Visa exemption

[Yanni]

I'm planning to fly to Bangkok from Greece on November 1 for tourism and have to isolate myself at ASQ hotel in Bangkok for 7+1 days (I'm fully vaccinated Greek passport holder). I didn't apply for a tourist visa (TR).

Does anyone know if I can get 45 days (30 + 15) visa exemption like before? It's heard on YouTube channels that visa exemption was reduced to 30 days, is this true? 

[JamesE]

Sad, but true. The 45-day VE entry went back to its former level. Now you can get a 30-day stamp and apply for a 30-day extension if you want to stay longer. It's basically the pre-COVID rules. But on November 1 you probably won't have to isolate in an AQ hotel any longer. Look for a change to be more like Phuket where you can spend your days out and come back to the hotel each night.

[AussieBob]

Talk to Thai Embassy in Athens.   Coming on 1 November ? Maybe wait a week or two??  Looks like thigns will change on 1 November - and any change takes a while to 'feed down' the Thai 'system'.

[BlueSphinx]

Are there any testimonies from new arrivals on a VisaExempt entry that were stamped in not for 45 days, but for the former 30 days permission to stay?  When the additional 15 days scheme was introduced, the date of 30 september 2021 was mentioned as end-date, but unless it is confirmed by new arrivals being stamped in by border Immigration for 30 days again when arriving VisaExempt, I am not yet fully convinced (because the quarantaine scheme for which it was introduced, has been reduced but not stopped). 

[JamesE]

32 minutes ago, BlueSphinx said:

(because the quarantaine scheme for which it was introduced, has been reduced but not stopped). 

But it has. The Sandboxes were to attract new tourists, not AQ in BKK. So, since Sandboxes are "no quarantine" there is no need to extend the program. The Thai Embassy in the US is saying "U.S. Passport Holders are not required to obtain a visa when entering Thailand for tourism purposes and will be permitted to stay in Thailand for a period not exceeding 30 days** on each visit or 15-day stays if arriving by land-crossing." But I'm with you. I haven't seen any talk on the actual stamp one way or the other.

[Faz]

The Thai Embassy London has also now removed the bracketed 45 days from a VE entry and now states the same the US website 'not exceeding 30 days'. However I don't expect the Embassies to be aware of what Immigration are allowing at the borders on entry.
We're assuming because the extended entry allowance scheme was 'supposed' to cease at the end of September and the Embassies updated their websites to reflect that it's now back to 30 days on entry, but as yet we haven't had a confirmed report that this is the case when entering VE since October.

[Yanni]

9 hours ago, AussieBob said:

Talk to Thai Embassy in Athens.   Coming on 1 November ? Maybe wait a week or two??  Looks like thigns will change on 1 November - and any change takes a while to 'feed down' the Thai 'system'.

They told me that visa exemption is still 45 days  and I have booked my return flight 45 days after arriving in Bangkok. Do you think I have a problem about COE issue? 

[Yanni]

9 hours ago, BlueSphinx said:

Are there any testimonies from new arrivals on a VisaExempt entry that were stamped in not for 45 days, but for the former 30 days permission to stay?  When the additional 15 days scheme was introduced, the date of 30 september 2021 was mentioned as end-date, but unless it is confirmed by new arrivals being stamped in by border Immigration for 30 days again when arriving VisaExempt, I am not yet fully convinced (because the quarantaine scheme for which it was introduced, has been reduced but not stopped). 

You right, I asked Thai Embassy in Greece about it on October 3 and they told me that visa exemption is still 45 days...I'm planning to fly to Bangkok and need to stay at ASQ room for 7+1 days quarantine. Nobody knows what it's happens after 1st November 

[Yanni]

8 hours ago, JamesE said:

But it has. The Sandboxes were to attract new tourists, not AQ in BKK. So, since Sandboxes are "no quarantine" there is no need to extend the program. The Thai Embassy in the US is saying "U.S. Passport Holders are not required to obtain a visa when entering Thailand for tourism purposes and will be permitted to stay in Thailand for a period not exceeding 30 days** on each visit or 15-day stays if arriving by land-crossing." But I'm with you. I haven't seen any talk on the actual stamp one way or the other.

