Confusion about Visa Exempt'z, ETA'z & eVisa'z

[Tod Daniels]

I am seeing a LOT of posts on the tiny part of the inter-web that is thai related where people are confusing THREE completely different things 😮

1; Visa Exempt Entry
The switch from 30 to 60 day visa exempt entries (that started 15th July last year) is STILL in effect for the 90+ countries they listed. So if you're from one of those countries you can just show up, get stamped in free stamp (Visa Exempt) for 60 days and get one 30 day extension on it at the immigration office like normal for 1900baht

2; ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) program
This WAS a program which was to pilot at the end of Dec. It was for people coming in to thailand on a visa exempt entry and set up so that people would apply online for pre-approval to enter.
This program has been 𝗣𝗢𝗦𝗧𝗣𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗗 and there is no current projected date for it to start. We know it will roll out sometime this year but have no news about it

3; eVisa online program

All the remaining thai consulates in the world (who weren't on the eVisa portal) switched over to the online web program on Jan 1st 2025 <- this means there are no longer any "walk up and apply" Thai consulates to get visas at anymore 😮  So if you want to BUY a visa for thailand from a thai consulate; you GO to the country whose consulate you're going to use, you log in to the online web-portal, select your passport and the country you're in, (then the correct consulate if there are more than one) upload your documents, upload proof you're in that country (visa/entry stamp) pay and then wait IN that country for the visa to be approved**.

** You will note I stated after you apply you WAIT in that country until the eVisa is approved or rejected.

The consulates are catching on that people were going to their country applying then coming back to thailand to wait for the eVisa to be approved (for some reason especially with the DTV demographic 😛 )
AND
to check that the person is still in the country of the thai consulate they applied for the visa, thru we are seeing more and more reports that about 3 to 5 days after you submit the application you get an email "request for additional documents" 😮 They ask for copies of every page of your passport (blank pages too) so they can see if you bailed out and went back to thailand.
People have had their visas rejected because they did 😕 

My advice is just wait it out, get the email with the eVisa PDF, print it out, then present the PDF with your passport to the officer when you stamp in..
AND
always check your stamp to make sure you were stamped in the correct amount of time, and on the correct visa type <- it is the passport holders responsibility to check the entry stamp is correct     

Hope this helps people understand the difference between those 3 things 🙂 , Have a safe and healthy new year !!!

[DrJack54]

With regards ETA...this attached link is not official (Siam Legal) however well set out and some might find it useful.

In particular some of the listed (at this point) of requirements imo perhaps more onerous than previously the case. 

For example....

"1. Flight itinerary displaying details of tickets into and out of Thailand

2. Proof of accommodation in Thailand (such as their hotel address and reservation details)"

 

https://www.thaiembassy.com/travel-to-thailand/new-travel-requirement-for-visitors-to-thailand-coming-in-2025