Return Tickets And Visas On Arrival

[sinold]

First post, so let me say thanks to the people putting the site and information together. Run a few sites myself, so I know there's no small amount of work involved.

Long time expat resident of China (big country, bit north of Thailand ;-) ) and am looking at spending the next year between Thailand and the south of China. Now while I know China's visa rules backwards, as far as anyone does, Thailand's a bit of a mystery and I'm still figuring things out. Couple of questions I have at the moment . . .

1) As I understand it, proof of return / onward travel is required on entry. Does that have to be within your current visa validity? Ie if I come in with a visa valid for one month, and a return flight six months in the future?

2) Seems like with a UK passport I'd have no trouble arriving without a visa and staying for 90 days in six months. However, once those 90 days are up, can I then shift to a different visa type - either say a tourist visa applied for outside of Thailand, or an education visa by enrolling at a school?

Hope those questions aren't too stupid . . .

[Lite Beer]

First post, so let me say thanks to the people putting the site and information together. Run a few sites myself, so I know there's no small amount of work involved.

Long time expat resident of China (big country, bit north of Thailand ;-) ) and am looking at spending the next year between Thailand and the south of China. Now while I know China's visa rules backwards, as far as anyone does, Thailand's a bit of a mystery and I'm still figuring things out. Couple of questions I have at the moment . . .

1) As I understand it, proof of return / onward travel is required on entry. Does that have to be within your current visa validity? Ie if I come in with a visa valid for one month, and a return flight six months in the future?

2) Seems like with a UK passport I'd have no trouble arriving without a visa and staying for 90 days in six months. However, once those 90 days are up, can I then shift to a different visa type - either say a tourist visa applied for outside of Thailand, or an education visa by enrolling at a school?

Hope those questions aren't too stupid . . .

Without a Visa you probably will not be allowed on the flight without a ticket leaving Thailand within 30 days.

Yes you can get Tourist Visas in neigbouring countries.

[Canada]

I have arrived in Thailand with no Visa, a return ticket for with a month, then changed my 1 year open ticket to another date far in the future. You can then use your 3- 30 day visa exempts, and when you are finished those, start using tourist visas. You have to leave the country to start another 30 day exempt ( I think), you have to leave the country to obtain your tourist visa(s), you can get one or two tourist visas at a time depending on where you are applying. I hear Vientianne is a good bet for 2 Visas at one time.

I have also started on tourist visas, then when they were used up, switched to 30 day exmpts. You can only use 90 days visa exempt within a 180 day period. But, if you have only a few days remaining of your 90 days, you can get another 30 if you arrive at Suvarabumi Airport (BKK). If you try to get in and out on that visa, you will be "demoted" to the actual number of days that you really "should" have available. At the crossing at Mae Sai, you can pay a small fee on your way out into Burma, and Thai immigration will "save" your current existing visa that technically you shouldn't have that you got at Suvarabumi. I don't know about other crossings.

These are my experiences. Hope that helps.

[Soutpeel]

First post, so let me say thanks to the people putting the site and information together. Run a few sites myself, so I know there's no small amount of work involved.

Long time expat resident of China (big country, bit north of Thailand ;-) ) and am looking at spending the next year between Thailand and the south of China. Now while I know China's visa rules backwards, as far as anyone does, Thailand's a bit of a mystery and I'm still figuring things out. Couple of questions I have at the moment . . .

1) As I understand it, proof of return / onward travel is required on entry. Does that have to be within your current visa validity? Ie if I come in with a visa valid for one month, and a return flight six months in the future?

2) Seems like with a UK passport I'd have no trouble arriving without a visa and staying for 90 days in six months. However, once those 90 days are up, can I then shift to a different visa type - either say a tourist visa applied for outside of Thailand, or an education visa by enrolling at a school?

Hope those questions aren't too stupid . . .

1. Maybe, maybe not, you can say you are going overland to Cambodia or something like that, theat suffice on this...

2. you can get 3 X 30 day visa waivers in a 6 month period (need to visa run), then you need to get a proper visa, ie go and get 60 day tourist visa and can extend in country for another 30 days...you are just about on 6 months and start the process all over again...3 X 30 days etc....provided the consulate/embassy etc will give you the visa, you can carry on doing this

[WilliamIV]

First post, so let me say thanks to the people putting the site and information together. Run a few sites myself, so I know there's no small amount of work involved.

Long time expat resident of China (big country, bit north of Thailand ;-) ) and am looking at spending the next year between Thailand and the south of China. Now while I know China's visa rules backwards, as far as anyone does, Thailand's a bit of a mystery and I'm still figuring things out. Couple of questions I have at the moment . . .

1) As I understand it, proof of return / onward travel is required on entry. Does that have to be within your current visa validity? Ie if I come in with a visa valid for one month, and a return flight six months in the future?

2) Seems like with a UK passport I'd have no trouble arriving without a visa and staying for 90 days in six months. However, once those 90 days are up, can I then shift to a different visa type - either say a tourist visa applied for outside of Thailand, or an education visa by enrolling at a school?

Hope those questions aren't too stupid . . .

1. Maybe, maybe not, you can say you are going overland to Cambodia or something like that, theat suffice on this...

2. you can get 3 X 30 day visa waivers in a 6 month period (need to visa run), then you need to get a proper visa, ie go and get 60 day tourist visa and can extend in country for another 30 days...you are just about on 6 months and start the process all over again...3 X 30 days etc....provided the consulate/embassy etc will give you the visa, you can carry on doing this

Visa Exempt entries are not limited to 3 - If you are not staying the full 30 days each time.

You can have any number of entries providing you do not exceed 90 days stay within the Kingdom

within 6 months from your date of first arrival.

I would suggest you ignore the experience of "Canada" - I doubt if they reflect the experiences of 99% of Travellers.

[WilliamIV]

Do the Administrators have the Computing Ability / Access

to remove the erroneous reference

to "Visa on Arrival" in the Subject of this topic?

[sinold]

Do the Administrators have the Computing Ability / Access

to remove the erroneous reference

to "Visa on Arrival" in the Subject of this topic?

My bad, I can see the difference now.

Thanks for all the above advise. I've ended up applying for a tourist visa prior to jetting off - seems like it should give me a bit more flexibility. Should all work out ok as I can see myself flying Chiang Mai - Kunming a few times anyway, and there are consulates for the respective nations in both cites.