Written by Bangkok Law Online | 18 November 2009

Visa on Arrival and Tourist Visa

A Thai visa is the official visa paper or visa stamp endorsed in a person’s passport (a passport with a Thai visa) indicating that the person is permitted to enter Thailand and remain there for a period of time, subject to permission of the Thai immigration official at the time of actual entry. At present, a visa may be issued in the form of a sticker or stamp in the applicant’s passport.  Thailand attaches various conditions to visas like whether the visa is valid for one or more entries into Thailand and the period that the person may stay in Thailand. 

Thailand offers several different classes and types of visas such as a tourist visa, visa on arrival, a Thai non-immigrant O or B visa, marriage visa, retirement visa, educational visa, etc.. The visa will include details of the type and class, for example, a business visa will be indicated as a non-immigrant visa class B (Non B), while the spouse of the foreigner issued a class B will be issued a class O (Non O).

How to obtain Thai visas: 'Visa on Arrival' and 'Tourist Visa''

Every person traveling to Thailand must ensure he obtains the correct visa before traveling to Thailand. Except for the 'Thai visa on arrival' category which is issued on entry, all visas must be applied for at a Thai consulate or embassy outside Thailand and the foreigner must make sure he completes the correct visa application form and brings the required and, if any, supporting documents for the appropriate visa class application. Only in exceptional cases a visa can be 'upgraded' inside Thailand.

A visa on arrival is issued at the border on entry into Thailand. Nationals from the following countries below may enter Thailand without a prior obtained visa  and will be issued a 'visa on arrival' (of 15 days (land borders) or 30 days (airport)) by presenting a valid passport at the immigration checkpoint.

A visa on arrival can not be extended and only in exceptional circumstances departure may be delayed with a short period of up to 7 days  by application at any immigration office in Thailand.

The visa-on-arrival regulations are since 2007 tightened to prevent abuse of the 'visa on arrival' and tourist visa category. Many foreigners are registered as tourists in Thailand but work or study and leave the country periodically on 'visa runs' to Cambodia and Malaysia, a practice that the immigration seek to curtail (e.g. by granting a shorter period of stay (15 days) when entering over land or by limiting the number of times (repealed again) foreigners are granted such a visa).

Over-stay, exceeding the allowed period of stay in Thailand (stayed beyond the period of time authorized to remain in Thailand) will lead to a fine of 500 baht for each day beyond the allowed period (but no more than 20,000 baht).

Thailand visas: Tourist Visas

All foreigners who apply for Tourist Visa at the Royal Thai Embassies and the Royal Thai Consulates-General worldwide, including eligible foreigners who apply for Visa on Arrival at designated checkpoints, will be exempted from Tourist Visa fee from  25  June B.E. 2552 (2009) to  4 March  B.E. 2553 (2010). Such arrangement is for Tourist Visa only.

A tourist visa can be issued to any alien 'foreign' person who visits Thailand for pleasure and interest for more than 24 hours but not exceeding 90 days in total counting from the date of entry. On entry the immigration officer will grant a shorter period of stay up to 60 dyas which can be extended for another 30 days by the immigration offices inside Thailand as long as the total period of stay under the tourist visa category does not exceed 90 days.

To obtain a tourist visa an application form needs to be completely filled out and submitted together with 2 passport photos and the visa fee to a Thai embassy or consulate outside of Thailand.

The following categories of foreigners are prohibited to enter the Kingdom (source: Tourism Authority Thailand):

• Having no genuine and valid passport or visa (unless visa on arrival applies)   
• Having no appropriate means of living following entrance into the Kingdom
• Having entered into the Kingdom to take occupation as a labourer, or to take employment by using physical energy without skills or training , or to work in violation of the Alien Work Permit Law
• Being mentally unstable or having any of the diseases as prescribed in the Ministerial Regulations
• 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
• Having been imprisoned by the judgement of the Thai Court; or by a lawful injunction; or by the judgement of the Court of foreign country, except when the penalty is for petty offense or negligence or is provided for as an exception in the Ministerial Regulations
• Having behavior which would indicate possible danger to the Public or likelihood of being nuisance or constituting any violence to the peace or safety of the public or to the security of the public or to the security of the nation, or being under warrant of arrest by competent officials of foreign governments
• Reason to believe that entrance into the Kingdom was for the purpose of being involved in prostitution, the trading of women of children, drug smuggling, or other types of smuggling which are contrary to the public morality
• Having no money or bond as prescribed by the Minister under Section 14 of the Immigration Act B.E. 2522
• Being a person prohibited by the Minister under Section 16 of the Immigration Act B.E. 2522
• Being deported by either the Government of Thailand that of or other foreign countries; or the right of stay in the Kingdom or in foreign countries having been revoked; or having been sent out of the Kingdom by competent officials at the expense of the Government of Thailand unless the Minister shall consider exemption on an individual special case basis.

• Continue with the visa category non- immigrant O ('Others' and B 'Business')

Link to this page: <a href="/http://www.bangkoklawonline.com/thailand-visas-immigration/">Thai Visas to Thailand</a> 

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