Entry Requirements for Visa Waiver

[vikc]

Hi guys,

 

I went to the IATA travel center website to look for updates to the thailand entry requirements for airline check in.

Surprise, they have added the option of extension of stay and not limited to 60days return/onward ticket ( which was there earlier).

This is a snip from the website.

People can check on IATA Travel center , travel requirements page for their journeys.

Cheers

 

 

[DrJack54]

28 minutes ago, vikc said:

Surprise, they have added the option of extension of stay and not limited to 60days return/onward ticket ( which was there earlier).

As long as the airline follows that.

 

BTW: suggest that people carry cash. Thai baht or equivalent currency if flying visa exempt. 

[Chivas]

23 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

As long as the airline follows that.

 

BTW: suggest that people carry cash. Thai baht or equivalent currency if flying visa exempt. 

 

Interesting re Cash but understand reasons why

If I rocked up without hard cash but could show in real time 500,000 in Thai bank (via app) would that suffice ?

 

Might have to start carrying £500 in cash from now on just in case

[Liverpool Lou]

16 minutes ago, Chivas said:

If I rocked up without hard cash but could show in real time 500,000 in Thai bank (via app) would that suffice ?

 

Anyone who "rocks up" is immediately denied entry, and rightfully so. 

 

Money in the bank does not count but it is very unusual that B20k cash is required to be shown, unless the IO has suspicions about the traveller.  Never happened once to me in 30 years.

[OJAS]

21 minutes ago, Chivas said:

 

Interesting re Cash but understand reasons why

If I rocked up without hard cash but could show in real time 500,000 in Thai bank (via app) would that suffice ?

 

Might have to start carrying £500 in cash from now on just in case

 

Nope, has to be 20 crisp 1,000 THB (or alternatively in your case 22 crisp £20) notes

[Rob Browder]

2 hours ago, Chivas said:

 

Interesting re Cash but understand reasons why

If I rocked up without hard cash but could show in real time 500,000 in Thai bank (via app) would that suffice ?

 

Might have to start carrying £500 in cash from now on just in case

The history of this - when they started "cracking down" on people coming / staying in Thailand "too much" (undefined time limit) on Tourist-type entries, the first way they were denying people was asking to see 20K Baht in cash.  TAT said a credit card was OK - but Immigration didn't care what TAT was saying.   Thai bank-books didn't work either.  Trips to the ATM to withdraw the cash were not permitted.

 

In response, frequent visitors started carrying the required cash.  Frustrated that we could do this, IOs stopped asking to see the money - started simply claiming we were "here too much," and that was why they were denying entry.  In the passport, for the denied-entry stamp, they would stamp we didn't have "enough money," because there is no legal reason in Thai statute law for Immigration to deny entry for "being here too much as a tourist."  

 

Nowadays, I don't know if the $$ would do you any good - but I kept carrying it for all entries until I had a long-term visa/extension - even at law-abiding land-borders not known to play this cruel game - just to be on the safe-side.

[Chivas]

2 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Anyone who "rocks up" is immediately denied entry, and rightfully so. 

 

Money in the bank does not count but it is very unusual that B20k cash is required to be shown, unless the IO has suspicions about the traveller.  Never happened once to me in 30 years.

 

I suspect there are going to be reams of denials daily if that cash show is strictly enfotced

 

I'm surmising that if you turn up looking like an utter peasant in dreadlocks or you're bald you might get asked but not otherwise

[bigt3116]

2 hours ago, Rob Browder said:

Trips to the ATM to withdraw the cash were not permitted.

 

there are no ATM machines before immigration, so impossible, not just not permitted

[Jaggg88]

20 hours ago, bigt3116 said:

 

there are no ATM machines before immigration, so impossible, not just not permitted

There is an ATM near the Visa on Arrival desk before passport control. 

[bigt3116]

2 hours ago, Jaggg88 said:

There is an ATM near the Visa on Arrival desk before passport control. 

 

We are talking about visa exempt entries  🙂

[Rob Browder]

5 hours ago, bigt3116 said:

We are talking about visa exempt entries  🙂

If it is "before passport control," that will work.  If they start doing the "show the money" thing, again, I hope they let people use that machine.

[Phillip9]

8 hours ago, bigt3116 said:

11 hours ago, Jaggg88 said:

There is an ATM near the Visa on Arrival desk before passport control. 

