedly most business trips are a week or two. The longest I had was 3 weeks in Tokyo in 2000. I did have a two week training tour once (I was the one giving the training) - Sydney, Tokyo, and Hong Kong - for two weeks in total back in 2003 if I remember correctly. Business travel is not what it was - far easier to just go on a zoom chat with people than get signoff for a trip nowadays - except the big boss trips... - those still happen - but I don't go on those...

[lamyai3]

2 hours ago, paulikens said:

So, The new 60 days on arrival is it a temporary arrangement? As it usually is with Thailand. They never like to fully commit.  And is it just cuz they want to get tourists in during low season and then once high season is upon us will it go back to 30 days?

They roll these out from time to time, usually for six months. Last time was the increase to 45 days visa exempt entry between October 2022 - March 2023.

[kwilco]

8 minutes ago, bkk_mike said:

I've travelled for work to enough countries

That's not Thailand though.- I don't think you can make any assumptions - these new regulations need to be laid out in writing.

THe situation in Thailand has always been B visa and/or work permit. Nomads and volunteers all needed a visa and permit.

Over 20 years ago I use to come to Thailand on buying trips and used a B visa. (90 days)

After that I lived and worked here for 20 years on a B visa and work permit.

[Paris333]

Visa excempt of 60 days or Visa excempt of 60 w.o.r.k days? (to avoid penalties)

 

[george]

5 minutes ago, Paris333 said:

Visa excempt of 60 days or Visa excempt of 60 w.o.r.k days? (to avoid penalties)

 

 

60 days visa exempt.

[KevinLed]

I just was at immigration today to extend my 30 day tourist visa.  They could only give me a 30 day extension.  I said that I am reading that 60 day extensions are now available.  They said yes, that is what is being reported, but the government has not confirmed the details so far...  

[george]

2 minutes ago, KevinLed said:

I just was at immigration today to extend my 30 day tourist visa.  They could only give me a 30 day extension.  I said that I am reading that 60 day extensions are now available.  They said yes, that is what is being reported, but the government has not confirmed the details so far...  

 

TR extensions is always 30 days. Not 60 days.

 

The old TR visa (Tourist = "TR60") was 60 days + extension 30 days = 90 days 

The new visa exempt will be 60 days + extension 30 days = 90 days

 

I guess the the Thai consulates/embassies will not sell many TR60's in the near future in countries that are allowed to enter with 60 days exemption.

 

 

[Maestro]

16 minutes ago, george said:

 

TR extensions is always 30 days. Not 60 days.

 

The old TR visa (Tourist = "TR60") was 60 days + extension 30 days = 90 days 

The new visa exempt will be 60 days + extension 30 days = 90 days

 

I guess the the Thai consulates/embassies will not sell many TR60's in the near future in countries that are allowed to enter with 60 days exemption.

 

 

 

My last tourist visa was in 2011 and was marked TR. Therefore, it must have been

• TR = tourist visa
• TR-30 = visa exemption 30 days

and new

• TR-60 = visa exemption 60 days

 

Correction: The visa exemption arrival stamp in the passport was not TR-30. It was an illegible hand-written scribble of two Thai characters representing the first character of the two Thai words for visa exemption.

 

 

[VBF]

FWIW, the UK government believe this is now official

 

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/thailand/entry-requirements#:~:text=British passport applications.-,visa requirements,-From 1 June  and the FCDO usually gets these things right (if not much else 🙄)  They updated it at 3:59pm (BST), 30 May 2024

 

but so far the Thai Embassy in London have NOT updated their website https://london.thaiembassy.org/en/page/exemp-visa 

Edited May 30 by VBF

[JemJem]

2 hours ago, george said:

 

TR extensions is always 30 days. Not 60 days.

 

The old TR visa (Tourist = "TR60") was 60 days + extension 30 days = 90 days 

The new visa exempt will be 60 days + extension 30 days = 90 days

 

I guess the the Thai consulates/embassies will not sell many TR60's in the near future in countries that are allowed to enter with 60 days exemption.

 

 

That is true. The no of tourist visas applied for will vastly decrease from June 1 on, unless they make tourist visas valid for a stay of, say, at least 3 months (which I doubt they will do anytime soon). 

Edited May 30 by JemJem

[BusNo8]

On 5/30/2024 at 4:10 AM, george said:

Fully paid onward travel tickets which are usable within 30 days of the date of entry.

