Do I Have To Ask For A Visa Before Entering Thailand?

[Demodokos]

Hello,

I am a bit lost with new visa rules.

So I hope someone can help me.

Next April, i will come to Thailand for 5 weeks (around 35 days).

For what I know, visa stamp at airport is valid for 30 days, right?

So I was wondering if i needed a visa before entering Thailand or if I can extend my visa stamp to be able to stay there.

Thanks.

[britmaveric]

Airline ticket must be for 30days or less. Or you must have proof of onward travel prior to the 30days.

[Demodokos]

Thanks for your quick answer.

So I need a visa before entering Thailand, right?

[lopburi3]

That would be best.

[dieter1]

I do have the same question:

I will enter Thailand in December, and have a return-ticket 44 days later.

I know, the best is to to get a tourist-visa before. But I don´t want to know, what is the best.

(f.e.: how much money do I need for my holidays? Answer :best is , to have unlimited source of money.)

I just want to know, what I need !!! Not more ! I could say:

What do I need, to have the probability of 0.9999 of going outside the airport in Bkk, without a visa and being allowed to enter the airplane , when I start in Europe.

Some say: You need a visa, some say, you just need a flight-ticket, some say, you just need a bus-ticket !

I asked at my local Thai Honorary Consulate: Answer: I do need a ticket outside the country . Do the emigration in Bkk have the same oppinion ? What will the airline employees say, when I will check in ? Does one hand knows, what the other will do ??????????????????????

[Maestro]

...Does one hand knows, what the other will do ??????????????????????

No.

The consul tells you the facts according to visa rules as published on the website of his boss, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The airline staff checking you is going by the IATA guide and, if they do their job correctly, will not let you board without a visa unless you have an onward ticket out of Thailand within 30 days.

The immigration officer taking your passport upon arrival in Thailand plays by the rules of the Immigration Bureau, which is part of the Royal Thai Police. They do not have to verify that every single arriving passenger conforms with every detail of the rules and you can never know when you will be checked for what detail.

The consul cannot tell you whether the airline will let you board. The airline staff cannot tell you whether Thai immigration will let you enter the country.

--

Maestro

[dr_Pat_Pong]

The OP definitely needs a tourist visa before arriving in Thailand.

[dieter1]

The OP definitely needs a tourist visa before arriving in Thailand.

just a statement without giving details. Are you Mr. God - and I just have to believe in you ?

words like "definitely" don´t help !

reasoning! Arguments ! Proove!

Sorry - it does not help me ! Pardon me !

[Maestro]

Dr Pat Pong’s reply referred to the question of the OP (original poster). Therefore, it is for him, not for you, to choose whether or not to believe him.

As for your travel plans, Dieter, it’s up to you. Play it safe and get a visa, or take your chances and go without visa. Nobody can make this choice for you. Nobody can give you the percentage you want for your risk assessment. Either you play roulette, or you don’t play.

--

Maestro

[jstumbo]

I do have the same question:

I will enter Thailand in December, and have a return-ticket 44 days later.

I know, the best is to to get a tourist-visa before. But I don´t want to know, what is the best.

(f.e.: how much money do I need for my holidays? Answer :best is , to have unlimited source of money.)

I just want to know, what I need !!! Not more ! I could say:

What do I need, to have the probability of 0.9999 of going outside the airport in Bkk, without a visa and being allowed to enter the airplane , when I start in Europe.

Some say: You need a visa, some say, you just need a flight-ticket, some say, you just need a bus-ticket !

I asked at my local Thai Honorary Consulate: Answer: I do need a ticket outside the country . Do the emigration in Bkk have the same oppinion ? What will the airline employees say, when I will check in ? Does one hand knows, what the other will do ??????????????????????

You need to get a visa before going. There is a very, very small chance that you could do it without a visa, but would you want to risk your trip on that very small chance?

You will probably not be able to check in without a return ticket withing 30 days, or a visa. They may not notice and allow you to check in, but the chances are pretty small.

You may or may not be asked about it at immigration in BKK. The odds are better that you could get through customs in BKK without the return ticket or visa. They do not appear to check every person. I can not tell you the odds though. Maybe you get an agent that checks everyone, or you get one that never checks. Can't really say. You have to ask you self, do you feel lucky?

