Getting A Visa With A 1 Way Plane Ticket?

[GoSoon]

Hi,

I am coming from USA to Thailand. I'm a Canadian citizen.

I want to get a 1 way plane ticket, and stay in Thailand for a while, doing border runs.

Will I be able to get a Thai Visa with a 1 way plane ticket and no premade living arrangements?

Thanks

Edited July 11, 2012 by GoSoon

[JohnC]

Yes, get an O visa from the nearest consul.

[GoSoon]

Yes, get an O visa from the nearest consul.

From http://www.mfa.go.th...ce-of-Visa.html

- other activities (Category "O") as follows:

to stay with the family, to perfrom duties for the state enterprise or social welfare organizations, to stay after retirement for the elderly, to receive medical treatment, to be a sport coach as required by Thai Government, to be a contestant or witness for the judicial process.

I'm not doing any of these things.

Will I need to present a Visa at the Airport, or will I be able to get one when I get in?

Edited July 11, 2012 by GoSoon

[Colabamumbai]

Yes, get an O visa from the nearest consul.

From http://www.mfa.go.th...ce-of-Visa.html

- other activities (Category "O") as follows:

to stay with the family, to perfrom duties for the state enterprise or social welfare organizations, to stay after retirement for the elderly, to receive medical treatment, to be a sport coach as required by Thai Government, to be a contestant or witness for the judicial process.

I'm not doing any of these things.

Will I need to present a Visa at the Airport, or will I be able to get one when I get in?

You can get a VOA visa on arrival 30 days But the airline may demand to see a ticket onward outside of Thailand, it is their responsibility.

[lopburi3]

He can not get a VOA as that is for 15 days and not available to his nationality. Visa exempt entry would be 30 days but suspect most airlines would not be willing to let board with a one way ticket. With a visa prior to travel one-way would be accepted but a ticket could be required by the Consulate to issue the visa itself.

[Colabamumbai]

He can not get a VOA as that is for 15 days and not available to his nationality. Visa exempt entry would be 30 days but suspect most airlines would not be willing to let board with a one way ticket. With a visa prior to travel one-way would be accepted but a ticket could be required by the Consulate to issue the visa itself.

Thanks for correcting me I thought it was called VOA, did not realize that is was visa exempt entry. And thanks for all your help always here on TVF.

[lopburi3]

It is a minor point unless you have spent an hour in the VOA line queue at airport only to find out you do not need it.

[GoSoon]

So, if I understand correctly, there is a catch 22 here for my situation, and i will need to either get a return ticket, or a Visa in advance with a 1 way ticket?

[lopburi3]

Most likely on onward ticket will be required by airline flying you from North America if without a visa. But it would not have to be a return ticket - the requirement for visa exempt entry is onward to a country you hold documents for entry (which would be any country that does not require a visa for your entry).

[bangkokburning]

Buy a cheap Air Asia ticket and you should be fine at the counter - MALAYSIA.

Lop, I do not think the agents know which countries visas are needed, you could BS any of them assuming you had the ticket out imo.

Hope you are not planning to arrive in SEA and duck/dodge for Thai visas in the region, you will be sucessful once and maybe twice. After that - you are done.

[lopburi3]

They know exactly as it is clearly listed on the IATA data base on there computers if they want to check.

[GoSoon]

I read on the Toronto Thailand Consulate's website that:

From http://www.thaiconsulatetoronto.com/visas.php

Canadian Passport Holders

0-Day Stay Without a Visa

The citizens of this country are not required to obtain a visa before entering Thailand as long as the purpose of the trip to Thailand is tourism and the traveller's stay in Thailand is 30-days-or less. You must have: a valid passport (with at least 6-months validity and empty visa pages), proof of confirmed air tickets confirming the 30 days-or-less stay in Thailand, no criminal history in Thailand, and at least $200 per person or $400 per family. Extension of stay will not be granted.

Does this mean I won't be able to do border runs?

Buy a cheap Air Asia ticket and you should be fine at the counter - MALAYSIA.

Lop, I do not think the agents know which countries visas are needed, you could BS any of them assuming you had the ticket out imo.

Hope you are not planning to arrive in SEA and duck/dodge for Thai visas in the region, you will be sucessful once and maybe twice. After that - you are done.

What do you mean by duck/dodge for Thai visas in the region? And by done, do you mean deported or denied Visas?

[lopburi3]

That Consulate information is wrong as there is no six month requirement for visa validity for entry (only for visa issue).

Nationals of Canada can enter with passports and/or passport

replacing documents valid for the period of intended stay.

And they are wrong on the currency amount at least $200 per person or $400 per family (unless the CDN $ is worth a lot more than I believe).

Foreigners entering Thailand under the Tourist Visa Exemption category must possess adequate finances for the duration of stay in Thailand (i.e., cash 10,000 Baht per person and 20,000 Baht per family).

