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Visa to Thailand - the complete guide

Thailand is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world and Israeli tourists, young and old, come in droves every year. It is not difficult to understand why, since the magical destination is suitable for individuals, couples and families looking for a place to travel, rest or indulge at ridiculously cheap prices. 

However, since apparently no "pre-assessments" are required, there are those who think that there is no need for one - however, this is a mistake. Because the trips to Thailand are usually long, anyone who stayed for more than 30 days will be required to issue a visa. How do you do that? Here is approxFor what you wanted to know about a visa to Thailand and didn't dare to ask: 

Let's start from the beginning...

You have decided fly to Thailand? Good for you! A little after you make the decision, friends will appear who will express intense jealousy (and rightly so) and after you finish writing the multitude of tips they will dictate to you (and anyway? There is nothing to write, after all we have already prepared everything for you in an organized guide) you will be available to order the ticket and plan the vacation.

The soft landing will probably be in the capital city Bangkok which is the main entrance gate to the country and after you go through the various inspections, as Israelis you will automatically and for free receive a 30-day visa. Since most visitors do not stay in the country beyond that, you may not even notice that you have received such a visa, hence the common mistake that a visa is "not necessary". If you have arrived for less than 30 days you do not need to do anything beyond that. But if you intend to stay in the country beyond that - keep reading, we are talking exactly to you. 

Visa to Thailand - the complete guide
Visa to Thailand - the complete guide
 

So visa - what types are there and who needs one?

which was up to 30 days

We realized that practically everyone needs a visa, even those who come for a short stay, just not everyone is aware that they have received it. As mentioned, this visa is automatically obtained for Israeli citizens and all that is necessary to obtain it is proof that you have a return flight ticket for a period shorter than 30 days from the moment you enter the country.

If you arrived in the country not by flight but by crossing a land border (as part of a trip to a neighboring country, for example), you will receive an entry visa for 15 days only (See continued reference). 

Over 30 to 60 days

If you plan to stay in the country for more than 30 days, you must prepare for this in advance and if the intention is to stay in the country for a period of 60 days, you can relatively easily obtain a suitable visa through the Thai embassy in Israel. The time of stay will begin upon your entry into the country and up to 60 days from that date, during which time you will be able to leave and enter additional times, i.e. a total of three entries / exits. 

You will usually receive the approval the day after your visit to the embassy and it will be valid starting from this date and up to 90 days from it, during which you will be able to enter Thailand as mentioned for a period of up to 60 days.

In simple words: this is a fast, simple and inexpensive process And it must be done at the earliest 3 months before the planned travel date to the country and not before

Please note that before arriving at the embassy, ​​you must make an appointment by email or by phone. Do not arrive without an appointment because they simply will not let you in.

Embassy of Thailand in Israel

Embassy address >> Manofif 11, Herzliya Pituach

Phone >> 09-9548412/3 (they don't answer that much there, be patient)

Email to schedule an appointment >> visa.tav@mfa.mail.go.th

Site >> https://telaviv.thaiembassy.org/

Days and hours of operation >> Monday through Thursday at 09:00-12:00 and 13:00-17:00 (except Israeli or Thai holidays); Friday at 09:00-13:00

Cost >> 150 NIS - payment on the spot and in cash only. For each additional entry into the country (except the first) you will have to pay NIS 150 again. 

Documents that need to be brought to your appointment at the embassy (all in English)

  • Passport photo 
  • Passport valid for at least six months ahead of the date of arrival in Thailand
  • A copy of the flight ticket (one-way only)
  • A recent passport photo measuring 6x4 cm, on a white or blue background
  • Current account printout of the bank account
  • Last payslip

When you arrive at the embassy, ​​you must fill out a visa application form, have a short conversation with the embassy representative, pay and leave your passport there. After the visa is ready (a matter of a few days), you can come pick up the passport between 14:00 PM and 16:00 PM.

Multiple entry visa

Such a visa will get you a permit that was valid for up to 60 days from the date of first entry, but unlike the previous one, it is not limited in the number of entries and exits from it in this period of time. In order to issue this type of visa, you will be required to present Confirmation from the bank with an overdraft balance of at least NIS 25,000.

Visa extension

If you are already staying in the country but have planned a short stay (up to 30 days) and are lucky enough to be able to stay longer, you can contact the immigration offices (there are in every city in Thailand) about a week before the end of the 30 days (and not after they are over!) and request an extension for another 30 days.

This option is also available to those who have obtained a visa for 60 days, and want to stay in Thailand beyond them. 

What to bring >> Passport photo, passport size photo 6X4, form T30 (received from the hotel you will be staying at - ask for it on the receipt) as well as form T6 (the form you were asked to fill out upon entering Thailand.

The cost of the extension >> 1,900 baht (about NIS 220) 

Over 60 to 90 days 

First of all it is important to note that No tourist, not even you, is allowed to stay in Thailand for a period exceeding 90 days, during a period of six months from the moment of first entry into the country. At the same time, since the long stay visas (whether issued through the Thai embassy in Israel or purchased at the immigration offices in Thailand) allow a stay of up to 60 days only, a longer stay is a bit "tricky" - meaning that, except in special cases, it is not possible to get a visa arranged in advance for which was 60-90 days.

אז מה עושים?

