Round-trip Ticket For Tourist Visa?

[mark__baum]

Ok... I live in California and want to move to Thailand and teach English. I fall under the jurisdiction of the L.A. consulate, it seems, and on their web-site it explicitly says that in order to receive a 60-day (plus 30-day extension, etc.) tourist visa, one must provide photocopies of plane tickets that show both entry into and departure from Thailand.

This seems burdensome to me, since I hope to acquire a job once in Thailand and stay for an extended period of time, and correspondingly don't have any need for a departure booking. It seems that the capricious Thai consulate wants me to spend money on a round-trip ticket, when I only need a one-way ticket.

This became additionally confusing, when I tried visiting the web sites of other consulates. The Sydney, Australlia Thai consulate, for example, only requires a one-way ticket to grant a tourist visa!

Furthermore, I talked to a friend who traveled to Thailand a few years ago. He never applied for a visa ahead of time, and when he entered the country he was simply granted a 90-day tourist visa. Have the regulations been changed?

Is there anyone out there who has traveled to Thailand using a visa granted by the L.A. consulate? Is there anyone out there who was granted a tourist visa upon entry into Thailand? DO I have to purchase a round-trip ticket when I don't want to?

If you have relevant knowledge, please, please share. Thank you!

[lopburi3]

1. Unless your friend was from a very select group of countries (US has never been among them) he did not receive 90 day entry to Thailand without a prior (non immigrant) visa. There is about a handful of countries that are allowed 90 day entry without visa rather than the 30 day allowed for about 40 countries (including the US).

2. LA Consulate is very strict. There is no requirement to use them over any other US based Consulate so you might want to consider another. But am not are all sure they require the return ticket if you hold a US passport (normal requirement is for third country nationals). But I would not rule it out. You could from the requirement you state purchase a cheap flight to Malaysia on AirAsia to fulfil the requirement. You might also find a bucket shop round trip to be just as cheap as a one way ticket.

3. If you have not been in Thailand I would seriously consider r/t as you may want to return sooner than you expect if unable to adapt. For legal employment you are going to have to have your diploma and obtain another visa that allows work after you find employment.

[peterjackson]

Hey

It appears from my research of the Thai Consuls Offices in Florida, Georgia and NYC, that they all require a copy of a return ticket before they will issue the Visa. Even to US passport holders.

The Thai Consul in Hull, UK, does not require a return ticket to be evidenced, in fact, they will issue a Visa without seeing any travel documentation.

It would appear that the rule is enforced on a regional basis and maybe from the Embassy within the country.

Kind regards

Peter

[siamaloha]

I think you'll find that even once you obtain a valid Tourist Visa, it's the airline that will enforce the R/T ticket rule when you check in for your flight to LOS. The airlines don't want to be caught having to pay for your return should something happen. A ticket for onward travel from LOS might suffice.

[lopburi3]

I have never had or known of an airline problem if you have a visa. It is when you do not have a visa that there computer says "no no".

[siamaloha]

I stand corrected. My experience with the airlines was when I did not have a visa, and they required a return ticket.

[Thaiquila]

FYI, Korea Airlines computer says you need an onward ticket out of Thailand; they do not mention a visa as superseding that. Don't know about enforcement. I know because I had a Korean air agent read me their rules verbatim over the phone to me.

[jdinasia]

since the OP is thinking about working ...... he probably should be thinking a Non-Imm anyays .....

perhaps he should contact Sunbelt

[vdries]

I once flew Finn Air on a one-way ticket to Bangkok. While checking in they required me to purchase a return ticket. How ever, I had a Non Immigrant Visa. But the airline did not seem to care. After a long discussion with a supervisor I was finally admitted on the flight without having to purchase a return ticket.

[ronw]

I have never bought a return ticket. I travel from the uk, on a oneway ticket, and always get a 1 month visa on entry....I now have a 1 year visa, obtained in Penang .

I even entered Indonesian on a oneway ticket, and they seem to be more strict than Thailand.