Thailand Implements Financial Requirements for Tourist Visas in 2025

[connda]

It's not the money.  It's the hassle of obtaining the documents. Then the sheer number of tourist who arrive who will be looking blankly at a Swampy IO and say, "I need what? I have credit cards, debit cards, no a don't have "cash", I come from a "cashless" country, and you want financial documents from my bank so that I can get in?"  Then let's not even imagine the massive wait in line to clear Immigration which is backed up with confused tourists.

So, Thailand will lose more tourists.

GOOD MORNING VIETNAM!!!

[ryandb]

Tourist visa I understand, you are physically going to apply for something which already needed this (last time I was on a 60+30 TV I had to show 60k baht at Georgetown), visa on arrival free entry is dumb, after booking a 14 days all-inclusive in Phuket who's going to want to print out 3 months of bank statements to show at the airport....

[Ralf001]

3 hours ago, connda said:

So, Thailand will lose more tourists.

GOOD MORNING VIETNAM!!!

 

 

Bring it on.

 

always amuses me just how many find menial tasks to be so difficult.

[brewsterbudgen]

8 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Silly, those who haven't got $550 will just do visa exempt 

I would expect that will revert back to 30 days, so fine for those who can't meet the visa requirements.

[Pompeygeezer]

So, the results of the review of the 60 days waiver was to have another review. Good old Thailand. Thais love not making decisions. I think most Thais wouldn't ring the fire brigade if their house was on fire, until their house actually burnt to the ground.

[Hardcastle P]

They could not have done a better job of detering honest people most will just say to hell eith all that palaver and go elsewhere

 

 

[Zapitapi]

great decision when considering falling tourist numbers.. other asean countries say: thanks:)

[Formaleins]

15 hours ago, jaywalker2 said:

What's the point? Are they going to stipulate that only people with a certain net worth are allowed into the country? And given how hard they've been pushing the "cashless society", to demand that tourists arrive with 20,000 baht of cash in their pockets doesn't make sense.

The left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing! One minute these idiots are pushing for visa free travel, 90 days, 60 days, 30 days....you couldn't make this up.

[RocketDog]

10 hours ago, it is what it is said:

 

 

Would I be a target if I have $50k or $100k spare cash in my bank account?

 

mate, only the financially illiterate would have that amount in their bank account

Or they are especially financially literate to the point that having 10's or more in a bank account is no big loss. 

I happen to know several folks in that dire situation. 

[Marco100]

You need a Lawyer to produce all the documents needed to get a 30 day visa for Thailand 😅😂 . Why let people go trou this hassle? What about Visa on arrival ?

They want more tourists but put up burocratic  barriers 🤷 .

I am living here on since long time . Got long term visa so not affecting me but i do not understand the logic ? Probably they think they can control quality of tourists....

[Burma Bill]

15 hours ago, Etaoin Shrdlu said:

It would make more sense for the tourist visa to require proof of travel medical insurance. 

 

With the greatest respect no!

As an insulin dependent Type 2 diabetic I cannot get travel medical insurance. This has been the case for the past 31 years. Should I be barred from entering Thailand because I am diabetic? I lived in Thailand for 20 years and never had medical insurance. Fortunately I had access to sufficient funds for medical treatment. Same here today in Siem Reap, Cambodia -  I cannot get medical travel insurance.

[Maestro]

Removed an off-topic post about visa requirements for USA and Brazil.

[Jack1988]

It's always about money. Thai embassies need money. Easy to understand. 

 

By the way, let's say the 60 days exemption will drop to 30 days again and so I would prefer to apply for a tourist visa outside Thailand, for example I would need to apply for it in my country or in another Asian country (for example Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos) can I also show 20,000 THB in my Thai bank account or it must be shown on my foreign bank account only? I have wise and revolut as a foreign savings account 

 

Can I walk in to the Thai embassy to apply or is only possible to apply on the e-visa website?

 

It's my id card or passport accepted as proof of residence if for example I'm applying for a tourist visa while I'm in Laos?

[brewsterbudgen]

2 minutes ago, Jack1988 said:

It's always about money. Thai embassies need money. Easy to understand. 

 

By the way, let's say the 60 days exemption will drop to 30 days again and so I would prefer to apply for a tourist visa outside Thailand, for example I would need to apply for it in my country or in another Asian country (for example Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos) can I also show 20,000 THB in my Thai bank account or it must be shown on my foreign bank account only? I have wise and revolut as a foreign savings account 

 

Can I walk in to the Thai embassy to apply or is only possible to apply on the e-visa website?

How do Embassies make more money if the government make it more difficult for people to get visas??

[Jack1988]

2 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

How do Embassies make more money if the government make it more difficult for people to get visas??

