News Forum - Phuket “Sandbox” to allow visitors from overseas to apply for “Visa on Arrival”

[Soidog]

52 minutes ago, Bangkok_Gary said:

What is this COE thing ?

Certificate of Entry. Currently everyone needs to have one in order to enter Thailand and they are available from your local Thai Embassy. It’s a two stage process all completed on line. You get an initial approval in stage one. You can then proceed to book flights, accommodation and Preflight PCR Covid test etc. Confirmation of this is uploaded  back to the Embassy and then approval should be gained and the COE is available to download once approved. 
https://www.thaiembassy.com/thailand-visa/coe-thailand

[JamesE]

1 hour ago, Soidog said:

It’s the COE they need to remove. For many it’s just too much to navigate and can be too tight to get your a Covid result, upload it and get your COE back. 

You don't need the COVID result for the COE, I got my COE three weeks before departure. The COVID result is for the airlines, any transit country, and Thai disease control on arrival.

Edited October 5, 2021 by JamesE
Clarification

[JamesE]

36 minutes ago, MikeV said:

I hope you are aware that the only reason tourism exists is to make money. They aren't letting you in for your wonderful attitude.

You're new here so you don't realize that this is one of the least cynical things @PapayaBokBok has posted.

[Rain]

17 minutes ago, JamesE said:

You're new here so you don't realize that this is one of the least cynical things @PapayaBokBok has posted.

I'm cynical.

PBB is naive and rather typical of these kind of circles.

[Soidog]

35 minutes ago, JamesE said:

You don't need the COVID result for the COE, I got my COE three weeks before departure. The COVID result is for the airlines, any transit country, and Thai disease control on arrival.

Absolutely correct @JamesE  it’s been a while since I went through the process. As you say, the Covid test is separate and in addition to the COE. Thanks for the correction

[JamesE]

54 minutes ago, Rain said:

I'm cynical.

Well good for you. You must be so proud.

[BlueSphinx]

7 hours ago, satpete said:

there is no visa excemption anymore,

visa on arrival may be ok for Indian foreigners,

but Europeans will not travel 13 to 20 hours by flights

to have 15 days holidays in Thailand,

3 weeks may ordinary besides of longer stays,

to get a visa about 60 or 90 days you have to wait about 4 to 6 weeks

to get the visa in Germany, then COE, so all about 2 months,

who will do this for a long holiday ?

 

If you do not intend to stay longer than a couple of months, you do not even have to bother about applying for a Visa, and you can opt to enter Thailand VisaExempt (without a Visa).  On entry you will currently be stamped in for a 45 days permission to stay, and that permission to stay can be extended once (for 1.900 THB) at any Thai Immigration Office for a period of 30 days.  So that would provide you with 75 days of stay with no need to apply for a Visa.  If you do want to stay longer than those 75 days you can in the last days before your permission to stay expires, apply at the Immigration Office for a 60-day covid-extension, no questions asked and you can continue doing so as long as Immigration keeps on issuing them.  It is as good as certain that as long as border-restrictions will make exiting/entering Thailand inconvenient, that they will keep on issuing them (1.900 THB).

Note that when coming to Thailand you still need - like everybody entering Thailand - to meet the CoE requirements.  And these stipulate that you need a.o. to provide proof of a +100.000 US $ covid-19 coverage insurance for the period you will be stamped in on arrival (i.e. 45 days when you opt to enter VisaExempt). 

FYI > When you book a return-flight with Emirates such +100.000 US $ covid-19 insurance is included FREE in your ticket-price for the full trip, and this for all passenger classes (even cheapest economy option).  Currently Emirates also allows to change date of return-flight without any additional cost.

 

[Alavan]

15 hours ago, JamesE said:

The US Thai Embassy is still showing both. Must be tough to get it updated...

https://thaiembdc.org/visa-exemption-and-visa-on-arrival/

[Soidog]

9 hours ago, BlueSphinx said:

If you do want to stay longer than those 75 days you can in the last days before your permission to stay expires, apply at the Immigration Office for a 60-day covid-extension, no questions asked and you can continue doing so as long as Immigration keeps on issuing them.  It is as good as certain that as long as border-restrictions will make exiting/entering Thailand inconvenient, that they will keep on issuing them (1.900 THB).

