Do I Need A Return Flight In This Scenario?

[ForumUsername]

Hey guys,

Hope all is well. Been a reader for a few months and really appreciate the advice you all give.

I have a 'unique' situation, and I would appreciate any advice. Last year I tried to move to Thailand, and sent off for a visa-renewal while I was in another country. The Thai Embassy where I am (Africa) lost my passport leaving me pretty stuck in a foreign place.

Anyways, I'm going to try and make the move again next month, and I don't want to send my passport anywhere at all because of the last incident (yes it was tracked also). Anyways my plan is to stay on an education visa, as I actually want to learn the language.

I've found that the Thai Walen school seems to be good for this, and they operate in both BKK and Chiang Mai where I plan on spending my time. My question is:

Do I need to book a return flight to Thailand? According to the school's emails with me, I should just arrive on a normal tourist visa, and then they'll process the education visa while I'm there. Though they'll have all my information about 4 weeks before I arrive, which they say is enough time.

If I have to pay for it, that's fair enough, just a return is double the $ of a one-way, and since I wont actually be leaving (hopefully) then I would rather not pay if I don't have to.

Appreciate your help in advance!

P.S. I have a british passport

[Slaps]

Do I need to book a return flight to Thailand?

No you do not

Done

.

[ForumUsername]

I appreciate the reply.

Not doubting you, but do you have any sources where I can double check this. When I fly to Africa for e.g. where I get an automatic 3 month tourist visa, I have to show that I have a flight leaving within the three months, on arrival.

[CharlieH]

Flights and onward travel are not immigration requirements, they are airline requirements. If you have a valid visa there is no problem, if you just want to use the Visa on arrival or visa exempt entry as its known then yes the airline could refuse to board you without evidence of leaving within the visa exempt period.

[mackes]

I'll never been asked for returnticket when entering BKK with Visa on arrival.

However the embassy want to see one if you apply for 3-months tourist Visa abroad,

If you are worried it is always possible to buy a refundable ticket.

[richard_smith237]

I suspect that if arriving on a normal Visa Exempt stamp on arrival that you will require a return ticket.

A return ticket is not required if you are entering Thailand with a visa (tourist, Type B, Ed Visa etc).

[Ohyesuare]

Get a single entry tourist visa and then you don't need a return ticket and also you will have peace of mind if there is a delay with the education visa.

[ForumUsername]

Hi everyone,

Thanks a lot for the replies! To confirm once again, when I say 'Tourist visa' I just mean getting a visa on arrival, the 30 days that I believe you are given.

Most of you seem to think I wont need a return in this case, but CharlieH suggests that my airline may want to see it? Should I just buy a separate, refundable ticket as another poster suggests.

Thanks again

[Carib]

So you are not talking about a tourist visa, that is what you would be able to get at a Thai consulate in your own country.

You do mean a visa exempt, that is what you will be stamped in for at the airport and it will allow you to stay for 30 days. You will need a return ticket to satisfy the airline requirement, they can refuse you to board since they will be held responsible to fly you back out within the 30 days exempt validity period.

[ForumUsername]

So you are not talking about a tourist visa, that is what you would be able to get at a Thai consulate in your own country.

You do mean a visa exempt, that is what you will be stamped in for at the airport and it will allow you to stay for 30 days. You will need a return ticket to satisfy the airline requirement, they can refuse you to board since they will be held responsible to fly you back out within the 30 days exempt validity period.

Thanks for the heads up, Carib.

So, would you recommend that I just book a refundable ticket?

[Carib]

So you are not talking about a tourist visa, that is what you would be able to get at a Thai consulate in your own country.

You do mean a visa exempt, that is what you will be stamped in for at the airport and it will allow you to stay for 30 days. You will need a return ticket to satisfy the airline requirement, they can refuse you to board since they will be held responsible to fly you back out within the 30 days exempt validity period.

Thanks for the heads up, Carib.

So, would you recommend that I just book a refundable ticket?

Most airlines do flexible and refundable tickets, but they tend to be the more expensive tickets rather than the cheap ones, and there is still a fee to be paid when canceling, so ....

You could buy a cheap one way air Asia ticket to a neighboring country as proof that you will travel on before your exempt stamp expires, and discard it.

But why don't you get a 60 day tourist visa, it is cheap and you will be able to buy a one way ticket to Thailand, also it gives you more time just in case your application for an ED extension of stay is screwed up for one reason or another. Take a look at some of the topics concerning this type of visa and where it is the easiest to apply for, it can even be done by mail. ( yes I have read that you are not to keen on that, but.. would it happen twice??)

