Q&A: Which visa for Thailand do I need?
Dear Thailand Blog,
We spent 1 month in Thailand last year. We enjoyed it so much that we now want to go there for more than two and a half months. The aim is to move around. Which visa should we apply for? I've looked up so much about it, but can't figure it out.
Which might be important to mention. I am Dutch, have a Dutch passport, but live in France. Where should I apply for the visa? Just in the Netherlands or does it have to be in France?
My friend is French and he has looked at the site of the Thai embassy for information and then there are differences with the Dutch site of the Thai embassy regarding visa applications for longer than 1 month.
I hope you can help us with an answer on this.
Yours faithfully,
Monique
Dear Monica,
As far as a visa is concerned, you do have a few options, taking into account a stay of 2,5 months (All these options are listed in the Dossier Visa op TB – The requirements and prices in the file are valid for the Netherlands and Belgium).
- Single entry tourist visa (30 Euro) – You can stay in Thailand for 60 days. Before the expiration of the 60 days (the week before) go to the Immigration Office and request an extension of 30 days. In total you can stay in Thailand for 90 days, which is also more than enough for the duration of your stay.
- A Tourist visa with Double entry (60 Euro) – You can stay in Thailand for 60 days. You must make a visa run before the expiry of the 60 days (look at the date on your Arrival stamp), ie you leave the country and re-enter. Upon arrival, you will again receive 60 days of residence. So you can stay in Thailand for 2 x 60 days, which is more than enough for the duration of your stay. Of course you don't have to come back immediately. You can also take the opportunity to visit that other country for a few days.
- If you are 50 or older, you can also apply for a Non-Immigrant “O” visa with Single Entry (55 Euro). This allows you to stay in Thailand for 90 consecutive days, which is also sufficient for the duration of your stay.
It is not because you have a Dutch passport that you have to apply for a visa in the Netherlands. The above visas can be applied for anywhere, but it is still recommended to do this in the country of residence. In your case, simply apply in France.
I just checked the link of the Thai Embassy in France: http://www.thaiembassy.fr/fr/
Yes the requirements they set differ a bit but really not that much. Especially the financial requirements are different. But I think everything you need to submit is clearly stated on the site. Just click on “Les pièces à fournir”. What surprises me is that I can't find anything about Double or Triple Entry, which I see as a possibility (see 2). (I can't find it right away anyway). Perhaps there is a reason for this, so if you wish to do so, it is best to first inquire whether this is possible. Normally this should be possible.
Option 1 is on it, and is perhaps the best solution for you: “Le visa touristique est délivré pour un but touristique. Le visa touristique est valable 3 mois après la date de dépôt, et il donne le droit à un séjour de 60 jours à partir de la date d'arrivée en Thaïlande. Attention, une fois quitté le territoire thaïlandais, le visa est annulé automatiquement même si le demandeur ne passe qu'une seule journée en Thaïlande. Le visa touristique peut être prolongé 1 mois supplémentaire dans un des services d'Immigration moyennant 1900 bahts (environ 30 €) sans sortir du pays”
So basically what I wrote under point 1.
Hopefully you can do something with this.
Regards
RonnyLatPhrao
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