Overview of Visa for Thailand

IMMIGRATION AND VISAS

Passport Requirements:

All travellers need a passport, with the exception of the following:

1. Travelers with a ‘Laissez-Passer’ issued by the UN.
2. Travelers with a Seaman Book traveling on duty provided it is issued to or in:
3. Citizens of Australia, Austria, Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Bahrain, Chile, Denmark, France, Germany, Iceland, Indonesia, Finland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea of the Republic, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Netherlands, Laos, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Singapore, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and Vietnam.
4. Citizens of the United States of America, except if issued in the Marshall Islands, in which case it is not accepted.
5. Hong Kong (A Special Administrative Region of China).
6. Citizens of Thai with a certificate of identity.
7. Singapore people with a certificate of identification provided that a visa is accepted.
8. Citizens of Singapore have an identification card provided that the bearer is born in Singapore, and the card states that the duration of stay is only valid for entering Thailand.
9. Travelers with papers given to persons and refugees without nationality or citizenship.
10. Travelers with provisional passports to South Africa.
11. Travelers with Macao-issued travel permits.

The Validity of Documents:

Passports and alternative documents, or either of them, must be valid on arrival for at least six months.

1. It accepts expired passports issued to the people of Thailand.
2. Omani people must have passports that are valid for at least one month.
3. With travel papers valid on arrival, residents of Thailand can enter.

Additional Information:

It is important that all passports are in good condition.

Issuance of Visa:

1. Until arrival: Visitors are kindly requested to contact Thailand’s nearest representation.
2. Upon arrival: Travelers staying for no more than 15 days may be issued a visa (only at airports in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Hat Yai, Krabi, Phuket, Samui International, Surat Thani, and Utapao) provided they are:
3. People of Cyprus, Estonia, India, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Maldives, Lithuania, Mauritius, Slovenia, Saudi Arabia, and Ukraine.
4. Travelers with passports from Chinese Taipei.
5. With regular passports, residents of Bhutan, the People’s Republic of China, Czech Republic, Hungary, Liechtenstein, Poland, and Slovakia.
6. If the traveler has a visa upon arrival, he must have a minimum of THB 10,000 (approximately USD 320) for each person or THB 20,000 (approximately USD 640) for each family; and be in a position to have an address while in Thailand and
7. have a passport which must be in good condition and valid for at least six months, with at least two simple visa endorsement pages and
8. have tickets for an onward or return trip (standby tickets are not accepted) within 15 days of the date of arrival (if the traveler fails to do so, the entry would be denied) and
9. comes only for tourism.

Notes:

• The application form must be completed in English and must be submitted along with a copy of the return ticket, the fee, and two recent photographs of the passport (size 4 x 6 cm, taken not less than six months ago). Passport photography facilities are only accessible at Bangkok International Airport. The visa issuance fee is THB 2,000, which must be charged in local currency. The fee for a photo of a passport is THB 170 per photo.
• Travelers are expected to clear the Customs and Immigration Quarantine immediately at the location where the visa is obtained. If travelers do not comply with these rules, the visa will be reapplied, and the visa fee will be reimbursed in the country of final destination.

Exemptions from Visa

A visa must be carried by all travelers except for the following:

1. People of Thai.
2. A tourist stays of no more than 30 days for:
3. British passport-endorsed travelers’ British Citizen’.
4. Travelers issued in Hong Kong with British passports endorsed by ‘British National (Overseas).’
5. Citizens of Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Australia, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Canada, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Monaco, Laos, Mongolia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Oman, Russia, South Africa (also if they have temporary passports), Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Vietnam, who have normal passports;
6. Citizens of American with normal passports (except for passports that are issued in the Marshall Islands).
7. Singaporean citizens, if they have a certificate of identity or a regular passport.
8. Passports provided by Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region of China) or Macao (Special Administrative Region of China) to residents of the People’s Republic of China, Diplomatic or formal passports for residents of Cambodia, the People’s Republic of China, Laos, Mongolia, Myanmar, Oman or Vietnam.
9. A tourist visits for a period of 90 days to:
10. Citizens of the Republic of Korea, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, or Peru, if they have:
11. Official passports or diplomatic ones.
12. Passports that are normal.
13. People of Austria, Belgium, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Netherlands, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, South Africa, Singapore, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine or Uruguay, holding a diplomatic or official passport;
14. Citizens of Bhutan or India with diplomatic and official passports.
15. The duration of the visit may apply to Panamanian people holding diplomatic or official passports and staying for no more than 90 days. This extends to members of the family, too.
16. A visit to travelers with a ‘Laissez Passer’ provided by the United Nations who come to attend a conference or meeting and hold a tourist visit for no more than 30 days:
17. An official letter from the United Nations or an invitation letter from Organization and
18. Approval from the Immigration Authority that no visa is required for the traveler.
19. International citizens of Thailand with a Thailand-issued re-entry permit.
20. Travelers staying for no more than 90 days provided they have an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (ABTC) Business Travel Card; the reverse of the card must show that it is valid for travel to Thailand:
21. Where the traveler is a resident of a Member State of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and holds an ABTC along with a national passport.
22. If the holder is a citizen of a Member State of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, he shall hold an ABTC together with a national passport and proof of residency in the country issued by the ABTC.

(Transit without Visa) TWOV:

TWOV is allowed to allow transit passengers to begin their journey to a third country within 12 hours, provided that transit passengers do not leave the transit lounge and have tickets with confirmed reservations and other documentation required for their onward journey.

