Don'T Have A Visa On Arrival.. Options?

[dipolar]

I am coming to Bangkok next week and I don't have the 60 tourist visa. I know you can come for 30 days with nothing but there is one problem... My trip is longer, my return flight back to the US is 62 days after arrival. Do they check your itinerary? or Do they just give you the 30 day stamp. My plan is just to do visa runs to Cambodia after the first 30 days. Will I have problems? Should I just write on the arrival ticket that I'll only be there 30 days? Please help with my options. Thanks!

[Mario2008]

Without a visa OR proof of leaving the country within 30 days the ailrine might not let you board the flight to Bangkok.

Best is to get a tourist visa or if you don't have enough time left to apply (which can be done by mail) to get a ticket BKK-Cambodia. It can be one-way with a cheap airline and you can return by land when you have your visa.

[lopburi3]

Immigration entry into Thailand will not be an issue but getting on plane may be as mentioned above. Arrive early enough for flight to buy a ticket if they require or get yourself a ticket that you can use for your required travel.

[dipolar]

Immigration entry into Thailand will not be an issue but getting on plane may be as mentioned above. Arrive early enough for flight to buy a ticket if they require or get yourself a ticket that you can use for your required travel.

Am I assuming if the airline stops me ... it would be before the first leg of my trip? And so I would need a BKK - cambodia one way and just take a bus back to bangkok.

[Daewoo]

It all depends on your airline rules and processes.

Immigration in Thailand typicaly doesn't check your ticket, they rely on your airline checking that you have a return ticket within your visa exempt period if you don't have a Valid Visa.

[lopburi3]

Airline is concerned with onward travel before your allowed 30 day stay ends so yes only your first exit time is there concern.

[PoorSucker]

When returning from Cambodia you will get 15 days entry by land and 30 day entry by air.

[Daewoo]

You're correct that it will be the airline stopping you when you check in (assuming you are only checking in once, from you departure all the way through to Thailand, before the first leg as you describe it)... Once you get to Thailand no one will check...

Maybe see if you can change the date on your current ticket from 62 days to 30 days, then change it back once you reach Thailand... or book a ticket out of Bangkok within 30 days that can be cancelled for a full or almost full refund...

It still depends entirely upon your airline rules... I'm not sure how Australian airlines would treat a ticket with a return date longer than the exemption period... they definately won't let you check in with only a one way ticket...

Cheers,

Daewoo

[dipolar]

Thanks for the help all. I think I am going to plan to buy a one-way ticket to Kuala Lumpur (found it for $59 US). I will use that for show. I will then just skip that flight to KUL and do a visa run to cambodia for the extra 15 days. I hope this way will work....?

[lopburi3]

You appear to need a lot more than 15 days if your original post is correct.

flight back to the US is 62 days after arrival

[dipolar]

thats true I need to do a few runs

[PoorSucker]

thats true I need to do a few runs

Or return by air and receive 30 days.

[Ohyesuare]

Since you already plan to buy a one way ticket a return can't be too much more and then you will get 30 days. This is also a lot easier then doing a border run, I just came back from one and I have a bad back so it wasn't fun.

[dipolar]

Can I fly from BKK to Malaysia and come back the same day and still get the extra 30 days.... or do I have to stay till the date changes??

[mallyrd]

Can I fly from BKK to Malaysia and come back the same day and still get the extra 30 days.... or do I have to stay till the date changes??

If the flight times are suitable then you can come back on the same day, no need to wait 24 hours.

[steve187]

A straight turn around at KL airport is fine.

[DoctorG]

A straight turnaround still technically leaves you 2 days over. Get an Air Asia flight to Camb for $100 return and have 3 days in PP.

[Bunter]

Can I fly from BKK to Malaysia and come back the same day and still get the extra 30 days.... or do I have to stay till the date changes??

Hi Dipolar, yes you can, but i see you need 62 days in total for your holiday - would it not be better to stay a day or so in KL use Star Shuttle to go into China Town area costs MR8 one way and MR 12 the other.

That way you wont be overstaying when you finally go home. Hotels are very cheap in there. Mayview Glory is an example.

We often stay in Phuket for a few weeks then just fly via KL to Bangkok same day and get another 30 days. Its a fraction more expensive doing this than applying for the 2/3 month Visa.

Cheers Bunter

[Tanaka]

And do not forget that if you were to go with your planned several visa runs, they would cost you around 2000B each. Depending on where you are and if iyou plan to use a visa run company.

[Suetape]

I am leaving Florida Wednesday the 11th to JFK then on to London to connect with TG-911(12th) to BKK. Arriving BKK Friday morning the 13th. Headed to Kow Samui next week Will we be crossing paths?

[RogueLeader]

Without a visa OR proof of leaving the country within 30 days the ailrine might not let you board the flight to Bangkok.

Best is to get a tourist visa or if you don't have enough time left to apply (which can be done by mail) to get a ticket BKK-Cambodia. It can be one-way with a cheap airline and you can return by land when you have your visa.

