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

[Maestro]

  On 2/12/2025 at 4:36 PM, billy100 said:

Just one further thought, is the 60 days cumulative during a calendar year i.e. if I have used 40 already in 2025 can I only visit for another 20 days during the remainder of 2025?

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It is per entry, not cumulative.

[SenorTashi]

Just looking for clarification that I can enter overland on a UK passport and get 60 days?

I'm leaving again in 36 days but I don't want to risk only being given 30 days at the border.

[vikc]

  On 2/13/2025 at 9:47 AM, SenorTashi said:

Just looking for clarification that I can enter overland on a UK passport and get 60 days?

I'm leaving again in 36 days but I don't want to risk only being given 30 days at the border.

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With a UK passport you will get 60 days visa exempt every time you enter Thailand as far as I know.

Cheers

 

[daeumtnaot]

  On 2/13/2025 at 4:43 AM, Briggsy said:

Ok since you plan to have your wife and kids leave by land, do not leave with an overstay. This can become a serious issue. 

 

So have them all go to Laos to get another 60 days VE. Since you do not want to pay for an agent, they will need to stay in Laos for 2 nights. In addition on return they will probably be asked for flights out and confirmation of accommodation booking in Thailand. So make sure they have that. Your wife will also probably get a scolding or stern talking to or some fearmongering from the IO.

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All right, thanks again for all of your advice.  It is already in motion, she is getting all of this ready.  I hope everything will work out well.

[daeumtnaot]

  On 2/13/2025 at 9:47 AM, SenorTashi said:

Just looking for clarification that I can enter overland on a UK passport and get 60 days?

I'm leaving again in 36 days but I don't want to risk only being given 30 days at the border.

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A few pages back, someone said to check your stamp into Thailand to make sure they give you 60 days.  Sometimes they may give you 30 days by accident.

[VBF]

  On 2/17/2025 at 11:21 AM, daeumtnaot said:

A few pages back, someone said to check your stamp into Thailand to make sure they give you 60 days.  Sometimes they may give you 30 days by accident.

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Exactly that happened to me at SUV in 2024.

Despite having been given my printed TV (necessary then) the IO stamped me in for 30 days.

I handed the passport back to him and he apologised and corrected it  and stamped my boarding pass as well .

Needless to say, I kept everything until I left Thailand 

 

ALWAYS CHECK BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE IO DESK, land or air arrival.

[DanBlack]

My girlfriend is staying with me at my rental house. Her 60 day tourist visa is almost due, and she needs a proof of residency for a 30 day extension. My landlord is hard to deal with, and can't get anything from her. Does anyone have a suggestion on what I can do? Can I write a letter saying she is staying with me? Thanks for any help

 

[Caldera]

  On 2/19/2025 at 4:50 AM, DanBlack said:

My girlfriend is staying with me at my rental house. Her 60 day tourist visa is almost due, and she needs a proof of residency for a 30 day extension. My landlord is hard to deal with, and can't get anything from her. Does anyone have a suggestion on what I can do? Can I write a letter saying she is staying with me? Thanks for any help

 

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Which immigration office? Chances are she'll need proof of a TM30 notification. If you cannot obtain that for her, checking into a hotel for a night might be the easiest fix.

[DanBlack]

  On 2/19/2025 at 5:25 AM, Caldera said:

 

Which immigration office? Chances are she'll need proof of a TM30 notification. If you cannot obtain that for her, checking into a hotel for a night might be the easiest fix.

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This would be in Phuket town

[daeumtnaot]

All right, now on to my visa exemption. I went with an agent to get an exemption at the end of last year. Hadn't used all of it and had to fly out and now will return by flight in a few days.  Will I have difficulty with immigration at the airport?  I guess no one really knows?

[Upnotover]

  On 2/20/2025 at 11:56 PM, daeumtnaot said:

All right, now on to my visa exemption. I went with an agent to get an exemption at the end of last year. Hadn't used all of it and had to fly out and now will return by flight in a few days.  Will I have difficulty with immigration at the airport?  I guess no one really knows?

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They can ask to see cash (10 or 20k depending on who you believe), accommodation booking and onward travel.  or they may ask nothing at all.  Airline might also ask for onward booking.  Depends on your history, IO's mood, lottery numbers......

