General Information: As a general rule, any foreigner seeking entry into the Kingdom of Thailand for business, investment, study, medical treatment, mass media, religion, employment and other purposes is required to apply for a visa from a Thai Embassy or Consulate-General. To do so, a foreigner must possess a valid passport or travel document that is recognized by the Royal Thai Government and comply with the conditions set forth in the Immigration Act B.E.2522 (1979) and its related provisions.
Foreigners who fall into any of the following categories are prohibited to enter the Kingdom.
(1) Having no genuine and valid passport or document used in lieu of passport; or having a genuine and valid passport or document used in lieu of passport without visaing by the Royal Thai Embassies or Consulates in foreign countries; or from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, except if a visa is not required for certain types of aliens in special instances.
Visaing and visa exemption will be under the terms and conditions as provided in the Ministerial Regulations.
(2) Having no appropriate means of living following entrance into the Kingdom.
(3) Having entered into the Kingdom to take occupation as a labourer, or to take employment by using physical energy without skills or training , or to work in violation of the Alien Work Permit Law.
(4) Being mentally unstable or having any of the diseases as prescribed in the Ministerial Regulations.
(5) Having not yet been vaccinated against smallpox or inoculated or undergone any other medical treatment for protection against disease and having refused to have such vaccinations administered by the Immigration Doctor.
(6) Having been imprisoned by the judgement of the Thai Court; or by a lawful injunction; or by the judgement of the Court of foreign country, except when the penalty is for petty offense or negligence or is provided for as an exception in the Ministerial Regulations.
(7) Having behavior which would indicate possible danger to the Public or likelihood of being nuisance or constituting any violence to the peace or safety of the public or to the security of the public or to the security of the nation, or being under warrant of arrest by competent officials of foreign governments.
(8) Reason to believe that entrance into the Kingdom was for the purpose of being involved in prostitution, the trading of women of children, drug smuggling, or other types of smuggling which are contrary to the public morality.
(9) Having no money or bond as prescribed by the Minister under Section 14 of the Immigration Act B.E. 2522 .
(10) Being a person prohibited by the Minister under Section 16 of the Immigration Act B.E. 2522.
(11) Being deported by either the Government of Thailand that of or other foreign countries; or the right of stay in the Kingdom or in foreign countries having been revoked; or having been sent out of the Kingdom by competent officials at the expense of the Government of Thailand unless the Minister shall consider exemption on an individual special case basis.
The examination and diagnosis of disease of a physical or mental nature, including protective operations as against disease, shall be conducted by the Immigration Doctor.
 

Visa Issuing Authorities
Official Agencies in charge of issuing visas are:
1. The Royal Thai Embassies and Consulates abroad
2. The Office of Immigration Bureau

Types of Visa
1. Transit Visa
2. Tourist Visa
3. Non-Immigrant Visa

Requirements for Visa Application
Transit
1. Valid passport or travel document
2. Visa application form which has already been completely filled in
3. One recent photograph of the applicant (2 1/2 inches)
4. Instrument of means of transportation (plane ticket paid in full)
5. Application fee of 200 Baht per entry

Tourist
1. Valid passport or travel document
2. Visa application form which has already been completely filled in
3. One recent photograph of the applicant (2 1/2 inches)
4. Instrument of means of transportation (plane ticket paid in full)
5. Financial statement and information on applicant’s profession
6. Application fee of 300 Baht for a single entry

Non-Immigrant
1. Valid passport or travel document
2. Visa application form which has already been completely filled in
3. One recent photograph of the applicant (2 1/2 inches)
4. Instrument of means of transportation (plane ticket paid in full)
5. Letter of invitation from companies qualified to employ foreigners
6. Letter from a company stating the objective of the visit to Thailand
7.Commercial Registration Certificate and Certificate of Company Registration
8. Name list of the company’s shareholders
9. Certificate of Value Added Tax
10. The company’s detailed accounts and latest budget plan
11. Certificate of Income Tax (Juristic person)
12. Employment contract
13. Transcripts (NON-ED)
14. Letter of acceptance from the concerned universities or institutes
15. Certificate of Marriage or its equivalents
16. Birth certificate
17. Identification card and a copy of work permit issued by the Ministry of Labour
18. Application fee of 500 Baht for a single entry

N.B. The document to be submitted for non-immigrant visa application is contingent upon necessities and appropriateness of purposes stated in the application form.

Period of Stay in the Kingdom according to Visa Categories
1. 30 days for entrants applying for Transit Visa
2. 60 days for entrants applying for Tourist Visa. Application for an extension of stay for 30 days can be made at the Office of Immigration Bureau
3. 90 days for entrants applying for Non-Immigrant Visa. Those qualified persons can obtain an additional 1-year stay permit since the date of entry, referring to the Office of Immigration Bureau’s regulations on extension of stay

Applying for a visa at the immigration checkpoints (Visa on Arrival)
97 countries are on the Ministry of Interior’s list of countries whose nationals can apply for a visa at the immigration checkpoints. Tourist visa is the only category of visa granted upon arrival at the immigration checkpoints and the applicants are allowed to stay in the Kingdom for the period not exceeding 15 days under the following conditions:

1. The applicant is a national of 97 countries listed in the Ministry of Interior’s Announcement
2. The applicant must produce instrument of means of transport (fully paid ticket) which is usable within 15 days since the date of entry
3. Visa on Arrival is provided at the designated international ports and applicants should produce the application form to which his/her recent photograph is attached. The application fee is 300 baht

56 Countries whose nationals are exempt from tourist visas for 30 days

According to a Ministry of Interior regulation dated 6 February 1995, passport holders from the following countries do not require a visa when entering Thailand for tourist purposes if their stay in the Kingdom does not exceed 30 days

1. Algeria 2. Argentina 3. Australia 4. Austria 5. Belgium 6. Brazil 7. Bahrain 8. Brunei 9. Canada 10. Denmark 11. Egypt 12. Fiji 13. Finland 14. France 15. Germany 16. Greece 17. Iceland 18. Indonesia 19. Ireland 20. Israel 21. Italy 22. Japan 23. Djibouti 24. Kenya 25. Korea 26. Kuwait 27. Luxembourg 28. Malaysia 29. Mauritania

30. Mexico 31. Morocco 32. Myanmar 33. Netherlands 34. New Zealand 35. Norway 36. Oman 37. Papua New Guinea 38. Philippines 39. Portugal 40. Qatar 41. Saudi Arabia 42. Senegal 43. Singapore 44. Slovenia 45. South Africa 46. Spain 47. Sweden 48. Switzerland 49. Tunisia 50. Turkey 51. United Arab Emirates 52. United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 53. United States of America 54. Vanuatu 55. Western Samoa 56. Yemen