I've never had a problem with not having an onward ticket, but as I understand it the rules stipulate an onward flight to a non-neighbouring country.

[Lite Beer]

National USA (US) /Destination Thailand (TH)

Passport required.

- Nationals of USA can enter with passports and/or passport

replacing documents valid for the period of intended stay.

Visa required, except for A touristic stay of max. 30 days:

Minors:

- When arriving in, or departing from Thailand, minors aged

under 16 yearsFor details, click here

Additional Information:

- Visitors who are visa exempt are required to hold documents

for their next destination.

- Visitors over 12 years of age are required to hold

sufficient funds to cover their stay (at least THB 10,000.-

per person or THB 20,000.- per family).

For details, click here

- For those who do not require a visaFor details, click here

Warning:

- Visitors who are visa exempt but do not hold return/onward

tickets could be refused entry.

http://www.delta.com...ation/index.jsp

[lopburi3]

Without a visa OR proof of leaving the country within 30 days the ailrine might not let you board the flight to Bangkok.

Best is to get a tourist visa or if you don't have enough time left to apply (which can be done by mail) to get a ticket BKK-Cambodia. It can be one-way with a cheap airline and you can return by land when you have your visa.

I've never had a problem with not having an onward ticket, but as I understand it the rules stipulate an onward flight to a non-neighbouring country.

No - just to a destination you hold travel documents that will allow your entry.

[tchk]

Thanks for the help all. I think I am going to plan to buy a one-way ticket to Kuala Lumpur (found it for $59 US). I will use that for show. I will then just skip that flight to KUL and do a visa run to cambodia for the extra 15 days. I hope this way will work....?

Why not buy Hat Yai - Kuala Lumpur 390 THB promo + taxes f you are not planning to use the ticket?

[rizenkroft]

You can enter Thailand and obtain a 30 entry visa with only a one way ticket. Note: they are cracking down on overstays so try to avoid anything over a few days. Cambodia visa runs as mentioned will get you 15 day by land crossing. To save a days travel BKK to KL by air asia is the best option you will get the other 30 days you need but the other 2 is best suited for a visa run or an overstay fine which will be approx $30 US which I dont recommend but also is and option, quite cheap also. Flights run every hour or two from early. So early flight in the morning and early afternoon flight back. Allow 3 hours turn around time. Happy Days enjoy your trip.

[wayned]

You can, and many do and have entered Thailand with a one wat ticket if the airline does let your board the flight. But, the regulations do state that you require a ticket. This quote is directly from the MFA website regarding visa exempt entries:

"Nationals of the United States of America and 41 other countries are eligible

to travel to Thailand, for tourism purpose, with the exemption of visa and

are permitted to stay in the Kingdom for a period of not exceeding 30 days.

Therefore, you do not need a visa.

However, please make sure that you are in possession of a passport valid for

at least 6 months, a round-trip air ticket, and adequate finances equivalent to

at least 10,000 Baht per person or 20,000 Baht per family. Otherwise, you may be

inconvenienced upon entry into the country".

So even if you do get on the flight, you just might get the newbie immigration officer that just read the reg or one that got out of the wrong side of the bed, but you do stand the chance of not being allowed to enter. Is it really worth the trouble to try to get around the system and if you do, have "bragging rites". I've been traveling to Thailand since the late 1960s and have only seen one person refused entry at immigration and it wasn't because he didn't have an onward ticket, it was becasue he was falling down drunk and verbally abusing everybody in sight. You can purchase a cheap tickey from Hay Yai ro KL and enter with no worrries.

Edited January 9, 2012 by wayned

[Mario2008]

Thailand no longer requires a passport validuty of at least 6 months to enter.

Many embassies and cosnulates still require this for a visa however. But for immigraiiton it is good enough that the passport is valid for the intended stay.

Of course it is wise to get a new passport, as many other countries still require a passport validity of 6 months.

[RogueLeader]

Without a visa OR proof of leaving the country within 30 days the ailrine might not let you board the flight to Bangkok.

Best is to get a tourist visa or if you don't have enough time left to apply (which can be done by mail) to get a ticket BKK-Cambodia. It can be one-way with a cheap airline and you can return by land when you have your visa.

I've never had a problem with not having an onward ticket, but as I understand it the rules stipulate an onward flight to a non-neighbouring country.

No - just to a destination you hold travel documents that will allow your entry.

So by the letter of the law, an onward ticket to, say, Phnom Penh wouldn't be eligible without a visa obtained in advance? Thanks, this is all useful stuff.

[lopburi3]

Most nationalities are able to obtain visa on arrival so a ticket to PP would be fine as such a passport would be all the documents required. You would need more in advance only if it were required for flight there.

[RogueLeader]

Most nationalities are able to obtain visa on arrival so a ticket to PP would be fine as such a passport would be all the documents required. You would need more in advance only if it were required for flight there.

Thanks. It's a shame no-one is able to standardise visa procedures. I've been in situations before (not in Thailand) where I'm trying to cross a remote border and the border staff are unaware of recent changes in visa law. Sometimes it works to your advantage, sometimes against.