Entry into Thailand

harryopal1

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Aug 4, 2016
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Are there any members with up to date information about Thailand's current entry requirements?

Thailand has made several recent amendments as to visa exemptions and free visas on arrival and I have found it very difficult to get information as Thai Embassies in Thailand and Indonesia have inconsistent information. A search of other websites has different advice and many are out of date.

For example, it is stated that visas on arrival are available to citizens of 15 countries but the list does not include Australia or Indonesia. Yet, I am told by a friend presently in Thailand that Australians are eligible for visas on arrival.

Apart from the Embassy web sites I have tried calling the embassies directly and find it impossible to actually talk to someone. I also rang the Thai Tourism authority in Bangkok who could not give me information and referred me to a Thai Tourism office in Jakarta with a telephone number which is not available.

I have also tried Thai Airlines but again found it impossible to actually speak to someone to get the necessary information. It seems increasingly most travel websites are automated so it is very hard to actually find someone to speak to and, even if you do, they suggest the Thai embassies for information.

We are planning to arrive in Bangkok on the 1st of April and to depart on the 4th of April. I know that the free visa on arrival facility was to be cut but has again recently been extended to mid April.

So, my specific questions are these:

As an Australian national can I get either visa exemption of a free visa on arrival at Bangkok airport that will cover just those four days?

My wife is an Indonesian national. Does anyone know if the exemption and free visa facility is available for Indonesian nationals?

Do we need to take extra passport photos?

I won't make any airline bookings unless I know what we can or can't do.

Thanks in anticipation for reliable advice.
 
30 days exemption (44 nations)[edit]
Holders of normal passports of the following countries are granted visa-free travel to Thailand for a period of up to 30 days. The exemption is granted at most twice in a calendar year when entering overland or via a sea border but there is no limitation when entering by air.[8][2]

  • 23px-Flag_of_Australia.svg.png
    Australia
 
1 — Brunei, Indonesian, Malaysian, and Singaporean nationals do not have a limitation on the number of visa exempt entries.[8]
 
Thanks Snpark, but with that there have been several very recent changes. They were going to discontinue the visa on arrival process but then decided to continue that until mid April. To be on the safe side I tried to make those various enquiries through the official Thai sources. The Embassies' visa notes just 15 countries and not including Australia and Indonesia. Exasperating they have not updated completely their own advisorary and that the Thai Tourist Commission couldn't give information.
I have a Nepalese friend in Bangkok at the moment and I think he has an Australian passport so I will check with him and if he didn't need visa then I will take a punt and trust that the earlier exemption for Indonesia is still in place
 
When I googled it I put latest 2019 and wiki said updated on such and such 2019
 
On October 31, 2018 it was announced that within 30 days (by the end of November 2018), overstay visaswill no longer be allowed, and there will be no remaining overstayers in the kingdom by that date. On 20 November 2018 the cabinet of Thailandapproved several new visa free and visa on arrivalcountries.
 
Thai Visa on Arrival fee exemption should be extended. For more information check: Thailand Visa on Arrival Fees Waiver Extended in 2019. Visa on Arrivalfee exemption was confirmed by the Cabinet on 6th of November as they are expecting to increase tourist arrivals by about 30%
 
Thailand Visa on Arrival Fee
Thailand Visa fees on Arrival 2019 - 2000 THB. Thailand Visa on Arrival fee should be paid in cash at the time of your arrival to Thailand, at the airport or border crossing. Only local currency (Thai Baht) is accepted for paying Thailand visa fees on arrival.

HOT NEWS! Thai Visa on Arrival fee exemption is extended. What does it mean? You can get Thailand Visa on Arrival free in 2019. For more information check: Thailand Visa on
 
Fingers crossed. Both myself and Indonesian wife ought to be eligible for the visa fee extemption for visa on arrival.

Thanks again.
 
How long do you plan to stay ?
It seems you confuse visa waiver and VOA
Indonesia is part of Asean, as such any Indo citizens is allowed 30 day stay without visa.

Much stress about noting, mate !
 
How long do you plan to stay ?
It seems you confuse visa waiver and VOA
Indonesia is part of Asean, as such any Indo citizens is allowed 30 day stay without visa.

Much stress about noting, mate !

Thanks, Balifrog. I guess better a bit of angst now than arriving to find new rules creating problem. As for trying to understand from the official Thai Embassy web pages... who wouldn't be confused? But it does seem it will be okay.

And I just had this posted on the Balipod forum:

"My Indonesian partner and I are not long returned from Bangkok, she has Indonesian passport and me Aus, both 30 day VOA no need to pay anything. I read there is a requirement for tourists to bring in to Thailand equivalent of $300 USD each, but we weren't checked, just stamped and sent through much the same like arrival in to Bali."

But note that the Indonesian also had to do a VOA application was not passed as Visa exempt.
 
But note that the Indonesian also had to do a VOA application was not passed as Visa exemp

I think the people replying to you on that forum are confusing VOA and visa exemption. No Australian, Indonesian, UK etc etc citizens need to go to that voa section in the airport. Just because you fill in the landing card doesn't mean you are applying for a visa
 
You just get stamp on arrival directly into passport

Whereas (example) in Jakarta, you go to the VOA counter, pay your $35 for a ticket thing, then take that to Immigration next door and THEY stamp it

Typical of Indonesia to complicate an easy system
 
I think the people replying to you on that forum are confusing VOA and visa exemption. No Australian, Indonesian, UK etc etc citizens need to go to that voa section in the airport. Just because you fill in the landing card doesn't mean you are applying for a visa

I have been at least 6 times to BKK with my Indo gf , she gets a 30d visa waiver. Same for every Asean country.
 
You just get stamp on arrival directly into passport

Whereas (example) in Jakarta, you go to the VOA counter, pay your $35 for a ticket thing, then take that to Immigration next door and THEY stamp it

Typical of Indonesia to complicate an easy system

Not if you intend to stay less than 30d. Visa waiver again.
The VOA is only if you plan to extend your stay. Or first arrival for retirement visa etc....
 
Not if you intend to stay less than 30d. Visa waiver again.
The VOA is only if you plan to extend your stay. Or first arrival for retirement visa etc....

yes also that - more confusion but your standard tourist won't know that, they follow the signs for VOA

then you have immigration asking why you here etc - visiting friends is NOT tourism apparantly

all in all, bkk is very straightforward, queue up, stamp, and go. free of charge 30 days case closed. Same as SG, PHI etc
 
yes also that - more confusion but your standard tourist won't know that, they follow the signs for VOA

/QUOTE]

Well, sorry, but that would be the "not too smart tourists" having not even done their basic homework before travelling.
I visited Indonesia a few times and was never "tempted" the the VOA booth.
In Thailand the VOA is mainly used by Chinese.
 

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