Thailand: Visa

Check in Thailand
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (www.mfa.go.th) oversees immigration and visa issues. Check out his website or you move to the embassy or consulate of Thailand nearest to you for procedures and costs.

The rules for obtaining and extending visas have changed since the last 5 years. Learn from Thaivisa (www.thaivisa.com) for the latest developments.

Prior to departure, it is imperative to contact embassies and consulates to ensure that the entry on the territory terms have not changed. We advise you to copy all your important documents (introductory pages of your passport, credit cards numbers, travelers checks, insurance, train tickets / plane / bus, driving license, etc. ). Carry extra copies of these, that you keep separate from the original. And you will replace these documents more easily in case of loss or theft.

Tourist Visas
The French, Belgian, Swiss, Canadians and Amirecans can enter Thailand without a visa for up to 30 days on tourism. They must hold a valid passport (at least 6 months after the date of return).

This status, which bears the name of "visa waiver" materializes in the passport by an input buffer and output indicating the period during which you are allowed to stay in the country.

In 2008, the length of stay for nationals of countries exempted from visa has been slightly modified. Arriving by plane, a 30-day visa is issued free of charge. By land, the visa is issued (free) for only 15 days. Only citizens of Malaysia still have a 30-day visa on arrival by land.

In theory, you should be in possession of a return ticket (or continue your journey) and enough money to stay. In practice, the immigration authorities rarely carry out checks as long as it is properly dressed.

If you plan to stay more than 30 days (or 15 days, arriving by land), you should apply for a tourist visa valid for 60 days with an embassy or a Thai Consulate before departure. You can also renew your visa in Thailand but it will cost more. Contact the Thai authorities near you for more information.

Extension of visas
You can apply for a visa extension in any immigration office in Thailand. Foreigners generally through Bangkok immigration office (0 2287 3101; Soi Suan Phlu, Th Sathon Tai; 9h-12h and 13h-4:30 p.m. Mon-Fri, 9am-12pm Sat) or Chiang Mai immigration office (0 1755- 5320 6, Th Mahidon; 8h30-16h30 Mon-Fri) to extend all types of visa. The usual fare is 1900 B.

Visa 15 or 30 days may be extended by 7 to 10 days (depending on the immigration office you are addressing), provided to go before the expiry of your visa. The tourist visa of 60 days can be renewed up to 30 days at the discretion of immigration authorities.

To renew your visa, you can also cross borders. Since 2006, Thailand is trying to strengthen its legislation to limit the number of foreigners living and working illegally in the country. The 30-day visa is issued if you arrive by plane and many expatriates take a flight to Kuala Lumpur to regularize their papers. A limitation on the number of renewals of visas for travelers crossing the border was briefly imposed, but it disappeared with the new 15-day visa. If you arrive in Thailand by land and want to stay longer than 15 days, you'd better apply for a tourist visa from a Thai Consulate in the country where you are.

For all types of visa extension, you must provide two passport photos and a photocopy of the picture and visa pages of your passport. Make sure you dress properly and ask your own extension rather than outsourcing this task to a third party.

If you exceed the time allowed by the visa, you are liable to a fine of 500 B per day of violation, capped at 20,000 B. Payment is due at the airport, or in advance in an office immigration. If the increase does not exceed one day, you will not have to pay. Children under 14 traveling with a parent are exempt from fines.

Foreigners residing in Thailand must renew their visa from the office nearest their home immigration. This is new legislation, check with the Department of Foreign Affairs for more information.

Nonimmigrant visas
Visa "nonimmigrant" valid for 90 days, is for foreigners visiting the country for business, study or retire, or making an extended family visit. Visas in this category can give you multiple entries into the country. You will have more chances of getting a visa from a Thai consulate in Europe or the United States.

If you plan to apply for a work permit, you must first obtain a nonimmigrant visa.