Thailand - Understand & Survival (Chapter)

DIRECTORY A-Z

VISAS

Sail (www.worldwidediveand

sail.com) off ers live-aboard

diving programs for the deaf

and hard of hearing.

Some organisations and

publications that off er tips on

international travel include

the following:

Accessible Journeys (www.

disabilitytravel.com)

Mobility International

USA (www.miusa.org)

Society for Accessible

Travel & Hospitality (www.

sath.org)

Visas

The Ministry of Foreign

Affairs (www.mfa.go.th) over-

sees immigration and visas

issues. Check the website

or the nearest Thai embassy

or consulate for application

procedures and costs.

Tourist Visas &

Exemptions

The Thai government allows

tourist-visa exemptions for

41 diff erent nationalities,

including those from Aus-

tralia, New Zealand, the USA

and most of Europe, to enter

the country without a prear-

ranged visa.

For those arriving in the

kingdom by air, a 30-day visa

is issued without a fee. For

those arriving via a land bor-

der, the arrival visa is 15 days.

Without proof of an on-

ward ticket and suffi cient

funds for one’s projected

stay any visitor can be de-

nied entry, but in practice

this is a formality that is

rarely checked.

If you plan to stay in Thai-

land longer than 30 days (or

15 days for land arrivals), you

should apply for the 60-day

Tourist Visa from a Thai

consulate or embassy before

your trip. Contact the nearest

Thai embassy or consulate

to obtain application proce-

dures and determine fees for

tourist visas.

Non-Immigrant Visas

The Non-Immigrant Visa

is good for 90 days and

is intended for foreigners

entering the country for

business, study, retirement

and extended family visits.

There are multiple-entry

visas available in this visa

class; you’re more likely to

be granted multiple entries

if you apply at a Thai con-

sulate in Europe, the US or

Australia than elsewhere. If

you plan to apply for a Thai

work permit, you’ll need to

possess a Non-Immigrant

Visa fi rst.

Visa Extensions &

Renewals

If you decide you want to

stay longer than the allotted

time, you can extend your

visa by applying at any immi-

gration offi ce in Thailand. The

usual fee for a visa extension

is 1900B. Those issued with

a standard stay of 15 or 30

days can extend their stay for

seven to 10 days (depending

on the immigration offi ce)

if the extension is handled

before the visa expires. The

60-day tourist visa can be

extended by up to 30 days

at the discretion of Thai im-

migration authorities.

Another visa-renewal op-

tion is to cross a land border. A

new 15-day visa will be issued

upon your return and some

short-term visitors make a

day trip out of the ‘visa run’.

See the destination chapters

for land border information

and border formalities.

If you overstay your visa,

the usual penalty is a fi ne

of 500B per day, with a

20,000B limit. Fines can be

paid at the airport or in ad-

vance at an immigration of-

fi ce. If you’ve overstayed only

one day, you don’t have to

pay. Children under 14 travel-

ling with a parent do not have

to pay the penalty.

Foreign residents in Thai-

land should arrange visa

extensions at the immigra-

tion offi ce closest to their

in-country address.

Volu nt e e r i n g

There are many wonderful

volunteering organisations in

Thailand that provide mean-

ingful work and cultural en-

gagement. Volunteer Work

Thailand (www.volunteer

workthailand.org) maintains

a database of opportunities.

For more information see

p 37. Also see individual desti-

nation chapters.

Wom e n T r av e l l e r s

Women face relatively few

problems in Thailand. With

the great amount of respect

aff orded to women, an equal

measure should be returned.

Thai women, especially

the younger generation, are

showing more skin than in

the recent past. That means

almost everyone is now

THAILAND’S IMMIGRATION OFFICES

The following are two immigration offi ces where visa

extensions and other formalities can be addressed.

Remember to dress in your Sunday best when doing

offi cial business in Thailand and do all visa business

yourself (don’t hire a third party). For all types of visa

extensions, bring along two passport-sized photos

and one copy each of the photo and visa pages of your

passport.

» (^) Bangkok immigration office (%0 2141 9889; Bldg B,
Bangkok Government Center, Th Chaeng Wattana; h9am-
noon & 1-4.30pm Mon-Fri)
» (^) Chiang Mai immigration office (Map p 236 ; % 0
5320 1755-6; Th Mahidon; h8.30am-4.30pm Mon-Fri)