Visa exempt from Israel without a return ticket within one month

[user555]

Hi,

A friend is flying from Israel in about 10 hours. He has a return ticket from Israel in two and a half months. He does not have a visa. I understand theoretically without a visa thai airport immigration can require a return ticket within a one month period.  But is it really reasonable that he will face problems? And if he is questioned, isn't the truth - that he plans to fly to a different country (or visit a different country) in between - be enough?

He uses an Israeli passport, he visited Thailand about two years ago for a short time.

Thanks in advance!

 

[elviajero]

He shouldn't have any problem from border immigration. They are not usually bothered with onward flights unless looking for a reason to deny entry. However, the airline might not let him fly if he doesn't have an onward flight dated within 30 days of arrival. 

[Ronuk]

It's highly likely he will be questioned. He's arriving with no visa and hoping to enter on a 30 day visa exempt and looking to leave 2 and a half months later. They will certainly want to know his plans. Nobody can guarantee what the outcome will be. He really should of got a visa before leaving Israel knowing he wanted to stay for that period of time.

[Jingthing]

As elviajero pointed out, the potential problem is being boarded in Israel in the first place. If boarded, there is no problem upon arriving in Thailand.

 

Ignore the post of Ronuk. It is actually highly UNLIKELY he will be questioned about his onward travel plans if allowed to board in Israel. 

 

Maybe it's too late, but a way to insure boarding in Israel would be to buy a "throwaway" one way air ticket leaving Thailand within 30 days of arrival to a nearby country like Singapore (in this case, not Malaysia).

 

Some people buy expensive refundable tickets for this purpose as well. I did the throwaway ticket gambit myself once. 

 

 

Edited September 1, 2016 by Jingthing

[theguyfromanotherforum]

It is HIGHLY LIKELY he will be refused flight by the airline, not immigration. This is enforced on the same level as 6 month passport validity.

[Jingthing]

Just now, theguyfromanotherforum said:

It is HIGHLY LIKELY he will be refused flight by the airline, not immigration. This is enforced on the same level as 6 month passport validity.

I agree with that but I'm more familiar with how that is enforced boarding in the USA and Australia than Israel. In any case, the throwaway one way ticket leaving within 30 days would very likely be accepted if challenged on boarding. 

[Ronuk]

6 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

As elviajero pointed out, the potential problem is being boarded in Israel in the first place. If boarded, there is no problem upon arriving in Thailand.

 

Ignore the post of Ronuk. It is actually highly UNLIKELY he will be questioned about his onward travel plans if allowed to board in Israel. 

 

Maybe it's too late, but a way to insure boarding in Israel would be to buy a "throwaway" one way air ticket leaving Thailand within 30 days of arrival to a nearby country like Singapore (in this case, not Malaysia).

 

Some people buy expensive refundable tickets for this purpose as well. I did the throwaway ticket gambit myself once. 

 

 

Before commentating get out from behind your screen and see what happens everyday of the week at the airport. The amount of misinformation on this forum is incredible.

[Jingthing]

I stand by my opinion.

 

[Ronuk]

5 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I stand by my opinion.

 

I see it regularly week in and week out. They will look at his arrival card, see a flight out in 2 and a half months time and he has no visa, just hoping for a 30 day visa exempt entry.

They will want to know why and what his plan is.

[Jingthing]

17 minutes ago, Ronuk said:

I see it regularly week in and week out. They will look at his arrival card, see a flight out in 2 and a half months time and he has no visa, just hoping for a 30 day visa exempt entry.

They will want to know why and what his plan is.

He is a BONA FIDE tourist. 

He hasn't been living here on 30 day stamps. 

IF he is boarded in Israel without the ticket out within 30 days, then IF he is questioned in Thailand, his story about his intention to leave within 30 days will be accepted.

This is what Thailand wants so much -- BONA FIDE tourists. 

Again, the big concern is in Israel. Without the ticket out, maybe just maybe they'll let him either buy one on the spot or sign some kind of document absolving them of responsibility. There just hasn't been much information about this issue flying from Israel. 

Edited September 1, 2016 by Jingthing

[Lite Beer]

He will have no problem at Immigration in Thailand but he might have a problem at the airport in Israel.

[user555]

Hi everyone, 

Thank you very much for all your responses.  