But not sure why you suspect it would not allow you to do border runs. You can obtain a new visa exempt entry of 15 days at any land crossing on return to Thailand.

[ubonjoe]

What do you mean by duck/dodge for Thai visas in the region? And by done, do you mean deported or denied Visas?

He means applying for tourist visas at nearby consulates that have started denying visas because of a person having to many tourist visas.

Why don't you get a tourist visa from one of the honorary Thai consulates before you leave the states. You can get 1 to 3 entry visas at a cost of $40 for each entry requested. Each entry of 60 days can be extended for 30 days at immigration for a fee of 1900 baht.

With a visa you could travel on a one way ticket with no problem.

The honorary consulates give better service on mail in applications than the embassy or the 3 official consulates in the US.

Suggest you contact one them listed here http://thaiembdc.us/wordpress1/ .

Edited July 13, 2012 by ubonjoe

[IMA_FARANG]

Hi,

I am coming from USA to Thailand. I'm a Canadian citizen.

I want to get a 1 way plane ticket, and stay in Thailand for a while, doing border runs.

Will I be able to get a Thai Visa with a 1 way plane ticket and no premade living arrangements?

Thanks

As a Canadian national you can get a 30 day visa free entry on arrival in Thailand.

However, technically you should be able to show an out-of-country (meaning Thailand) onward ticket on arrival to get that 30 day visa free entry. Note that I did not say a return ticket...just a ticket out- of-country onward ticket on arrival in Thailand. Which means that a ticket to a country neighboring Thailand...for example Laos is fine.

The problem is that with a one-way ticket the AIRLINE may request to see either a visa or that onward ticket before they let you board at check-in.

That could mean you will miss your schedulrd flight to Thailand.

To avoid that problem you either:

1. Purchase that onward ticket before you leave .... OR

2. Get some kind of a Thai visa from your nearest Thai consulate before you leave. The cheapest visa from a Thai consulate is usually a single entry tourist visa. I believe in the U.S. it costs about $40 and will give you a 60 day entry stamp on arrival in Thailand. It can then be extended for another 30 days at your local immigration office in Thailand...for a fee.

That takes care of your arrival in Thailand at least.

[Obb]

You can buy a Thai visa in the USA at several offices. You do not need to be American.

You do not need two plane tickets.

The cheapest way is to have a stopover in Los Angeles and buy your visa there if you can.

[ubonjoe]

The cheapest way is to have a stopover in Los Angeles and buy your visa there if you can.

I think perhaps a mail in application to an honorary consulate would be considerably cheaper than a layover. Also the LA consulate has been known to be not the friendliest place.

Edited July 14, 2012 by ubonjoe

[GoSoon]

That Consulate information is wrong as there is no six month requirement for visa validity for entry (only for visa issue).

But not sure why you suspect it would not allow you to do border runs. You can obtain a new visa exempt entry of 15 days at any land crossing on return to Thailand.

I suspect it wouldn't allow me to do border runs because of the bolded text in this quote:

From http://www.thaiconsu...o.com/visas.php

Which looks like that if I don't get a Visa beforehand, I won't be able to extend my 30 days?

He means applying for tourist visas at nearby consulates that have started denying visas because of a person having to many tourist visas.

Why don't you get a tourist visa from one of the honorary Thai consulates before you leave the states. You can get 1 to 3 entry visas at a cost of $40 for each entry requested. Each entry of 60 days can be extended for 30 days at immigration for a fee of 1900 baht.

With a visa you could travel on a one way ticket with no problem.

The honorary consulates give better service on mail in applications than the embassy or the 3 official consulates in the US.

Suggest you contact one them listed here http://thaiembdc.us/wordpress1/ .

So if I don't get a Visa beforehand, will I be restricted to 14 day border runs, or can I do longer ones such as 90 days?

Is the at-the-border Visa documented somehow?

Regarding having too many tourist visas, are they just stamps ontop of stamps in my passport, so eventually it can run out of room, or is it done some other way?

[Tafia]

That Consulate information is wrong as there is no six month requirement for visa validity for entry (only for visa issue).

But not sure why you suspect it would not allow you to do border runs. You can obtain a new visa exempt entry of 15 days at any land crossing on return to Thailand.

I suspect it wouldn't allow me to do border runs because of the bolded text in this quote:

((cut))

So if I don't get a Visa beforehand, will I be restricted to 14 day border runs, or can I do longer ones such as 90 days?

Is the at-the-border Visa documented somehow?

Regarding having too many tourist visas, are they just stamps ontop of stamps in my passport, so eventually it can run out of room, or is it done some other way?

What you have been advised to do is to get a visa before you travel otherwise the airline may prevent your travel unless you have a ticket out.