 

Hope this is a mistake. You'll never use the ticket staying the 60.

[BusNo8]

5 hours ago, JemJem said:

That is true. The no of tourist visas applied for will vastly decrease from June 1 on, unless they make tourist visas valid for a stay of, say, at least 3 months (which I doubt they will do anytime soon). 

 

Probably looking to reduce paperwork at emb, cons. with expected addl bump in tourists.

 

Sad thing here is this isn't going to help anything but the tourism sector and overall GDP numbers.

 

Sukhumvit name changed to Thanon Falang.

[BusNo8]

You know what Thailand needs more than anything?

 

CLEAR RULES about each visa class and type. Clear guidelines about utilizing visa exempt. They just won't or can't do it and I don't understand why.

[george]

UK Government has made an announcement regarding 60-days visa exempt from June 1, 2024:

 

60 days via air and border checkpoints:

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/thailand/entry-requirements

:

[Pattaya57]

9 minutes ago, george said:

Royal Thai Embassy in London has made an announcement regarding 60-days visa exempt from June 1, 2024:

 

60 days via air and border checkpoints:

 

Isn't that just the UK government website rather than the Thai Embassy?

 

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/thailand/entry-requirements

 

I imagine Embassies won't be able to announce it until it's gazetted.

[george]

2 minutes ago, Pattaya57 said:

Isn't that just the UK government website rather than the Thai Embassy?

 

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/thailand/entry-requirements

 

I imagine Embassies won't be able to announce it until it's gazetted.

I stand corrected!

[Southsealad]

Yes I know I am stupid, but why would you go for a Visa on Arrival when you can now get 60 days by just walking in.  Or am I missing something, apart from a brain of course!!!

 

 

 

 

[visarunner]

On 5/30/2024 at 2:59 PM, george said:

 

We got it directly from MFA. It's not published on their interweb yet.

 

Members of ASEAN NOW are VIP...

This Sheet is on website of Thai Embassy New Delhi with SPECIFIC REMARK: 

https://newdelhi.thaiembassy.org/en/content/new-thailand-s-visa-measures?cate=614489badd57933bb40edbf2

Note: the effective date will be announced upon the completion of final procedures. 

[kwilco]

27 minutes ago, Southsealad said:

Yes I know I am stupid, but why would you go for a Visa on Arrival when you can now get 60 days by just walking in.  Or am I missing something, apart from a brain of course!!!

 

 

 

 

VOA is for different countries.

[george]

NOTE: The new regulation was announced to take effect June 1, but from reports from entry points on June 1 we are told that immigration officers still stamps only 30 days.

[notime]

Ops, it was just TALK. Announcement is also talk. Any talk can be dismissed or revoked a minute later. Who cares about the foreigners who made their holiday plans based on what was announced? They can go back to their country and come back next month for another 30 day stay, no? Welcome to TIT

[notime]

On 5/31/2024 at 1:22 AM, BusNo8 said:

You know what Thailand needs more than anything?

 

CLEAR RULES about each visa class and type. Clear guidelines about utilizing visa exempt. They just won't or can't do it and I don't understand why.

Yes, it is a bit hard to understand for a foreigner. But it suits them to stay in the gray area in everything. More opportunities for corruption, more money 💰

Now you really know what Thailand "needs more than anything".

[NativeBob]

On 5/30/2024 at 12:36 AM, kwilco said:

What is a "short term business engagement"?

say speaking at conference, participation at Intl. fair, business meetings. 

Makes sense.

[kwilco]

1 hour ago, NativeBob said:

say speaking at conference, participation at Intl. fair, business meetings. 

Makes sense.

Well you need some reference for this as the old system said you needed a B visa.

[NativeBob]

12 minutes ago, kwilco said:

Well you need some reference for this as the old system said you needed a B visa.

Exactly! I heard about this too.

[G_Money]

On 5/31/2024 at 6:22 AM, BusNo8 said:

You know what Thailand needs more than anything?

 

CLEAR RULES about each visa class and type. Clear guidelines about utilizing visa exempt. They just won't or can't do it and I don't understand why.

The rules are clear.  One needs to read and adhere.

[kwilco]

2 hours ago, G_Money said:

The rules are clear.  One needs to read and adhere.

no the rules at present are up in the clouds.

[G_Money]

2 minutes ago, kwilco said:

no the rules at present are up in the clouds.

Specifically what rules are you referring to?