Visa information and advice

Getting a visa and understanding the rules can be tricky at times. Furthermore, obtaining one in a foreign land can be stressful and time consuming not to mention expensive. Here are a few guidelines and advice to help you get through what can be a testing process.

30 Day Electronic Visa

Before you make your way to Thailand, it is a good idea to obtain a holiday visa. For most countries, people arriving in Thailand should get an automatic 30 day Electronic holiday visa which you get a stamp in your passport upon arrival at the airport or any border.

15 day visa

If you do not have a holiday visa then after 30 days you have to go to the border where you can only obtain a 15 day stamp. This is expensive and time consuming and not worth the effort. So make sure you get some form of visa that allows you to stay for a lengthy time.

3 Month Holiday Visa - Single Entry

Should you want to stay longer than 30 days then getting a 3 month holiday visa is a good idea all round. This can be obtained at any Thai Embassy in the world whether it is in your own country or not.

When you have obtained a 3 month visa, this will mean that you are allowed to stay in the kingdom for 60 days (date of expiry will be stamped in your passport upon arrival). After the 60 days,  you will either have to go to a Thai immigration office and get a 30 day extension at a cost of 1900 Baht or cross the border to a neighboring country such as Laos or Cambodia (who charge for a visa) only to walk straight back into Thailand.

6 Month Holiday visa - Double Entry

Should you want to stay longer than 90 days then getting a 6 Month holiday visa is a better idea. The 6 Month Holiday visa works the same as the 30 day holiday visa except for the odd difference. After you have been through the routine of the first three months, you must leave Thailand for another country, you cannot go to Thai Immigration to activate the next 90 days of your visa.

So let's take it step by step:

  1. Obtain your 6 Month double entry holiday visa at a Thai Embassy anywhere in the world. Most people usually do this in their home country first.
  2. When you arrive in Thailand by any port, your passport will be stamped with a date for when you should leave. (60 days from the day of arrival).
  3. When date of expiry arrives, you must go to a Thai Immigration office and apply for a 30 day extension which costs 1900 Baht or cross the border to a neighboring country only to walk back in to activate the next 30 days.
  4. After those 30 days, you must leave Thailand, you cannot activate the next 90 days at Thai Immigration.
  5. Re-enter Thailand to activate your next 60 days, upon arrival your passport will be stamped with a date for when you have to go Thai Immigration to  extend your visa another 30 days. Hence the name "double entry".

After your six months is up, you can always go to a Thai Embassy in a neighboring country to and obtain yet another 6 month double entry visa.

It can be a testing process especially if you don't know where you are going. When your time is up then you will have to go on a "Visa Run" which can be fun or hellish.

Visa Runs

30 Day stamps

If you need to get to the border to activate your second part of your 6 month holiday visa by crossing over to another country, don't fret as most travel agents should know a company who can arrange your trip for you. Some are really good and some are really poor. The good ones pick you up early morning, take you to the border where you line up at the Thai border to get your stamp out, then escort you to a casino on the other side in Cambodia, feed you and leave you to your means while they take care of the process of your Cambodian visa. This may take up to two hours but you sit and wait comfortably instead of queuing up in the sweltering heat.  After your Cambodian visa is obtained for you, your passport should already have a stamp in it and its back to Thailand you go.

Obtaining another Holiday visa in Laos

The best and most enjoyable way of doing this, if you are in the top half of Thailand, is by going to the Thai Embassy in Laos.

You may go with a company who takes you by V.I.P bus and arranges all your accommodation and pick ups for you. They also take care of getting your Laos visa for you at the border. On these trips, you are generally herded like sheep on to a bus with other travellers, then made to wait around for your passport at the border. This can be tiring and testing. The buses are usually hot and uncomfortable after being on them for 8-9 hours. Sleep is hard to come by unless you've got sedatives. From listening to travellers over the years, my best advice is simple, take the train and do it yourself. 

Let's take it step by step:

  1. If you have a day or two to spare then obtaining your Laos visa whilst in Thailand is a huge advantage. At any good travel agent on Khaosan Road, you should be able to do this. It usually takes until the next day, depending on which time you hand it in. Also take a photocopy of your passport and two photographs with you, this is essential.
  2. While at the travel agents, buy yourself an overnight return train ticket (your travel agent should give you tell you the time of the returning train that coincides with the collection of your passport and giving you enough time to get to the station) to Nong Khai which is situated on the Thai- Laos Border. 1st or 2nd class sleeper will guarantee you a good night sleep and all the comforts of food and beverage service and the ability to stretch your legs and go to the toilet. Trains are also good places to meet other travellers if you like that sort of thing. If not pull you curtain across and relax.
  3. In the morning when you awake, you can sit up and open the window and witness the beautiful Thai country side with fresh air filling your lungs.
  4. When you arrive in Nong Khai which should be about 9-10 o ‘clock in the morning, get off the train and straight into a Tuk Tuk (50-70 Baht) to the border.
  5. Fill out your leaving card and go through to the other side where you can buy a bus ticket for about 20 Baht to take you across the Friendship Bridge to the Laos border.
  6. Once you are at the Laos border, fill in your entry card and then get your stamp into Laos.
  7. Once you are in Laos, you will be hounded by taxi and bus drivers. You can get yourself a personal Tuk Tuk driver for a 100Baht who will take you straight to the Thai Embassy in Vientiane.
  8. Once you get to the Embassy, fill out your forms with the necessary details and documents.
  9. Find yourself a comfortable hotel or guesthouse (in the Mekhong river area which is most convenient for some) and wait til the next day when you can pick up your passport.
  10. The next day, retrieve your passport and catch the return train accordingly or simply enjoy the wonder of Laos for as long as possible. (Great idea)

Warning - False visas

If you are ever offered a Thai visa on Khaosan Road without having to go anywhere or do anything then I kindly advise you to refuse this offer as they are usually false. This is highly illegal and when you arrive at the border you will be arrested and you will go to jail.  You have been warned.