I Need Help

[shdling]

Hi all,

i have just recently booked flights to thailand on the 26th of feb returning on the 7th of june. I need some advice regarding visas, if i need to book them before i go or just simply get the 30 day and work it out from there. I am planning on travelling onto different countries however no tickets have been booked so i have no proof.. and i am guessing i need to. I am completely new to this so any advice on visas would be greatly appreciated!

thanks!

[Jingthing]

You will get more useful advise if you post a rough outline with DATES of your proposed itinerary.

[shdling]

sorry was a bit hazy on the details.. i was thinking of staying for up to a month maybe two in thailand so from 27th of feb to the 27th of march or april.. then go on to perhaps cambodia or vietnam. would i need to book a flight before i go as proof? or would i need to buy a visa before i go? as i mentioned i am new to this so really dont know much as im sure u can tell.

thanks!

[cdnmatt]

What nationality are you?

[shdling]

im from the uk and im 20

[thaiphoon]

Your airline may not let you board without a valid visa or air ticket out of the country within 30 days of arrival (to obtain 'visa exempt' entry). Given your plans would suggest you apply for a tourist visa at embassy/consulate which will give you a 60 day permission to stay on entry. The visa is currently free until 4th March 2010. Believe you are from the UK, so would suggest applying at honorary consulate such as Liverpool (reports suggest there is no administration charge levied there) or Hull by post. Passport and visa usually back within a few days.

Liverpool: http://www.royalthaiconsul.com/

Hull: http://www.thaiconsul-uk.com/downloads-and-visas.aspx

[shdling]

thanks very much thats really useful. can you apply online in anyway? as im from the south and its not too local..

[thaiphoon]

Apply by post. They need your passport to stamp the visa inside. Send application form, passport, photo, fee using special delivery.

[IMA_FARANG]

As a U.K. citizen you can get the 30 day on entry stamp...no problem.

But since you have time it would be a smart idea to get a 60 day tourist visa from the Thai consulate. That would allow you 60 days in Thailand to decide where/when you want to go. Additionally tourist visas are still FREE (to boost tourism, supposedly) until March 2010, I believe. So that tourist visa would cost you nothing now anyhow.

If you have a 60 day tourist visa, it can be extended in Thailand for 30 days, if you do decide to stay in Thailand. So it's a win/win decision to get the visa before March 2010.

With a tourist visa it is extremely unlikely anyone at immigration on arrival in bangkok will ask you for a ticket out of the country. It is possible, but they usually save that for those who enter with no visa, but just get a 30 day stamp on entry.

Without a visa, it is possible that the airline will ask to see your return ticket on departure from the U.K. That is unusual, but it is still possible. With a tourist visa they are very unlikely to ask you for that ticket.

So, since you have time, I would try to get a 60 day tourist visa from the Thai consulate nearest you.

[thaiphoon]

As a U.K. citizen you can get the 30 day on entry stamp...no problem.

Without a visa, it is possible that the airline will ask to see your return ticket on departure from the U.K. That is unusual, but it is still possible.

The immigration entry requirements into Thailand are quite clear. Either you hold a valid visa or air ticket out of the country within 30 days of arrival (to meet immigration requirements for 'visa exempt' entry). There have been many reports of travelers being denied boarding for not having outbound tickets, and being forced to buy very expensive ticket at the airport just to be allowed to board their flight. Most of them complaining on being treated harsh/wrongly, when the rules are clearly there.

[Boater]

Additionally tourist visas are still FREE (to boost tourism, supposedly) until March 2010

bit off topics, if i apply for this in march, will it be valid for may?

[cougar52]

Additionally tourist visas are still FREE (to boost tourism, supposedly) until March 2010

bit off topics, if i apply for this in march, will it be valid for may?

It is very possible, I have a friend that I took to Laos for his Tourist Visa on the 6th of Jan. and in the Visa it has a date of Enter before 5 April. So my calculations are if you get a Visa in the end of Feb or before 4 March your enter before date should be the end of May or the first of June. Hope this help.

[Dave the Dude]

thanks very much thats really useful. can you apply online in anyway? as im from the south and its not too local..

I used to live a bus-ride away from the Thai Embassy in London, but after reading advice on here, it became obvious that a postal application to Hull Consolate is the way to go.

Passport back within a week.

I recommend you do the same.

Dave

[Colabamumbai]

So you are out of there in 30 days with a 30 day visa. It is up to the immigration officer to decide if you need a ticket out when you arrive, used to be that you needed one.

[monty]

bit off topics, if i apply for this in march, will it be valid for may?

Tourist visa's (single entry) are normally to be used within 90 days of issue date.

So when applying on the 1st of March, you have to use it before 29th of May.

[monty]

So you are out of there in 30 days with a 30 day visa. It is up to the immigration officer to decide if you need a ticket out when you arrive, used to be that you needed one.

Still is so, however chances are more likely that the airline will require the ticket out instead of immigration!

[shdling]

okay thats really good info thank u very much. I will apply for a tourist visa asap. Since i will be in thailand for 60 or perhaps 90 days will i still need proof that i am leaving the country after the 60 or 90 days before i travel? apart from my ticket home out of bangkok on the 7th of june?

[thaiphoon]

You can apply for 30 day extension of your tourist visa before it expires at Thai immigration if you decide to stay longer than 60 days (fee 1900 baht). With a valid visa you will have no problem at airport check-in or at Thai immigration on arrival.