Siam Legal International

Tourist Visa

Thailand has become a hot tourist destination for both westerners and even people within the Asian region. The lovely beaches, the botanical treasures, the rich culture and the highly urbanized cities especially Bangkok, has made Thailand one of the most popular places to visit in the planet.

Not every tourist visiting Thailand needs to get a Thai tourist visa because a 30-day Visa on Arrival (VOA) is given to tourists from certain countries. What this means is,you automatically get official permission to stay in the country for 30 days. However, if you intend to stay longer than that, then you should obtain a Thai tourist visa which has a validity of 60 days.

In applying for this type of visa, you need to go to the Thai embassy in your home country before flying to Thailand. The 60-day validity of your Thai tourist visit can actually be extended to another 30 days for a total of 90 days. You need not leave Thailand to do this since the processing will be done at the Thai Immigration within a few hours.

A recent development is the issuance of a double entry visa by Thai embassies and consulates which allows you to stay for 6 months. After you have used up the 60-day validity of your tourist visa plus the 30-day extension, you can cross the Thailand border or leave the country then come back and get your next tourist visa either at the border or the airport.

You can file your Thailand tourist visa application at the Thai embassy or consulate in your area. If you are from the UK or US, you can mail your visa application to the Thai embassy and upon approval,they will send you back your passport with the stamp on it through mail.

Please note that there are some Thai embassies that do not issue tourist visas to foreigners not residing in their country of birth. In such cases, said individuals should apply for tourist visas in their home countries. Citizens of the following countries fall under this requirement:Algeria, Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Nepal, Pakistan, Palestinian States, Sri Lanka, Syria, and Yemen.