Thailand Passport & Visa Requirements
All tourists must possess a passport valid for at least 6 months beyond their intended length of stay (Retirement visa requires at least 18 months validity). Thailand has over 30 International Immigration Check points, though most visitors to Phuket will clear immigration either at Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang International Airports) or Phuket International Airport. For full list of international check points please see http://www.mfa.go.th/web/2482.php?id=2491 for contact information.
For many tourists, it is not necessary to apply for a visa beforehand, if you come from a country that is eligible for a Visa Exemption, and are not going to be in the country for more than 30 days. Other tourists may be able to apply for a Visa on arrival, which costs 1,000 baht and is valid for 15 days. Everyone else, and those wishing to stay longer in the country for tourism or leisure should apply for a 60-day Tourist Visa from the Royal Thai Embassy or consulate in the country where you reside.
(If you are coming to Phuket to work or you wish to take up temporary residence in Phuket, see non-immigrant visa).
30 and 90 Day Visa Exemption
Passport holders from the countries listed below do not require a visa when entering Thailand for tourist purposes if their stay does not exceed 30 days (or 90 days - denoted by ***). You must show proof of a confirmed return ticket and sufficient funds during your stay, which according to the Thailand Ministry of Foreign Affairs is a minimum of 20,000 baht per individual or 40,000 baht for a family (or equivalent in foreign currency). You may or may not be asked to show these depending on the discretion of the immigration officer.
List of countries eligible for tourist Visa exemptions:
- Argentina***
- Australia
- Austria
- Bahrain
- Belgium
- Brazil***
- Brunei
- Canada
- Chile***
- Denmark
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
- Iceland
- Indonesia
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan
- Kuwait
- Laos
- Luxembourg
- Macau Special Administrative Region
- Malaysia
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Oman
- Peru***
- Philippines
- Portugal
- Qatar
- Republic of Ireland
- Republic of Korea***
- Russian Federation (as of March 2007)
- Singapore
- Spain
- South Africa
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Turkey
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- United States of America
- Vietnam
*** Due to bilateral agreements, nationals of the countries denoted with *** may be permitted to enter Thailand for purposes of tourism or leisure for up to 90 days without a visa.
Source: http://www.mfa.go.th/web/2482.php?id=2495
Visa on arrival
Nationals of the following countries are able to obtain visa on arrival which is valid for 15 days. This can be obtained at all of Thailand's international checkpoints.
- Bhutan
- China
- Cyprus
- Czech
- Estonia
- Hungary
- India
- Kazakhstan
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Maldives
- Mauritius
- Oman
- Poland
- Saudi Arabia
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Ukraine
A 6x4 photo is required with the provided application and the fee for the visa is 1,000 Baht. You must have proof of a confirmed return ticket within 15 days and be prepared to show sufficient funds for expenses. Extensions for the visa on arrival are not generally issued, though may be granted under special circumstances such as serious illness preventing timely departure.
Nationals of countries not listed above should contact the nearest Thai embassy or consulate for specific requirements in obtaining a visa.
Tourist Visa
For longer stays for purposes of leisure and tourism, you should obtain a 60-day tourist visa from a Thai embassy or consulate prior to your arrival. A recent 6x4 cm photo is required and the fee is 30 $USD / 1,000 baht or equivalent.
On arrival, proof of return flight and sufficient funds are required and may be asked for. The 60 day tourist may be eligible for another 30 days extension an immigration authority in Thailand, though there is no guarantee that the foreigner will get 30 days, and may only get 7 days depending on the discretion of the immigration officer and the previous length of stay on tourist visas in his/her passport. In either case, the extension application fee is 2,000 baht and can be done at Phuket Immigration Office or the Office of Immigration Bureau in Bangkok. (located on Soi Suan Plu, South Sathorn Road, Bangkok 10120, tel. 02-287-3101-10)
Visa Limitations – Visa Runs
In the past, one could stay in Thailand for extended periods - years on end, just by making a visa run every month (for visa exemption) or every few months (for 60 day visa). However, current immigration policy discourages foreigners from 'living' in Thailand on tourist visas and encourages them to apply for an appropriate non-immigrant visa if they plan to take up residence in Thailand.
Visa Exemption Limits
The maximum stay of visa-exempted visitors is set at 90 days in a six month period, counted from the first day of your arrival. For most, this would entitle one to be stamped in and out of Thailand at a checkpoint three times (30 days each). Once the 90 day limit has been reached within six months (180 days) of the initial arrival, the individual will only be permitted with a proper visa obtained at a Thai embassy or consulate.
Tourist Visa Limit
While there is yet no official rule on the amount of back-to-back tourist visas one can obtain, there is no guarantee that Thai consulates and embassies will continue to grant consecutive tourist visas from here on. Thai consulates and embassies, particularly in neighboring countries to Thailand have been reported to decline repeat tourist visa applications in recent times.
For further information see the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website: http://www.mfa.go.th/web/12.php