[daeumtnaot]

  On 2/21/2025 at 12:10 AM, Upnotover said:

They can ask to see cash (10 or 20k depending on who you believe), accommodation booking and onward travel.  or they may ask nothing at all.  Airline might also ask for onward booking.  Depends on your history, IO's mood, lottery numbers......

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Thanks for your reply.  There was a comment on a different forum/platform where they said if you pay something to get into like a VIP lane at immigration at the airport (can't remember what it was called) then you'll have no problem.  They also said it's better to go to a male immigration officer as the female ones are often trying to prove themselves.

 

I actually neglected to bring all the Thai Baht when I left.  Can other currencies be used in place of Thai baht?

[Liquorice]

  On 2/21/2025 at 12:21 AM, daeumtnaot said:

I actually neglected to bring all the Thai Baht when I left.  Can other currencies be used in place of Thai baht?

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Equivalent of 20K THB in any currency.

[Upnotover]

  On 2/21/2025 at 12:21 AM, daeumtnaot said:

Thanks for your reply.  There was a comment on a different forum/platform where they said if you pay something to get into like a VIP lane at immigration at the airport (can't remember what it was called) then you'll have no problem.  They also said it's better to go to a male immigration officer as the female ones are often trying to prove themselves.

 

I actually neglected to bring all the Thai Baht when I left.  Can other currencies be used in place of Thai baht?

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Safe entry service, see this thread.....

 

Male/Female IO's = myth.

 

Cash can be in another currency.

 

[Caldera]

  On 2/20/2025 at 11:56 PM, daeumtnaot said:

All right, now on to my visa exemption. I went with an agent to get an exemption at the end of last year. Hadn't used all of it and had to fly out and now will return by flight in a few days.  Will I have difficulty with immigration at the airport?  I guess no one really knows?

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With your extensive recent history, you should definitely consider using a Safe Entry service.

[daeumtnaot]

Thank you.  I am looking at the onward ticket requirement which the airline will probably scrutinize even if immigration doesn't. I recently used "bookonwardticket" which on further inspection was actually just a reservation, not an actual ticket.  I don't think the airline will fall for this.  I could use the rule that you can get a refund on a ticket to the US, if you cancel it within 24 hours.  But 24 hours is a pretty short time to cancel a flight when you have a major flight to make.  There are also bus tickets to Cambodia you can buy in advance but am not sure if the airlines will accept this.  Anyone have ideas for this requirement?  The airlines can actually be quite difficult on this.

[Maestro]

  On 2/22/2025 at 10:28 PM, daeumtnaot said:

…I recently used "bookonwardticket" which on further inspection was actually just a reservation, not an actual ticket…

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On bookonwardticket.com it says that their onward tickets come with a PNR code and that this will serve the purpose for visa application. On the tickets, this code is often referred to as booking reference, reservation number, etc (https://www.altexsoft.com/blog/pnr-explained), even on fully paid flight tickets.

[Jimmy43]

  On 2/22/2025 at 10:28 PM, daeumtnaot said:

I am looking at the onward ticket requirement which the airline will probably scrutinize even if immigration doesn't. I recently used "bookonwardticket" which on further inspection was actually just a reservation, not an actual ticket.  I don't think the airline will fall for this.  I could use the rule that you can get a refund on a ticket to the US, if you cancel it within 24 hours.  But 24 hours is a pretty short time to cancel a flight when you have a major flight to make.

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Correct, with that site and similar sites you get a booking reference, but not a ticket number.  No ticket is ever created.  They just make reservation and then never ticket it.  

 

Most airlines fall for those fake tickets.  I don't think we have ever seen a case reported here of denied boarding with one of those reservations.

 

If you aren't comfortable with that like me, book a ticket with priceline and you get a little longer than 24 hours to refund it.  Can be up to 72 hours if weekends are involved.  Or book a fully refundable ticket--Delta has fully refundable tickets from Thailand to US with easy refunds.

 

[Jimmy43]

  On 2/23/2025 at 8:45 AM, Maestro said:

On bookonwardticket.com it says that their onward tickets come with a PNR code and that this will serve the purpose for visa application. On the tickets, this code is often referred to as booking reference, reservation number, etc (https://www.altexsoft.com/blog/pnr-explained), even on fully paid flight tickets.