Additional Information:

1. On a one-way trip, travelers to Thailand with a visa provided prior to arrival are allowed to fly.
2. For their next journey, all travelers must have the requisite documentation.
3. Travelers over 12 years of age must have enough money (at least THB 20,000 or USD 640 per person/family) to cover the expenses of their stay. In Thailand, evidence of such money includes letters of credit, coupons, or well-known credit cards.
4. An exemption: Travelers with a visa for re-entry.
5. 4.Travelers who do not need a visa can stay in Thailand for no more than 90 days within any half-year period given that they have a  return or onward tickets; extension of stay is possible, but within any half-year period, it may not extend the 90-day period. Fee: THB 1,900 (and needs one photo).

Information to know:

Travelers who do not comply with visa conditions will be required to pay an overstay fine (approximately THB 500 per day, but not more than THB 20,000 as a whole). Furthermore, a fine of THB 20,000 would be payable to the carrier. The traveler would, above all, be refused entry and deported immediately.

Customs and Foreign Exchange:

Regulations for importation:

1. Travelers who have their own personal passports, irrespective of age, are free to import:
2. One still camera with five film rolls or one movie camera with three, eight, or 16-millimeter film rolls.
3. 250 grams of tobacco, or cigars of equivalent weight, or 200 cigarettes.
4. A liter of alcoholic beverages.
5.  Free importation of non-residents is permitted as follows:
6. Up to THB 10,000 per person or THB 20,000 per family is permitted for travelers with transit visas or who can obtain a visa on arrival.
7. Up to THB 20,000 per person or THB 40,000 per family is permitted for travelers with tourist visas.

3.   Prohibited products (without a license):

• Explosive articles and fireworks, narcotic substances such as opium, guns, and ammunition.
• Gold bars that have to be reported upon arrival and which, in the absence of an import license, may be left in the Customs Bond at the airport of entry to be collected upon departure.
• Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) or mad cow and foot-and-mouth diseases affect meat from any region. For meat from all countries of the European Union and every other infected country, this cap applies. Travelers with such diseased meat will be fined THB 40,000 and incarcerated or penalized for up to two years.

Regulations on exports:

There are no limitations on the export of tobacco and its ingredients, but the export of any quantity without a license is prohibited:

1. Religious objects, except for a small image of Buddha usually carried by individuals.
2. Antiques or works of art, whether or not they’re legally registered as art.

Customs regulations on crew members:

For crew members, the same rules apply as for regular travelers.

Pets:

• Pets which must be followed by an Import Permit which are obtained in advance from the Department of Livestock Development (DLD). Phone: 66 2 6534425. Email Address: qsap bkk@dld.go.th.
• A health certificate completed in English and signed or assisted by a full-time authorized veterinary official of the exporting country’s government. The importer should contact the Entry Airport Animal Quarantine Station at least 15 days before the date of importation.
• All the appropriate vaccines for cats and dogs must be listed in the health certificate:
  • Rabies vaccination if the country has not been free from rabies for the last 12 months. A certificate of vaccination must be given at least 21 days before departure.
  • Distemper, hepatitis, and parvovirus vaccine, at least 21 days prior to departure
  • Dogs must either be vaccinated against Leptospirosis at least 21 days prior to departure or have been screened with negative results for Leptospirosis 30 days prior to departure.
• Birds: the place of origin must be free of avian influenza, and the bird must have been resident for a period of not less than six weeks or after hatching in the home country. Birds must be kept in isolation or in quarantine for a period of 21 days prior to shipment under the guidance of an authorized veterinary official.
• Thailand’s Department of Livestock Production has banned the import into Thailand of the following products: Pitbull Terrier or American Staffordshire Terrier.
• The export of any animal is allowed only if the Chief Veterinary Officer at Bangkok airport has received an export license and an official health certificate. As far as cargo, as traveler’s checked luggage or in the cabin, pet animals may enter.

Baggage Clearance regulations:

At the first airport of entry in Thailand, the luggage of a traveler should be cleared. It’s exempt:

• Transit baggage for passengers whose final destination is within Thailand, which is either Chiang Rai International Airport, Chiang Mai International Airport, Koh Samui Airport or Krabi International Airport, Phuket International Airport, given that the baggage transfer takes place via Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport (BKK) and does not include transportation to Bangkok Don Muang (DMK);
• Transit luggage for passengers whose destination is outside Thailand.

Charge on Airports:

Upon boarding at the airport, no airport tax is imposed on passengers. The Bangkok International Airport Fee, however, is imposed on transit passengers who wish to leave the transit area if the fee is not included in the fare. Fee: THB 700.- (only payable in THB), prior to their departure.

Regulations on Currency Imports:

• Up to THB 50,000 per person or THB 100,000 per family with one passport is permitted in local currency.
• There are no limits on the importation of foreign currencies, but quantities greater than or equal to USD 20,000 must be submitted to the Customs Officers upon arrival.

Regulations on Currency Exports:

• Up to THB 50,000 per person or THB 100,000 per family with one passport is permitted in local currency.
• Currencies abroad: limitless. Foreign currency amounts increasing USD 20,000 (or equivalent) must, however, be reported to the Customs Officer by all tourists upon departure.

Other regulatory details:

• Heavy fines and confiscation of the products involved would result in a violation of such rules or any incorrect declaration. Importing heroin can result in life imprisonment or even the death penalty.
• If the total value of these items exceeds THB 10,000 for each user, the traveler must declare objects purchased abroad.

What are the Thailand visas you can apply with Click2Visas?

Apply E -VOA Tourist to Thailand
E-VOA Tourist is mainly for sight-seeing and holidays. Most of these visas do not give the holder the right to work or start engaging in any business activity in the Thailand.

Apply E -VOA Business to Thailand
E-VOA Business is for activities that cannot be considered to be a work or gainful employment. In most cases, a valid invitation letter from the Thailand may be required to apply.