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How to get
Visa for Thailand?
General Information
1. Generally, a foreign citizen who wishes to enter the Kingdom of
Thailand is required to obtain a visa from a Royal Thai Embassy or a Royal
Thai Consulate-General. However, nationals of certain countries do not
require a visa if they meet visa exemption requirements as follows:
(1) they are nationals of countries which are exempted from visa
requirements when entering Thailand for tourism purposes. Such nationals
will be permitted to stay in the Kingdom for a period of not exceeding 30
days. For more information, please see Tourist Visa Exemption;
(2) they are nationals of countries which hold bilateral agreements with
Thailand on the exemption of visa requirements. For more information,
please see List of Countries which have Concluded Agreements with Thailand
on the Exemption of Visa Requirements .
2. Nationals of certain countries may apply for visa upon arrival in
Thailand. Travellers with this type of visa are permitted to enter and
stay in Thailand for a period of not exceeding 15 days. For more
information, please see Visa on Arrival.
3. Travellers travellling from/through countries which have been declared
Yellow Fever Infected Areas must acquire an International Health
Certificate verifying the receiving of a Yellow Fever vaccination. For
more information, please see List of Countries which are Declared Yellow
Fever Infected Areas.
4. Nationals of certain countries are required to apply for a visa only at
the Royal Thai Embassy or the Royal Thai Consulate-General in the
applicant’s country of residence, or at the Royal Thai Embassy which has
jurisdiction over his or her country of residence. Travellers are advised
to enquire about authorised office for visa issuance at any Royal Thai
Embassy or Royal Thai Consulate-General before departure. Contact details
and locations of Royal Thai Embassies and Royal Thai Consulates-General
are available at www.mfa.go.th/web/10.php.
5. To apply for a visa, a foreigner must possess a valid passport or
travel document that is recognised by the Royal Thai Government and comply
with the conditions set forth in the Immigration Act of Thailand B.E.2522
(1979) and its relevant regulations. In addition, the visa applicant must
be outside of Thailand at the time of application. The applicant will be
issued with a type of visa in accordance to his or her purpose of visit.
For more information on types of visas and general requirements for each
type of visa, please see Types of Visa and Issuance of Visa.
6. In general, applicants are required to apply for a visa in person.
However, Royal Thai Embassies and Royal Thai Consulates-General in some
countries and in some cases may also accept applications sent through
representatives, authorised travel agencies or by post. Please enquire at
the Royal Thai Embassy or Royal Thai Consulate-General where you intend to
submit your application of acceptable ways of application.
7. Please note that the period of visa validity is different from the
period of stay. Visa validity is the period during which a visa can be
used to enter Thailand. In general, the validity of a visa is 3 months,
but in some cases, visas may be issued to be valid for 6 months, 1 year or
3 years. The validity of a visa is granted with discretion by the Royal
Thai Embassy or Royal Thai Consulate-General and is displayed on the visa
sticker.
8. On the other hand, the period of stay is granted by an immigration
officer upon arrival at the port of entry and in accordance with the type
of visa. For example, the period of stay for a transit visa is not
exceeding 30 days, for a tourist visa is not exceeding 60 days and for a
non-immigrant visa is not exceeding 90 days from the arrival date. The
period of stay granted by the immigration officer is displayed on the
arrival stamp. Travellers who wish to stay longer than such period may
apply for extension of stay at offices of the Immigration Bureau in
Bangkok, located at Soi Suan Plu, South Sathorn Road, Bangkok 10120, Tel
02-2873101-10 or at an Immigration office located in the provinces. For
information on application for extension of stay, see the Immigration
Bureau website at www.immigration.go.th
9. Foreigners entering Thailand are not permitted to work, regardless of
their types of visa, unless they are granted a work permit. Those who
intend to work in Thailand must hold the correct type of visa to be
eligible to apply for a work permit. Information on Work Permit
applications could be obtained from the website of the Office of Foreign
Workers Administration, Department of Employment, Ministry of Labour at
www.doe.go.th/workpermit/index.html
10. Royal Thai Embassies and Royal Thai Consulates-General have the
authority to issue visas to foreigners for travel to Thailand. The
authority to permit entry and stay in Thailand, however, is with the
immigration officers. In some cases, the immigration officer may not
permit foreigner holding a valid visa entry into Thailand should the
immigration officer find reason to believe that he or she falls into the
category of aliens prohibited from entering Thailand under the Immigration
Act B.E. 2522 (1979).
11. According to the Immigration Act of Thailand B.E. 2522 (1979),
foreigners who fall into any of the following categories are prohibited to
enter Thailand:
(1) Having no genuine valid passport or document used in lieu of passport;
or having a genuine valid passport or document used in lieu of passport
without valid visa issuance by the Royal Thai Embassies, the Royal Thai
Consulates-General or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with exception of
those who meet visa exemption requirements. The terms and conditions of
visa issuance and visa exemption are prescribed by the Ministerial
Regulations.
(2) Having no appropriate means of living following entry into the
Kingdom.
(3) Having entered the Kingdom to be employed as an unskilled or untrained
labourer, or to work in violation of the Alien Work Permit Law.
(4) Being mentally unstable or having any of the diseases stated in the
Ministerial Regulations.
(5) Having not yet been vaccinated against smallpox; or inoculated, or
undergone any other medical treatment for protection against disease; and
having refused to have such vaccinations administered by the Immigration
Doctor.
(6) Having been imprisoned by judgment of the Thai Court; or by lawful
injunction or judgment of the Court of a foreign country, except for when
the penalty is for a petty offence, or negligence, or is provided for as
an exception by the Ministerial Regulations.
(7) Having behaviour which could cause possible danger to the public; or
having the likelihood of being a nuisance or constituting any violence to
the peace, safety and security of the public or to the security of the
nation; or being under warrant of arrest by competent officials of foreign
governments.
(8) Reason to believe that entry into Kingdom is for the purpose of being
involved in prostitution, the trafficking of women or children, drug
smuggling, or other types of smuggling which are against public morality.
(9) Having no money or bond as prescribed by the Minister under Section 14
of the Immigration Act B.E. 2522 (1979).
(10) Being a person prohibited by the Minister under Section 16 of the
Immigration Act B.E. 2522 (1979).
(11) Being deported by either the Government of Thailand or that of other
foreign countries; or having been revoked the right of stay in the Kingdom
or in foreign countries; or having been expelled from the Kingdom by
competent officials at the expense of the Government of Thailand unless
exemption is provided by the Minister on an individual basis.
Types of Visa.
Royal Thai Embassies
and Royal Thai Consulates-General may issue the following types of visas:
- Transit Visa
- Tourist Visa
- Non-Immigrant Visa
- Diplomatic Visa
- Official Visa
- Courtesy Visa
resource : hhttp://www.mfa.go.th/web/2482.php?id=2487 |