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But on fully paid tickets you also get a ticket number.

[daeumtnaot]

  On 2/23/2025 at 8:45 AM, Maestro said:

 

On bookonwardticket.com it says that their onward tickets come with a PNR code and that this will serve the purpose for visa application. On the tickets, this code is often referred to as booking reference, reservation number, etc (https://www.altexsoft.com/blog/pnr-explained), even on fully paid flight tickets.

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I've used it a few times for immigration and in those cases it was not asked for.  For some reason in Asia they rarely seem concerned about onward tickets but it has come up on check in for some long haul flights.

[daeumtnaot]

  On 2/23/2025 at 9:06 AM, Jimmy43 said:

 

Correct, with that site and similar sites you get a booking reference, but not a ticket number.  No ticket is ever created.  They just make reservation and then never ticket it.  

 

Most airlines fall for those fake tickets.  I don't think we have ever seen a case reported here of denied boarding with one of those reservations.

 

If you aren't comfortable with that like me, book a ticket with priceline and you get a little longer than 24 hours to refund it.  Can be up to 72 hours if weekends are involved.  Or book a fully refundable ticket--Delta has fully refundable tickets from Thailand to US with easy refunds.

 

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OK, so Priceline can be refunded in 24 hours.  Is it an easy process?  Do you have to call or is it an online form?  Not really easy to handle when your actual flight is also nearly 24 hours! 

 

Is Delta easy to refund?- i.e. how do you do it?

[Jimmy43]

  On 2/23/2025 at 10:48 PM, daeumtnaot said:

OK, so Priceline can be refunded in 24 hours.  Is it an easy process?  Do you have to call or is it an online form?  Not really easy to handle when your actual flight is also nearly 24 hours! 

 

Is Delta easy to refund?- i.e. how do you do it?

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Both have super easy refunds with just a few clicks online.  It literally takes seconds.

 

Priceline gives you a minimum of 24 hr, but usually longer.  They will show the exact time when you search for flights.  The cut off time is always the same time of day, and if it's a weekend you get until the next Monday.  Make sure you choose a flight that clearly says it's refundable.

 

With Delta be very careful you choose a fully refundable fare.  Most aren't.   

[daeumtnaot]

  On 2/23/2025 at 11:43 PM, Jimmy43 said:

Both have super easy refunds with just a few clicks online.  It literally takes seconds.

 

Priceline gives you a minimum of 24 hr, but usually longer.  They will show the exact time when you search for flights.  The cut off time is always the same time of day, and if it's a weekend you get until the next Monday.  Make sure you choose a flight that clearly says it's refundable.

 

With Delta be very careful you choose a fully refundable fare.  Most aren't.   

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Thanks, sounds like there are several options.  Just for others' info, I also found that Sky Angkor Air has a medium fare flight to Cambodia that can be refunded for $20, only $10 more than "book onward flight" and its a real ticket.  They also seem to claim that if you request a refund before 23:59 the day of booking then it will be refunded without any fee.

[Liquorice]

  On 2/22/2025 at 10:28 PM, daeumtnaot said:

There are also bus tickets to Cambodia you can buy in advance but am not sure if the airlines will accept this.  Anyone have ideas for this requirement?  The airlines can actually be quite difficult on this.

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What good would an outbound bus (or train) ticket be if you were refused entry.
A friend of mine was refused boarding in the UK with an outbound flight ticket.
He was arriving in Suvarnabhumi, but had an outbound flight ticket Don Mueang to Kuala Lumpur.

The airline asked him how he intended to get to Don Mueang airport if he was refused entry and detained in arrivals at Suvarnabhumi.

He had to quickly change the flight details.

[oldcpu]

  On 2/24/2025 at 3:04 PM, Liquorice said:

What good would an outbound bus (or train) ticket be if you were refused entry.
A friend of mine was refused boarding in the UK with an outbound flight ticket.
He was arriving in Suvarnabhumi, but had an outbound flight ticket Don Mueang to Kuala Lumpur.

The airline asked him how he intended to get to Don Mueang airport if he was refused entry and detained in arrivals at Suvarnabhumi.