Hi @BlueSphinx  Are you certain about this statement regarding the 60 day Covid extension? Sorry to challenge the statement, but this presents an interesting option for my situation. I think you may have mentioned this in a separate post where you replied?  I’m looking to return via the sandbox in early Jan and want to stay until around end of June. 
From what you say, I could come in on 45 day VE. Extend for 30 and pay 1,900 baht (something I’ve done many times previously when entering on a 60 day tourist visa pre-pandemic). That would take me to 75 days. Another 60 day Covid extension would then take me to 135 days which if I extended again would take me to 195 days. That’s far cheaper and a lot less hassle than the STV route I’m considering, however it depends entirely on the 60 day Covid extension being available.
 

As you will also know, what happens in one immigration office doesn’t always apply to all immigration offices (it can even change from one desk to the next working the same office ). I would have also expected this extension to people who entered prior to the lockdown of the country back in April 2020?  This is a very interesting option so thanks for this If this is off topic I’ll happily converse in PM

[BlueSphinx]

23 minutes ago, Soidog said:

Hi @BlueSphinx  Are you certain about this statement regarding the 60 day Covid extension? Sorry to challenge the statement, but this presents an interesting option for my situation. I think you may have mentioned this in a separate post where you replied?  I’m looking to return via the sandbox in early Jan and want to stay until around end of June. 
From what you say, I could come in on 45 day VE. Extend for 30 and pay 1,900 baht (something I’ve done many times previously when entering on a 60 day tourist visa pre-pandemic). That would take me to 75 days. Another 60 day Covid extension would then take me to 135 days which if I extended again would take me to 195 days. That’s far cheaper and a lot less hassle than the STV route I’m considering, however it depends entirely on the 60 day Covid extension being available.
 

As you will also know, what happens in one immigration office doesn’t always apply to all immigration offices (it can even change from one desk to the next working the same office ). I would have also expected this extension to people who entered prior to the lockdown of the country back in April 2020?  This is a very interesting option so thanks for this If this is off topic I’ll happily converse in PM

Yes, the option you are mentioning > entering Thailand Visa Exempt which provides you currently with a 45-day permission to stay, can be extended at any Immigration Office for an additional 30 days (cost 1.900 THB).  At the end of the 75 days you can then apply at your local Immigration Office for the 60-day covid-extension (cost 1.900 THB) and you can continue on applying for such 60-day covid-extensions.

You are correct that there is little consistency in how different Immigration Offices treat applications, and so it is possible that your local Immigration Office has some specific requirements for such covid-extension. But as you entered VisaExempt, you are a 'tourist' and thus have no dedicated Immigration Office as you do not have a permanent address for Immigration purposes when being on a VE or Tourist-Visa.  Which means that if your local Imm Office want to impose some difficult or crazy requirements for your application, that you can simply apply at another Imm Office (in that case, just go the night before and stay the night in a local provincial Hotel there, as you would need a copy of the TM-30 made by the Hotel of you having stayed there).  

The prolongation of these covid-extensions is confirmed by Immigration bi-monthly.  The reason being that if border restrictions are lifted, they will simply cease issuing them.  And that's not a big deal when borders are open again, as you can then do a quick border-hop and then re-enter VisaExempt which will provide you with a 30-day permission to stay (no need for 45 days anymore when border-restrictions are lifted) and such VE Entry can once again be extended for 30 days at any local Immigration Office. 

There is no doubt in my mind that if you intend to stay only for a couple of months, that the above procedure is the easiest and cheapest way to do it.

[Soidog]

1 minute ago, BlueSphinx said:

Yes, the option you are mentioning > entering Thailand Visa Exempt which provides you currently with a 45-day permission to stay, can be extended at any Immigration Office for an additional 30 days (cost 1.900 THB).  At the end of the 75 days you can then apply at your local Immigration Office for the 60-day covid-extension (cost 1.900 THB) and you can continue on applying for such 60-day covid-extensions.

