A recent question regarding what to do when staying longer than the 30 days which is covered by the 'Transit' visa on arrival has prompted me to post this.
Tourist visas, valid for 60 days can be applied for through your local Thai Embassy or Consulate and are being issued free until end of March 2011. Go online to the Thai Mission in your country and download the visa application form. Post... and voilá you have your Tourist Visa in next to no time and there's no question of 'overstay' fines!
2 comments:
You've mixed up some terms and facts here.
Transit Visas and Visa on Arrival are two separate things. In addition, the 30-days given upon arrival at the airport falls under the "Visa Exempt" program with a limited number of countries Thailand has entered into reciprocal agreements with.
Transit visas are given for 30 days to those who are "transiting" Thailand en route to another country. To obtain this visa, an onward ticket must be shown upon arrival.
Visa on Arrival is available for citizens of only 21 countries, most of them from the developing world. This visa is good for only 15 days.
Visa exempt status is given to citizens from about 40 developed nations and allows for a 30-day stay.
A 7-day extension off a 30-day visa exempt stamp is possible, though not guaranteed.
As for tourist visas, they are available for all nationalities, although some applicants can only apply for them in their home country.
Visa regulations are complex and changing constantly. It's better to not give such advice casually here but refer people to more establish authorities such as ThaiVisa.com or SunbeltAsia.com.
The simple point being made was to get a Tourist Visa.
Post a Comment