Visa and Entry Requirements

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Visa and Entry Requirements

Generally, a foreign citizen wishing to enter the Kingdom of Thailand must obtain a visa from a Thai Embassy or Consulate-General. However, some foreign citizens do not require any type of entry permit.

The 3 basic types of visas or permission to enter stamps are as follows:

Visa Exempt

Arrivals via International flight receive a 30-day "permission to stay" stamp at immigration. Arrivals over-land, that is by train, bus, boat, car, bike or on foot receive a 15-day "permission to stay" stamp at immigration.

Please check here for countries permitted to use this option.

Visa on Arrival

Some foreign citizens are required to apply for a 15-day visa on arrival which can be issued at any immigration checkpoint. Travelers must show an onwards ticket out of Thailand. A 2-inch recent passport type photo along with an application form should be presented. The price for application is 1000 Baht. An extension of stay will not be granted with this type of visa.

Please check here for countries permitted to use this option.

Visa application required before travelling

Citizens of certain foreign countries are required to apply for an entry visa from the Thai Embassy or Consulate-General from their place of permanent residence.

Please check here for countries permitted to use this option.

Extensions

If you wish to extend your "permission to stay" the following options are available;

7-day extension from Samui Immigration Office at a cost of 1900 Baht
14-day extension over-land to the Malaysian border at approximate cost of 2000 Baht for bus, ferry, and trains
30-Day extension by taking an International flight out of Samui to Kuala Lumpur or Singapore with an approximate cost of 10000 Baht
60 Day extension can be obtained from the Thai Embassy in Penang or Kuala Lumpur. It will take a day for the embassy to process. By organised bus, boat and train it will cost approximately 3000 return to KL or Penang. There also specialist operators that do visa border runs from Samui.

Not all countries are eligible for extensions, please check all requirements with the Thai Embassy/Consulate prior to travelling.

Single Entry Tourist Visa (Vaild for 3 months prior to entry)

If you do plan to stay longer than 30 days in Thailand, then your best option is to obtain a Single Entry Tourist Visa from the Thai Embassy or Consulate in your country of residence. This will get you a 60-day "permission of entry" stamp on arrival and can be extended at the Samui immigration office for another 30 days only.

The price for extension is 1900 Baht.

2 to 4 Entry Tourist Visa (Valid for 6 months prior to entry)

If you are looking at travelling around South East Asia, you may want to re-enter Thailand in different areas of the country and come back in elsewhere. This type of visa can be obtained from a Thai Embassy or Consulate in your country of residence.

This type of visa will get you a 60 day "permission to stay" on arrival and can be extended at an immigration office in Thailand. After the extended 30 days you must leave Thailand, but can enter again for another 60 days and repeat the 30 day extension again when required for one last time. The visa is invalid once all entries are used. The 60 days is only available to those countries with the 30 day exempt option at airport arrival. For countries not exempt this visa is available but for 30 days only.The price for extension is 1900 Baht per extension.

Please beware the above information and prices may change at any time.

Onus to obtain the correct and current information from the appropriate authorities lies with the person traveling. For further information please visit the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs and your local Thai Embassy or Consulate website.