This post is dedicated to all those who require Visa on Arrival for Thailand and who are arriving at Phuket International Airport. There is a form available to download also. But it’s not the latest one. (Still you can use that form)
Eligibility for Thailand Visa on Arrival
The VISA ON ARRIVAL allows passport holders of 19 countries and territories to enter Thailand, provided that they meet the below requirements:
- The visit is strictly for tourism purposes.
- A Passport with a minimum remaining validity of six months
- The applicant must have a confirmed return ticket to show that they are flying out of Thailand within the next 15 days of entry.
- Boarding pass of the flight of arrival
- One passport size (4 x 6 cm) photo.
- Fully filled-in Visa on Arrival application form and Arrival / Departure Card which is provided during the flight.
- Visa on Arrival fee of 1,200 Thai Baht to be paid in Thai currency only (Some say its 1000 Baht only. But we were asked to pay 1200 Baht) *Update: Starting from 27 September 2016, Thailand, by the order of Ministry of Interior No. 30 B.E. 2559 (2016) dated 1 July B.E. 2559 (2016), will increase it VoA fee from 1,000 to 2,000 THB.
- Hotel reservation / other stay address in Thailand (Never Asked. But good to have)
- It will also be necessary to prove that you have funds of at least 10,000 THB per person and 20,000 THB per family during your stay in Thailand. (Never Asked. Just in case they ask)
Visa on Arrival Procedure at Phuket International Airport.
You will be provided with a Arrival / Departure card inside the flight itself, which you should fill in first and keep ready. On arrival at the airport, follow the straight path, which lead you to an escalator leading you all the way down to the immigration place. Straight itself, you can see the VISA ON ARRIVAL sign, on top of the counters. See the below Picture
The form will be available there, which you can fill in. Alternatively, download the form from this link and fill it up in advance to save some good time, in case its rush during the time of your arrival. For us, they accepted this form. But in some cases, they can ask you to fill in the form from the counter. I didn’t find any place to take the photograph there. So carry the photographs with you itself
Submit the filled up Visa on Arrival form, together with the passport, boarding pass, filled in Arrival / Departure Card and Photograph at Counter 1, where the officer will do a preliminary check and will staple the photograph to the application form and ask you to pay the fee of 1200 Baht. You have to pay in Bhat itself. It’s advisable to give exact amount.
After that, the officer will ask you to collect the passport from the next counter. Move over to the other side, to Counter 3. Here after stamping the visa on your passport, the officer will hand over the passport to you. The whole process is very fast if there is no crowd and you will get the visa very soon.
From there, proceed to the Immigration counter, which is just straight forward from the Counter 3. After that, all set to enter and explore the amazing Phuket. The immigration officers were all very friendly and the whole process is very straight forward and stress free
Updated (as of 26 August 2016, )List of countries and territories eligible for visa on arrival is as follows:
- Andorra
- Bhutan
- Bulgaria
- China
- Cyprus
- Ethiopia
- India
- Kazakhstan
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Maldives
- Malta
- Mauritius
- Romania
- San Marino
- Saudi Arabia
- Taiwan
- Ukraine
- Uzbekistan
List of Thailand’s Immigration Checkpoints which provide facilities for issuance of visa on arrival:
1. Suvarnabhumi Airport
2. Don Muang International Airport , Bangkok
3. Chiangmai International Airport , Chiangmai
4. Phuket International Airport , Phuket
5. Hatyai International Airport , Songkhla
6. U Tapao Airport , Rayong
7. Mae Sai Immigration Checkpoint , Chiengrai
8. Chieng Saen Immigration Checkpoint , Chiengrai
9. Chieng Khong Immigration Checkpoint , Chiengrai
10. Betong Immigration Checkpoint , Yala
11. Sadoa Immigration Checkpoint , Songkhla
12. Samui Airport , Surat Thani
13. Sukhothai International Airport, Tak Immigration Checkpoint
