Travelers from many countries don’t need to obtain a Thailand visa in advance if they only plan to come into the country for a short stay, as they will be entitled to a 30-day stay using the visa-free entry method. However, those planning to stay in Thailand for longer than 30 days need to apply for a tourist visa. In this article, I’d like to explain how to apply for a Thailand tourist visa.
Thankfully, this is a process that you can do this from your home country or from a country neighboring Thailand.
Single, Double or Triple-Entry Tourist Visa
Thailand tourist visas are available as single-entry, double-entry and triple-entry, with the triple-entry visa only being available from an Embassy or Consulate in your home country. Some countries neighboring Thailand offer double-entry tourist visas, but some only offer single-entry visas. Applying from your home country is usually the best way to apply (if you’re in the US, we recommend Passport Visa Express). But if you only decide to stay longer after you’ve arrived in the country, you can still apply from a nearby country.
Single-entry tourist visas are usually valid for 3 months and allow you to stay for either 30 or 60 days when you arrive in the country. You must arrive before the expiry date of the visa.
A double or triple-entry tourist visa is usually valid for 6 months, so you need to use all the entries before the expiry date. Each entry to the country will allow you to stay either 30 or 60 days.
Whether you can stay 30 days or 60 days depends on what country you’re from. If you are allowed visa-exempt travel to Thailand you’ll get a 60-day stamp. Those that aren’t entitled to visa-exempt travel will only get a 30-day stamp.
Once your 30 or 60 days are up you can either apply to your local immigration office to extend your stay for an additional 30 days, or leave the country and return (for those with double or triple-entry visas).
So a single-entry visa will get you an initial stay of 30 or 60 days, which can be extended for a further 30 days at your local immigration office, giving you a total stay of 60 or 90 days.
A double-entry visa will get you an initial stay of 30 or 60 days, which can be extended for a further 30 days at your local immigration office. You can then leave the country and return to activate the second entry. You get another 30 or 60 days on entry and this can also be extended for an additional 30 days. This gives you a total stay of 120 or 180 days.
A triple-entry visa means you can enter the country a third time and also extend that stay for 30 days. So a triple-entry visa can give you a total stay of 180 or 270 days.
Tourist Visa Requirements
A tourist visa is for visiting Thailand as a tourist, so you’re not allowed to work in Thailand while you have this visa.
To apply for the visa you’ll need your passport (with at least 6 months remaining on the date you arrive in Thailand), a completed visa application form, a recent passport-sized photo, an air ticket and proof of funds (20,000 baht ($670) per person).
You can get the application from your local Thai Embassy or Consulate.
Extending Your Tourist Visa In Thailand
As mentioned above, your tourist visa can be extended for an addition 30 days. You’ll need to visit your local immigration office in Thailand to get this done. Take your passport, a recent passport-sized photo, a completed application form, proof of funds and the 1,900 baht ($65) fee.
Some nationalities will only be given a 7-day extension. These include nationals of Bangladesh, China, India, Iran, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Togo and Uganda.
After your 30-day extension it’s also possible to get an extra 7-day extension for 1,900 baht.
New Thailand Visa Overstay Rules
Click here to know how to wire money to/from Thailand
Hotels In Thailand
As you’re planning to visit Thailand, please take some time to check out the thousands of great hotels available.
