You will sometimes Anyone looking to travel to Thailand will need some kind of Visa, or exemption, to permit their stay. There are many options for this which we will review today.
Visa Exemption
For certain nationalities a visa is not necessary and they are allowed to enter for tourism purposes under a Visa Exemption agreement.
Currently 64 countries are allowed under the Visa Exemption rule, most of while will be allowed 30 days entry, with a handful allowed 14 days or 90 days.
Visitors must be traveling for tourism, with working strictly prohibited.
You will often need to show an outbound flight or sufficient funds for your day.
Visa on Arrival
Similar to the Visa Exemption, the Visa on arrival allows entry without having obtained a Visa before arriving in Thailand.
Currently 19 countries are eligible for Visa on Arrival, with 15 days permitted on entry.
Only certain airports and borders are able to issue Visa on Arrivals.
Similar requirements on tourism, working, onward flights and funds apply.
A fee of 2,000 THB is payable upon entry to receive a Visa on Arrival.
Tourist Visa
You must apply for a tourist visa outside Thailand before travelling, typically at a Thai consulate or embassy in your own country.
A single entry visa allows you to enter once, which must be used 3 months from the visa issuance date.
Multiple entry visas allows unlimited entries, each of up to 60 days, for up to 6 months from the visa issuance date.
You normally pay a fee of around $30 or local currency equivalent for a single entry visa. A multiple entry visa will cost $150.
Non-immigrant Visa
If you are looking to stay longer in Thailand, then the non-immigrant visa will be your best choice.
Various types are available, such as a retirement visa (over 50), marriage visas (have a Thai wife), dependent visa (have a Thai child), business visas (working for Thai company), education visa (study a course in Thailand) or investor visa.
Depending on your situation, you may be issued a 1 year multiple entry non immigrant visa. These last for 1 year and allow multiple entries, each of which lasts for 90 days.
You may also receive an initial 90 days entry, with an option to extend yearly within Thailand.
