A country that has always welcomed Indians with open arms and a favourite among backpackers, honeymooners, family or party-goers – Thailand. Pocket-friendly, easy to reach, some of the best beaches to take a swim and full-moon parties are few things that attracts travel enthusiasts to this country. Like every other country where tourists are found in plenty and tourism took a hit due to the pandemic, Thailand was no exception. With tourism slowly picking up pace, visa application processing has also gone through a bit of change which will be discussed here.
1. Types of Visas Available to Indian Citizens
Before applying for a Visa, it is essential to understand the kind of Visa travellers are looking for. The types of visa offered to Indians are:
a. Tourist Visa (TR) – As the name suggests it is issues solely for tourism.
b. Special Tourist Visa (STV) – Tourist visa for longer stay (6 months).
c. Non-immigrant Visa – Visa that is issued for visiting Thailand on a different purpose of stay and the visa is valid for 90 days and can be extended to a year.
d. Thailand Elite Visa – This is a long-term visa issues to members of Thailand Privilege card. Categorized under Tourist Visa (Privilege Entry Visa – “PE”), it allows residency in Thailand along with benefits for a period of 5, 10 or 20 years.
2. Type of Visa Required & Fees For Tourism
a. Tourist Single Entry
• Applicable for 90 days / 3 months
• Period of Stay – Stay must not exceed 60 days
• Fees – INR 2,500
b. Tourist Multiple Entry
• Period of Stay – Stay must not exceed 60 days
• Fees – INR 12,000
c. Special Tourist Visa
• Period of Stay – Up to 90 days, STV extension can be applied twice while the visitor is in Thailand. Each time for 90 days, in all 180 days/ 6 months stay.
• Fees – INR 5,000
3. Documents Required
Option 1 - There is GOOD NEWS for everyone travelling to Thailand – for the ease of travel Thailand has introduced eVOA (eVisa on Arrival) service. That would mean you can apply for e-Visa and don’t need to stand in the longggg line!!! This is the 1st option (and should be the preferrable one).
Option 2 - Go through a travel agent or
Option 3 - Opt for Visa On arrival.
The list of documents that are required for both are mentioned below.
You can apply for although that is the most preferred foreign country by Indians.
Option 1 – Applying for e-Visa On Arrival.
E-Visa On Arrival can be applied on the VFS Global site (mentioned below).
Things You Should Know About e-VOA
• Please note that e-VOA is NOT e-VISA. You still need to go through the Visa On Arrival process but having an e-VOA speeds up the process of obtaining Visa On Arrival since the verification of documents and payment of visa fees are already done online.
• Approved E-VOA is applicable in only 4 international airports namely
– Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok (BKK)
– Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok (DMK)
– Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX)
– Phuket International Airport (HKT)
If you are planning to enter Thailand through an airport, other than the ones mentioned above then you must opt for a regular Visa On Arrival. YOU CANNOT USE e-VOA and if you get one it will not be considered.
• You can stay up to 15 days in Thailand with your e-VOA and NO VISA EXTENSIONS ALLOWED.
• Your passport must be valid for 30 days from the date of arrival in Thailand
• Your passport must have AT LEAST ONE BLANK PAGE for the Visa stamp.
How To Apply For e-VOA
1. Visit the site for e-Visa application-
2. Go to “How to apply” –> Learn more about the documents to upload and specification of photograph. 17 countries are eligible to apply, and India is one of them Go to “Apply”
3. Fill the online visa form
4. Upload the below mentioned documents:
Passport cover page (sample given)
Passport bio page (sample given)
5. Departure and Return flight tickets – your confirmed round trip ticket should not be more than 15 days
6. Accommodation Details of the entire trip (you are merge all the pdfs)
7. Photograph – specification 4x6cm (sample given)
Check the criteria of the photograph to be uploaded
8. Pay Visa Fees Online – This part comes after filling the form and uploading the documents. The amount paid is non-refundable so ensure all the details that are entered are same as that on the passport/ passports
• Regular Visa fee: THB 2000
• Regular Service fee: THB 500
In case you want an express service then your e-VOA will be issued within 24 hours but comes at a premium cost
• Express Visa fee: THB 2000
• Express Service fee: THB 2500
How To Make The Payment with Card and Conditions
• You can pay using Mastercard, Visa card, Union Pay credit/debit card or WeChat or Alipay
• The card does not necessarily have to be in the applicant’s name
• The card should have “3D Secure System” and should be enables for international transactions.