But if I want to go to BKK why I need to fly to Phuket first and stay there 1 week? I have no money for that 

[Yanni]

Thanks all of you

I hope that I have no problem about COE issue cause my return flight is 45 days after arriving in  Bangkok and I can't change the flight 

[BlueSphinx]

8 minutes ago, Yanni said:

But if I want to go to BKK why I need to fly to Phuket first and stay there 1 week? I have no money for that 

The Phuket sandbox-scheme allows you to leave your ASQ-Hotel during the day, and you only need to stay there during the night.  An ASQ-Hotel in Bangkok will not allow you to leave the Hotel during the quarantaine period.

[BlueSphinx]

1 minute ago, Yanni said:

...

I hope that I have no problem about COE issue cause my return flight is 45 days after arriving in  Bangkok and I can't change the flight 

When boarding your plane with destination Thailand VisaExempt the airline will require that you have an outward-bound flight not beyond the date for which you will be stamped in on arrival by Thai border Immigration.  That means that if by the time you depart that the 30-day permission to stay for VisaExempt arrivals is confirmed, that you would need to buy a cheap 'throw-away' outward-bound flight ticket to meet that requirement.  E.g. one-way flights from BKK to Ho Chi Minh City, or from HuaHin to Kualu Lumpur did cost only approx 1.000 THB in pre-covid times, so it would be advisable to look for the cheapest such ticket.

To meet the CoE requirements you also need a +100.000 US $ covid-19 insurance that would cover the full period for which you will be stamped in on arrival (not clear at this moment whether that would be 30 or 45 days).  Obviously when you are only stamped in for 30-days, you would need to apply for a 30-day extension of stay at any Thai Immigration office (cost 1.900 THB) to bridge the period to the date of your return flight. 

You wrote that you cannot change the dates of your flights.  There are several airlines that do allow to do this during covid-times at no cost even if you didn't book a flexible ticket.  So do check your airline regulations on that issue.  Note: If you fly Emirates the 100.000 US $ covid-19 insurance is FREE and included in the ticket-price, and Emirates also allows you to change return dates at no extra cost. 

[Yanni]

2 hours ago, BlueSphinx said:

The Phuket sandbox-scheme allows you to leave your ASQ-Hotel during the day, and you only need to stay there during the night.  An ASQ-Hotel in Bangkok will not allow you to leave the Hotel during the quarantaine period.

I know bro, it's just 8 night 

I have stayed 11 nights in hotel room alone last April 

[Yanni]

2 hours ago, BlueSphinx said:

When boarding your plane with destination Thailand VisaExempt the airline will require that you have an outward-bound flight not beyond the date for which you will be stamped in on arrival by Thai border Immigration.  That means that if by the time you depart that the 30-day permission to stay for VisaExempt arrivals is confirmed, that you would need to buy a cheap 'throw-away' outward-bound flight ticket to meet that requirement.  E.g. one-way flights from BKK to Ho Chi Minh City, or from HuaHin to Kualu Lumpur did cost only approx 1.000 THB in pre-covid times, so it would be advisable to look for the cheapest such ticket.

To meet the CoE requirements you also need a +100.000 US $ covid-19 insurance that would cover the full period for which you will be stamped in on arrival (not clear at this moment whether that would be 30 or 45 days).  Obviously when you are only stamped in for 30-days, you would need to apply for a 30-day extension of stay at any Thai Immigration office (cost 1.900 THB) to bridge the period to the date of your return flight. 

You wrote that you cannot change the dates of your flights.  There are several airlines that do allow to do this during covid-times at no cost even if you didn't book a flexible ticket.  So do check your airline regulations on that issue.  Note: If you fly Emirates the 100.000 US $ covid-19 insurance is FREE and included in the ticket-price, and Emirates also allows you to change return dates at no extra cost. 