I don't think it can be difficult to apply for a tourist visa and show only 20000 THB in a bank account. It's a little money 

[VBF]

5 hours ago, StayinThailand2much said:

 

How about 'utility bills and rental agreements'? - So, I have to fly to my home country, where I haven't lived for 20 years, taking my utility bills and rental agreement from SE Asia with me, hoping that the Thailand embassy there will accept my application with bills and agreement from the other side of the world... 😆 

 

I guess, in the future, I will either go the agent route, or look for greener pastures in neighbouring countries.

I haven't had a paper bill or account statement for 5 years or more. All online so a simple matter of downloading a couple of PDFs, or screen grabbing and making PDFs. Just redact the account number on bank accounts.

Some years ago, when consulates offered Non-Imm O visas, I used to do exactly that.

If you do happen to have paper bills, scan to PDFs.

 

Having said that, as others have said, the amount is ridiculous and its all rather intrusive for no obvious benefit.

[Upnotover]

7 minutes ago, Jack1988 said:

Can I walk in to the Thai embassy to apply or is only possible to apply on the e-visa website?

 

It's my id card or passport accepted as proof of residence if for example I'm applying for a tourist visa while I'm in Laos?

No you cannot walk into any embassy. Apply through the e-visa site while you are in the country.

 

The entry stamp in your passport is the proof they will use.

[Jack1988]

1 minute ago, Upnotover said:

No you cannot walk into any embassy. Apply through the e-visa site while you are in the country.

Ok great. But what about the bank statement? It's also accepted wise statement or revolut? A Thai bank statement is also accepted? If for example I'd like to apply for a tourist visa in Laos 

[Phil1964]

Article says require 20,000 baht in funds when applying for tourist visa via the e-portal, yet only need 10,000 baht if arriving at the border and obtaining a VOA, and document requirements are at discretion of border officials.

Good old Thailand and it's inconsistent policies yet again.

Yeah, not a lot of money to stash as proof but more faff to enter and wait until someone gets refused at the border office because they did'nt have a document.

Thought they wanted tourists or is that not the plan?

 

[Upnotover]

1 minute ago, Jack1988 said:

Ok great. But what about the bank statement? It's also accepted wise statement or revolut? A Thai bank statement is also accepted? If for example I'd like to apply for a tourist visa in Laos 

Thai statement should be fine although they might wonder why a tourist has a Thai account. Otherwise a home country account of any sort ought to be accepted also.

[brewsterbudgen]

32 minutes ago, Jack1988 said:

I don't think it can be difficult to apply for a tourist visa and show only 20000 THB in a bank account. It's a little money 

 

I agree.  That's why I was surprised some seem to suggest the change is so embassies can make more money.

 

[GanDoonToonPet]

39 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

 

I agree.  That's why I was surprised some seem to suggest the change is so embassies can make more money.

 

 

Embassies / Consulates make money from visa fees. An increase in revenue will be the only outcome of this policy, except maybe deterring a small amount of the kind of tourists they want.

[Jack1988]

1 hour ago, Upnotover said:

Thai statement should be fine although they might wonder why a tourist has a Thai account. Otherwise a home country account of any sort ought to be accepted also.

That's awesome then, I could easily use a statement from my wise saving account! Thanks for the info!

[Jack1988]

1 hour ago, Upnotover said:

No you cannot walk into any embassy. Apply through the e-visa site while you are in the country.

 

However, the e-visa website says that you can't make an online payment if you are applying at the thai embassy in vientiane. So i think you must go to pay for the visa in person

[Keeps]

The 'new' requirements for a SETV seem to be only those that were in place less than 2 years ago prior to visa exempt being increased to 60 days. Previously you were required to provide financial evidence along with everything else requested going forward. 

 

Hasn't the rule to produce 20,000 baht or equivalent if requested at entry point been in place for a very long time but rarely enforced?

 

Suddenly it has become a problem to all those who had to comply with these requirements previously? Or is it just another opportunity to moan and whine?

 

Also, as I read it, I think a bank statement issued within the last three months will be acceptable, not three months worth of statements. Perhaps they realise that those who still receive statements often get them quarterly. 

 

[DrJack54]

45 minutes ago, Jack1988 said:

However, the e-visa website says that you can't make an online payment if you are applying at the thai embassy in vientiane. So i think you must go to pay for the visa in person

That's correct. 

@Wongkitlo recently obtained a Non O e-Visa at Vientiane. 

What's was amazing is the eVisa was approved almost overnight. 

[Mike_Hunt]

Wait 30 days, and the requirements will change. 

[Upnotover]

1 hour ago, Jack1988 said:

However, the e-visa website says that you can't make an online payment if you are applying at the thai embassy in vientiane. So i think you must go to pay for the visa in person

Correct, you apply online whilst in Laos then make an appointment to go and pay.  Presumably that will change one day but for now that's the process there.

[sikishrory]

I wonder if this affects DTV in any way. Technically a tourist visa isn't it?

[Liquorice]

1 hour ago, Keeps said:

Suddenly it has become a problem to all those who had to comply with these requirements previously? Or is it just another opportunity to moan and whine?

The latter.   🙄