Voa

[gharknes]

I keep seeing on this forum about 15 day VOA, is it no longer possible to get a 30day VOA if you are simply coming on a 4 week holiday or are people referring to visa runs and re-entry under a VOA

So to aid the answer, is a 30 day VOA still possible if just coming on a 4 week holiday ?

[Soutpeel]

What nationality are you ?....

[thaiphoon]

You appear to be posting from Ireland. If that is your nationality then you can obtain 30 day visa exempt entry (immigration stamp) on arrival. That is not a VOA, which is something different. At check-in your airline will likely want to see your return ticket/ticket out of the country within 30 days of arrival to meet Thai immigration requirements.

[Mario2008]

The VOA, which doesn't seem to apply to you, is indeed 15 days. As an Irish national you will get a 30 days visa exempt entry coming in by air, if you enter Thailand at a land border you will only get 15 days.

[gharknes]

ah right thanks for explaination, I thought VOA stood for "Visa on Arrival" oh and yes I'm in Ireland/UK

[lopburi3]

VOA does stand for Visa on Arrival but that is only 15 days and available to a small number of countries and requires normal visa payment/application. You have access to visa exempt entry for 30 days

[Mario2008]

ah right thanks for explaination, I thought VOA stood for "Visa on Arrival" oh and yes I'm in Ireland/UK

It does stand for visa on arrival. But as an Irish national you don't need a visa, you get a visa exempt entry for 30 days.

[ALFREDO]

Also its maybe the law and the regulation, but until now, no Immigration official on any land- or airportborder checkpoint asked me for a valid return ticket or for money.

As I wrote in another thread some time ago, I think this regulation will be more in use for travellers from countrys who are suspicious.

Exampel, some Asian-Southeast asien countrys, from the Middle east and sure African countrys.

That return ticket regulation will be not often used regarding Westerners.

But airlines can make a problem during check in when no return ticket can be presented.

But also here I have to say, I had never a problem with an airline when I sometimes make short Visatrips-runs to Kuala Lumpur, Singapore or Phnom Penh.

[ALFREDO]

I just heard yesterday that two German nationals flew to Kuala Lumpur-it was cheaper (with return ticket), they planned to fly immidiately on to Phuket with Malaysian Airways one way and to come back by landborder to Kuala Lumpur.

But at the check in counter they where not allowed to board the plane, for the reason they could not produce a airticket out of Thailand in the 30 day timeframe.

Lacking good English they missed the flight after a quarrel, one way flights which could be bought at KL airport to fit in the regulations, had also been to expensive.

The decided than to stay in Malaysia for a week, during that time they flew to Penang and drove by Bus 16 hours! 3 Bus changes to Patong.

No problem on that landborder, but now the have only 2 weeks visa.

So, they will overstay for 2 days, dont want hang around in Malaysia again.

Crazy law for Westerners who bring money to TH.

[lopburi3]

What is crazy? They failed to follow published criteria for travel and feel wronged? When a Thai can get on a plane without a visa and visit Germany without having a ticket out perhaps they will have cause for concern. If they had obtained a tourist visa there would not have been a problem.

[ALFREDO]

Crazy is that law!

As you can read, they have been denied check in by the Check in staff of Malaysian Airlines, because they had no outbound ticket from TH, but had an outbound ticket out of Asia from Kuala Lumpur, because they wanted to travel from Phuket by bus or car down to Kuala Lumpur.

But that was not enough proof!

Now they reversed theire plan and went from Penang with Bus to Phuket and nobody stopped them from entering TH without an outbound ticket!

So, thats not crazy?

On a landborder you do not need the outbound ticket-never I got asked somewhere, Nong Khai or border to Koh Kong.

The Thai authorities usualy not enforce that law against Westerners, maybe against Africans, but the Airlines instaed enforce the law,

mostly for nothing good, because the Thai Immigration usualy not cares a bit if two Germans come in without an outbound ticket from TH,

but have an outbound ticket from KL!

If they flew in to BKK, they would not have a problem, it was that KL landing and the land travelling.

So, a crazy law for me!

I fly on 17.4. for 6 hours on a Visatrip to Singapore with TIGER Airways and have than also no outbound ticket from TH,

(same last time from Penang and from KL and on three occasions in the last month on landborders, without problem)

If questions get asked, as once in KL at check in, for an outbound ticket from TH, I say I have 3 Thaichildren-thats true and I can prove-but only in Thaiwriting and than it was no problem.

We will see what comes out in Singapore.

Possible if there are hardliners at the Tiger Airways check in, I can sign a paper, that I pay all expenses they have with me,

if I am not allowed to come to TH.

That offer came once in Suvarnabhumi from Air Asia when the Passport of my Thaison was only 3 more month valid (should be 6 month)

on the way to a 3 nights trip to KL and the MotoGp Sepang.

The Immigration officer in KL-Low cost airport laughed only-I told him about the check in problems in Suvarnabhumi and stamped our Passports.

Law is law but should be reasonable.

[lopburi3]

You indeed do require a ticket out of Thailand for any visa exempt entry. That is the requirement. Not a return ticket. Not a ticket out of a foreign country.

Immigration normally does not ask to see this but airlines often do. But Immigration can and do ask to see at times at both airport and land crossings. It was not long ago that everyone coming from Cambodia was checked.

The airlines ask because they will face a fine, possible suspension of landing rights if happens often or increased inspection, and requirement to pay for pax stay and onward transport out if denied entry.

It is just as all airlines will check your passport leaving Thailand for entry requirements into your next destination. If you do not meet them you do not board.