Thanks for your reply 

My problem is about COE issue to can fly to Bangkok from Greece. I will go to immigration office in Bangkok to apply a visa extension 30 days of course. I have booked my flights by Qatar Airlines and can't change my return flight,  I can new ticket with big cost. It's better for me to buy an one-way flight to Ho Chi Minh as you said. I have booked an insurance for 2 months from AXA Thailand. 

[JamesE]

2 hours ago, Yanni said:

I know bro, it's just 8 night 

I have stayed 11 nights in hotel room alone last April 

Remember, too, that on 1 November the rules are going to change and you're <probably> not going to be stuck at the hotel, even in BKK.

By way of example, my S.O. was scheduled to arrive in BKK on 30 September and have to do a 14 night quarantine. Her plane arrived 10 minutes after midnight on 1 October. New rules and her quarantine was cut in half. The thing you'll have to do is make sure your quarantine AQ booking is convertible to a sandbox booking or fully refundable. To get your COE you'll have to follow the rules in place at the time you apply for it. But, since you're arriving right when the rules are changing, you might be subject to different rules upon arrival.

What this will mean in practice is that you will have to have one set of documentation to get your COE - like an AQ hotel booking - and a different set to get admitted into the country - like a SHABA+ certificate and pre-paid COVID tests. Stay on top of announcements and bring all of your documents.

One other thing is that Qatar has an "unlimited change" policy in effect right now. You might be able to change your return date with no penalty. https://www.qatarairways.com/en/travel-with-confidence.html?iid=ALL62158210

Good luck.

[Yanni]

3 hours ago, JamesE said:

Remember, too, that on 1 November the rules are going to change and you're <probably> not going to be stuck at the hotel, even in BKK.

By way of example, my S.O. was scheduled to arrive in BKK on 30 September and have to do a 14 night quarantine. Her plane arrived 10 minutes after midnight on 1 October. New rules and her quarantine was cut in half. The thing you'll have to do is make sure your quarantine AQ booking is convertible to a sandbox booking or fully refundable. To get your COE you'll have to follow the rules in place at the time you apply for it. But, since you're arriving right when the rules are changing, you might be subject to different rules upon arrival.

What this will mean in practice is that you will have to have one set of documentation to get your COE - like an AQ hotel booking - and a different set to get admitted into the country - like a SHABA+ certificate and pre-paid COVID tests. Stay on top of announcements and bring all of your documents.

One other thing is that Qatar has an "unlimited change" policy in effect right now. You might be able to change your return date with no penalty. https://www.qatarairways.com/en/travel-with-confidence.html?iid=ALL62158210

Good luck.

Dear,

Hope Bangkok follows Phuket Sandbox from 1st November and I'm not going to be stuck at the hotel as you said. My AQ hotel room booking is convertible to a Sandbox booking of course. They never refund  

About Qatar Airlines changes not applicable now, only ticket reissue with penalty 

[JamesE]

7 minutes ago, Yanni said:

They never refund

I know. I booked a 14 day sandbox and then they reduced to 7 and I now have a nicer room and "resort credit".

That's too bad about the change refusal as Qatar's website is showing something completely different. Can't trust anybody these days.

[Yanni]

3 minutes ago, JamesE said:

I know. I booked a 14 day sandbox and then they reduced to 7 and I now have a nicer room and "resort credit".

That's too bad about the change refusal as Qatar's website is showing something completely different. Can't trust anybody these days.

Yes

The only good thing is that I will have 3 meals delivered to the room every day for 8 days...

[Yanni]

I was able to change my flights at a low cost, I'm ok now because I have a 30-day trip to Bangkok 

Thanks to all of you 

[palooka]

14 hours ago, Yanni said:

I was able to change my flights at a low cost, I'm ok now because I have a 30-day trip to Bangkok 

Thanks to all of you 

Remember that the day you arrive is day 1 of that visa.

[Yanni]

14 hours ago, palooka said:

Remember that the day you arrive is day 1 of that visa.

I know 

[Faz]

On 10/12/2021 at 3:19 PM, palooka said:

Remember that the day you arrive is day 1 of that visa.

It's the first day of his permission of stay.
He is entering with out a Visa.