Visa and visa-free entry to Thailand

Промо

To passports from some countries are simply stamped, and no visa is needed

Russian citizens are among the lucky ones who are allowed visa-free entry to Thailand for up to 30 days (from November 1, 2023 to April 30, 2024, this period has been temporarily extended to 90 days!!!). At the same time, a visa-free stay can be extended for another 30 days by contacting the immigration bureau while in the country. For a longer stay, you can try to get a visa at the consulate in Russia or in any other country.

Citizens of other CIS countries were less fortunate. Only visa entry is provided for them, but a visa can be obtained both at the consulate and upon arrival at the airport. In addition, the Thai government periodically holds "actions", announcing temporary visa-free entry for certain groups of countries, or introducing free visas.

Learn more about all the subtleties of the visa regime below:

Important information about the validity period of the passport

When entering Thailand previously had a rule according to which a passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the end of the trip with visa-free entry. Since 2011, information has been widely discussed on the Internet that these rules were changed on May 01, 2011 and only the validity of your passport for the duration of your stay in Thailand is a prerequisite.

In fact, in the official interstate agreement on visa-free entry of Russians to Thailand, there is no clause on the validity of the passport at all, so it is accepted as valid for the duration of the trip. In practice, many tourists from Russia have already visited Thailand with passports valid for less than 6 months, and we have not seen any feedback that someone was denied visa-free entry due to the short validity period of the passport. But some problems may arise when boarding passengers on flights to Thailand from Russia and other countries. In case something like this happens to you, recommend that the airline staff check the conditions for visa-free entry of Russian citizens in the internal instructions for airlines - "Timatike". There is no mention in these instructions that the passport should be valid for 6 months.

Visa-free entry for Russian citizens

For Russian citizens arriving in Thailand for tourist purposes for up to 30 days, a visa is not required. It is enough to fill in migration card in English.In the Russian language, get a stamp in your passport at passport control, and you can stay in the country for up to 30 days. There is, however, one more condition: you must have a return ticket from Thailand to Russia or a third country. This condition can be checked not only at passport control when entering Thailand, but also in Russia when checking in for a flight. But, fortunately, this issue is quite easily solved by printing out the route receipt form of an electronic ticket (but at your own risk), which you can do yourself, but it's better to book a ticket, print it out and cancel the reservation. Another option is to simply buy a ticket on sale to a neighboring country by local low-cost airlines, such as Airasia.

How to count the number of visa-free days in Thailand

30 visa-free days in Thailand are considered not as 30 days from the moment of arrival or one month, but as 30 days, including the day of arrival and departure. For example, if you arrived on April 10, then count 30 consecutive days on the calendar, counting April 10 as the first day (and not zero, as many people think), and count up to May 9. As a result, you must leave the country no later than May 9, but not on May 10.

And another important point is that the date is set when passing through passport control, and not the arrival or departure of the flight, and due to this you can win another extra day. For example, if your flight landed on May 10 shortly before midnight, and you go through passport control after midnight, then the first day of surrender will be considered May 11. The same rule applies at departure.

How to extend the period of visa-free stay in Thailand

In order to extend the visa-free stay for another 30 days, you need to contact the Immigration Bureau in Thailand with an application, a photo of 35x45 millimeters, as well as a ticket out of the country. The cost of the extension is 1900 baht. What is important, the application is considered only as a tourist extension of stay. If the inspectors see that you are working in Thailand, they may refuse an extension. In order to increase the chances of an extension, it is recommended to attach return air tickets, hotel reservations, and confirmation of the availability of funds for a stay in Thailand to the application.

Another way is the so–called "vizaran" or "borderran", i.e. departure to a neighboring country and immediate return to receive a new stamp for another 30 days, or obtaining a visa at the consulate of Thailand in another country and re-entry on a visa. However, after the restrictions imposed in August 2014, "vizaran", although still a working method, is no longer on the same scale as it was before. Now you can get a refusal to re-enter from the inspector of the border guard service if, due to the large number of stamps on entry and exit from Thailand, he suspects you of illegal work in the country. If you re-enter the country for a short period of time, or even for the third time, really as a tourist after visiting neighboring countries, then there will be no problems. Even if the inspector has doubts about this, you can always try to justify your difficult travel route, and for full confidence, also show tickets for the flight home from Thailand.

