What visa options are available for backpacking in Thailand for 3-6 months?

There is no double entry anymore, these were stopped quite a while back. You can get tourist visa as single entry or multiple entry.

Can you put some light on this Tod Daniels

@Tony ********

he possibly been there more than twice but he didnt get the extensions twice

Had your friend been more than twice

my friend tried to extend his 30 day visa waiver in Thailand and was told he cant do it. so he left the country to apply for a visa outside of Thailand

This is correct. The need for a return flight within 60 days is very much required. It could be asked for at the airport check in or upon arrival into Thailand. So it really is best to have one....even if a waver can be signed to not have one.....although I admit that I never have a flight when I get a tourist visa and it has never been an issue....you never know if the immigration person you have at the desk is having a bad day or not....it clearly says for a tourist visa....accom details, onwards flight and cash in hand CAN all be asked for...for arrival into Thailand. The signed waver would not get anyone through the gate...

Yes this is correct, however it wasn't explained to me by the consulate staff, and I was completely unaware until reading the posts from here over the past week or so that an immigration officer can prevent you from entering Thailand despite you having a valid tourist visa from a consulate

Most consulates allow the waver or a statement to be signed which is handy :)

Perth Thai consulate. Visa requirements.

Yes Dianne. So you signed a statement of a waver. That was because a return flight is required for a tourist visa so you signed a waver to acknowledge that you would be responsible for the cost of flying your son home should you be denied entry into Thailand.

I see the Melbourne form is now revised.

But I used it in September and travelled in October.

Had heaps of them.

But no third degree.

I did put my Thai address down and details of the last three visas.

My 60 day TR is currently being changed to a non immigration O.

Bangkok.

Then the 12 month extension grant is applied to that.

Gives me 15 months..

Over 50 retirement grant.

BTW... if anyone is looking at this avenue.

You don't need 800,000 baht in a Thai account.

A letter from your embassy stating you have equivalent funds in your country suffices.

2000 baht for the letter though...

August, April, Feb of this year

My son flew in on a one way flight last month, as did I August, April, Feb and August last year. Neither of us asked for a reason and the Thai Consulate was happy with a letter stating that you are aware of the purpose of a tourist visa and intend to leave prior to the visa expiring. Maybe it depends which Thai condulate you apply at and which airport in Thailand you land at

Actually Dianne. They are now asking for flight details in and out or a reason for a one way flight and accommodation details now. The requirements are now more detailed :(

You can also do a cheaper booking to an adjoining location.

And just blow the minimal outlay.

What I have done ( to explain. )

Is book a Thai airways flight the day I'm leaving to go somewhere else the next day..

They obviously know it's just plugging a loophole.

You get 24 hours to pay or it drops out of the system.

Airlines check in ties into immigration now.

They can see the iata Amadeus six digit code.

That's why (in Australia) they check your passports now.

Same UK I think?

And you walk straight past passport control.

I know it's going electronic and picks up the biometric information.

My partner had to have all her biometrics entered in Bangkok a few weeks ago.

No more visa stickers Thailand to Australia.

The e gates are also getting aligned slowly, in more countries.

The consulates make up some petty self rules.

They are honorary positions. With a few paid staff.

But you will not find them in the official Thai immigration manuals.

Thai Consulate in Perth requires you to have a flight into Thailand booked before you apply for a tourist visa, even SETV. And that your visa application not be within 14 days of that flight. Which is annoying as usually the turnaround for getting a touist visa takes less than a week. That is a good tip re Thai airways

@David ******

Never been asked for flight details in Oz. Melbourne.

In fact they tell you not to book until the visa is issued.

$55 for a TR 60 days single.

Cannot see the value in metv if moving around LOS.

Have been asked by Thai Airways wrt visa at departure.

Never in all my years have i been asked regards funds at arrival, or outgoing flight.

(I always have an exit flight and just revise the date. Alternatively you can book and place on hold with Thai Airways, a flight, and it drops off the system if not paid by a set date).

@Dianne ****

they are a soft touch with those METV's unlike a LOT of consulates

Right, I see. I checked again and consulate in Australia doesn't require a letter from your employer, but does require the date of your second entry on your METV

Thats for a METV Not the SETV

Wow the Thai consulate in Australia requires neither a letter from your employer or evidence of a flight out

To Kuala Lumpur or Penang (one of them in Malaysia), I didn't take the flight

@Paul ********

The Airlines, although as

@Ted ******

says they dont seem to be so harsh at other UK airports. I have been questioned in Houston, Atlanta, Luanda, Amsterdam, Paris CDG, and Singapore.

Elizabeth - just a note its not 'visa on arrival', you'll be 'visa exempt'. Quite different things. Other than that you should be OK. You could check with the airline.

i have been asked for proof of onward travel at heathrow and never anywhere else - manchester, gatwick, glasgow. However, in heathrow i just booked a ticket using air asia for 30 quid in the airport

Yes agree, another consideration when planning a long trip and using visa exempt entry.

Is it Heathrow or the airlines at Heathrow ?

@Paul ********

It is more likely that the Airline will deny boarding in the UK if you do not have a visa or proof of onward or return travel. Heathrow in particular is getting quite tough on this.

There should be no problem at all using visa exempt arrivals to enter Thailand. :-)

Like

@Dia***

above, I've never been asked to show any of the proofs, BUT the immigration officer can ask and can deny entry on that basis.

There are a few more consulates around the UK, one may be close enough for a visit.

Consulate in Hull,

Embassy in London :



Accepts postal or in person applications.

I have never been asked for proof of onward flight and have only booked one way tickets on both 30 day visa exempt entries and SETVs. My son also arrived last month on a 30 day visa exempt entry and did not have an onward flight booked and was not asked about this. For the SETVs I had to provide a letter to the consulate stating that I was aware of the purpose and terms of the SETV and planned to leave the Kingdom by the end of my visa. I have heard that immigration are OK about people coming in on a 60 day SETV with a fight out booked in 90 days time. And with people coming in on a 30 day visa exempt entry with a flight booked for 60 days time as it is common practise to extend both of these types of stay by 30 days at an immigration office

From a previous post / posts in the group :

Individuals are supposed to be able to show 10,000 baht (OR equivalent) if entering on a visa exemption, and 20,000 baht for family group.

I'll try a check on the cash amounts for visa exempt entry for family / single adults.

Can you not get a single entry tourist visa from Thai embassy / consulate before you arrive, that'll give you 60 days (plus extend by 30) - with a reentry (single or multiple) permit which keeps your visa alive you can come and go as you please during that 90 days.

If your doing a return flight and given your 'open' plans, I would recommend you get a ticket with flexible return date. Alternatively / depends if you can arrange your ticketing to Vietnam / Cambodia to show onward travel out of Thailand for that entry and then keep your airline ticket 'long'. [But that may cause hassle boarding flight in uk]

For visa applications bank statements work however

at immigration entering Thailand needs to be cash. (IF the officer requests to see it)

You can only have 2 visa exempt entries by a land border each year. Each entry giving 30 days. Any more than 2 and you'll need a visa (tourist or other) or arrive back into Thailand by air (and probably not at southern airports - as they can be keen on proofs and also denying repeat visa exempt entries)

Yes, both German and UK citizens can get visa exempt entries.