14. Bangkok Harbour Immigration Checkpoint, Bangkok
15. Sri Racha Immigration Checkpoint , Chonburi
16. Mabtaput Immigration Checkpoint , Rayong
17. Nong Khai Immigration Checkpoint, Nong Khai
18. Samui Immigration Checkpoint , Surat Thani
19. Phuket Immigration Checkpoint , Phuket
20. Satun Immigration Checkpoint , Satun
21. Krabi Immigration Checkpoint , Krabi
22. Songkhla Harbour Immigraion Checkpoint , Songkhla
23. Chiangrai Airport Immigration Checkpoint, Chiangrai
24. Surat Thani Airport Immigration Checkpoint , Surat Thani
25. Sattahip Habour Immigration Checkpoint, Chonburi
26 .Khlong Yai Immigration Checkpoint, Trat
27. Pong Nam Ron Immigration Checkpoint, Chanthaburi
28. Aranyaprathet Immigration Checkpoint, Sakaeo
29. Mukdahan Immigration Checkpoint, Mukdahan
30. Tak Immigration Checkpoint, Tak
31. Padang Besar Immigration Checkpoint, Songkhla
32. Su-ngai Kolok Immigration Checkpoint, Narathiwat
33. Nong Khai Immigration Checkpoint, Nong Khai
34. Bueng Kan Immigration Checkpoint, Bueng Kan
35. Phibun Mangsahan Immigration Checkpoint, Ubon Ratchathani
36. Tha Li Immigration Checkpoint, Loei
37. Nakhon Phanom Immigration Checkpoint, Nakhon Phanom
38. Nan Immigration Checkpoint, Nan
39. Ban Prakob Immigration Checkpoint, Songkhla
40. Khuan Don Immigration Checkpoint, Satun
41. Tak Bai Immigration Checkpoint, Narathiwat
42. Bukit Tal Immigration Checkpoint, Narathiwat
Disclaimer:-
All the information above is correct at the time of writing. For any recent changes, please refer to the official Thai Embassy website itself.
References from :-
http://www.thaiembassy.sg/visa-matters-/-consular/visa-on-arrival
http://www.consular.go.th/main/th/customize/62281-Summary-of-Countries-and-Territories-entitled-for.html
Thank you so much for the detailed
information…much helpful
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Hi there,
So happy that you visited my blog and found the information helpful. Hope you are planning for a Phuket visit soon. Have a nice time. A good place to visit indeed
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I’m traveling with my family on the 17 th of this month. I’m reaching bangkok at 6.00 am and I have a connecting flight at 7.55 am to Phuket.I want to know wether they will allow us to do our visa at Phuket as we don’t have much time in Bangkok
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As long as you are not exiting at Bangkok, it should be fine. Please double check with airline for confirmation
Thanks
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what awesome information…thank you. Planning to go to Phuket for a holiday. I am a Permanent Resident of NZ with a Samoan Passport….wondering about visa if you know whether the one on arrival still applies for me?
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Hi Max,
Good to know that you liked my post. Since your passport is of Samoa, I think you might not be eligible to Visa on arrival. Request you to please refer to the consular of Thailand website in my reference link
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Hi Thomas,
I am an Indian passport holder coming from the United States. What did you fill out in the section “Name and address of person(s) living in Thailand”. The reason I ask is because I don’t know anyone in Thailand. Also did they ask you for proof of hotel reservations when getting your visa on arrival. I am planning on backpacking and will be living in hostels. Not sure if that is acceptable to them or not. Thank you!
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Hi Chirag,
We filled in the hotel address there. They never asked any reservation proof from me. Just fill in one of the hostel address will be fine, I guess
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Going for Phuket, where to get visa on arrival. Bkk or Phuket. Thai Airways..
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Hi there, if you are doing immigration at BKK and coming out, you should take visa on arrival there. If transit only, I guess can do at Phuket only
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Can you pls confirm if I am transiting from BKK to HKT then I need to do VOI at HKT airport or BKK airport.
