Known as travel paradise, the travel industry in Thailand has been severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Most countries in the Southeast Asia are closed to foreign tourists to prevent the spread of coronavirus. A good news for those fans of the Land of Smile is that foreign tourists are allowed to enter to the country with certain conditions.
The procedures to enter to Thailand are following:
1. VISA
You can access to the official website of Thai E-Visa to check the last update regarding to the visa policy: www.thaievisa.go.th. You can also know if you need a tourist visa or are eligible to apply visa online.
1.1. VISA EXEMPTION
a) For a visit of up to 45 days
The previous permitted period of stay was 30 days. However, the extension to 45 days will be effected until 30 September 2021.
Passport holders of the following coutries/territories are not required to obtain a visa when entering Thailand for tourism purposes and will be permitted to stay in the Kingdom for a period not exceeding 45 days on each visit:
Tourist visa exemption scheme: Andora, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein. Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, UAE, UK, USA, Vietnam
Bilateral agreement: Lao, Macau, Mongolia, Russia
b) For a visit of up to 90 days
Passport holders of the following coutries/territories are not required to obtain a visa when entering Thailand for tourism purposes and will be permitted to stay in the Kingdom for a period not exceeding 45 days on each visit:
Bilateral agreement: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru
List of countries and territories entitled for Visa Exemption here.
1.2. SPECIAL TOURIST VISA (STV) (single entry only)
- This type of visa is issued to applicants who wish to enter Thailand for long-term stay for tourism purposes.
- STV visa holders will initially be permitted to stay in Thailand up to 90 days including the quarantine period.
- STV visa holders who wish to stay longer must file an application for permission at the Office of Immigration Bureau (www.immigration.go.th/en/?p=14714). The extension of stay (up to 2 times with the maximum of 90 days per each extension) is solely at the discretion of the Immigration Bureau.
- The maximum stay in total, therefore, shall NOT exceed 270 days including the quarantine period and shall NOT exceed 30 September 2021 which is the current end date of the STV scheme.
- The Extension cannot be requested after 29 September 2021.
- STV cannot be changed to any other type of visa during the duration of stay in Thailand.
- If the STV holder breaches the entry conditions (for example, if he/she engages in work-related activities), the stay permit will be revoked and he/she will be prohibited from entering Thailand in the future.
- Single-entry visa is valid for 3 months from the date of issuance.
ELIGIBILITY
a) Applicant must not be a person prohibited from entering the Kingdom as provided by the Immigration Act B.E. 2522 (1979)
b) Applicant must have no criminal records in Thailand and the country of the applicant’s nationality or residence.
c) Applicant must have the nationality of or permanent residence in the country where application is submitted
d) Applicant must NOT have prohibitive diseases (Leprosy, Tuberculosis, drug addiction, Elephantiasis, third phase of Syphilis) as indicated in the Ministerial Regulation No. 14 B.E. 2535
e) Applicant must have a health insurance covering the length of stay in Thailand with no less than 40,000 THB coverage for outpatient treatment and no less than 400,000 THB for inpatient treatment.
f) Applicant must have a health insurance covering medical expenses in Thailand with a minimum coverage of 100,000 USD for COVID-19 (must be specifically mentioned).
g) Applicant is prohibited from engaging in any gainful employment in Thailand.
For required documents to apply the STV, please contact with the nearest Royal Thai Embassy or Royal Thai Consulate-General.
1.3. TOURIST VISA (TR) (Single entry only)
The following conditions are for applicants who wish to apply for a Tourist Visa (TR):
- This Visa is for tourism purposes only.
- This Visa is valid for 3 months from the date of issuance. Travelers must enter Thailand within the said 3-month period.
- Applicants will be allowed to stay in Thailand for a period of up to 60 days, counting from the date of entry. The extension is possible for another 30 days, with a maximum period of stay of 90 days, counting from the date of entry.
- If the TR Visa holders breach the entry conditions (for example, if he/she engages in work-related activities), the stay permit will be revoked and he/she will be prohibited from entering Thailand in the future.
For required documents to apply the STV, please contact with the nearest Royal Thai Embassy or Royal Thai Consulate-General.
2. CERTIFICATE OF ENTRY (COE) & THAILAND PLUS APPLICATION
In order to obtain the COE, please prepare documents below to apply for COE online at: coethailand.mfa.go.th.
- Copy of passport page
- A copy of your Thai visa (if already expired, you have to apply for a new one)
- Letter from health insurance which covers the whole period of stay in Thailand.
- For In-patient: health insurance policy must have coverage at least 400,000 Thai Baht per policy year
- For Out-patient: health insurance policy must have coverage at least 40,000 Thai Baht per policy year
- Letter from health insurance which covers COVID related medical treatment and coverage of no less than 100,000 USD, covering the whole intended period of stay. In case that the applicant intends to stay in the Kingdom for more than one year, the health insurance should cover at least the period of one year: covid19.tgia.org
- A copy of a hotel booking for Alternative State Quarantine (ASQ) at one of the hotels approved by the Thai authorities
- Flight ticket
Once the COE has been approved, the applicants can check their status online and click to download their COE.
From 14 January 2021, all travelers who have received COEs are required to download and register via the ThailandPlus Application. They are required to show a QR code generated from the registration via the Application to be scanned by the Thai authority upon arrival in Thailand.
- The official website of Thailand Plus Application (click here).
- The user manual of the Thailand Plus Application (download here) and watch video here.
3. AT THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT AND UPON ENTRY INTO THAILAND
All visitors will be required to present the following documents to the airline check-in staff at the departure airport and concerned authorities upon arrival in Thailand:
- Certificate of Entry (COE)
- Completed Declaration Form (download here)
- A COVID-Free medical certificate with RT-PCR laboratory result, issued no more than 72 hours before departure
- Medical insurance guaranteeing that the insurance company will cover a minimum of 100,000 US dollars (or equivalent in other currencies) of medical costs incurred by the applicant in Thailand, including medical costs in the event that the applicant contracts COVID-19 (The insurance must cover the whole duration of stay in Thailand)
- Valid visa
- Copy of your confirmed booking at an ASQ or ALQ hotel
- Complete the Medical Declaration Form (T-8 Form)
- Registration via mobile application ThailandPlus
For further information, please contact our team.
