Can I show a digital copy of my visa on my phone when entering Thailand?

Sep 12, 2024
2 months ago
Andrew *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Just produced the visa document on my phone , no need to print it out.
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The conversation revolves around the use of digital visa documents for entry into Thailand. Users discuss their experiences with presenting visa information on their phones and express differing opinions on whether it is advisable to print out a hard copy. Several commenters note that while some have successfully shown digital copies, others recommend having a physical copy ready to avoid potential issues at immigration, citing instances where hard copies were requested.
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James ********
WRONG... Thanks Robert Lagas for THIS
Brunt *******
So where is your 1st stop? Enjoy ๐Ÿ‘
Andrew *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Brunt Wayne thanks mate - Bkk for week
Robert *******
Why would we follow up the regulations as asked?

We do as we please and when we are lucky the Immigration Officer in Thailand accept it.

And then we tell everybody they can avoid the rules and do as they please because when it goes wrong, the OP has a lot of fun, he will be LOL all day when you get refused entry.

Please do not try to get as lucky as him, if you want to try your luck, buy a lottery ticket, cheaper and less hassle when you lose.
James ********
Robert Lagas thank you again for your helpful reply and correct info โœ…
Guddu *************
Not much fun rather more trouble to visit Thailand. Immigration enjoys troubling you when it is a tiny country with lots of corrupt police and immigration and only Thai language based corruption to bother you more and more. Go To Indonesia, Vietnam,korea rather than going to Thailand
Nick ************
That could be a picture from anybodies passport.
Tod *********
@Andrew ********
you are REALLY lucky they stamped you in on that ๐Ÿ˜• There are reports of people getting told show a hard copy or don't get stamped in on the visa

PRINT out the PDF (just like the email says to do) because it IS your visa.
Brian ****
Call me weird, but I'd rather not give my phone to the government.
Paul *******
@Brian ***
You're what I would call normal. Just like me. I only give government officials pieces of paper, which in this case, is what they're demanding anyway. Thus a win-win for both sides.
Petri **********
@Brian ***
Yes. Better not give phone no one else.
Roberto *********
Andy **********
People just print it, so they have got a hard copy, to pass to the immigration officer, together with their passport to easily scan it, also just in case they have any problems with their phone, such as flat battery.
Paul *******
@Andy *********
Let me see. Privacy? Not wanting the government to know about my private life?
James ********
Andy **********
I didn't say you can murder someone, are you talking about that Thai celebrity, that died in a speedboat "accident" in Bangkok?? who knows what really happened, sometimes I've heard of victims families, settling out of court with the accused person, what exactly that means, I don't know.
Andy **********
Karl Fjeseth I suggest you read the other comments in this post, as to reasons why it's not a good idea to only have it on your phone, if you have got the DTV visa, and intend to do extensions in-between border bounces, you will be printing at some point for immigration anyway, Thailand hasn't gone completely digital yet, they like paper, but anyway it's "up to you" as they like to say in Thailand ๐Ÿคท๐Ÿ˜‚
Karl *********
@Andy *********
end of conversation. They might be watching me now ๐Ÿคฃ
Andy **********
Karl Fjeseth I live in Thailand, I understand how things work, everything is okay.... until one day it isn't, you used riding a motorcycle, as a for instance, no licence/drunk/ no helmet = no insurance, so liable for not only your own medical treatment, but any person who is injured in an accident, also damage to any vehicles or property, and possible police prosecution, and in Thailand you can't just leave the country, I've heard of police confiscating passports, it can get really serious, so I hope if anything like that happened to someone, your going to need a big fat wallet เธฟเธฟเธฟเธฟเธฟ ๐Ÿคท๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿคฃ๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‰
James ********
Save yourself a problem... PRINT OUT SEVERAL COPIES OF YOUR EVISA WITH THE DTV VISA.
James ********
@Andy *********
Agreed ๐Ÿ’ฏโœ…
Doug **********
@Andy *********
they will not run out of battery ๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿคฃ
Andy **********
@Doug *********
how can you guarantee someone will never run out of battery on there phone?? silly comment, when previously travelling to Thailand from the UK, It's 24 hours "door to door" my phone battery was always dead upon arriving in Thailand, so would need to remember to bring a power bank, or charging cable, every time you leave Thailand and return you need to produce your e-visa at the border, I did present my e-visa on my phone once, during a border bounce, and the immigration officer seemed to struggle scanning it, pinching the screen trying to enlarge the QR code to scan it, if in the future you want to extend at your local immigration office, you will a paper copy to complete the extension ๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ™๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ๐Ÿ˜Ž
Paul *******
@Andy *********
I would absolutely never show anything on my phone to any government official. For me its ALWAYS a printed copy of an evisa or boarding pass or anything similar. It's what I got used to doing when online checkin and online visas first became available and I don't think these systems can or should be "improved" upon.

Printing out the visa even if your printer heads aren't clean and the print quality isn't the greatest is much better than presenting something on your phone that an officer might not be able to read or scan.
Andy **********
@Paul ******
why would you be worried about giving your phone to a government official at a border of entry ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ˜˜
Wannikea *********
He's too inconsiderate to print out a physical copy and made sure the IO at the border had to squint and look at his phone to verify his visa.
James ********
James ********
@Wannikea ********
correct โœ…

It's TRULY sad to see this generation of " I'll use my phone". Simply print out the Evisa.
Klee **************
How do you get this added to your passport? Of do you just show the digital copy on your phone at the airport on arrival??
Romain ****
@Klee *************
you need to show it at every entry
Klee **************
@Romain ***
I thought it would be somehow a stamp in your passport, but I guess if you do the EV online, itโ€™s only a digital copy or you can print it out I guess?
Wannikea *********
@Klee *************
PRINT IT OUT, like the instructions tell you to.
Klee **************
@Wannikea ********
I see that now, Iโ€™ll make a couple of copies, and put one in my passport directly
Graham ******
@Klee *************
It is a physical Visa in your passport if obtained in an Embassy or Consulate which does not operate the eVisa system
Khun *****
Do you mean you had the document downloaded on your phone and they simply scanned the QR code from your phone?
Romain ****
@Khun ****
yes they also told me itโ€™s ok like that
James ********
Romain ****
@James *******
they are expert at saying print out when they accept on phone. I would keep a paper copy, but the same officially applies for train tickets whereas I never printed any ticket for train in Thailand
Khun *****
@James *******
that's what I thought! I'm going to take a copy in any case! Thanks for sharing!
Andrew *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Khun ****
had the document on my phone - as I said
James ********
Ray *****
Have you had it for a few months? Just wondering why only stamped until March 2029 when it's a 5 year visa
Tommy **********
@Ray ****
You donโ€™t get 5 years in your passport, you reapply every 180 days.
Ray *****
Apologies the stamp is 2025, I thought it was written as 2029....fail
John *******
@Ray ****
visa became available July 15th, so March 10 2029wouldnt even make sense
Ray *****
@John ******
apologised already. Thanks for your input
Elรญas ********
@Ray ****
180 days per entry, whenever one entries every time.
Seb ********
Seriously? ๐Ÿ™„
Angelo ***********
@Seb *******
Seriously what? What are you asking?
Seb ********
@Ang***
Iโ€™m asking to apply a bit of common sense.
Tim ***********
@Ray ****
its a 5 year multi entry but each entry is only 180 days. You can extend once per entry OR leave and come back and get another 180.
Andrew *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Ray ****
was issued 12 August, I arrived today
John *******
@Ray ****
that is the entry stamp. Entry is only 180 days, March 2025
Tommy ********
@Ray ****
I donโ€™t think heโ€™s a digital nomad