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Hi Neha,
As far as I know u should do VOA at the first point of exit to Thailand. Like if you have to exit at BKK before going to HKT, then u should do at BKK itself.
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Hi Thomas,
Thanks for the awesome information about VoA. I am an Indian passport holder and planning to visit Phuket very soon with my family. I am booking ticket such that I will to travelling from Kolkata to Bangkok (DMK) and then after 3 hours halt from DMK to Phuket (HKT). I have 2 queries to get cleared……
1. Where from I have to take VoA, DMK or HKT?
2. If it is mandatory to take VoA from DMK, how much time do they generally take to issue it as because I may have to catch flight from DMK to HKT by 3 hours?
Regards….
Alak
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Thanka for reading my blog and for the nice words.
Normally what they say is you should get the visa at the first point of entry at Thailand. So as such, if you are exiting at DMK, I think you take visa at DMK.
It depends on the rush. If not much people it will take 5 – 10 mins only to get VOA.
Wishing you a nice stay at Thailand
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I am still not clear. My flight is from bangalore to bangkok and from bangkok to phuket. I have 2 hours layoff at bangkok and I don’t have to go out of airport. Do I still need to get VoA from bangkok? Or it’s OK to get VoA from phucket. Confused…!!!
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Brilliant. Precise and concise information. Thank you.
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Thanks and happy to know that you liked the article…
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thank you so much for this ….so informative and helpful
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Thanks for reading and happy to understand that the information is helpful
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Hi
We are planning trip to phuket (via Bkk) can we get visa at phuket airport,B’coz bangkok airport is very much crowded.long ques for visa.what you suggest?
Thanx
Pavy
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Hi there,
If I am not wrong, visa should be taken at the first point of entry at Thailand. Kindly check with the airline people and get a clarification.
Thanks
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Hi, Thomas,
Need one help:
I m Indian origin & coming to Singapore first & thn to Phuket & thn to Bangkok.
Need your help : Wht is multiple visa ? Which type of visa I have to take while entering Phuket ?
& I have to take visa from India or VOA is valid for Indian resident ?
Thanks in Advance.
Meghal
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Hi Meghal,
Thanks for visiting my blog.
Regarding ur query, VOA is available for Indian passport holders for Thailand and it is valid for 15 days from the date of arrival. So for visiting phuket and Thailand, it will be sufficient, as long as your journey is less than 15 days.
If I am not wrong, it will be multiple entry visa, meaning you can enter multiple times in that country within the validity of the visa
For Singapore, there is no VOA for Indian passport holders. So you will have to take in advance.
This is what I know. Kindly check with the airline for updated information
Thanks
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I am still not clear. My flight is from bangalore to bangkok and from bangkok to phuket. I have 2 hours layoff at bangkok and I don’t have to go out of airport. Do I still need to get VoA from bangkok? Or it’s OK to get VoA from phucket. Confused…!!!
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Hi Bhavin,
As far as I know, if you have to exit at bangkok airport, you will have to get VOA at bangkok. If not exiting, then at Phuket.
Please double check with airline
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pls tell me, there is an ATM or exchange office in the area of Phuket aiport for VOA payment? i dont have 1000 thb cash…
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Hi there, i haven’t seen any ATM counter in the VOA area during my visit, which was 2 years ago. Not sure about the current situation though
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Yes, it’s there but make sure your card works there…
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Thanks for the heads up Bhavin…
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Thx!
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Hi,
I’m flying via Singapore to Phuket.
Is there an on arrival counter in Phuket airport and also maybe an ATM or money exchange? I cannot get bht without being to Thailand.
Many thanks
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Hi
I am not sure on the ATM counter inside. But one of my reader commented there is one. So make sure your card works and you can try.
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Hi Thomas
very useful information. what would be the back ground colour of the photos’s ? My photo studio says the back ground colour should be whit and some friends says it should be blue . Are they very strict with this??
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Ours was white. I suggest use white, which is universally accepted
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