Do I need to apply for an ETA for traveling to Thailand in January-February?

Thailand ETA Visa Regulations Travel Expat Guidance

Sep 11, 2024

2 months ago

ORIGINAL POSTER

Does any one know if you need to apply for an ETA for going onces to Thailand in January till Feb  pls

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TLDR : Answer Summary

There is uncertainty surrounding the requirement for an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) for trips to Thailand in January and February. Current discussions suggest it may be introduced as a pilot program starting with Australians in December, but definitive details are still lacking. Many contributors express skepticism about the change, noting Thailand's reliance on tourism and existing visa exemptions. Comments indicate that even if an ETA is implemented, it may only require an online form with minimal documentation, similar to the old arrival processes.

THAILAND ELECTRONIC TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION (ETA)

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Henrik *****

ONLY RUMORS.

Nothing has been decided by Parlament, and are not publiced in Royal Gazette.

2 months ago

Poul **********

Is it likely to be just a form to be filled in like the old T6 arrival card

My worry is if they want upload of documentation for address in Thailand, copy of return ticket, documentation for residence in home country etc

I know difficult to answer, nobody knows as no specifics released yet

2 months ago

Martyn ***********

Hang on... I'll fire up my time machine 😂

2 months ago

Nigel *********

Don't worry about it

2 months ago

Bart **************

Obviously I don't know either but I'm firmly expecting that this will not happen. Thailand is very dependent on tourism and visa free travel is an important contributor to that success. They've just greatly expanded the visa exemption possibilities, with many more countries and allowing to stay double the time. Abandoning visa exemption completely would be a major error.

2 months ago

Michael ********

@Bart *************

its not likely to be abandoning visa exemption. Will probably be same as Singapore and Malaysia and its just an aid to the automatic immigration.

2 months ago

Bart **************

@Michael *******

I hope you're right. On the internet I now found that Malaysia does indeed require filling out a form before going, but indeed it's a type of arrival card of sorts. Everyone needs to fill it out, also residents and even citizens. So it's not an authorization of sorts, just a form.

It could be the media speculating wildly again that this new form Thailand is considering does involve authorization, thereby de facto being a new type of visa. Reading that this might be required for visa exempt entries, it would suggest the latter. But again, I hope you're right.

2 months ago

Michael *******

@Bart *************

its an electronic travel authorization, so instead of being turned back at immig or airline check in desk you will denied access before you even leave home - for 99% of us that’s a non issue it has nowt to do with a visa or visa exemption

2 months ago

Bart **************

@Michael ******

hey that's actually a good point. Knowing upfront whether you qualify for visa exemption has great advantages. And also, if you now scroll through pages like this, the answers on whether or not someone with a bit of travel history can still enter vary from "no one knows" to "immigration officer's discretion" to "you can until you can't". Such an ETA could open the door to a bit of standardization.

Sticking with my point that visa exemption is a misleading term if some sort of travel approval is required, but based on your argumentation I'm not opposing it.

2 months ago

Reply to

Bart **************

Michael *******

@Bart *************

visa free travel won’t change this is merely an on line arrival card you fill out before you travel it will eventually eliminate the need for standing in line at immig for many arrivals , and the end of annoying stamps filling up passports love traveling to countries where this is in place like SIn, Malaysia and Australia Thailand is joining the digital age and not before time

2 months ago

Reply to

Michael *******

Tony ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

10q

2 months ago

Brandon ************

No one knows. The government doesn't even know. It's just a proposal and the proposal just says it will be a pilot with Australians starting in December.

But why does it matter? It's 4 months away and it will just be filling out a form online and only if you're traveling without a visa.

2 months ago

Reply to

Brandon ************

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