Should I get a transit visa for my short stay at Suvarnabhumi airport returning to Melbourne from India?

Dec 28, 2022
2 years ago
Paul *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Good afternoon,

I am an Australian and I have been in Thailand for 10 months. I have a few Covid extension stamps in my passport and I had some trouble when I attempted my last border run. I ended up travelling to Savannakhet to get a 60 day tourist visa.

I’m heading to India and Nepal early next month but then I’m going back home. My flight from India gets into Suvarnabhumi early on the 23rd Feb, and my flight home to Melbourne leaves later that evening (on a different airline).

I was going to leave some luggage in storage at Suvarnnabhumi so that I don’t have to lug it around India with me. However, that would mean I must go through immigration to pick it up for the return journey home.

To avoid all the questions and potential trouble at immigration associated with the length of time I’ve been in Thailand etc, should I just get a transit visa beforehand? Is it true that I can get a transit visa online? Some web pages say that I have to go to a consulate (in my case it will be Kathmandu) but I also noticed the ‘Thai e-visa official website’ and am wondering if this is legit.

If this is all too much trouble I’m considering travelling light, only taking hand luggage to India/Nepal so that I can avoid immigration at Suvarnnabhumi altogether.

Any help would be appreciated.

Cheers.
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TLDR : Answer Summary
An Australian expat in Thailand seeks advice on whether to obtain a transit visa for a brief stopover at Suvarnabhumi airport when returning to Melbourne. With covid extension stamps in their passport and concerns about immigration questioning, they contemplate the possibility of leaving luggage in storage and question the legitimacy of applying for a transit visa online versus at a consulate in Kathmandu. Community responses suggest that while a transit visa could work, it must be obtained at a consulate, as eVisa applications require applicants to be in their home country. Alternatively, they could consider traveling without checked luggage to avoid immigration altogether.
Tod *********
and on that note we wish good luck to the O/P in their endeavor.
Cheryl ********
Remember, now you have to have a PCR test to enter India.
Mario *********
Why don’t you leave your luggages at the airport in india
Paul *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Mario ********
different entry and departure airports
Tod *********
A transit visa would work. AND you probably could get one at the thai consulate in Katmandu..

The eVisa option is out as it can only be used when you're IN your home country, as you show flights to thailand from your country here. The minute you pick that you're not in your country it errors out and says get a visa at the consulate in the country you're in.

Or you just fly in visa exempt, show the proof of onward travel that you're leaving later that evening and hope for the best.

I would say flying in with proof of onward travel, later that evening is a far cry from picking a bad border to bounce at for a visa exempt entry with a passport full of covid extensions 😮
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