Hi Everyone,

 

My wife and I are travelling to Thailand, and likely Vietnam this summer for 7 weeks. We leave July 5th from Toronto Pearson Airport. We fly into - and out of- Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi).

 

I've been looking into whether or not we will be requiring tourist visa's for Thailand, as we will be travelling onward to Vietnam within the first 30 days of our trip.

 

Asking a few Canadian friends who have spent a few months at a time in South East Asia (also flying in and out of Bangkok), they suggest just doing a 'visa run' before the 30 days expires and you're granted a new 30 day visa upon re-entry. This is the strategy my wife and I have been planning to follow, but I'm now getting nervous.

 

If the airline sees we have return flights booked from Bangkok 48 days later, is there a chance we'll be denied entry?

 

If we have proof of onward travel (flights to Vietnam within 30 days of landing in Thailand), will this appease the powers that be?

 

I'm willing to obtain the 60 or 90 day multiple entry visa if needed (and if I even have time at this point), but would rather save the $500+ that it will cost.

 

Thanks in advance!!

You don't need to get a new entry if you are going to stay in the country more than the 30 days a visa exempt entry will give you. You can apply for a 30 day extension of it at an immigration office for a fee of 1900 baht.

If you have a ticket out the country to a nearby country within 30 days of arrival that will satisfy the airline and immigration.

If your planned trip is for 48 days and will be traveling  during the first 30 days to Vietnam and then returning you would get another 30 days after that trip. It seems you would not need to extend your stay.

Every single time I flew from Toronto, the airline checked my visa as I didn't have a return ticket back to Canada.

 

Visa is Toronto consulate is not $500+ for 2 people, how on earth did you come to that calculation. It is $40 for single entry per person. I would get a Visa.

Just now, theguyfromanotherforum said:

Every single time I flew from Toronto, the airline checked my visa as I didn't have a return ticket back to Canada.

A return ticket is not a requirement to get a visa exempt entry. The rule is a return or onward ticket within 30 days of arrival.

3 minutes ago, theguyfromanotherforum said:

I would get a Visa.

Not sure they have enough time to get a visa since they are leaving on the 5th of July.

do  you have a visa for vietnam if so only have to show that or the papers if you are doing a online visa plus a lot of country can get 15 days visa free

You will have no problem for visa exempt entries into Thailand but make sure you get an online visa approval letter for Vietnam before you go. http://www.cheapvietnamvisa.net/en/embassy/37-canada.html These guys are the cheapest I found. And buy tickets in advance with AirAsia so you won't have any issues at all.

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

You can apply for a 30 day extension of it at an immigration office for a fee of 1900 baht.

 

That's good information, but it would also be helpful to know how long it may take at immigration, what kind of a trek it may be to get to to "immigration", what day of the week and time is best to show up, etc.  For example, do you have to queue up at 3:00 AM to guaranty you'll get in, do they close for lunch, etc?

 

1900 baht may seem cheap.  Losing an entire day of precious holiday time dealing with immigration- not so much.

 

Edit:  Without going into detail, is it a breeze, or a PITA to be avoided like a tuk-tuk?

 

Edited June 27, 20179 yr by impulse

2 hours ago, theguyfromanotherforum said:

Every single time I flew from Toronto, the airline checked my visa as I didn't have a return ticket back to Canada.

 

Visa is Toronto consulate is not $500+ for 2 people, how on earth did you come to that calculation. It is $40 for single entry per person. I would get a Visa.

 

It can cost $500 a head just to get to Toronto...  Plus any time off work.

 

Or if you hire an agency to get the visa(s) for you, cha-ching, cha-ching.  

 

It's not just the visa fee that eats into the  budget.

 

Edited June 27, 20179 yr by impulse

7 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

That's good information, but it would also be helpful to know how long it may take at immigration, what kind of a trek it may be to get to to "immigration", what day of the week and time is best to show up, etc.  For example, do you have to queue up at 3:00 AM to guaranty you'll get in, do they close for lunch, etc?

 

1900 baht may seem cheap.  Losing an entire day of precious holiday time dealing with immigration- not so much.

 

I was only informing the OP that it was option that they apparently were not aware of.

Also why write about something that can vary dependent upon where you apply. At the majority of offices it might only take a couple hours to get one. 

i don't see any problem with using two visa exempt entries.  you have the tickets to vietnam that show you will leave before the 30 days are up on your first entry.  the airline in toronto may want to see those.  i really doubt thai immigration will want to see them upon you landing in the country.  especially if you have no recent visits to thailand.  then you visit vietnam, return to thailand on visa exempt.  i assume you have timed the vietnam visit such that both of your visits to thailand will be less than 30 days. 

 

i don't know if you plan to spend much time in bangkok but you can get a vietnam visa at the vietnamese consulate in bangkok.  it is an easy walk from the skytrain station ploenchit and very little wait time to pick up/drop off.  i can't remember if it is drop off passports one day and pick up next day or two days later (i think two).  when i did the online vietnam visa, they made me fill out the visa form once i arrived in SGN (i think i supplied that form to the online visa folks but maybe not).   there were alot of people in the queue to get the visas on arrival.  to speed up the process, fill out the form in advance then you'll be one of the first people processed for the visa on arrival (as others will be filling out the form).

Mate.....come here....go to passport control ....and get a 30 day visa waiver entry. Bugger off to Vietnam before the 30 days is up and come back for another 30 if that is your plan.

Passport control can be a breeze or a pain depending on how many people are there (same the world over).

 

Definitely get in a tuk tuk while in Bangkok and have a ball.

 

Ignore the jaded posters here.........come and have a great time!!!!

Some Canadian airports can be a pain about having a proper Visa or onward ticket. Major international airports like Vancouver & Toronto I have always had to show an onward ticket within 30 days when using visa exempt method. 

Otherwise you should have no problems with your moving around.

I am sure you already have it, but make sure you have a good travel insurance plan. 

Enjoy.

Thanks everyone for the information - that's exactly what I was hoping to hear!

On 6/27/2017 at 8:49 AM, rct99q said:

Some Canadian airports can be a pain about having a proper Visa or onward ticket. Major international airports like Vancouver & Toronto I have always had to show an onward ticket within 30 days when using visa exempt method. 

Otherwise you should have no problems with your moving around.

I am sure you already have it, but make sure you have a good travel insurance plan. 

Enjoy.

 

yep

Edited June 28, 20179 yr by theguyfromanotherforum