Thailand Tourist FAQ

[Sa-teef]

How did you get a 60 day entry visa? I'm semi confused on all the information. I am flying in from the US and want to stay as long as I can without leaving (with the exception of required trips out of the country). What specifically should I do? Can I extend the stay I get when I first arrive beyond the 30 days? I don't want to screw this up.

 

The Royal Thai Consulate in the USA can issue you a tourist visa good for a sixty day visit, and typically you go to the Immigration Office in Jomtien on day 57 or 58 and get a thirty day extension on that single entry visa. The original visa is issued to you by sending your passport by express mail with an addressed express mail return envelope enclosed with the fee.  I used the one in Chicago a few years back when I was still a tourist. They have a web site with the fees & the instructions:

 

http://www.thaiconsulatechicago.org/pages-Visa.html

 

There are also consulates in LA, NY and other places, along with honorary consulates in some cites I believe.

Getting over to Jomtien for the extension is an easy matter; just tell a motocy taxi where you want to go and they will get you over to Soi Five Jomtien.  

 

 

You will need to leave the country after the 89+ days but you can do a visa run to neighboring countries for another single entry visa if you wish to return to Thailand again.

There are also double entry tourist visas available under some circumstances but I have never had one so I'm not gonna tell you how to obtain one.  But the Thai Consulate would be a good place to start.

[crassius]

thanks for the info about visa offices, mine was a bit out of date

 

I've been going to LOS occasionally since '67, but from '95 to '09, I'd been doing two 60day trips a year until health issues grounded me till now. I used to use the honorary embassy in Denver to get a 60day visa with next day mailing service, since in those days it could take as long as 60 or 70 days for the L.A. embassy to process the visa, and it was a real pain to be without a passport while waiting.

 

Does anyone have any info about waiting times for the various embassies in the US now, as I live near the Mexican border and like to cross weekly for shopping, so need my passport for that.

[paullus]

 hi,pattaya virgin here. just to confirm i'm reading this correctly. if i'm flying from the UK for less than 30 days i don't require a visa before landing ?....thanx for any advice.

[PawYai]

If on a UK passport you will get visa on landing for less than 30 days.. Your first trip ? Always the best one buddy

[spiceman]

Hi. Travelling from the UK, can a 60day tourist visa be obtained at BKK airport? Thank you.

[Yahooka]

Hi. Travelling from the UK, can a 60day tourist visa be obtained at BKK airport? Thank you.

No.You need a tourist visa at a Thai consulate/embassy.At Bkk you can only get a 30 days visa excempt.

[laoz]

Great info! Are the info on the first page still valid? Or has it changed? US Citizen here. Just planning ahead and want to get everything correct and not get convoluted situations. 

[henryhooloo]

Will be spending 21 days every other month in Thailand, will I be ok just getting stamp on arrival every time?

[Sick Water Buffalo]

Will be spending 21 days every other month in Thailand, will I be ok just getting stamp on arrival every time?

 

I would say that you may run into problems after awhile.

From your schedule it sounds like you're doing 'offshore' type work, and IIRC there have been a few threads talking about this schedule getting the interest of Thai Immigrations because there's apparently quite a few guys who are 'living' in Thailand and 'working' in another country on this schedule; and they're one of the groups the Kingdom wants to crack down on.  Remember, they want the type of tourist that comes once or twice a year for a couple weeks to spend lots of money and then leave, not a 'tourist' who may be working or living in the country without authorization.

[Long Hair]

Great info! Are the info on the first page still valid? Or has it changed? US Citizen here. Just planning ahead and want to get everything correct and not get convoluted situations. 

 

Most of it is valid, some is outdated. After the coup last year there have been some changes to prevent frequent visa runs.

Edited February 8, 2015 by Minthos

[Manasty151]

If I wanted to stay longer than the 30 days of a visa exempt entry, can I do a visa run into Laos to obtain double entry TV? Or will I need to obtain a TV before even flying into Thailand.