As or bus tickets out of Thailand, it seems to me that those only work at border crossing and not all of them.

[maxbus1]

I do have the same question:

I will enter Thailand in December, and have a return-ticket 44 days later.

I know, the best is to to get a tourist-visa before. But I don´t want to know, what is the best.

(f.e.: how much money do I need for my holidays? Answer :best is , to have unlimited source of money.)

I just want to know, what I need !!! Not more ! I could say:

What do I need, to have the probability of 0.9999 of going outside the airport in Bkk, without a visa and being allowed to enter the airplane , when I start in Europe.

Some say: You need a visa, some say, you just need a flight-ticket, some say, you just need a bus-ticket !

I asked at my local Thai Honorary Consulate: Answer: I do need a ticket outside the country . Do the emigration in Bkk have the same oppinion ? What will the airline employees say, when I will check in ? Does one hand knows, what the other will do ??????????????????????

You need to get a visa before going. There is a very, very small chance that you could do it without a visa, but would you want to risk your trip on that very small chance?

You will probably not be able to check in without a return ticket withing 30 days, or a visa. They may not notice and allow you to check in, but the chances are pretty small.

You may or may not be asked about it at immigration in BKK. The odds are better that you could get through customs in BKK without the return ticket or visa. They do not appear to check every person. I can not tell you the odds though. Maybe you get an agent that checks everyone, or you get one that never checks. Can't really say. You have to ask you self, do you feel lucky?

As or bus tickets out of Thailand, it seems to me that those only work at border crossing and not all of them.

Crap... I am flying to bkk in 30 days for 54 days. I thought I was only going to be required to get another 30 day extension.. All the info gathering I've been doing hasn't told me about this.

I can't believe I won't even be let onto a plane, or allowed into the country? Ok, so I get a 90 tourist visa. No problem, it'll be one of the milloin things I will have to handle I guess.

One big question though. I'm in the USA, uh,,, where do I get my tourist visa? And can this be done in thirty days?

Sorry for the silly question, max.

p.s. Thanks for the info on this thread people.

[lopburi3]

http://www.thai-or.com/

[maxbus1]

http://www.thai-or.com/

wow,, even in my town.. lopburi3 you are awesome~!

[cali4995]

Maxbus1, yeah we're all nostalgic for the old days but they're pretty much over.

The good news is that with your 60-day tourist visa you won't have to worry about

making any border runs and can just really focus on having a nice holiday. Surely

you can get that application fedexed or priority mailed back and forth inside of a

week. You can play Russian roulette when you get here but not at the airport.

[dieter1]

OK. I say thank you to everyone,

helping to make this point of uncertainty make a bit more clear !

I think, I will apply for a Tourist -visa. In BKK,I think, there will be the last chance, to buy a ticket, but it would be a really

bitter experience, if they don´t let me into the plane, when I´ll trying to start my journey in Frankfurt !

I was just asking for advice, cause I really don´t like to spent money for nothing !And !!! It´s one more full side in my passport ! .....

[cali4995]

Dieter1, as I understand it, if you get an actual tourist visa then the airlines and

immigration are not really interested in your onward travel plans. It's only if you're

trying to enter on this 30 day stamp. Interesting enough, on the Ministry of Foreign

Affairs website it clearly says "confirmed air ticket paid in full" the train ticket or

bus ticket options that are allowed at some land border crossings appear to be just

a bit of leniency on the part of local officials. We're just in a changing time where

these people are more concerned about seeing all the correct documentation. The

best advice anyone can give you is to get the tourist visa because otherwise you

are likely to run into problems at a number of points along your trip.

[thaiclan]

I'd definitly get the visa before hand if its long haul. I frequently travel from Singapore to Bkk and NEVER get an onward flight as Im never sure of the exact date I want to return. They (JetStar or sometimes AirAsia) seem fine with this and the only time they pulled me up was to make me aware that my daughter only had 5 months on her passport and once it got to 4 months they wouldnt be able to let her travel on it. So maybe its just a long haul rule? Or maybe the budget carriers are just used to carting people over for a few days because of the short distance and therefore dont adhere to the rules so strictly? Whatever the case I've never obtained a prior visa for short travel here, although last time in Singapore I got a 1 year O so no longer have that issue.

Oh I'm a Brit btw not a Singaporean.