One Way Ticket To Thailand. Help!

[bailey020205]

Sorry for the other Topics that are blank but the forum was giving me errors. Here is the question:

I bought a one way ticket to Thailand for August 1st. The reason I bought one way is because I don't know how long I will be in Thailand and it would be just about the same price to buy my return ticket once I am ready to leave. I just got off the phone with the Thai Embassy and they say I wont be able to board the plan without a Visa or a round trip ticket. So my problem is this.

A tourist visa is good for 60 days (90 days upon approval) then I am to understand I HAVE to go home.

I may want to stay longer than the 60-90 days and I really don't want to buy another ticket right now.

What are my option here? I heard about Visa runs but as I am to understand with a tourist visa that option does not apply.

I have already paid for the ticket and I am willing to get the VISA if I have no other choices but I am really upset that I wouldn't be able to stay longer than 90 days. Can anyone give some advise?

[britmaveric]

Get the visa - this will enable you to board the plane with a 1way ticket or you have to buy a cheapie ticket with air asia to prove onward travel prior to 30days.

Yes you still can do VISA runs, however after tourist visa expires - you will be limited to normal 30day requirements.

[tc101]

I am curious about your one way ticket. All the one way fares I have looked at end up costing so much that it is better to just buy a round trip, guess what date I might want to return, then if I change your mind pay the extra money to change the return date.

What kind of a deal did you get, and with which airline?

[bailey020205]

It was from cheap tickets.com it was $700 and round trips are $1200. So i searched for flights coming back to US around Nov an the tickets are only $500 so it's just about the same.

I just want to make sure that if I go and want to stay I will be able to, even if I have to do visa runs. I read on the Visa topics and it reads " You MUST return after the visa is up". So I was not sure if i could still do the visa runs.

[britmaveric]

Must leave the country is what is meant. You can freely re-enter on the 30day window once you depart the country. (cross border)

1way tickets are issue for airlines, not immigration.

[Thaiquila]

Also, after the 60 days and 30 day extension (apply for in Thailand) another option you have is to fly to Penang Malaysia and apply for a double or triple entry tourist visa. If that is granted, you could stay quite long in Thailand, but you will still need to leave Thailand to a border every 60 or 90 days (depending on if you get the in-country 30 day extensions). However, there is no 100 percent guarantee you will actually get the double or triple entry visa if they don't believe you are a real tourist (in other words, if they suspect you are working illegally in Thailand). You might also have a problem getting a tourist visa in the USA, some places like the Thai Embassy in DC will demand to see your air ticket itinerary and won't like the one way ticket.

Where are you located in the US? If applying for the first tourist visa in the US, I recommend you try someplace other than the Thai embassy in DC.

Did you get the idea that the government of Thailand is less than thrilled to see you coming?

The truth is the people they want are retirees who can prove they can take care of themselves without working in Thailand, short term tourists who will blows lots of money fast and vamoose, and people who will set up businesses that will employ Thais and be a benefit to their country. Anyone else is basically a suspect.

Edited June 8, 2006 by Thaiquila

[sua yai]

Get a grip, people.

Britmaveric has already stated the limitations.

That's it.

[Thaiquila]

Get a grip, people.

Britmaveric has already stated the limitations.

That's it.

I am merely stating it is a fact that the Thai embassy in Washington DC demands documentation of air ticket itinerary as a required part of their tourist visa applications. Interpret that as you will, but if you think about it, it implies seeing a one way ticket raises questions.

[backflip]

You can buy a ticket with an open return. Some airlines have RT fares cheaper than 1-way. You can buy the ticket and NOT use the return coupon. It's not exactly cracking the atom, guys.

[Thaiquila]

I find the fares are usually less for a RT flight. Lets face it, one way tickets are a red flag in many ways inviting increased security scrutiny, just like showing up at the airport last minute and paying cash for the ticket.

[mbkudu]

There is no 100 percent guarantee you will actually get the double or triple entry visa if they don't believe you are a real tourist (in other words, if they suspect you are working illegally in Thailand).

Gone are the good old free-wheeling days . You could always marry a Thai? Naw, don't do that. Not right away anyway. If you must buy a one way ticket, just get a cheap onward ticket from NokAir or other cheapie as someone else already suggested. The best Thai consulate I have dealt with in the US is the one in Los Angeles. I have heard DC and Chicago are best avoided.

Edited June 9, 2006 by mbkudu

[ernieK24]

Sorry for the other Topics that are blank but the forum was giving me errors. Here is the question:

I bought a one way ticket to Thailand for August 1st. The reason I bought one way is because I don't know how long I will be in Thailand and it would be just about the same price to buy my return ticket once I am ready to leave. I just got off the phone with the Thai Embassy and they say I wont be able to board the plan without a Visa or a round trip ticket. So my problem is this.

A tourist visa is good for 60 days (90 days upon approval) then I am to understand I HAVE to go home.

I may want to stay longer than the 60-90 days and I really don't want to buy another ticket right now.