You are correct that there is little consistency in how different Immigration Offices treat applications, and so it is possible that your local Immigration Office has some specific requirements for such covid-extension. But as you entered VisaExempt, you are a 'tourist' and thus have no dedicated Immigration Office as you do not have a permanent address for Immigration purposes when being on a VE or Tourist-Visa.  Which means that if your local Imm Office want to impose some difficult or crazy requirements for your application, that you can simply apply at another Imm Office (in that case, just go the night before and stay the night in a local provincial Hotel there, as you would need a copy of the TM-30 made by the Hotel of you having stayed there).  

The prolongation of these covid-extensions is confirmed by Immigration bi-monthly.  The reason being that if border restrictions are lifted, they will simply cease issuing them.  And that's not a big deal when borders are open again, as you can then do a quick border-hop and then re-enter VisaExempt which will provide you with a 30-day permission to stay (no need for 45 days anymore when border-restrictions are lifted) and such VE Entry can once again be extended for 30 days at any local Immigration Office. 

There is no doubt in my mind that if you intend to stay only for a couple of months, that the above procedure is the easiest and cheapest way to do it.

Thank you for this and much appreciated. I would most likely extend my 45 day TE in Udon or Hua Hin. If I do that initial 30 day extension, does it in anyway “lock” me to that immigration office for the Covid extensions? I’ve heard of many people having to travel miles to do 90 day reporting due to such immigration office links? 

[BlueSphinx]

15 minutes ago, Soidog said:

Thank you for this and much appreciated. I would most likely extend my 45 day TE in Udon or Hua Hin. If I do that initial 30 day extension, does it in anyway “lock” me to that immigration office for the Covid extensions? I’ve heard of many people having to travel miles to do 90 day reporting due to such immigration office links? 

No, when on a VisaExempt or Tourist Visa entry, you do not have any 'permanent address for Immigration purposes' as you are considered a tourist.  So you can make use of ANY Immigration Office nation-wide to apply for the 30-day extension and the 60-day covid-extensions.  The Immigration Office where you do your application will require a TM-30 with your current address in the province where they are located.  An overnight-stay in a Hotel will provide you with such a TM-30, and if you are staying with friends/family or in your own residence, the owner of the premises where you are staying can register the premises on the IO TM-30 website, which will then allow them to 'notify' Immigration with a TM-30 that a foreigner (you) is staying at the premises.   

[Soidog]

6 minutes ago, BlueSphinx said:

No, when on a VisaExempt or Tourist Visa entry, you do not have any 'permanent address for Immigration purposes' as you are considered a tourist.  So you can make use of ANY Immigration Office nation-wide to apply for the 30-day extension and the 60-day covid-extensions.  The Immigration Office where you do your application will require a TM-30 with your current address in the province where they are located.  An overnight-stay in a Hotel will provide you with such a TM-30, and if you are staying with friends/family or in your own residence, the owner of the premises where you are staying can register the premises on the IO TM-30 website, which will then allow them to 'notify' Immigration with a TM-30 that a foreigner (you) is staying at the premises.   

That’s extremely helpful information. Thank you for that  

[Griff1315]

13 hours ago, Soidog said:

Why is it taking so long to process visa applications in Berlin. Currently London is saying 3-5 working days. You also no longer need to send your passport or original supporting documents. It’s all done in line and they will email you Visa. Seems odd that at profess taking 3-5 days in the U.K. would take so long in Germany. 

Brexit Works

[Griff1315]

Your all arguing about Visa's and the planes are still flying in virtually empty....

[Soidog]

45 minutes ago, Griff1315 said:

Your all arguing about Visa's and the planes are still flying in virtually empty....

Debating @Griff1315 please. All gentlemen here I hope

[Cape]

Bit lost on where we are! I arrive BKK next month, November 21.

To get a COE, I must show a rtn flight and covid insurance.