He had to quickly change the flight details.

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Typically outbound tickets are "timed" for with a date for one to depart before the expiry end of the "visa exempt" permission to stay timeframe, that one is expected to get at Thai immigration.

 

Typically it is NOT for a flight the same day and same airport of one's arrival.

 

I have never heard of such before, and frankly, I struggle to believe what that friend of yours told you.

 

.

[Caldera]

  On 2/24/2025 at 3:04 PM, Liquorice said:

What good would an outbound bus (or train) ticket be if you were refused entry.
A friend of mine was refused boarding in the UK with an outbound flight ticket.
He was arriving in Suvarnabhumi, but had an outbound flight ticket Don Mueang to Kuala Lumpur.

The airline asked him how he intended to get to Don Mueang airport if he was refused entry and detained in arrivals at Suvarnabhumi.

He had to quickly change the flight details.

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Just another example of a poorly trained check-in clerk. There's no requirement to have a flight out from the same airport.

 

The airline doesn't require a ticket out so that the passenger could fly out with that very ticket if denied entry. The airline does this to avoid being fined by the Thai authorities for failing to check that the passenger meets the entry requirements.

 

There's simply no basis for this silly request to have a ticket out from the same airport, and your friend should have asked to speak to the supervisor. 

[VBF]

  On 2/24/2025 at 5:31 PM, Caldera said:

 

Just another example of a poorly trained check-in clerk. There's no requirement to have a flight out from the same airport.

 

The airline doesn't require a ticket out so that the passenger could fly out with that very ticket if denied entry. The airline does this to avoid being fined by the Thai authorities for failing to check that the passenger meets the entry requirements.

 

There's simply no basis for this silly request to have a ticket out from the same airport, and your friend should have asked to speak to the supervisor. 

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Agree with you and @oldcpuabove.

But....if it is true, why didn't he just say taxi from 1 airport to the other?

 

Oh and on which airline did this allegedly happen?

[Liquorice]

  On 2/26/2025 at 3:30 AM, VBF said:

Agree with you and @oldcpuabove.

But....if it is true, why didn't he just say taxi from 1 airport to the other?

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Sorry, but which part of 'if refused entry' didn't you understand.

If refused entry you're stuck air side in arrivals, only a return or ticket departing from that same arrival point would be of any use.

The airline was Emirates, and that was the point they were making.

 

The point @Caldera and @oldcpu we're making is that the only requirement (if asked) is to provide evidence of an outbound ticket from any point of departure, either by air, train, or bus.

That covers the airline from being held responsible for your return at their inconvenience and cost.

If refused entry, and you couldn't use any onward ticket, then you'd be held in detention until such time you make alternative arrangements.

 

[VBF]

  On 2/26/2025 at 6:29 AM, Liquorice said:

Sorry, but which part of 'if refused entry' didn't you understand.

If refused entry you're stuck air side in arrivals, only a return or ticket departing from that same arrival point would be of any use.

The airline was Emirates, and that was the point they were making.

 

The point @Caldera and @oldcpu we're making is that the only requirement (if asked) is to provide evidence of an outbound ticket from any point of departure, either by air, train, or bus.

That covers the airline from being held responsible for your return at their inconvenience and cost.

If refused entry, and you couldn't use any onward ticket, then you'd be held in detention until such time you make alternative arrangements.

 

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But YOU said that the airline asked at check-in how he was going to get between airports, so I asked why he didn't just reply "By taxi"

There wasn't a suggestion of being refused entry...more refused boarding!

[daeumtnaot]

  On 2/23/2025 at 11:43 PM, Jimmy43 said:

Both have super easy refunds with just a few clicks online.  It literally takes seconds.

 

Priceline gives you a minimum of 24 hr, but usually longer.  They will show the exact time when you search for flights.  The cut off time is always the same time of day, and if it's a weekend you get until the next Monday.  Make sure you choose a flight that clearly says it's refundable.

 

With Delta be very careful you choose a fully refundable fare.  Most aren't.   

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Hi, thanks for the referral to Priceline.  I booked with them and the ticket I booked had 45 hours to cancel and seek a refund.  The airline did not end up asking for it, amazingly.  I just clicked through to get a refund and seemingly it will work.