 

 

 

-thanks.

 

[Long Hair]

You can get an extension to your exemption at immigration in Jomtien for 1900 + 50 baht.

[f308gt]

Hi

 

I am staying for 18 days ending November 2 and I want to return December 25 fo 18 days. Do the current rules allow this?

[jerry]

Hi

 

I am staying for 18 days ending November 2 and I want to return December 25 fo 18 days. Do the current rules allow this?

 

Yes , no problem , no visa needed . 

[f308gt]

Yes , no problem , no visa needed . 

thanks jerry

[Justaguy1954]

Have a simple question on completing the visa application for a 60 day single entry tourist Visa from the US.  I read through this thread but couldn't find the answer. 

 

At the bottom of the application there is a request for the name and address of a reference from Thailand. I don't have a specific contact in Thailand, so not sure what to put here. What do others commonly put here for a reference?

 

Will be arriving February 3 and staying for 60 days at View Talay 6. Have everything ready for the Visa expect this reference.  

 

Appreciate the help.

[Mr_John]

Do i have to show an adress of where i gonna stay?  

[Sick Water Buffalo]

Have a simple question on completing the visa application for a 60 day single entry tourist Visa from the US.  I read through this thread but couldn't find the answer. 

At the bottom of the application there is a request for the name and address of a reference from Thailand. I don't have a specific contact in Thailand, so not sure what to put here. What do others commonly put here for a reference?

 

 

I just leave it blank, and have had no issues with my last two visa applications.

If you read the directions for filling out the visa application (following is from the Thai Consulate LA website): In the section requesting "Name and Address of Local Guarantor" Please provide the name and contact information for a person in the United States who we may contact in case we are unable to contact the visa applicant.  The same applies for the next section which requests "Name and Address of Guarantor in Thailand" - provide the name and contact information of a person in Thailand if known."

So if known, fine. If not (not having a Guarantor in Thailand), leave it blank.

 

Do i have to show an adress of where i gonna stay?  

 

I just put in the name of the hotel and/or condo - for example, "JW Marriott Bangkok" or "View Talay 6 Pattaya". This has been accepted for my last two visa applications with no problem.

So I assume as long as it is findable (a specific named property in a locatable city) it will be fine, and don't have to bother with Moo whatever and Soi such-and-such in Tambon who-knows unless you'll be at a private residence or in a village/small town.  

Edited March 20, 2016 by Sick Water Buffalo

[offthewallsamiam]

Can the OP update this thread? I'm particularly interested in the double entry tourist visa. I would like to stay 6 months if possible. 

 

Or can someone direct me to a thread that would have up to date info on tourist visas? Thanks.

[sulu]

On 29/09/2019 at 18:34, offthewallsamiam said:

Can the OP update this thread? I'm particularly interested in the double entry tourist visa. I would like to stay 6 months if possible. 

 

Or can someone direct me to a thread that would have up to date info on tourist visas? Thanks.

The OP hasn't been here in about 3 years. And you haven't been here since you made the above post. 

For a "normal" tourist visa and a 6 month stay there are no more double entry visas. There IS a multi entry tourist visa but you do have to leave and come back in.

On a single entry visa you can leave, get a new visa, and come back in. Phnom Penh is a short flight away and a 3 or 4 day stay there and you'll have your new visa from the Thai Embassy there.

There's also the Non-O but I'm not totally familiar with the requirements and whether or not you have to leave and come back in. 

I wonder if you'll even come back and see this. 

USA Thai Embassy

[Carcosa]

I am over 50, British and live in Malaysia. When coming to Thailand I usually fly into the country.

Am I right in thinking that the Visa Exempt limitations are Three visits within a rolling six month period with no single stay more than 30 days?

If I wish to visit more than three visits per six months but with total days in country amounting to less than 30 days then what would be my visa options?

Cheers!