Thailand Visa and permit of Stay

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Tourist Visa Exemption

If your nationality is from European Union, UK, Australian, New Zealand, USA, Canada, Japan, you are eligible to stay in the Kingdhom of Thailand for a period of 30 days for tourist purpose only. This is called "Visa exception". Most of the tourists will spend even less than 30 days in Thailand, so is possible for most tourists to enter Thailand without the need to request a visa before.
Check the full list of Countries where their respective residents are permitted to use Tourist Visa Exemption from the Ministry of Foreigner Affair of Thailand website.

If you need to stay in Thailand more than 30 days, it is possible to ask an extension of your 30 days permit, at any immigration office located in every tourist destination. To apply for the extension you need your passport, your flight ticket where is written the date when you will flight out of Thailand. The 30 day permit can be extended a maximum of 10 days and cost 1,900 Baht ( currency converter ).

Visa on Arrival

If you are resident from one of 20 countries listed at the Ministry of Foreigner Affair of Thailand website, you are eligible to ask for a Visa on Arrival for a permission of stay 15 days for tourism purpose only.
You have to show your return ticket, a minimum amount of money for your journey, you need a recent picture. The fee is 1000 Baht( currency converter ).

The "Visa on Arrival" cannot be extended except special reasons like illness which prevents you from travelling.

More infos at the Ministry of Foreigner Affair of Thailand website

Tourist Visa

If you like to spend more time in Thailand, the tourist vista is the best solution. You can obtain a Tourist visa in any Thai Embassy or Consulate in any country around the world.
If you enter Thailand with a Tourist visa you will have a permission to stay 60 days. This visa can be extended in any Immigration office troughout Thailand for 30 more days at a cost of 1900 Baht ( currency converter ).

Tourist Visa with double entry or multiple entry

Many people just fall in love with Thailand and for them 3 month is not long enough. If you like to stay longer than 3 month, you can request at any Thai Embassy or Consulate a double entry Tourist Visa or ever a Multiple entry Tourist Visa. Each time you enter Thailand you will have a permission to stay 60 days ( extendable 30 more days ). Before your entry stamp expire, even the same day that it expire, you should go out of the country and you can immediately re-enter with your second entry tourist visa which will allow you to stay again 60 days, also extandable 30 more days.
For those who request a multiple entry, they can go in and out of Thaiand as many time they like until the expiration date of the visa issued from the Thai Embassy or Consulate. This visa is very convenient for businessman who need to travel a lot or if you travel around different neighbour countries like Indonesia, Malesia, Singapore, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, ecc.

Non Immigrant Visa "B"

This visa is required for any person who need to relocate in Thailand. With this visa in possible to open a company, optain a work permit, buy a car, obtain a local driving license, ecc. The Non Immigrant visa can be obtained at any Thai Embassy or Consutale outside Thailand. When you enter Thailand with this visa, you will have a permission to stay for 90 days.
If you have multiple entry Non Immigrant visa, after the 90 days you can go out of the country and come back ( it is called Visa Run ) with again 90 days.

If you have enought money in the Thai Bank, if you have a business and a work permit and you pay local taxes, it is possible to extend your Non Immigranti visa into a 1 year visa which you can renew yearly without leaving the country.

More infos at the Ministry of Foreigner Affair of Thailand website.

Visa Overstay

Thailand law about visa over stay has become very rigid in the last years. Be aware that if you stay in Thailand after the expiration date written on your entry stamp ( not your visa stamp ) , you will have to pay 1000 Baht fine each overstayed day for a maximum of 20,000 Baht ( currency converter ) or prison or both.

If for some reason your entry stamp has expired, contact Immediately the nearest immigration office and make the report. If you go yourself to the immigration, they will charge you the fine and there will not be any problem. But if you do nothing and the Immigration find you, It is possible that they send you to jail at least for some days.

For more detailed infos regarding different Thai Visas, Visit the Ministry of Foreigner Affair of Thailand website.

Thailand Immigration law is very strict and rigid but the Immigration officer are usually very friendly and helpfull.
Dress well when you go to Immigration Office and be polite with them. Even if you have a problem with your visa, they will try to help you and sort out your problem if you are polite with them.