New Rules for Visa on Arrival - Thailand

Source: thaiembassy, 14/08/2015

30-day Visas now Down to 15
Border runs have been cut short due to the very recent change in rules
regarding overland entry by Thai immigration. Foreigners entering
Thailand via border posts at Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Malaysia
without securing a prior visa will now be granted only 15 days of stay
in the country as opposed to the previous Visa on Arrival, which was
valid for 30 days.


According to a spokesman for the Thai Immigration Bureau, the new
regulation was created to encourage foreigners to secure the proper
visas in advance from a Royal Thai Embassy prior to their arrival. The
new rule will also limit the amount of back-to-back visa runs being
made by foreigners to extend their stay.


However, this change only applies to visitors who have not obtained a
visa beforehand, and are entering from the border by land. Those who
arrive at the airport without a prior visa will continue to receive a
30-day stamp. Extensions at Thai Immigration after the Visa on Arrival
has expired remain at 7 days, after which you must leave the country
or pay the penalty and other sanctions for overstaying the
visa.


The only exception to the new regulation will be Malaysian passport
holders traveling from Malaysia, as they will continue to receive the
30-day Visa on Arrival. Immigration authorities further clarified that
there is no longer a limit on the number of times a foreigner may
enter Thailand within the days allowed on the Visa on Arrival. The
former provision stating that visitors cannot stay for more than 90
days within six months has already been dropped.


Beyond 90 Days
A dose of good news awaits tourists—following the new regulation set
by Thai Immigration, visitors can now come regularly to Thailand
without limiting their stay within a total of 90 days in a six-month
period.


The restriction has already been abolished so tourists can now visit
Thailand as often as they want, provided that they obtain 30 day Visa
on Arrival at airports and 15 day Visa on Arrival if they are
traveling via land borders.


However, immigration officials still recommend getting visas prior to
arrival in Thailand, as they remind visitors that back-to-back short
visas are not the proper way to extend the stay in the country on a
long-term basis.


This new regulation is predicted to greatly benefit travel agencies as
more border trips are expected to be booked with the increased influx
of tourists eager to renew their visas.