Or you could take your chance with a one way ticket, but you could be refused to board.

[wayned]

This is a quote from the MFA regulations regarding visa exempt entries:

Quote from MFA Regulations

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.

However, immigration does not normally enforce the rule when you get to Thailand. They rely on the airline to do it for them. Some airlines will not let you board the flight unless you have a ticket exiting Thailand during the next 30 days. It does not have to be a return, it can be a "cheap" ticket to a neighboring country - Hat Yai to KL is one example. If the airline lets you board without a ticket, and you are not allowed to enter Thailand your return then becomes the responsibility of the airline.

[lopburi3]

Actually there is no such rule for round trip tickets - the requirement is onward travel to a country you are allowed entry and have documents for such entry. You should never, ever, be required to have a r/t ticket (although some Consulates may require to issue a visa). As for visa exempt entry either have ticket out to some other destination within 30 days allowed (for airline) or obtain a normal tourist visa (which does not require onward travel documents per IATA regulations) -although you might still have an airline counter agent insist-.

[ForumUsername]

You guys are AWESOME!

I'll just book the second flight to another asian country. That makes more sense. Thank you!

[ALFREDO]

ForumUsername

If you cannot easy make a Tourist Visa, one entry, 1000 Bath, only 35 Dollar, that would be the best solution.

Than you could have, same others mentioned before, have problems at check in with your Airline.

And to be on the safe side, to buy a (cheap) ticket out of TH would be a good idea.

I flew without having a Visa,

from Singapore, Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Phnom Penh to Bangkok and Phuket with Air Asia, Jet Airways and Tiger Airways making Holydays

or border runs to receive 30 more days in TH and was never asked for a return ticket out of TH at check in and surely never at the Thai Immigration!

Once I had an incident with one of my Thai boys, his Passport was less than 6 month valid travelling to KL.

Air Asia Ground staff did not want to let him check in at BKK, I said if there are problems in KL I will pay for the fine (20.000 Baht)

Ground staff let us fly, in KL I told Immigration staff about that incident. The Malaysian officer only smiled and stamped us in.

[IMA_FARANG]

You never need a RETURN ticket...unless you need to return.

If you arrive without a visa...you may need to purchase an out of country ticket...out of Thailand that is...for example to a neighboring country like Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia....etc.

Sometimes the airlines insist of that out of country ticket if you do not have a Thai entry visa.

The way to avoid that hassle is to get a single entry Thai tourist visa BEFORE you leave for Thailand. If you have that visa the airlines won't bother you...you've got a legal visa.

You get the visa in your country before you leave from a Thai consulate there...there is a fee for it.

Now, SOME Thai consulates want to see proof you have the funds to support yourself in Thailand during that tourist visa...but not all do. The one's that do, usually only want to see you have a source of that money...a bankbook or a cash/credit card is usually enough to convince them you're not broke.

A single entry tourist visa is good for 60 days...and can be extended for another 30 days at your local immigration office in Thailand. Again the extension has a fee,

As soon as you arrive in Thailand...your school should start the required paperwork. They should be able to get all that completed in less than the 60 days you get on entry with your visa.

When your school paperwork is ready, you go to your local immigrationm to convert that tourist visa and extend it for the purpose of attending a school in Thailand. When you convert you tourist visa to a non O visa...and get the extension based on attending a language school...you can stay in Thailand as long as you attend that school.

You also may have to do 90 day reporting to immigration...but the school can explain all that.

The Whalen shool has done it many times. and they can tell you exactly what is required for the procedure.

P.S. I would never mail my passport unless you were absolutely sure of the local post. Far better to take your passport to the Thai consulate...even if it costs you to go there. Most consulates will issue a tourist visa in two days...you turn in the passport on day one in the morning...and return on day 2 in the afternoon to pick it up with visa in it.

[mackes]

Some Thai consulate demand to see a return ticket before issuing a Tourist VISA...

[ALFREDO]

I was last year at the very unfriendly and strict by the book Thai Embassy in Singapore.

My Non Immgrant O Visa application was denied and also the Tourist Visa was questioned.

(I have three childen with two Thai ladys and take care them, but this, does not bother the Thai Embassy in Singapore. )

Do I have a flight ticket out of Thailand in that 60 day period? No, I said indignantly. Do you have money? Can you show me 20.000 Baht or a sum in other currency?

I had my bank book with enough funds and was allowed to get a Tourist Visa.