Visa to Thailand for citizens of the Russian Federation

If you plan to stay in Thailand for longer than 30 days, you can apply for one of the types of visas to Thailand in Russia (at the embassy in Moscow) or in other countries. Moreover, obtaining a tourist visa in the neighboring countries of Thailand is much easier and faster than in Russia.

There are the following types of visas:

• Transit visa
• Tourist visa
• Nonimmigrant visa
• Diplomatic visa / service visa
• Courtesy Visa

The best option is to apply for a tourist visa for a stay of 60 days. A tourist visa can be extended already on the spot for another 30 days when contacting the immigration office at Bangkok at Soi Suan Plu, South Sathorn Road, Bangkok 10120, Phone 02-287-3101-10, (website http://immigration.go.th)

Please note that many sources on the Internet mistakenly indicate that you can stay in Thailand for 90 days on a tourist visa. In fact, this is not the case. 90 days is the validity period of the visa, i.e. within 90 days after issuance you can enter Thailand, and after this period expires, the visa becomes invalid. Theoretically, visas valid for 6 months, 1 year and 3 years can also be issued, but in practice this does not happen.

Obtaining a tourist visa to Thailand in Russia

It is carried out at the Embassy of Thailand in Moscow. The consular fee for issuing a tourist visa for 30 or 60 days is 40 US dollars. The list of documents is quite impressive, and the documents must be provided with a translation in English and notarized.

Package of documents for a tourist visa to Thailand*:

• Passport or identity card with a validity period of at least 6 months
• Completed application form for obtaining a visa
• The photo is 4x6 cm in size.
• Confirmation of departure from Thailand (usually this is a ticket back to Russia or a third country, and not a reservation, but fully paid for)
• Proof of financial condition (20,000 baht per person and 40,000 baht per family)
• Certificate from the place of work
• Letter from a medical institution from Thailand, medical card, certificate (for those visiting Thailand for medical purposes)

* In addition to these documents, the consulate staff can request any additional documents as needed.

Already on the spot you will be able to extend your stay on a tourist visa by contacting the immigration service, which is available at most popular resorts in the country. This is usually allowed only if there are good reasons for it, such as illness.

Obtaining a tourist visa to Thailand in other countries

It is much more profitable, easier and faster to apply for a tourist visa to Thailand in other countries. That is, you can come here without a visa for 30 days, and then at the end of the period make a "visaran" to one of the neighboring countries and apply for a visa there. You can do this yourself or use the organized "Visa-run" tour.

In most cases, in the neighboring countries of Thailand, you only need to provide a passport valid for 6 months, a photo and a completed form.

• The cost of obtaining a visa at the Embassy in Malaysia (in Kuala Lumpur or on Penang in Georgetown) – 110 ringgit (see currency of Malaysia, exchange rate). Embassy website - http://www.mfa.go.th /
• The cost of obtaining a visa at the Embassy in Laos (in Vientiane) is 1000 Baht (see currency of Thailand, exchange rate). Embassy website - http://vientiane.thaiembassy.org
• The cost of obtaining a visa at the Embassy in Cambodia (in Phnom Penh) is 40 US dollars. Embassy website - http://www.mfa.go.th/

You can get information about the work of embassies and the conditions for issuing visas in other countries by visiting the embassy's website, which can be found here http://www.thaiembassy.org /

Visa to Thailand for CIS citizens

Citizens of Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania do not yet have a visa-free stay in Thailand, but they can get a visa on arrival at Bangkok airports, Utapao (Pattaya), Phuket and others (list). The visa is issued for a period of 15 days, costs 2000 Baht (about $ 50).

For citizens of other CIS countries, a visa must be issued in advance at the Consulate of Thailand.