9. e-VOA Processing Time
• The regular e-VOA takes between 24 to 72 hours. If application takes more than five business days, then contact here
• Check for public holidays and closures during which processing will take longer.
• The express e-VOA will be processed within 24 hours
10. e-VOA Receipt Download
• If the payment is successful, then your application is processed, and you will be furnished with a pre-approved e-VOA code. Applicant will receive .pdf file of the eVisa On Arrival Approval by email between 24 – 72 hours.
• Download and print the e-VOA for your reference.
• It is advisable to keep a copy of the .pdf file on the mobile as well
• The Express Service gets you the e-VOA faster.
11. At The Airport
• Once you land at any of the four international airports with the pre-approved e-VOA then you follow the below steps:
• Go to the Visa On Arrival area in the immigration area and enter the dedicated e-VOA lane
• Present your documents – original passport, e-VOA approval, arrival/departure card and proof of funds
• The final immigration approval will be stamped and allowed to enter Thailand
Benefits Of Applying For e-VOA
• Avoiding the uncertainty of being granted VOA
• Avoiding waiting in long queue
• Avoiding carrying all the paperwork in a file
• Avoid filing Visa Application form after a long and tiring flight
• Avoiding paying cash for visa fees
Option 2 – Booking with a Travel Agent or directly through Visa Application Centre (VFS)
SINGLE ENTRY VISA (SEV)
Single entry visa means that you can enter and exit the country only once. You cannot travel to some other country and enter Thailand again. If you wish to do that then you have to apply for another SEV or Multiple Entry Visa (MEV).
Things to know about Visa Application:
The document requirements for Single Entry and Multiple Entry Visa mentioned below are general and differs on the location of for Royal Thai Consulate – VFS Global Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai.
The general documents requirement for Visa Application are as below
A. Travel Documents & Pictures
a. Passport should be valid for six months from the Date of Entry.
b. A complete Visa Application Form with the original signature of the applicant.
c. 2 recent photos (not more than 3 months old) of size 3.5x4.5 cm, white background & matt finish, with applicant’s signature on the back.
d. Photocopy of the return confirmed flight ticket.
B. Proof of Adequate Funds and Occupation
a. Bank statement – Statement of the last six months (should be attested by the bank) with a minimum balance of USD 700/person and USD 1400/family or its equivalent in INR currency. Original Bank statement for the past 6 months stamped and signed (to show the availability of minimum balance of THB 20,000/person or THB 40,000/family) or provide the receipt provided by the foreign exchange dealer/ desk where you converted INR to THB.
b. Cover Letter – A letter drafted and signed by someone whose name is on the bank statement and who is sponsoring the trip or if you are sponsoring someone’s trip mentioning that you would be bearing all the expense along with a signed photocopy of passport of the sponsor (in case you want a sample you can connect with me. In my experience a typed and printed copy of the itinerary should also be included (just in case!).
C. Accommodation details
a. Copies of hotel bookings in Thailand along with contact number and address of the accommodation.
b. In case of travelling with a group or family, a cover letter stating all the names with passport numbers, plan of travel and place/places of stay should be provided.
c. In case staying with a friend or relative in Thailand, applicant must provide invitation letter along with copy of their ID / passport (friend or relatives’). In case they are not Thai, then their work permit, which should be valid for at least six months.
D. Additional Documents
In case the Thai Embassy is not satisfied with the documents provided they may ask for the following
a. Income Tax Return
b. Letter of Employment stating salary
c. Salary Slips
d. Business Licence/ Registration
E. Covid-19 Insurance
As of 01st July 2022, MEDICAL INSURANCE IS NOT REQUIRED BY FOREIGN NATIONALS TO ENTER THAILAND
In case applicant wishes to buy Travel Insurance, they can visit the Travel Insurance Page of VFS Global, Click on Continue and will be directed to a third-party page, namely Policy Bazaar. This site would provide two options – Tata AIG and Bajaj Allianz. Applicant can check and purchase travel insurance from this site
OR
Opt for some other travel insurance scheme that encompasses the above-mentioned Insurance Policy criteria like AXA
F. An Approved Thailand Pass
Starting July 1, 2022, “Thailand Pass” is NO LONGER REQUIRED FOR ENTRY into THAILAND.
G. Vaccination Status before Entering Thailand
In case vaccinated then Certificate of Vaccination or RT-PCR test issued within 72 hours before departure.
OR
Professional ATK Covid-19 test result issues within 72 hours before departure.