If you travel without the visa you will only get 14 days as that is the agreement with your country for visa exempt,

It pays you to get a visa before you fly as has been suggested to you!!

Entry stamps are not on top of one another and yes frequent border runs will soon fill up your passport, remember its not only the Thai stamps but also the country of the border you cross.

Edit - I dont know why this has come out in Bold Type!!

Edited July 14, 2012 by lopburi3
Have cut but unable fix to normal font

[lopburi3]

You can go to another country in the area to obtain a visa that you qualify for - be it touriist or non immigrant for stay of 60 or 90 days. You can fly anhwhere and return for a new visa exempt entry of 30 days.

There is no at the border visa available for most nationalities. You obtain a visa from a Consulate or you obtain visa exempt entry at the border. Both are clearly defined on http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/123

They are full page stick on and each will be on one page so passport will get full. You also are stamped for each entry and exit.

[bangkokburning]

Buy a OW ticket to KUL. Problem solved. Do what you want after that,

[GoSoon]

Buy a OW ticket to KUL. Problem solved. Do what you want after that,

Is it easy for a Canadian national to get a Thai visa from the Thai embassy in KL?

[lopburi3]

Yes but if you want a two entry tourist visa you might was to go to Vientiane as they are the best source for those if your passport does not have many visas showing.

[bubba]

if you don't have a visa and intend to obtain the 30 day entry permit, you likely will not be able to check in with the airline. You are required to have an onward ticket, and the airlines can be fined if for some odd chance immigration actually checks for it. I recently came back to BKK from Kuwait and the checkin agent very carefully checked for my visa (no onward ticket). In fact, she didn't even seem to recognise that I had a valid visa and questioned me about it. But what can you say about a Philippine check-in agent at a check-in counter in Kuwait?

[GoSoon]

Yes but if you want a two entry tourist visa you might was to go to Vientiane as they are the best source for those if your passport does not have many visas showing.

So it may be harder for me to get a Visa if I don't already have Visas?

I have stamps from central america and USA, but no Visas.

If I understand correctly, my plan of action could be to go to Malaysia, get a single entry (if i have to) Tourist Visa from the Thai embassy there, then enter Thailand, and begin doing border runs as needed, which I could qualify for 30 day extensions?

If I have this right, when I fly from Malaysia to Thailand, will I also need an onward/return ticket? What if I go by ground?

[lopburi3]

No. If you current passport does not show many Thai visas you may be able to obtain a 2 entry in Vientiane - many Consulate in the area do not issue to 3rd country nationals. I suspect KL would only issue a single entry. Border runs are 15 day visa exempt entry (only arrival by air gets 30 days). Onward tickets are not normally required for adjoining country travel.

[thaikahuna]

Yes, get an O visa from the nearest consul.

From http://www.mfa.go.th...ce-of-Visa.html

- other activities (Category "O") as follows:

to stay with the family, to perfrom duties for the state enterprise or social welfare organizations, to stay after retirement for the elderly, to receive medical treatment, to be a sport coach as required by Thai Government, to be a contestant or witness for the judicial process.

I'm not doing any of these things.

Will I need to present a Visa at the Airport, or will I be able to get one when I get in?

You can get a VOA visa on arrival 30 days But the airline may demand to see a ticket onward outside of Thailand, it is their responsibility.

You can (if not checked prior to departure from the USA) be deported on the first available flight back if you do not have a visa or an onward ticket.

[tragickingdom]

Interesting discussion here. It looks like government employees have been retiring (or teaching) in Thailand and point out all possible but unlikely obstacles.

You will have no trouble getting into Thailand without a return ticket, even a consulate will hardly ever ask for it, unless you are unwashed, unshaven and full of tattoos.

Don't worry all those people telling you you cannot board a plane or you will be refused are probably in Thailand for years and do not posses themselves any ticket. They go over the border every few weeks or months. You will have no trouble entering Thailand, the only ones who have are the people that are misbehaving or are looking not so nice.

And if you are really seeing ghosts make a reservation from a local airport to Malaysia or Laos with Thai airways and cancel it later. By the way, you can always buy a ticket on the airport when there would be a bean counter (which you will not, Thailand is luckily not North America or Western Europe, where Xenophobes rule)

[lopburi3]

The issue is not entry to Thailand it is entry onto the flight - and without a visa that can be a real problem without an onward ticket. There is a reason airlines use IATA for checking and this is what they see:

Visitors who are visa exempt are required to hold documents

for their next destination.

[bangkokgabe]

Get a visa before you come. In Portland Oregon at the Thai consulate, it you're really, really, really polite and nice, the lady has been known to grant visas up to TWO YEARS! If not, Dallas's consulate has been very obliging In the past; remember, all of this can be done by mail in a week if one uses a fast courier