As mentioned, if you arrived in advance with a visa valid for 60 days, you can extend your stay for an additional 30 days through the immigration offices in the country.

If you arrived in advance with a visa that was valid for 30 days, then you have already made an extension in this way for an additional 30 days (a total of 60 days), so you cannot repeat the process and what you do in this case is cross the border into a neighboring country, for example Laos, and return to Thailand. This will buy you an additional visa of 15 days, and if you make the transition twice, then a total of 30 days will be added to your stay - and a total of at most 90 days (including the 60 days that the visas allowed you) during six months.

It should be noted that there is another possibility and that is to request a repeated extension of the visa at the immigration offices in Thailand, but also

If it is approved, it is a visa for a maximum of 7 additional days.

Let's order:

length of stayWhat is needed?
Up to 30 a dayNo preparation is necessary. A visa is automatically obtained upon entering Thailand.
Over 30 to 60 daysA visa must be issued at the Thai embassy in Israel, before the trip.
Over 60 to 90 daysIt is not possible to issue a visa in advance for up to 90 days. An existing visa can be extended for up to 60 days, in Thailand itself.

 

visa for Thailand

 

Important Information!

Staying in Thailand beyond what is allowed on a visa is highly not recommended, and those who do so risk being banned from entering the country in the future, and in serious cases even imprisonment. 

If it is an exception of several days and by mistake - for each day that exceeds the validity of the visa you will be required to pay a fine of 500 baht. Pay at the airport. 

Leaving Thailand is subject to the cancellation of the visa, even if it has not been fully used, except for a 60-day visa that you purchased in advance in Israel and paid for additional exits and entries to the country beyond your first entry. 

An example to clear your head - If you arrived in Thailand and received a "normal" visa (up to 45 days) and after 5 days you decided to make a foray to Laos for 5 days and return to Thailand, then on the seventh return you will receive a new visa valid for 15 days (and not 20 days as you "remained" from the original visa ). 

 

border crossings

So we understood how it is possible to take advantage of the border crossing in order to extend the stay in Thailand beyond the 60 days granted as part of the visa, but there are travelers who arrive in Thailand from a neighboring country (Laos, Malaysia, Cambodia) not as part of an attempt to extend their stay there - in this case, as mentioned, you will receive a visa that was automatic of 15 days.

If you want to get a longer visa or extend an existing visa (of 30 days, not of 60) you can submit an appropriate application at the Thai embassy in Laos.

Address >> no. 15 Home Phon Si Nuan Chan Lee lined streets of four cities accounted Ta otters. Vientiane

Days and hours of operation >> Monday to Friday at 08:30-11:30

Phone (area code 856+) >> 916-453-21 בשעות 13:30-16:30

Site >> vientiane.thaiembassy.org

Cost >> 1,000 baht (about NIS 115)

This time, too, you must prepare in advance and bring with you:

  • passport
  • 2 recent passport photos, on a white or blue background

 

A few more highlights and essential information

Whether you issue a visa in advance or not - do not travel to Thailand without travel insurance. Travel insurance can also include compensation for canceling or shortening a vacation for medical reasons, as well as coverage in case your equipment is stolen or lost. This can be very important in the context of a visa extension (for example if you lose a bag with documents), and this is of course in addition to all the obvious reasons for taking out travel insurance, certainly before visiting a country like Thailand. Therefore it is not recommended to rely on luck >> You can take out travel insurance online here

Although the price difference is not sky high, it is still about 10 servings of Banana Loti plus precious time that can be saved, so those of you who know that we intend to stay in Thailand for more than 45 days, or that there is a possibility that it will happen - shame on the games. It is recommended to come to the trip with a suitable visa that will be issued in Israel, even if in the end you will not use it all.

This means that a certain planning of the trip and the construction of a general route that includes destinations and an estimated time of stay in each of them may be required. If you see that you are staying for 45 days and do not want to be limited, remember that issuing a visa for 60 days in Israel compared to extending a visa in Thailand is not only cheaper but also very simple and fast.

If you are traveling with partners (friends, family, spouses) make sure in advance that they also have a copy of all relevant documents for you, and vice versa. It often happens that essential documents are lost or, god forbid, stolen. Of course, this means all photographs of any kind (identity card, passport, etc.) but also passport photos.

This is also true if you intend to come to Thailand from a neighboring country. Since the visa you will receive will only be for 15 days, if you wish to stay longer (even if it was as short as 30 days), it is recommended to prepare for this in advance and obtain a suitable visa before entering.

Regarding what was not allowed, we will remind you again - as mentioned, the fine is 500 baht for each day you were in the country without a visa, but it is important to note again that this may amount to more than a fine (because after all, NIS 55 is not a lot of money and there are those who may take advantage of it) - If you stay in a country without a visa and are caught in a random check, you may end up in detention even if it is only a one-day exception! Any such violation is recorded both in your passport and at the immigration offices. Repeated violations may keep you out of Thailand for an extended period, or in exceptional cases for life. Too bad to take a chance. 

So after all the important information, if we may summarize a little seriously... flying is fun and exciting especially when it comes to a dream destination like Thailand. But through jealousy we allow ourselves to implore you - Show responsibility and a little planning, nothing more. Proper preparation will save you a few shekels, valuable time and, above all, great heartache, and since the process is so simple and fast, there is no reason to skip it. 

So what have we had so far?

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