Thailand Entry, Visa and Immigration – December 23

As of 1/12/23, requirements for entering Thailand are as below. We also advise you to check your in-country Thai Embassy for their own information.


Pre-Arrival Requirements

Vaccinated or unvaccinated travellers no longer need to show a certificate of Covid-19 vaccination, have a pre-flight test or buy any Covid health insurance. You are advised to carry general medical and travel insurance but it’s not mandatory.

If you are not flying directly to Thailand and transiting via another country, you should check the Covid policies of your airline and the regulations of the country you are transiting in.

You do need the following:-

  • A valid passport (6 months before expiry) or a border pass for arrivals via border checkpoints.

On Arrival Requirements

There are no screenings or Covid tests on arrival. You are free to go wherever you like on landing.

Mask wearing is still very common throughout Thailand, particularly in Bangkok.


Visas, Exemption from Visa – Thailand Visa

The following visas and visa exemption are currently being offered for entry into Thailand – provided you meet the above criteria. You no longer need to visit your local embassy or consulate but can instead use the E-Visa system – create an account and start your application at the official site here.

Long term O visas , such as Retirement, Spouse and Business, are also in play but you need to contact your Embassy for their individual requirements.


Visa Exemption Stamp – What you Get, What you Need

  • This is to stay 30 days in country – the automatic stamp you get at the Airport or when you cross the border. It’s free.
  • The list of of countries accepted is here.
  • It’s possible to extend this by a further 30 days in Thailand at a local Immigration Office, cost 1,900bt.
  • Maximum two exemptions per calendar year.
  • Your passport must have at least 6 months validity.
  • POOT (proof of onward travel) by air.
  • Proof of accommodation in Thailand e.g. hotel booking, invitation letter from family or friend in Thailand.
  • Proof of funds – check embassy sites for details.
  • Passport with a minimum validity of 6 months and at least 2 pages left within the passport for the visa and border control stamps.

Single Entry Tourist Visa (SETV) – What you Get, What you Need

  • You can stay for 60 days and then extend the visa for further 30 days at a local Immigration Office for 1,900bt.
  • You must show POOT (proof of onward travel) by airline ticket.
  • Proof of accommodation in Thailand e.g. hotel booking, invitation letter from family or friend in Thailand
  • Financial evidence e.g. bank statements, proof of earnings, sponsorship letter – your embassy will specify how much on your initial enquiry.
  • Passport with a minimum validity of 6 months and at least 2 pages left within the passport for the visa and border control stamps.
  • Visa is valid for 6 months from date of issue. Note as it is single entry that is immediately used up when you first come into the country. If you pop out to Siem Reap, for example, the visa is cancelled the moment you pass through border control and any days remaining, lost. You can come back into the country but it would be on a visa exemption (see above).
  • Guide fee if UK application – £30.00

Multiple Entry Visa (METV) – What you Get, What you Need

Our understanding is that these are now being issued again but you do need to check locally with your own Thai Embassy or Consulate.

  • You can stay for 60 days and then need to either leave the country and re-enter, so triggering the next 60 days or you could stay in country and extend the visa for further 30 days at a local Immigration Office for 1,900bt – same as the SETV above. If you extend, you can then leave the country and re-enter again and start another 60 days. This process can be repeated in some or other combination of leave/extend for the validity of the visa (6 months from date of issue). To get the full time possible with this type of visa, you must ensure you leave the country to re-enter in the very last days before that 6 month expiry date.
  • You must show POOT (proof of onward travel) by airline ticket.
  • Proof of accommodation in Thailand e.g. hotel booking, invitation letter from family or friend in Thailand (with utility bill).
  • Passport with a minimum validity of 6 months and at least 2 pages left within the passport for the visa and border control stamps.
  • Financial evidence e.g. bank statements, employment or pension
    • Using UK as a guide, this must show £5,000 in the account for 6 months or £10,000 if a couple
    • Employer’s letter showing employment.
    • If you are self employed, proof of this is required. Again, as a guide, for UK citizens the proof is a SA100 HMRC tax return for for the latest tax year.
    • If retired, proof of pension etc. an any age and receiving a private pension a copy of this pension is required.
  • Guide fee if UK application – £150.00

Visas, Exemption from Visa – In country Extensions – Thailand Visa

You will need to take the following documents and copies if you want a 30 day in-country extension to your 30 day Visa Exemption or Single Entry Tourist Visa (SETV) or Multiple Entry Tourist Visa (METV).

