Is The Tourist Visa Fee Really Waived ?

[madhulik66]

Hi ..I am from India and know that there is Visa on arrival facility(whch I availed during my visit to Bangkok in Feb 09) and I paid 1000 THB for it.

I heard that from June 09 onwards, the tourist Visa fee of THB 1000 is exempted for all visitors. Is that true? FYI...I am visiting Phuket in the last week of this month and plan to stay for 5 days. Please let me know is the Visa fee waiver correct or not and also is the Visa on arrival facility available at Phuket international airport or not?

Regards

Raghava

[Mario2008]

As an Indian national you get a Visa ON Arrival. NO the fee is NOT waived and you can get one at Phuket Internation Airport:

http://www.mfa.go.th/web/2482.php?id=2491

Edit: Only tourist visas are free.

[Mario2008]

Seems I misread the information on the Thai foreign Ministry webiste. Sorry for the confusion.

VOA is also free. The Press release and website states:

All foreigners who apply for Tourist Visa at the Royal Thai Embassies and the Royal Thai Consulates-General worldwide, including eligible foreigners who apply for Visa on Arrival at designated checkpoints, will be exempted from Tourist Visa fee from 25 June B.E. 2552 (2009) to 4 March B.E. 2553 (2010). Such arrangement is for Tourist Visa only.

[borisloosebrain]

The 30 day extension of the tourist visa that I obtained for free in Vientiane in July however is not free - I was charged 1900 baht at Suan Phlu this afternoon - I explained (politely and in Thai) to them that I was under the impression that the fees were waived - but no go.

Seems I misread the information on the Thai foreign Ministry webiste. Sorry for the confusion.

VOA is also free. The Press release and website states:

All foreigners who apply for Tourist Visa at the Royal Thai Embassies and the Royal Thai Consulates-General worldwide, including eligible foreigners who apply for Visa on Arrival at designated checkpoints, will be exempted from Tourist Visa fee from 25 June B.E. 2552 (2009) to 4 March B.E. 2553 (2010). Such arrangement is for Tourist Visa only.

[lopburi3]

Tourist visa fees are but not extensions of stay.

[thaiphoon]

It has never been the case that extensions were free under the "free single tourist visa deal"