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, Ronuk said:

I see it regularly week in and week out. They will look at his arrival card, see a flight out in 2 and a half months time and he has no visa, just hoping for a 30 day visa exempt entry.

They will want to know why and what his plan is.

 

I find myself in agreement with most of your posts, but I think you are misinterpreting what you see at airports in this case. In all my years traveling in and out of Thailand, I have yet to have an immigration official ask to see my air tickets. They would have no idea what reservations I have (usually none). Airline check in is another matter. They usually check for visas and ask about onward tickets if you have no visa. Usually, I can convince them there is no issue, but I have more than once needed to sign an indemnity form.

[Jingthing]

What Bangkok airport officers are looking for instead are passports full of 30 day stamps, tourist visas, etc. that give evidence the person is living (and possibly working) in Thailand without a proper visa. Nothing to do with the person referred to in the OP. 

[Thorgal]

Quote from link :

"Israeli passport holders can enter Thailand via land crossing for up to 15 days or via air crossing up to 30 days without a visa and must be in procession of a valid outward air or land ticket dated for less than 30 days from their date of entering Thailand."

http://www.thaiembassy.org/telaviv/en/services/685/17388-Entry-to-Thailand.html


Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect

[BritTim]

3 minutes ago, Thorgal said:

Quote from link :

"Israeli passport holders can enter Thailand via land crossing for up to 15 days or via air crossing up to 30 days without a visa and must be in procession of a valid outward air or land ticket dated for less than 30 days from their date of entering Thailand."

http://www.thaiembassy.org/telaviv/en/services/685/17388-Entry-to-Thailand.html


Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect

 

Indeed, that is the regulation. Immigration does not enforce it (except in rare cases) but airlines tend to as they stand to be fined and be responsible for returning you to your origin if you are denied entry and the airline failed to check.

[The Fat Controller]

I agree that the check in staff in Israel are likely to be the problem.

 

In all of my visa exempt entries over the last 20 years I have never been asked to show travel plans or finances at either of the Bangkok airports.

 

The only time I was politely asked about when I planned to leave was after a day trip to Tachilek at the Mae Sai border crossing in the days when UK visitors only got a 15 day entry if "walking" the border, the officer was actually being helpful to make sure I realised I only had 15 days, never asked for travel details though.

[Ronuk]

6 hours ago, BritTim said:

 

I find myself in agreement with most of your posts, but I think you are misinterpreting what you see at airports in this case. In all my years traveling in and out of Thailand, I have yet to have an immigration official ask to see my air tickets. They would have no idea what reservations I have (usually none). Airline check in is another matter. They usually check for visas and ask about onward tickets if you have no visa. Usually, I can convince them there is no issue, but I have more than once needed to sign an indemnity form.

Hi. They have no need to ask about flights.  The information regarding you return flights are on your arrival/departure card. You arrive with no visa, you have return flights outside of the 30 days. They want to know your intentions for the next 2 or 3 months. That is now a very regular occurrence. Now what would would happen should you choose to lie and fill the arrival/departure card in with a fictitious flight inside the 30 days, I have no idea. Does your return flight show on the I/o database? Again, I have no idea.You cannot leave it blank without being questioned regarding your intentions. 
This is now a very real problem for those arriving without a visa and with flights outside the 30 day visa exempt period.

[muzmurray]

12 hours ago, Ronuk said:

I see it regularly week in and week out. They will look at his arrival card, see a flight out in 2 and a half months time and he has no visa, just hoping for a 30 day visa exempt entry.

They will want to know why and what his plan is.

 

Where on the arrival/departure card (TM6) does it say when the person is leaving the Kingdom?

Edited September 2, 2016 by muzmurray

[Ronuk]

2 minutes ago, muzmurray said:

 

Where on the arrival/departure card (TM6) does it say when the person is leaving the Kingdom?

On the departure part you fill in.

[muzmurray]

3 hours ago, Ronuk said:

Hi. They have no need to ask about flights.  The information regarding you return flights are on your arrival/departure card. You arrive with no visa, you have return flights outside of the 30 days. They want to know your intentions for the next 2 or 3 months. That is now a very regular occurrence. Now what would would happen should you choose to lie and fill the arrival/departure card in with a fictitious flight inside the 30 days, I have no idea. Does your return flight show on the I/o database? Again, I have no idea.You cannot leave it blank without being questioned regarding your intentions. 
This is now a very real problem for those arriving without a visa and with flights outside the 30 day visa exempt period.

