What are the options for a UK citizen applying for a tourist visa to Thailand and what documentation is required?

Thailand Visa Tourist Visa Visa Exempt Entry Visa Application Process UK Citizens Immigration in Thailand Visa Extension Visa on Arrival

Nov 7, 2022

2 years ago

Sammy ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

Really struggling with the online visa application process for a 60 day tourist visa to visit my son who lives in Surin.….

My flight arrives into BKK from the UK on the 17th November so not left myself anytime to get ‘supporting documentation’. What’s the latest on the visa on arrival scheme for a UK citizen please? Can I get 30 days at airport then apply for extension at my local Immigration Office as I’ve always done before?

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TLDR : Answer Summary

A UK citizen traveling to Thailand can enter visa-exempt for 45 days upon arrival and has the option to extend this stay by 30 days for a fee of 1,900 THB at a local immigration office. It's important to note that the Visa on Arrival is not available for UK passport holders. If you require additional days, you can apply for a tourist visa before traveling, which can take about three days for approval and includes additional documentation that should be readily available. There are also alternative options like making a border run to a neighboring country like Malaysia to reset the visa exempt status.

Mark *********

What documentation are you struggling with?

2 years ago

Alistair **********

You can get 45 days visa exempt as a UK citizen, you can extend it for 30days for 1900B. If your son is Thai you can extend for a further 60days for 1900B. You can also do a border run with a company or leave the country to say Malaysia (Visa Exempt for UK) and then fly straight back for 45 days visa exempt and then extend for 30 more days. Plenty of options to stay here legally for many months

2 years ago

Sammy ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Alistair *********

Thanks Alistair. My son is Thai and it’s always been straightforward to extend

2 years ago

Reply to

Sammy ********

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

The supporting documentation is trivial and things you should already have. London takes about 3 days to approve and send your visa. If you need those extra days a visa would offer you, it's easy and do-able.

2 years ago

Sammy ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Brandon ***********

apart from the online application form being incredibly clunky (something as simple as setting dates is a flippin nightmare!) it’s asking for letters of invitations, ID information of my son, birth certificate and his mothers ID etc. All doable with a bit more time. I’ve only just arrived back home after being away working for 3 months….next year I’ll give myself more time as this online visa application seems to be the future! Used to so easy nipping over to Hull and getting a 60 day visa in 20 minutes!?

2 years ago

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

@Sammy *******

you don't need any of that for a tourist visa though. A tourist doesn't have a son. Just upload a hotel reservation for invitation then cancel it.

2 years ago

Reply to

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

Stuart *********

Currently for a UK passport holder you won’t get a VOA as you don’t qualify for that. You do however qualify for a visa exempt entry, which is 45 days on entry. Sounds pedantic but they are completely different entry scheme’s depending on nationality.

You can extend a visa exempt entry once for a further 30 days.

2 years ago

Trigger *********

@Stuart ********

Just to let you know the Surin Immigration office is now on the ring road leaving Surin to the Prasat Road

***********************

2 years ago

Sammy ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Stuart ********

thank you Stuart. 45 days is enough to get me settled back ‘home’ in Surin. My local Immigration Office in Kap Choeng know me well so I should be able to take it onwards from there 👍

2 years ago

Reply to

Sammy ********

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