What are my option here? I heard about Visa runs but as I am to understand with a tourist visa that option does not apply.

LOS ANGELES......ARE YOU KIDDING.....! It's as bad, if not worse, than D.C.....Write, or email any, or all of the following Thai Consulates........Denver.....Portland, OR., and Houson. Ask them what you need to qualify for either a 60 day tourist visa, or a 90 day Non Immigrant, "O". ( "O" meaning

"other"). and you will get all the information you need........or look it all up on this forum.

You didn't state your age, or your approx. financial status, or any other personal facts, so it's pretty hard for knowledgable members on this board to give you an intelligent answer. If you contact Denver, and decide to go thru them, you'll get fast, courteous service, from some really nice people. It took me eight days, start to finish, to get a NI-O visa from Denver...good luck, Ernie

[Gary A]

I got a six month tourist visa in Los Angeles without any problems at all. That was AFTER I tried to get my retirement visa there, but that is another story.

I left with a one way ticket and there were no questions asked or comments made.

[mbkudu]

LOS ANGELES......ARE YOU KIDDING.....!

Well, no I'm not kidding. I applied for a single entry non-immigrant visa through the Thai Consulate in LA and had my passport back in my post box in 6 days. I used a one-way ticket because I have a non-imm ED visa. This is really not relevant to this thread though. The OP is asking about one-way tickets with a tourist visa. If he really must have a one way ticket with a tourist visa, he must have an ongoing ticket out of Thailand dated before the visa expires. Whether he used that ticket or not would be entirely up to him.

[mbkudu]

I have already paid for the ticket and I am willing to get the VISA if I have no other choices but I am really upset that I wouldn't be able to stay longer than 90 days. Can anyone give some advise?

If you want to stay longer than 30 days, you will have to get a visa regardless; whether it's a tourist, non-imm or whatever. You can't just fly in and say, "I want to stay 3 months." You can fly in without a visa and stay for 30 days. When I came through the airport two weeks ago I noticed a small area and sign that said that a tourist visa could be purchased there at the airport. I had never seen this option before.

[Thaiquila]

I wonder in this particular case if the OP would be OK with forgetting the tourist visa and just buying the air ticket to Penang to leave within 30 days of arrival in Thailand. Then, he could legitimately tell the agent that he is going to Penang to obtain a longer term visa, which would also be the truth. I think that would probably work, but to be sure, he should call the airline to confirm their exact policy. Might even make it easier to get a double or triple in Penang showing up with such a clean passport.

[Axel]

...

When I came through the airport two weeks ago I noticed a small area and sign that said that a tourist visa could be purchased there at the airport. I had never seen this option before.

Believe this was one of the places where you can apply for tourist visa on arrival, provided you hold a p/port from one of the following 20 countries:

1. Bhutan : Kingdom of Bhutan

2. China : People’s Republic of China (including Taiwan)

3. Cyprus : Republic of Cyprus

4. Czech : Czech Republic

5. Estonia : Republic of Estonia

6. Hungary : Republic of Hungary

7. India : Republic of India

8. Kazakhstan : Republic of Kazakhstan

9. Latvia : Republic of Latvia

10. Liechtenstein : Principality of Liechtenstein

11. Lithuania : Republic of Lithuania

12. Maldives : Republic of Maldives

13. Mauritius : Republic of Mauritius

14. Oman : Sultanate of Oman

15. Poland : Republic of Poland

16. Russian Federation

17. Saudi Arabia : Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

18. Slovakia : Slovak Republic

19. Slovenia : Republic of Slovenia

20. Ukraine

[mbkudu]

...

When I came through the airport two weeks ago I noticed a small area and sign that said that a tourist visa could be purchased there at the airport. I had never seen this option before.

Believe this was one of the places where you can apply for tourist visa on arrival, provided you hold a p/port from one of the following 20 countries:

1. Bhutan : Kingdom of Bhutan

2. China : People’s Republic of China (including Taiwan)

3. Cyprus : Republic of Cyprus

4. Czech : Czech Republic

5. Estonia : Republic of Estonia

6. Hungary : Republic of Hungary

7. India : Republic of India

8. Kazakhstan : Republic of Kazakhstan

9. Latvia : Republic of Latvia

10. Liechtenstein : Principality of Liechtenstein

11. Lithuania : Republic of Lithuania

12. Maldives : Republic of Maldives

13. Mauritius : Republic of Mauritius

14. Oman : Sultanate of Oman

15. Poland : Republic of Poland

16. Russian Federation

17. Saudi Arabia : Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

18. Slovakia : Slovak Republic

19. Slovenia : Republic of Slovenia

20. Ukraine

Quite a limited list I'd say.

[Axel]

I travel with clients from some of these countries. Always suggest to them to get a visa beforehand.

Otherwise, they end up waiting there for the visa, and than have to line up again for immigration, behind 3 plane loads of pax that meanwhile arrived.

But add to these 20 the 41 nations that can enter visa-exempted as tourists for 30 days stay you do not have too many travellers who need a visa.