 

There is NO place on a TM6 to record your onward travel details!!!! <removed>

Edited September 2, 2016 by ubonjoe
removed a inflammatory comment

[ubonjoe]

4 minutes ago, muzmurray said:

 

Where on the arrival/departure card (TM6) does it say when the person is leaving the Kingdom?

The only space on my TM6 card is for the flight or other vehicle number and that is not mandatory to be filled in when you arrive. Mine is blank.

[muzmurray]

6 minutes ago, Ronuk said:

On the departure part you fill in.

 

You fill out those details(if you want to), when you leave, remember some people will leave via a land border and not have flight details. I just checked my card and that space is blank, I did not fill it in.

 

You are giving wrong info and scaremongering with no basis in fact.

[Ronuk]

17 minutes ago, muzmurray said:

 

You fill out those details(if you want to), when you leave, remember some people will leave via a land border and not have flight details. I just checked my card and that space is blank, I did not fill it in.

 

You are giving wrong info and scaremongering with no basis in fact.

Scaremongering? I couldn't careless who is or who isn't let in to this country. You like most on here,you are in complete denial of exactly what is and what isn't acceptable anymore. Go ask immigration if it is mandatory to fill the Departure card in ON ARRIVAL when entering on a visa exempt or a Tourist visa. It requests a flight number and/or a place of embarkation. The misinformation on this forum at times is completely astounding.

[Lite Beer]

6 minutes ago, Ronuk said:

Scaremongering? I couldn't careless who is or who isn't let in to this country. You like most on here,you are in complete denial of exactly what is and what isn't acceptable anymore. Go ask immigration if it is mandatory to fill the Departure card in ON ARRIVAL when entering on a visa exempt or a Tourist visa. It requests a flight number and/or a place of embarkation. The misinformation on this forum at times is completely astounding.

 

Yes it is.

Most of it is coming from you.

[Mattd]

The TM.6 departure information does, as stated, have a place to fill in a flight number, in no place does it ask for a date of that flight, so without asking to see the ticket (highly unlikely, I've never been asked in 27+ years of travelling back and to) then the immigration officer would have no way of knowing what date the flight was on and that is even if the information was filled in, most folks arriving do not fill in the departure part, in fact some of the illustrious Asian 'tourists' coming to here don't even bother filling it out even when departing, have been stuck many a time at departure immigration due to this!

The next port part is in the centre part of the TM.6 and this part is rare to be filled out and is only used to gather statistics so to speak.

Totally agree with the majority, the most likely problem will come from the airline at check in.

[silent]

OP. I can hardly wait to know the outcome after reading.

[Mangkhut]

I flew in from Australia less than a month ago with no visa and on a one way ticket. And at the check in counter in Sydney airport the person who checked me in asked and demanded a ticket out of the country. I have done my homework so I had made a booking out of Thailand within a month after my arrival so all good. When arriving in Thailand nobody asked to see any tickets or booking out of the country. 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

OP - Simply Put: 

 

Officially: Your friend requires a Visa if he doesn't have a return flight within a Month. 

 

Unofficially:  The likelihood of being checked at Immigration upon arrival is very low, the likelihood of the Airline either looking for a Visa or return within a month is high.

 

Points: 

There is no date input on the TM6 Immigration Departure Card.

Airlines are responsible for the return of the passenger IF they are refused by Immigration

 

Safest Options: 

1) Your friend secures a Visa (too late now)

2) Re-books his return within a month and changes it back again once in country. 

 

[BritTim]

9 hours ago, Ronuk said:

Hi. They have no need to ask about flights.  The information regarding you return flights are on your arrival/departure card. You arrive with no visa, you have return flights outside of the 30 days. They want to know your intentions for the next 2 or 3 months. That is now a very regular occurrence. Now what would would happen should you choose to lie and fill the arrival/departure card in with a fictitious flight inside the 30 days, I have no idea. Does your return flight show on the I/o database? Again, I have no idea.You cannot leave it blank without being questioned regarding your intentions. 
This is now a very real problem for those arriving without a visa and with flights outside the 30 day visa exempt period.

 

I always leave the flight information on my departure card blank until just about to leave. In most cases, I have no idea when or how I will next leave Thailand. No immigration official has ever questioned this. The only information they sometimes ask for that is not written down is my mobile phone number.