Visa to Thailand (updated 10.6.2007)

Thailand has its own foreign policy, so they have regulations, which only apply to foreigners wanting to visit or stay in Thailand.

Everyone should have a passport, which is valid at least 6 months after visiting Thailand. In many cases foreigners should also have a visa.

Thailand has contracts with a few countries, which are "visa free" so they don't have to get a visa at all, but for example Finnish people need a visa if their stay lasts more than 30 days.

What is a visa?

A visa is permission and it declares in advance how long can you stay in foreign country.

A visa is always applied BEFORE going to a foreign country and it can be applied only from an Embassy of Thailand or a Consulate of Thailand. Immigration Officials are only for continuing your visa or changing it's status.

Apart from visa, there is also a permission for staying in Thailand, which can be applied for.

Permission for staying in Thailand is given you when arriving to Thailand, usually for 30 days. But remember that this IS NOT a visa. For getting this permission for 30 days you have to have a paid flight ticket back and a certain amount of money with you. This permission is available for these countries citizens: Netherlands, Australia, Bahrain, Great Britain, Brunei, Belgium, Brazil, Spain, South-Africa, Philippines, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Ireland, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Austria, Japan, Canada, Korea (south), Greece, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Macau, Norway, Oman, Peru, Portugal, Qatar, France, Germany, Sweden, Singapore, Finland, Switzerland, Denmark, Turkey, UAE, USA, New Zealand and Vietnam.

Permission of stay can be postponed only for 12 days at a time and it costs 1900 Thai baht every time. After this you have to leave the country.

If you don't have a flight ticket back, no money with you and no visa, the airline doesn't necessary take you on the flight because it's their responsibility to get you back to your homeland.

There are also special occasions when you might be denied to enter to Thailand. For example if you have defamed your reputation in Thailand, but this can only happen if you have for example worked without a business visa in Thailand. They can also deny your arriving if you have caused some problems on the flight.

Getting deeper to visa:

A visa has 3 aspects, which are crucial: a) how long is it valid   b) how many entries you have  c) visa's period of validity (latest when you have to arrive to the country).

There are two kinds of visas:

  • tourist visa
  • "non-immigrant" visa

A tourist visa is valid for 60 days. You can get this visa for 1,2 or 3 entries.

Per entry granted the tourist visa is valid for 60 days plus 30 days extension at the local immigration office - gives you 90 days.If you hold a double entry or even triple entry visa you must leave and reenter the country within the validity period of the visa.

There are no requirements about age or income when applying for a visa.

"Non-Immigrant" visa is valid for 90 days or a year:

This visa can be applied for with one or two entries or with "multi entry". Every entry is worth of 90 days permission of stay, but with "multi entry" you can come and go during a year as many times as you want, but REMEMBER: only 90 days at a time!

There are all kinds of visas

"Non-Immigrant" visas are given to you on different basis, so there are also different kinds of statuses.

These statuses are for example:

  • diploma visa (D)
  • business visa (B)
  • media visa (M)
  • guardian-, registered legal marriage- and retirement visa (O)
  • specialty visa (EX)
  • investment visa (IM)
  • education visa (ED
  • function visa (F)
  • mission visa (R)
  • sport visa (S)

Non-Immigrant visas can be applied for if you have sufficient proof to show. For example if you apply for a retirement visa (O) you have to be able to prove your age and that your pension covers your living. A retirement visa is valid first for 90 days and then it can be extended for a year at the Immigration Office. For O-status you have to prove your condition of health.

If you apply for a business visa (so called B-status), you have to be able to give detailed evidence on who your employer is.

Be careful with visa regulations!

If you overstay the validity of your visa, you will be punished! If you get caught staying in Thailand without permission, you could be detained, fined and banished.

If you turn yourself in to the authorities, you will get fined. One day doesn't cost you anything, but after that 500 Thai baht per day.

We are here to help you with all the problems you might run into with your visa.