 

We are talking about visa exempt entries  🙂

 

No reason someone using visa exempt couldn't use that atm.  They will walk right past it on the way to passport control.

[Chivas]

Recent article stating Thai immigration want the process done on average in 45 seconds

Strictly enforce this 20,000 and it'll end up multiple times slower

 

Has anyone on this thread ever been asked ?? I certainly havent

[Rob Browder]

4 hours ago, Chivas said:

Recent article stating Thai immigration want the process done on average in 45 seconds

Strictly enforce this 20,000 and it'll end up multiple times slower

 

Has anyone on this thread ever been asked ?? I certainly havent

You should see the time-estimations for a marriage-based Non-O extension, which is posted in Immigration offices - truly comical. 

I cannot find the older threads where they were asking for the money (apparently fell into the digital-ether), but here is the first case where they started denying entry even if you had the money - even with a Tourist Visa.

 

[NativeBob]

@ubonjoe was truly great and helpful person. 

[Jaggg88]

On 7/24/2024 at 5:27 PM, bigt3116 said:

 

We are talking about visa exempt entries  🙂

The guy said there is no ATM before passport control BUT THERE IS!

[Dan O]

On 7/22/2024 at 1:29 PM, vikc said:

Hi guys,

 

I went to the IATA travel center website to look for updates to the thailand entry requirements for airline check in.

Surprise, they have added the option of extension of stay and not limited to 60days return/onward ticket ( which was there earlier).

This is a snip from the website.

People can check on IATA Travel center , travel requirements page for their journeys.

Cheers

 

 

Not sure how you received that but it still shows an onward ticket is required or you may be denied entry

 

[geisha]

On 7/25/2024 at 6:44 AM, Chivas said:

Recent article stating Thai immigration want the process done on average in 45 seconds

Strictly enforce this 20,000 and it'll end up multiple times slower

 

Has anyone on this thread ever been asked ?? I certainly havent

40 years of being a snowbird ( ie 4/5 months every EU winter)  and I’ve never been asked or had a problem. 

[StayinThailand2much]

On 7/23/2024 at 12:34 PM, Chivas said:

Interesting re Cash but understand reasons why

If I rocked up without hard cash but could show in real time 500,000 in Thai bank (via app) would that suffice ?

 

IOs, in the past, weren't interested in someone's bank balance. Word has always been: embassies (for visa applications) want to see a bank balance, while IOs at the border want to see hard cash...

[StayinThailand2much]

On 7/25/2024 at 3:39 PM, Rob Browder said:

Has anyone on this thread ever been asked ?? I certainly havent

 

Not been asked in 26 years in and out, even when almost denied...

[vikc]

Just got in yesterday after 2 visits this year , Jan and June ( 30D+30D ) both with extensions.

 

Immigration was a breeze roughly 1 min and stamped in.I was in the priority line during immigration so the wait too was minimal. Although the signs about the wait in all the 3 immigration sections showed a max wait of 10 mins and minimum wait of 8 mins. This was around 2pm.

 

So take it easy guys, all good for now at Suvarnabhumi as far as immigration is concerned. All fast and easy.

 

Cheers

 

 

[Chivas]

On 7/29/2024 at 8:29 AM, StayinThailand2much said:

 

IOs, in the past, weren't interested in someone's bank balance. Word has always been: embassies (for visa applications) want to see a bank balance, while IOs at the border want to see hard cash...

 

Well into my 33rd year have never been asked about cash albeit I've normally got a small bundle of Sterling with me which I guess would suffice

 

Maybe people who look like tramps on arrival do get asked or are more likely to be. Personally I smile and say good morning/evening as I hand passport over

[Phillip9]

19 minutes ago, Chivas said:

Maybe people who look like tramps on arrival do get asked or are more likely to be. Personally I smile and say good morning/evening as I hand passport over

 

Also depends on your passport country.  Those of us with first world passports are very rarely if ever asked.  If you had a third world passport, you would be asked sometimes even if well dressed.

 

 

 

[Rob Browder]

2 hours ago, Chivas said:

 

Well into my 33rd year have never been asked about cash albeit I've normally got a small bundle of Sterling with me which I guess would suffice

 

Maybe people who look like tramps on arrival do get asked or are more likely to be. Personally I smile and say good morning/evening as I hand passport over

It's not about how one is dressed.  If one has a longer-stay history as a tourist, and did not pay an agent for "pre-clearence," then there is a risk of being interrogated and/or denied-entry.