Help! Tourist Visa(?)

[SBall]

Hi,

My name is Simon and I’m from England. I’m brand new to the internet so I hope somebody can see what I’m posting!

Anyway, this June I wish to travel to Thailand and stay there for 2 months. But I have a couple (!) of questions:

1) Where do I get a visa from? (I’ve heard I can get one on arrival, in BKK airport, but is this true?

2) If I go ahead and buy a flight out there (2 months), am I guaranteed a visa for the 2nd month? I know I can stay there for 30 days no problem. I don’t want to have the risk of buying a ticket to return in 2 months if the Thai authorities tell me I have to go home in 30 days.

3) How much would a visa cost? (I’m British and have lived in the UK all my life if that matters).

4) What do I need to bring with me to Thailand in order for me to get this 2 month visa? How much money do I need available to me? Travellers cheques ok? Photograph needed?

5) Do I need to do anything before I arrive in BKK airport? EG Let the Embassy over there know? Fill in forms?

If there is any more advice any of you could give me, It’ll be really appreciated.

Apologies for the long post, but I’m desperate to go and see more of Thailand as I’m a student with an empty summer on my hands!

Thank you in advance,

Simon Ball.

[natee1]

How to help yourself:

1. the old fashioned way:

a) -pick up any travelguide to Thailand, preferably latest edition, and look up the visa section

-contact a Thai consulate in the UK, if by phone preferably during office hours

2. the clever way:

a) -do a websearch with any searchengine using the words "travel", "Thailand" and "visa"

-move the cursor to the bottom right hand corner of this page and keep going down until you notice the lettering saying "tourist visa". Move your cursor there, leftclick and off you go

Tip: Be warned that many of the local customs are quite different from what you are used to in Bristol !!!

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Hi,

My name is Simon and I’m from England. I’m brand new to the internet so I hope somebody can see what I’m posting!

Anyway, this June I wish to travel to Thailand and stay there for 2 months. But I have a couple (!) of questions:

1) Where do I get a visa from? (I’ve heard I can get one on arrival, in BKK airport, but is this true?

2) If I go ahead and buy a flight out there (2 months), am I guaranteed a visa for the 2nd month? I know I can stay there for 30 days no problem. I don’t want to have the risk of buying a ticket to return in 2 months if the Thai authorities tell me I have to go home in 30 days.

3) How much would a visa cost? (I’m British and have lived in the UK all my life if that matters).

4) What do I need to bring with me to Thailand in order for me to get this 2 month visa? How much money do I need available to me? Travellers cheques ok? Photograph needed?

5) Do I need to do anything before I arrive in BKK airport? EG Let the Embassy over there know? Fill in forms?

If there is any more advice any of you could give me, It’ll be really appreciated.

Apologies for the long post, but I’m desperate to go and see more of Thailand as I’m a student with an empty summer on my hands!

Thank you in advance,

Simon Ball.

Contact the Thai Embassy in London or any Thai Consulate in the UK. You need a Thai Tourist visa before you leave the UK. That visa enables a 60 day stay in Thailand, and it can be extended in Thailand by another 30 days if need be.

[lopburi3]

As said apply for a tourist visa at any Royal Thai Consulate before you try to travel. You can not obtain a visa at the airport. What you get at the airport is a 30 day stay stamp without visa but you need to have return within those 30 days or they can refuse entry; but more likely problem is most airlines will not let you travel without a visa unless your return is within 30 days. The Consulate visa process can be done by mail if you live in the country side so just give them a call and ask for visa application to be sent to you in that case. Don't know price but they will tell you and it may be on web if you do a Google search.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

As said apply for a tourist visa at any Royal Thai Consulate before you try to travel. You can not obtain a visa at the airport. What you get at the airport is a 30 day stay stamp without visa but you need to have return within those 30 days or they can refuse entry; but more likely problem is most airlines will not let you travel without a visa unless your return is within 30 days. The Consulate visa process can be done by mail if you live in the country side so just give them a call and ask for visa application to be sent to you in that case. Don't know price but they will tell you and it may be on web if you do a Google search.

I have no idea why Lop, but the RTE London won't do visa's by mail. One has to deal with the Consulates. The esoteric world of diplomacy

[SBall]

Thanks all. And thanks for the additional advice natee1 !

I'll give the Royal Thai Consulate a go.

Cheers!

[ASIC]

5) Do I need to do anything before I arrive in BKK airport? EG Let the Embassy over there know? Fill in forms?

It's actually YOU how are "over there"!

ASIC

[SBall]

yes, well spotted

[dr_Pat_Pong]

5) Do I need to do anything before I arrive in BKK airport? EG Let the Embassy over there know? Fill in forms?

It's actually YOU how are "over there"!

ASIC

I wish I understood this

[opalhort]

5) Do I need to do anything before I arrive in BKK airport? EG Let the Embassy over there know? Fill in forms?

If you mean with "Embassy over there" the UK embassy in Thailand, no you do not have to let them know!

Since this is an international forum, may I suggest that all posters always identify the institution they are talking about by name AND location (there are thousands of embassies/consulates of hundreds of countries around the world).

"over here" or "over there" does not make sense! It could well mean Moon or Mars or the Thai Embassy across your street in the UK.

opalhort

[markt]

Tip: Be warned that many of the local customs are quite different from what you  are used to in Bristol !!!   

     

How do you know he's from Bristol ?

[Allyt]

The RTE is in Queen's Gate near the Natural History Museum & Albert Hall. You need to print off the form from their website, take along a couple of mug shots & £25. Oh , and don't forget to take a queue ticket when you get there as the guy will not process you with out one! He is a bundle of fun!

Leave your passport there 2 days & then despite the RTE being the opposite end of the M4 motorway, you will feel very happy on your return journey to Bristol! Who said you were from Bristol ?

Ally

[dr_Pat_Pong]

The RTE is in Queen's Gate near the Natural History Museum & Albert Hall. You need to print off the form from their website, take along a couple of mug shots & £25. Oh , and don't forget to take a queue ticket when you get there as the guy will not process you with out one! He is a bundle of fun!

Leave your passport there 2 days & then despite the RTE being the opposite end of the M4 motorway, you will feel very happy on your return journey to Bristol! Who said you were from Bristol ?

Ally

Or use the mails to any of the Thai Consulates in the UK. Cardif Hull, Birmingham, Liverpool.