  • Your passport.
  • A passport photo (3.5 cm x 4.5 cm).
  • Copies of the main page of your passport (photo, date of birth page), page showing the current visa or stamp
  • You may need a proof of residence at some Immigration Offices. It could be a rental contract, payment for hotel.
  • A copy of the Departure Card (TM6) – the white one which you filled in at the airport or border, normally stapled in by the Immigration Officer.

You can get the actual application form (TM7) on arrival at the Immigration Office. The cost is 1,900bt, THB cash only.

You can extend up to a week before the expiry date, with the extension dated from the date in your passport. If you expiry date falls on a weekend or holiday, it is very important that you make the extension in the days before. You cannot extend if it has already run out.


Non Immigrant Type ‘O’ – Thailand Visa and Immigration

There are a whole host of other longer stay visas, known as Non Immigrant Type ‘O’. These include O (dependent), O-Ed (education), O-A (retirement) and O-B (business), with details found at www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/, the official site for visa information and procedures. We also do our own comprehensive round up in our property buying page here.

Once the strict criteria for issue are met, Non Immigrant Type ‘O’ visas have a year validity. Annually, you can then apply for an extension (also 1 year validity) but you will always have to satisfy the same criteria as at the original application before said extension is issued.

You need to report to an Immigration Office (or online) every 90 days if you are on this type of Thailand visa. You do not physically need to leave Thailand.

If you do wish to leave the country, you must first obtain a Re-Entry Permit before exiting. If you leave with getting one, then the visa is cancelled. You then must start the whole application process over again.

To confuse matters, please note that consulates and embassies in different countries issue their own version of retirement and business visas (with 3 month and 6 month vailidity), which work in a different way. Such visas do require you to leave the country after 60 days (or extend for 30 days and then leave) in order to activate the next 60 days – always check the stamp in your passport closely for exit days.


Documents needed for 90 Day Reporting and Re-Entry Permit

For 90 day reporting, if you cannot do it online here, you will need to take the following documents and copies.

  • Your passport.
  • Copies of the main passport pages (photo, date of birth page) including current visa or stamp
  • Copy of the Departure Card (TM6) – the white one which you filled in at the airport or border, normally stapled in by the Immigration Officer.
  • copy of house rental contract or house book.

You can get the actual application form (TM47) on arrival at the Immigration Office. There is no charge.

For the Re-Entry Permit (if required), take as above. You should not require Proof of residence. You can get the actual application form (TM8) on arrival at the Immigration Office. The cost is 1,000bt for a single entry and 3,800bt for multiple entry, both valid for as long as the visa or the extension stamp.


Overstay – Thailand Visa and Immigration

Immigration now views overstaying your Thailand visa much more seriously than in years gone by. It is best to stick to the rules. The fine is 500bt per day, though the first day is not charged. Children over 7 are eligible for this fine too. You normally pay it at the the airport on departure.

Thai Immigration has targeted long term overstayers for the last couple of years. If you do deliberately overstay (and those doing it know what we mean by that) and are tracked down, expect to be fined and thrown out with a Barred from Visiting Thailand stamp in the passport. The length of that ban is taken on a case by case basis, 1 year upwards.


Immigration Offices – Laem Ngop, Koh Chang – Thailand Visa

immigration office laem ngop thailand visa
Laem Ngop Immigration

Laem Ngop is the small fishing town opposite Koh Chang, also home to Laem Ngop Pier (for Koh Mak) and the Naval Museum. It is 3 kms or so from Centerpoint Pier and 8kms from Ao Thammachat Pier (both for Koh Chang). Laem Sok Pier (for Koh Kood) is 40 kms away in the Trat City direction. Trat itself is 17 km away.

To reach Laem Ngop Immigration from Koh Chang, take a ferry from Centerpoint Pier (08.30, 09.30 etc), 80bt per person and then a 10 minute songthaew taxi at 50bt per person. You should ask the driver to wait as there may be no other taxis to bring you back.

If coming from Koh Mak, you arrive at Laem Ngop Pier by speedboat, It is a 10 minute walk to the Immigration, simply take a right turn opposite Thida Tours at the foot of the pier. You could also use a songthaew.

If coming from Koh Kood, you will need a private car, please do contact us for a quotation.

On Koh Chang itself there is also a tiny Immigration Office opposite Flora i Talay Resort on Chai Chet Beach. This can deal with general questions and also 90 day reporting for those on longer visas. If you need to pay for a service such as extensions to tourist visas or re-entry permits, you will always need to head to Laem Ngop.

You can contact Laem Ngop Immigration on 039 581-776, open 08.30 to 16.30. It’s closed for lunch from 12.00 to 13.00. The hours are the same hours for the Koh Chang office. Their number is 039 597 261.


UPDATED 11th December 2023

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