Visa
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Anyone who has ever traveled abroad knows just how time consuming it can
be to make that obligatory stop at a foreign embassy to apply for an
entry visa before setting of on their journey. Thailand has
thoughtfully made that step unnecessary for visitors who plan to
restrict their stay in the Kingdom to 30 days or less by offering a free
30 days transit visa upon entry, whether by bus, train, plane or ship.
(There is talk of bringing this back to 15 days.)
To be eligible for the 30 days transit visa, visitors must hold passport or travel documents that are valid for at least six months. In addition, travelers must have a fully paid ticket which enables them to travel out of the Kingdom within the stipulated time (although tickets are seldom checked). Malaysians arriving by road do not need evidence of onward journey. For travelers who wish to stay longer than 30 days, 60 days tourist visas and 90 days non-immigrant visas can be obtained from any Thai diplomatic mission for about US$20 (or equivalent). The actual fee will depend on the country where you obtain your visa, and some embassies and consulates (like the on in the Penang, Malaysia) will accept payment in either baht or the host country's currency. Visa applications must be accompanied by at least two photos, and a one visa is issued, it must be used within 90 days. A number of countries have reciprocal visa agreements with Thailand, which allows residents of those countries to entry the Kingdom for up to 90 days without first obtaining a visa. These include Denmark, Finland, New Zealand, Norway, South Korea and Sweden. If you overstay your visa. whether transit, tourist or non-immigrant, you will be fined Bt200 for each day you exceed the stipulated departure date, payable at your point of departure. Visa extensions may be obtained at the Bangkok Immigration Division (Soi Suan Plu, Sathorn Tai Road, Tel. 2873101-10) or at any other immigration office around the country for fee of Bt500. (Note: the 30 days transit visa usually con not be extended for any reason.) If you plan to use Thailand as a base for traveling to other Southeast Asia countries, which many people do, you will need a re-entry visa. Both single and multiple re-entry visas can be obtained at the Immigration Division. At the time pf publication, single re-entry visas were going for Bt500, and multiple re-entry visa for Bt1000, although the government has been discussing raising the fees to Bt2,000 and Bt5,000, respectively. Countries which are eligible for the 30 day entry Americas:
Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico and the United States. |