Answered3 years ago
How can I navigate my visa options for traveling to Australia from Thailand?
Hi all
I’m so sorry for asking so many questions on our visit in November, but we’ve never left to visit friends in another country and returned before and we’re trying to weigh up cost options ( flights etc) and google is not playing ball!
As we’re in Thailand for a total of 89 days, we’re looking at a 60 day and 30 day extension. During this period we want to go to Brisbane for approximately 10 days and then return to Thailand to complete our trip.
We’ve explored going within the 60 days and getting a re entry permit and then the 30 day extension ( nervous about how to do re entry)
Going to Australia on 60th day, and then returning on visa exemption for the remainder of the trip ( cost of flights to Australia extortionate due to Christmas/NY period)
Or is it possible to arrive on visa exempt from UK, fly to Australia on 30th day and then ( as a uk citizen) apply for a setv while we’re in Australia? I didn’t know whether you had to actually be in your own country to apply
METV - would this work for our situation? Is it a costly way of doing things, just for a 10 day break?
Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge and experience
I’m so sorry for asking so many questions on our visit in November, but we’ve never left to visit friends in another country and returned before and we’re trying to weigh up cost options ( flights etc) and google is not playing ball!
As we’re in Thailand for a total of 89 days, we’re looking at a 60 day and 30 day extension. During this period we want to go to Brisbane for approximately 10 days and then return to Thailand to complete our trip.
We’ve explored going within the 60 days and getting a re entry permit and then the 30 day extension ( nervous about how to do re entry)
Going to Australia on 60th day, and then returning on visa exemption for the remainder of the trip ( cost of flights to Australia extortionate due to Christmas/NY period)
Or is it possible to arrive on visa exempt from UK, fly to Australia on 30th day and then ( as a uk citizen) apply for a setv while we’re in Australia? I didn’t know whether you had to actually be in your own country to apply
METV - would this work for our situation? Is it a costly way of doing things, just for a 10 day break?
Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge and experience
Answer summary
The user seeks advice on visa options for a trip involving a stay in Thailand (total of 89 days) and a visit to Australia. They are considering a combination of visa exemption and extensions, and want to ensure they navigate the process correctly, especially regarding flight costs and immigration requirements. Responses emphasize the simplicity of using a 30-day visa exemption followed by a possible return under the same exemption, plus extensions, without needing a re-entry permit unless planning to stay longer.
24 repliesnewest first
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Roy ***********
Be careful with your counts of days. Day of arrival is Day 1, so 60 days stamp is really 59 days; 30 day stamp is really 29 days.
Gillian ******
OP@Bra****
I know many people on this group are knowledgeable about anything Bangkok related, but do you happen to know if Samui immigration office deal with re entry permits? I’ve exhausted the search for this, and before booking our flights I need to know if we can obtain it there, or whether we have to do it at Bangkok airport. Obviously it would be far easier for us to get through tickets Samui-Brisbane.Brandon ************
@Gillian *****
are you asking about the immigration office or the airport? I don't know about the airport but every immigration office should offer the ability to purchase re-entry permits.Gillian ******
OP@Brandon ***********
yes, the immigration office. I don’t recall seeing the TM8 in the tray of forms there in the past, and didn’t want to eliminate the option of doing it at Bangkok airport, if I find out once I’m there that Samui office doesn’t issue them. I realise that November is a long way off, but we really need to get the Australian flight booked as early as possible 👍Gillian ******
OP@Brandon ***********
I have, but no one’s responding. I guess it’s like anything else. If it’s not a common occurrence, people simply don’t have experience of it. Ask about extensions and retirement requirements etc and many people will respond. Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it!Brandon ************
@Gillian *****
if you really want to know you should try posting on a Samui Facebook group. Since the Koh Samui office isn't the main office for the province.Mma *******
Your making it way more complicated. No visa required beforehand. Come in on the 30 day Visa Exemption which you can extend for another 30 days, giving you 60 days total. Go to Brisbane then come back and get another 30 day Visa Exemption. This is the simplest way for what you want to do.
Paul *******
@Mma ******
He could get pulled aside and questioned for doing this. Unofficially at least, Thai immigration really only likes to see one extension on a visa exempt, after which a tourist visa OR a lengthy absence from Thailand is preferred.Unless someone spends less than 30 days in country, with no extension, stays away for a couple of weeks then returns on visa exempt and spends less than 30 days on that second trip. That second method would be unlikely to raise any eyebrows at immigration.
