Longer Stay Thailand Tourist Visas are now back

Updated 4th April 2021

Thailand is now open to the ‘Long Stay’ Tourist (albeit still with compulsory self-financing quarantine on arrival) 

Nothing brings travel to a halt quite like a global pandemic and 2020/2021 had shown us just that. From airports shutting down, countries closing their borders and a whole host of new regulations coming into play, the entire travel industry has faced a bit of upheaval.But with the news that a vaccine is now being rolled out in countries there is light at the end of the tunnel for the industry.

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Vaccination in Thailand has already begun and there is now a roadmap in place to welcome back shorter stay tourists in stages during the second half of 2021 when the quarantine required at present can then hopefully be dropped. More information on the steps to open up Thailand to shorter term foreign tourists can be found here.

With efffect from 1st April 2021 a 60 day tourist visa and a 30 day visa exempt to enter Thailand is in place.  Both these entry options above require a 7 day self financing quarantine (vaccinated persons) or 10 day self financing quarantine on arrival in a hotel in Bangkok.  The quarantine days stay will be additional to the particular type of visa.

Following quarantine you are free to continue your journey to the remaining areas of Thailand.

Before you immediately hop on over to our website Thailand Retreats to peruse our incredible villa offerings for your stay however, there’s a few details you need to know about the current process of entering Thailand for the longer stay.

For entry into Thailand both options above will require a Certificate of Entry and needs to be applied for through Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs website (https://coethailand.mfa.go.th). See below.

How To Apply For Thailand’s 60 Day Tourist Visa (TR) 

The 60 day Tourist Visa needs to be obtained before the Certificate of Entry by opening an acccount at Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs website (www.thaievisa.go.th) followed by completing an application and either uploading the requested documents or sending them by post to the Thai embassy of the relative country you are resident in.

The requirements for this visa are:

• A current passport with validity not less than 6 months and at least 2 blank pages. Applicants must fill in online visa application with their given name(s) and surname as appear in their passports.
• Printout of visa application form submitted online, with bar code
• Travel booking confirmation (can be a print out of a quotation if prefer to wait until confirmation of succesful visa application)
• Proof of ASQ accommodation booking (can be a print out of a quotation if prefer to wait until confirmation of succesful visa aplication)
• Financial evidence e.g. bank statements showing 20,000 THB + /equivalent.

The Certificate ofd Entry can now applied for however once approved there is a 15 day window to upload the confirmed bookings of flights, ASQ hotel and insurance which form part of your Certifucate of Entry.

The 30 day entry only requires the Certificate of Entry

We shall be pleased to provide any assistance needed in the application for the Certificate of Entry by contacting us at rentals@thailandretreats.com however we have given an overview of what this involves below.

How To Apply For Thailand’s Visa Exempt Entry

Certificate of Entry

As there is no visa required for this option, only a Certificate of Entry & supporting documents are required obtained by registering at https://coethailand.mfa.go.th and uploading copies of documents on their website.

1. Approval

The first stage is to complete an application on line and upload a copy of your passport. This approval takes approximately 3 days.

2. Book Flights, ASQ Hotel & Purchase Insurance

Once approved you need to book a flight and the accommodation at one of the many ASQ (Alternative State Quarantine) Hotels allocated by the Thai Government which usually have to be fully paid for in advance.

At the current time there is a list of approved airlines that fly to Bangkok from various parts of the world and from London the most popular are Emirates, Qatar & Etihad. British Airways will not fly to Thailand until the end of the year. A list of approved ASQ hotels withtheir prices that are based in Bangkok or Pattaya is also available with 7 and 10 night costs.

3.Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is standard requirement for all world travel but there is a specific requirement for Thailand to cover 100,000USD for Covid 19 and this should be stated on the insurance certificate submitted on the application. A list of the insurance providers can also be found on the Embassy's website. (See NOTE 1)

There is a period of 15 days from the approved registration giving time to book and upload your flight details, ASQ hotel & Travel insurance otherwise you will have to register again.

4. Download & Print Certificate of Insurance

Once copies of these requirements are uploaded to the website the Certificate of Entry is ready to download and print off with 2- 24hours.

5. Book A Covid Test 

Once you have your Certificate of Entry you need to arrange is a RT_PCR Covid test to be taken no more than 72 hours before your flight departure and to have the results emailed to you to print off before taking your flight. This can be a bit tricky if there is a delay in getting results however there are recommendations for health clinics depending on your location in the UK.

it is suggested that a flight should be booked towards the end of a week to avoid weekends when laboratories may not be open and working. 

Any changes to the flight or ASQ hotel would mean a new application for a Certificate of Entry.

6. Checklist for documents to be presented at the airlines at check in and the Thai authorities.

Certificate of Entry

Declaration Form (can download from embassy website)

Form T8 ( can download from embassy website)

Covid-19 Test result taken within 72 hours before departure.

Insurance Certificate covering no less than 100,000USD for Covid and relative pages covering medical benefits.

Copy of the confirmed booking at ASQ Hotel

You may have to prove that you have enough money to support yourself once in Thailand – (approx. 10,000 THb - so keep some cash or travellers checques on you) 

It is recommended that you keep all the documents in a clear folder and give this to the authorities so that they can check what they need to (keep 1 or 2 copies).

After going through quarantine in a preferred accommodation and tested negative, you can finally leave the premises and travel freely in Thailand but still must follow basic preventive measures such as wearing a face mask and keeping social distancing in public.

So, once you have decided that you cannot resist the thought of white sand beaches, crystal blue sea and warm tropical living, the next step is hopping on a plane!

So, if you’re looking for post-quarantine luxury accommodation that’s worthy of all of that paperwork effort, you know where to go *wink wink*—and if you’re still not sure, here’s a little inspiration.

Click here for all Villas in Thailand with with incredible views

Click here for all Villas in Thailand in beachfront locations... 

Or if you prefer to shop via location, then Koh Samui, Phuket, Krabi, and Koh Phangan await!

We have great deals on monthly rates for those seeking longer stays, and if you need a little assistance with your visa application, we can help with the paperwork when you book your stay through us..

We admit all mentioned above are not totally easy and convenient to make a trip to Thailand at the moment, but it's worth considering if you are comfortable (mostly financially) with the entry requirements of the Thai Government. If not, just hang in there, for things must surely be better, and we'll all get to meet very soon.

In the meantime Keep Safe and look forward to some Happy Travels!

The Thailand Retreats team 

NOTE 1: Some countries may have strict travel restrictions in place where non essential travel is banned. This would deem your travel insurance as not valid and it may be necessary to purchase through a Thai based insurance company that will cover you once in Thailand.