Can I enter Thailand on a visa exemption from the UK and apply for a visa while in the country?

Jan 16, 2022
3 years ago
Jake *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Hello all, can i enter thailand on visa exemption currently from uk? And once im in, am i able to apply for new visa whilst im in the country on that exemption ? As i want to fly in a few days if possible, but if i appled for a visa now it wouls take at least a week for my passport to be returned to me after sending it off to thai embassy London x
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TLDR : Answer Summary
Yes, you can enter Thailand on a visa exemption if you are from the UK. However, you'll need to meet the entry requirements, including obtaining a Thailand Pass. Once in Thailand, you can apply for a new visa while on a visa-exempt entry stamp, but the application process may vary depending on the type of visa you're seeking and the policies of the local immigration office.
Tod *********
@Jake ********
just so you're clear, entering thailand now ain't the same as it was entering the country pre-covid-shit-show.

Here's where you start because no matter how you want to enter (with a tourist visa that you buy before hand or on a visa exempt where you stamp in for free) without an approved thai pass and meeting the requirements to enter the country you won't even get past check in for your airline.

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Good luck in your endeavor, (y)
Tim ******
So, two things (though it doesn’t sound like you’ve done much research into this trip, so I’d advise maybe giving it all a bit more thought?):

First, you don’t need to send your passport to the Thai embassy in London if you’re applying for a visa there. The UK is indeed part of the e-visa process, wherein you never hand over your passport but rather handle the whole thing electronically. More detail here:
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Second, and to correct or at least add additional info to a previous comment: While it can take 7 business days (or more!) for your Thailand Pass to be processed, that it will take that long isn’t actually a universal fact. Both of mine were approved in less than an hour — including one which was approved one minute after submitting it.
Mick **********
@Tim *****
had you got everything in place like insurance sha hotel booked and pcr test booked plus has the OP got a full vaccination report ..some of them factors take up to 7 days to sort out
David *********
You won’t have time to fly in a few days time, it takes on average 7 working days to get your thailand pass and that’s once you have booked your quarantine or sandbox including pcr tests and transport and the insurance.
Ellie *******
You can enter Thailand on a visa-exempt scheme.

It is possible to apply for an in-country visa when you are on a visa-exempt entry stamp. But whether you really can or not depend on what type of visa you want to apply for in-country and if the local immigration office allows you to apply for that visa.
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