Gillian ******
OP@Mma ******
what I found complicated was the options and what options are an actual possibility due to Thai visa requirements and restrictions. Although we can go over anytime within that period, we also have to factor in cost. Bearing cost in mind, and with the exceptional advice from people here, we have discovered sadly that after the first week in November the prices of flights to OZ increase by a few hundred pounds per person. That’s unfortunately now narrowed it down to 60 day setv, re entry permit and then 30 day extension. Before looking into it, I wasn’t even sure if you could get a re entry permit on a setv, therefore this group is priceless to the likes of us 😊Mma *******
@Gillian *****
You don't need the re-entry permit. Just come in and out on Visa Exempts. The re-entry permit is essentially for longer termers not Tourists. Unless you're a habitual abuser of Visa Exempts you can do a couple back to back without issue.Simon **********
You can come to Thailand and get a 30 day visa exemption on arrival, you can extend this for another 30 days for 1900THB if you're staying more than 30 days. If you leave and go tp Australia, you will get another 30 day exemption when you return, which you could also extend for 1900THB. If you plan to stay more than 30 days your airline may ask for proof of onward travel within the 30 day limit, you can buy very cheap one way tickets online with budget airlines to neighbouring countries to assuage their concerns, but generally if you explain your itinerary they will be okay. Very very rarely will Thai immigration ask for onward travel details, but it does happen, but again if you explain they will generally listen. What alerts their suspicion is repeat travellers with multiple extensions etc
Gillian ******
OP@Simon *********
that would be perfect for us if we left for OZ at the end of November. Trust me I’ve tried to justify it, but the price of flights there jumps up ridiculously once you’re out of the first week in November, so this method would leave us short of quite a few days 😔Simon **********
@Gil****
maybe I am mistaken but if you are intending to stay 60 days in Thailand then go to Australia and come back for 30 days, or more, then you can do it all with visa exemption and 30 day extensionSimon **********
@Gil****
you can stay in Thailand for uptown 90 days on your first arrival, you will get another 30 days, which you can further extend by another 30 days, when you come back from Australia. No need for re-entry stamps etc I think you're over thinking this :-)Gillian ******
OP@Simon *********
yes that’s exactly what we’ve decided to do. Ideally doing it without the faff of a re entry permit, but as we’ve discovered, we can’t do it cleverly by going at the end of our 60 days ( which we would have done in a heartbeat) literally because of the extortionate flight prices.Simon **********
@Gil****
I am obviously missing something 😊 If you come on a 60 day tourist visa you can stay upto 90 days by extending it by 30 days for 1900THB.Gillian ******
OP@Simon *********
yes, that’s what we would love to do this in an ideal world, but 60 days falls on Christmas Eve, and the flights are an eye watering price. Just by trying to avoid a 24hr trip from UK, we thought it’d be a fantastic idea to just nip over there from Thailand. It’s not as cut and dried as we initially thought 😂
Gregor **********
@Simon *********
perfect answer! PERFECT! Thank you! I could not have written it any better! The point is: BEWARE of the cheap "onwardticket" method. Airlines since the beginning of this year are very reluctant in accepting them. Instead, you should buy a REAL cheap one-way flight ticket out of Thailand
James *********
Don't fret, what you're wanting to do is very basic. Just get your dates lined up and GO, you've got this!
David *******
At what stage in your trip do you want to go to Brisbane?
If you time it so that you return to Thailand with 30 days or fewer left on your total trip then you can get a Tourist Visa for your first entry and then just enter Visa Exempt on your return from Brisbane. Eg 50 days in Thailand, 10 days in Brisbane, 29 days in Thailand.
You could even do that earlier (as the Visa Exempt can be extended) but might have an issue with the airline at BNE.
If you time it so that you return to Thailand with 30 days or fewer left on your total trip then you can get a Tourist Visa for your first entry and then just enter Visa Exempt on your return from Brisbane. Eg 50 days in Thailand, 10 days in Brisbane, 29 days in Thailand.
You could even do that earlier (as the Visa Exempt can be extended) but might have an issue with the airline at BNE.
Gillian ******
OP@David ******
that’s the million dollar question David. Our best option would be to go towards the end of the 60 day, and just do exempt for the remainder 20+ days, but that falls Christmas period and flights are ridiculous to and from Oz. We’re totally flexible with the time and dates in Oz because we’re staying with family. It’s the timing, cost and uncertainty about getting back in etc that we’re trying to sort in our heads before we book the flight to and from Oz. It’s looking like we’re going to have to bite the bullet and do what @Bra****
advises, and navigate the re entry route within our 60 day setv.David *******
Gillian Dodd A re-entry permit is easy to get at any Immigration Office, or even at the airport when you leave if you’re not going to be near an Office.
Again, you’ll need to get the timing right as regards when you want to get an Extension.
Again, you’ll need to get the timing right as regards when you want to get an Extension.
Brandon ************
Once you have a re-entry permit there's nothing special to do about re-entry. You just get in line like everyone else and then after you're stamped in you should check your passport to make sure they gave you the correct stamp and you're done.
You're not going to be in Australia long enough to apply for a visa. They still require you to mail your passport to the embassy.
You're not going to be in Australia long enough to apply for a visa. They still require you to mail your passport to the embassy.
Gillian ******
OP@Brandon ***********
that’s helpful thank you. We can rule that out at least.Activity
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