Visa on Arrival Fee to Double

[Scumbag]

Note: this is about the visa on arrival scheme not the visa waiver scheme that gives people 30 day stays.

 

According to Pattaya One the fee for a visa on arrival will double from 1000 Baht to 2000 Baht from the 27th of September.

 

From September 27 foreign tourists from eighteen countries will have to pay 2000 baht, an increase from 1000 baht, when applying for a visa on arrival (VOA) at any of Thailand’s forty-two immigrations (sic) points. (read more)

[davidge]

Surprised they're not charging for the visa waiver stamp!

Guess they just increase the airport tax.

[kane666]

It was also in the Bangkok Post.

 

I liked the rationale behind it: The hike in the fee is aimed at reducing the long queues at immigration checkpoints. 

 

[user305]

Long queues?  I didn't see any queues at all last week.  I literally walked right up and was done in the span of sixty seconds.  So what's Cambodia like this time of year?  Do they have good food and massage with some decent hotel options?

[THAJEC]

Countries that are listed here leave me in peace, on the contrary, it may be the reason for the decline in the number of customers from these countries, which in my view is more than pleasant and positive message.

The sad thing is that such countries as Thailand, which declares an interest in increasing visitors and passengers to their country moving in that direction fee increases and more and more complicated visa program.

[Scumbag]

Long queues?  I didn't see any queues at all last week.  I literally walked right up and was done in the span of sixty seconds.

I suspect you didn't get to see the people waiting in the visa on arrival area. It is not the same as what most of us see as the immigration queues. This increase makes it more expensive than getting a tourist visa so perhaps the queues at immigration will get longer.

[Drewbrogan]

Maybe I am confused (it wouldn't surprise me) but I don't understand your rationale Scumbag.

 

This article is about people from countries who are not part of the Tourist Visa Exemption Scheme (i.e those who use the normal immigration lines at Swampy).  these people have to get a VOA to enter the country.  The hike in prices won't change that in any way.  they still can't use the Tourist visa exemption Scheme, they just have to suck it up and pay double.

 

As I said maybe I'm confused.........

[Oukiva]

these people have to get a VOA to enter the country.  The hike in prices won't change that in any way.  they still can't use the Tourist visa exemption Scheme, they just have to suck it up and pay double.

Most of them also have the option to get a Visa in their country before their trip. It's the case for the many many Chinese people by exemple. Making the VOA more expensive certainly will push lot of them to get for a normal tourist visa.

[Drewbrogan]

Now I really am confused. 

 

I mustn't be understanding this properly.

 

I thought the reason for the VOA was because nationals from certain countries, China included, could not get a normal 30 day Tourist Visa.  Is this not correct?

[Oukiva]

I thought the reason for the VOA was because nationals from certain countries, China included, could not get a normal 30 day Tourist Visa.  Is this not correct?

It may be true for some countries, yes.

For some others, VOA is an easy way if no visa-exemption is possible.

 

For Chinese people, they do have Tourist Visa available.

See http://www.thaiembbeij.org/thaiembbeij/pdf/visa_requirement_eng.pdf

Price: 230 RMB ~1200 THB

[Drewbrogan]

I understand now.

 

This is for a Visa that they can apply for before travelling to Thailand.  I was thinking about the Tourist Exemption 30 day visa.

 

Thanks for the clarification

[Jack Frost]

Thanks for the info I always like visa news.

 

 

[Scumbag]

I was thinking about the Tourist Exemption 30 day visa.

 

Thanks for the clarification

While we are correcting confusion you illustrate another area where many are confused. Those who are given 30 day stays allowed by the visa exemption scheme do not have a visa. They are only given permission to stay for 30 days. This is the reason why it is referred to as a visa exemption (or waiver) scheme.

[max121]

If you enter Thailand without a visa in your passport (from a country where you don't need to have a visa for a 30 day stay)  is there any way you can extend that stay for another 30 days?

[Scumbag]

If you enter Thailand without a visa in your passport (from a country where you don't need to have a visa for a 30 day stay)  is there any way you can extend that stay for another 30 days?

You can extend them for 30 days. If you are planning to stay for 60 days it is better to get a tourist visa before you arrive.

[max121]

Okay - if I only get a single entry tourist visa (which looks like the easiest visa to get) I can stay for sixty days then apply for a further 30 days - thanks for the advice Scumbag.

[Scumbag]

Okay - if I only get a single entry tourist visa (which looks like the easiest visa to get) I can stay for sixty days then apply for a further 30 days - thanks for the advice Scumbag.

Yes that is possible as well.

[Harvey707]

If I can ask a question and after 165 trips I kinda should know but the Visa we get in advance from a Thai Embassy/Consulate in the UK is that not available at the lead up area to Immigration.......Or have the hoardes of people that I have seen for decades at this Visa on Arrival area only been the nationals (for example) as in the OP group of 18....??

Its only been the last 2-3 years that I have been staying 2 months at a time hence the need for the Tourist Visas from London/Cardiff

Previous to the all the multiple trips I have done have been hard up against the 30 days we get as Brits

[wingnutv]

If  this means lesser Chinese tour groups &  package tour Indian traders , then i'm all for it. 

[Candy77]

If this means lesser Chinese tour groups & package tour Indian traders , then i'm all for it.

+1

[Welbeck]

It was also in the Bangkok Post.

 

I liked the rationale behind it: The hike in the fee is aimed at reducing the long queues at immigration checkpoints. 

It was empty when I went through on August 31st

 

[Scumbag]

If I can ask a question and after 165 trips I kinda should know but the Visa we get in advance from a Thai Embassy/Consulate in the UK is that not available at the lead up area to Immigration.......Or have the hoardes of people that I have seen for decades at this Visa on Arrival area only been the nationals (for example) as in the OP group of 18....??

Its only been the last 2-3 years that I have been staying 2 months at a time hence the need for the Tourist Visas from London/Cardiff

Previous to the all the multiple trips I have done have been hard up against the 30 days we get as Brits

The 60 day tourist visa is not available on arrival. Only the nationals on the list for the VOA can get one so they are the only people that you have been seeing in that area.

 

VOA countries: Andorra, Bhutan, Bulgaria, China, Cyprus, Ethiopia, India, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Romania, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan.

[googlechap]

It was also in the Bangkok Post.

 

I liked the rationale behind it: The hike in the fee is aimed at reducing the long queues at immigration checkpoints.

LOL! Reduce the long queues by reducing the number of tourists....

 

Gotta love thai reasoning!

It was also in the Bangkok Post.

 

I liked the rationale behind it: The hike in the fee is aimed at reducing the long queues at immigration checkpoints.

LOL! Reduce the long queues by reducing the number of tourists....

 

Gotta love thai reasoning!

[Pokeris]

do anybody knows they doubled visa on arrival already or still the same 1000 bath? thanks!!