Tourist Visa Return Ticket Confusion

[inu]

Hi guys,

This is probably a really dumb question but I have been searching the forum for a definitive answer and been unable to find one.

Question: Is a return air ticket required for a 60 Day Tourist Visa obtained in either KL/Singapore or Penang? If it is, will a ticket booked for 90 days ahead (taking into account a 30 day extension) be acceptable or must it be dated within the 60 days?

My reading of some of the forum posts seems to indicate that a return ticket isn't required to issue a visa but the government info site says an 'air ticket' is required. Does this mean for entry or exit?

Please excuse my ignorance.

[toolonginexile]

the answer should be a clear NO. neither when applying for a tourist visa at the embassy nor when getting my entry stamp at the border i was ever asked to show an onward airticket. only when you enter thailand without a visa (visa exemption, 30 days stamp) you officially need an onward ticket.

Edited August 13, 2007 by toolonginexile

[tropo]

the answer should be a clear NO. neither when applying for a tourist visa at the embassy nor when getting my entry stamp at the border i was ever asked to show an onward airticket. only when you enter thailand without a visa (visa exemption, 30 days stamp) you officially need an onward ticket.

I think the OP was referring to the onward ticket as a requirement to receive the tourist visa rather than a request to show it at the airport on arrival.

It is possible that some embassies/consulates will ask to see a return/onward ticket. I know the Thai Embassy in Manila will definitely ask for it. I get my tourist visas from Penang, and they never ask for it.

[inu]

Thanks guys- so there is no official requirement to show a return ticket when applying for a 60-day Tourist Visa? I am about to leave BKK and will only have a return ticke to Thailand on arrival in Penang.

[astral]

Rather an odd requirement.

I would not buy a ticket until I am sure that I have the visa to travel.

[sjaak327]

Actually, a full paid air ticket seems to be an official requirement in obtaining a tourist visa, of course I have never seen it being enforced, but it is a requirement. Not so strange either, since you could easily do a provisional booking, without paying for the ticket, once visa has been approved, you buy the ticket. This is for instance a requirement for obtaining a schengen visa, they will stamp your passport with the visa based upon a provisional booking, and when collecting the passport, you need to show the final e-ticket as proof of onward travel (paid for in full).

[inu]

The reason I am asking is that I was told by Immigration in BKK that I needed to show a return/onward air ticket when applying for a 60-day tourist Visa at any Thai consulate/embassy. This seemed to be different to the experiences of Forum posters with vastly more experience of these things than me.

It appears that in practice a return/onward ticket is not required at Penan- where I shall be heading!

Thanks for your help.