Will I need to quarantine as I'm fully vaccinated?

Thank you for your good advice.

[Thommo]

On 10/5/2021 at 7:54 PM, Stonker said:

I'm not really following the constant changes as all that really interests me about tourists is their impact, but isn't the CoE now just an on-line application?

the coe was/is online but the visa required me to visit the thai consulate twice so a visa on arrival should save visitors the the kingdom at least these 2 consulate or embassy visits

[JamesE]

6 hours ago, Alavan said:

https://thaiembdc.org/visa-exemption-and-visa-on-arrival/

Exactly. On that page it says that you'll get 45 days but the 45 day VE expired at the end of September. But on this page it doesn't even mention 45 days. The COE site is mute on the subject. I'm pretty sure it's gone back to 30 but I couldn't find any first-hand reports from recent arrivals.

 

[Alavan]

6 hours ago, Soidog said:

Hi @BlueSphinx  Are you certain about this statement regarding the 60 day Covid extension? Sorry to challenge the statement, but this presents an interesting option for my situation. I think you may have mentioned this in a separate post where you replied?  I’m looking to return via the sandbox in early Jan and want to stay until around end of June. 
From what you say, I could come in on 45 day VE. Extend for 30 and pay 1,900 baht (something I’ve done many times previously when entering on a 60 day tourist visa pre-pandemic). That would take me to 75 days. Another 60 day Covid extension would then take me to 135 days which if I extended again would take me to 195 days. That’s far cheaper and a lot less hassle than the STV route I’m considering, however it depends entirely on the 60 day Covid extension being available.
 

As you will also know, what happens in one immigration office doesn’t always apply to all immigration offices (it can even change from one desk to the next working the same office ). I would have also expected this extension to people who entered prior to the lockdown of the country back in April 2020?  This is a very interesting option so thanks for this If this is off topic I’ll happily converse in PM

Without visa is 30 days, 45 days is finished.
Just got this today:

 

Dear,

Please read the link below for your travel information.

You can stay 30 days without visa.

You can submit COE online at https://coethailand.mfa.go.th.

It is very important to read our website.

 

Kind regards,
Visa team
(visa.brs@mfa.mail.go.th)

Consular section
Royal Thai Embassy, Brussels 
Chaussée de waterloo 876,1000 Brussels

 

[Soidog]

46 minutes ago, Alavan said:

Without visa is 30 days, 45 days is finished.
Just got this today:

 

Dear,

Please read the link below for your travel information.

You can stay 30 days without visa.

You can submit COE online at https://coethailand.mfa.go.th.

It is very important to read our website.

 

Kind regards,
Visa team
(visa.brs@mfa.mail.go.th)

Consular section
Royal Thai Embassy, Brussels 
Chaussée de waterloo 876,1000 Brussels

 

Interesting. The London embassy site is confusing as usual. Some pages refer to 45 days while others still say 30. Just crazy set up. You would expect such vital information to be updated within an few hours of each other (assuming office hours) around the world. Brussels to London are probably the two closest  Thai Embassy’s in the world

[BJoe]

The Thaiger’s Covid insurance cover those under 75 years of Age. What other insurance plans cover those over 75 for a maximum of 90 days ?

[PapayaBokBok]

21 hours ago, Marc26 said:

I guarantee you will go to Thailand as soon  as you can

Or if you live there, you won't move  5555

And you would be right---does that make my comment false or untrue?  been living in LOS over a decade

and ive come to the conclusion i'm seen only as money.....which is exhausting but ive accepted it

So whats ur point?

[PapayaBokBok]

19 hours ago, Rain said:

I'm cynical.

PBB is naive and rather typical of these kind of circles.

So 12 yrs in LOS makes me cynical....or a realist?

[PapayaBokBok]

20 hours ago, MikeV said:

I hope you are aware that the only reason tourism exists is to make money. They aren't letting you in for your wonderful attitude.

I thought it was my Hansum-ness, unless all the thai ladies have been misleading me......(feigns shock)