To apply for a visa on arrival, you must find a Visa on arrival counter at the airport and provide the following documents:

• passport valid for at least 6 months (counting from the date of return departure);
• a photo, no more than six months old (3x4 or 4x6) without corners, a photo for a child, regardless of whether he is entered in the parents' passport or travels using his passport (an instant photo can be taken right there – at the airport);
• a fully paid return ticket or a ticket to a third country within 15 days after entry;
• financial resources in the equivalent of at least 10,000 baht per person (over 12 years old) or 20,000 baht per family.
• for minors traveling unaccompanied by their parents, it is necessary to have a birth certificate and power of attorney from both parents;
• 2000 baht (the exchange office is located near the visa processing counters);
• a migration card filled in for each person (issued on the plane or obtained directly at the airport, more details Here);
• a coupon with a number for an automated queue (the device is installed at the end of the visa processing racks).

Citizens of Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan apply for visas to Thailand in Ankara, and Armenia - in Yerevan. Citizens of the CIS countries who are not named above can get visas in Moscow. The deadline for issuing a visa to Thailand: 2 - 3 days. For citizens of Tajikistan and the Chechen Republic, the period of consideration of documents for obtaining a visa is 14 days. Also, do not forget that you can apply for a visa in other countries that have a Thai embassy (seehere).

A 2-month visa costs $25 (when applying at the embassy in Moscow).

List of airports and border points where it is possible to apply for a visa to Thailand on arrival:

• Savvanabhumi International Airport , Bangkok
• Chiangmai International Airport , Chiangmai
• Phuket International Airport , Phuket
• Hatyai International Airport , Songkla
• U Tapao Airport , Rayong (for arrival in Pattaya)
• Mae Sai Immigration Checkpoint , Chiengrai
• Chieng Saen Immigration Checkpoint , Chiengrai
• Chieng Khong Immigration Checkpoint , Chiengrai
• Betong Immigration Checkpoint , Yala
• Sadoa Immigration Checkpoint , Songkla
• Samui Immigration Checkpoint , Surat Thani
• Sukhothai International Airport, Tak Immigration checkpoint

Electronic visa to Thailand

Since December 2018, the electronic service for obtaining a visa on arrival (E-VOA) has been fully launched. Citizens of Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan can now apply for a visa on arrival on the website https://www.evisathailand.com /, pay for it there. Moreover, from November 15, 2018 to January 13, 2019, the visa fee for obtaining a visa on arrival has been temporarily canceled.

For citizens of the Russian Federation, this service is not relevant yet, since Russians can enter Thailand without a visa for 30 days.

Violation of visa-free stay or visa validity period (overstay, over stay)

If you exceed the 30-day visa-free period of stay or the validity period of the visa (the so-called overstay, overstay), you will be fined 500 baht for each day of delay, but not more than 20,000 baht. In case of exceeding the stay by one day, for example, when your stay ends on the 10th and you leave on the 11th, no fine will be charged.

According to the previously valid rules, if your delay is no more than 21 days, then there is a chance to get off with only a fine. Now, if you exceed the period of stay on a visa or visa-free period for 15 days, you will be held liable for violating the country's borders, as well as illegal residence in it. And this means that you will have a great chance to continue your stay in Thailand already in prison with subsequent deportation. If you break this rule several times, you will be blacklisted without the opportunity to visit Thailand in the future.

The fine is paid when passing through passport control at check-out. When you are found to have an excess, you will be sent to a special counter for the payment of fines, where the payment procedure will take no more than 5 minutes. The fine can also be paid in advance at the Immigration bureau, which are available on many popular tourist sites resorts in Thailand.

Children under 7 years of age do not pay an overdose penalty.

Embassy of Thailand in Russia

Embassy of the Kingdom of Thailand in Moscow

129090, Moscow, B. Spasskaya street, house 9
Phone number (495) 208-08-17, (495) 208-08-56, (495) 208-72-83
fax (495) 290-96-59, (495) 207-53-43

Consulate of the Kingdom of Thailand in St. Petersburg

199053, St. Petersburg, Bolshoy ave., 9/6 (reception: Mon.-Fri. 11-13)
phone (812) 325-6271
fax (812) 325-6313

Embassy of the Russian Federation in Thailand

Address: Survong Street, 78 (Soi) Sap Lane (entrance from Soi Santiphap Lane), Bangkok 10500.
(Address: 78 Sap Road entrance from Soi Santiphap), Bangrak, Bangkok 10500)
Tel.: (02) 234-2012, (02) 268-1169
Fax: (02) 268-1166, (02) 237-8488