MULTIPLE ENTRY VISA (MEV)
A. Travel Documents & Pictures
a. Same as “Single Entry Visa” documents.
b. Proof of Residence in India (for non-Indian passport holders)
B. Proof of Adequate Funds and Occupation
a. Same as “Single Entry Visa” documents
C. Proof of Accommodation
a. Same as “Single Entry Visa” documents
SPECIAL TOURIST VISA (STV)
This visa is for tourism purpose only.
Things to Know About Special Tourist Visa:
• STV is valid for single entry but long-tern tourism purpose
• Valid for 3 months from the date of issuance. Applicant can enter Thailand anytime within those 3 months. From the date of Entry applicant can stay in Thailand for up to 90 days/ 3 months. STV can be extended twice while the visitor is in Thailand and each time can be extend for 90 days
• STV cannot be changed into any other type of visa during the stay of the visitor in Thailand
• The stay permit of the STV holder can be revoked anytime and they can be prohibited from entering Thailand if STV holder is found to breach any entry conditions (for example – if they try to secure a job in Thailand and plan to work there)
Documents Required for Applying for STV
A. Travel Documents & Pictures
a. Completed visa application form
b. Passport with at least two empty pages
c. Passport should be valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry to Thailand
d. One recent (not more than 3 months old) passport sized photograph. Photo specifications – 4x6cms
e. Copy of registration of residency in India (proof of residence)
f. Itinerary or plan of journey or estimate of travelling flight dates
B. Proof of Adequate Funds and Occupation
a. 6 months bank statement with funds NOT LESS THAN INR 500,000 maintained THROUGHOUT SIX MONTHS along with attestation from the bank.
C. Proof of Accommodation
a. Proof of long stay in an accommodation
A fully paid hotel accommodation
A fully-paid residential lease in Thailand for the entire duration of the stay (lease should be issued by the lessor mentioning the duration of the stay, lessor’s contact details and tax ID number)
A hire-purchase or a mortgage agreement of immovable property OR condominium title deed
D. Other Documents
a. Verification of any criminal record that will be valid for 3 months and must be notarised.
b. Medical certificate issued as per the medical template from the country of origin where the application has been submitted, showing that the applicant is not suffering from a prohibitive disease
c. A copy of valid health insurance certificate covering the whole period of stay in Thailand (check for Travel Insurance options under Single Entry Visa point "E")
• Should have outpatient benefit in Thailand of not less than 40,000 THB (or 100,000 INR)
• Should have inpatient benefit in Thailand of not less than 400,000 THB (or 1,000,000 INR)
• Should cover all medical expenditures including COVID-19 at least USD 100,00
IMPORTANT THINGS TO NOTE
To know more about the kind of additional documents needed at various Royal Thai Consulate offices please refer to the below:
DELHI
Multiple Entry Visa – Same as Single Entry Visa requirement
CHENNAI
NO OPTION FOR SPECIAL TOURIST VISA
P.S. – Download the Visa Application form under “Download Forms”. Except for Kolkata all others are in PDF format so needs to be printed. The Thailand Visa Application Kolkata needs to be filled online
H. Unique Application Number
After application a unique number is provided which helps to track the status of your Visa application and also gives the airway bill number once your passport has been couriered.
Option 3 – Visa on Arrival
As an applicant you should be aware that if you are arriving at Suvarnabhumi Airport which is the main airport in Bangkok and most of the international flights land there, which is why the queue for Visa on Arrival is long, really long!! So if you are landing at Suvarnabhumi Airport without a visa, be prepared for the long wait. When we arrived at Suvarnabhumi, we ensured that we had already procured our Visa from India, but we did see the frustrated faces of the tourists. Next time we visited Thailand, we landed at Hat Yai, this being a relatively smaller airport at the Southern most part of Thailand, the queue was hardly four-people long!
The documents you need to carry for visa on arrival:
• All documents mentioned for Single Entry Visa/ Multiple Entry Visa
• You need to fill Visa Application form and submit along with those documents (this form is different than the pre-applied Visa form).
• One arrival Visa will cost you THB 2000 in Cash
Good To Know Information:
In case you are landing at Suvarnabhumi airport, Don Mueang Airport, Chiang Mai Airport, or Phuket, then apply for e-VOA to avoid the long queue at the immigration kiosk.
Tourism is one of the top drivers of Thailand’s economy, contributing around 6% to its growth. As travel restrictions are slowly being lifted, Thailand has been updating its Visa Application Process and making it more accessible with the introduction of e-VOA. Although all the updated information has been shared here, it would not be surprising if the Royal Thai Consulate brings in some new changes. So, follow this space for any renewed updates!!!
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