Thailand to launch eVisa in the UK, France, China, and UAE this year

[Jasper]

From eturbonews.com

 

The Thailand eVisa will be pre-launched in four test countries before the end of the year: the United Kingdom, France, China, and the United Arab Emirates. One of the ways that travelers will be able to process their applications is through thailandvisa.net, a non-governmental website which provides travel advice and assistance to visa applicants.

 

Citizens of the four chosen countries will be able to apply online for the Thai Visa without going to a Thai embassy or consulate. The application process will be straightforward and will only take a matter of minutes to complete. Applicants will just need to complete the online form by answering a series of questions.

 

At the moment, citizens of the UK, France, and the UAE can enter Thailand for periods of up to 30 days visa-free and Chinese travelers can enter for up to 15 days with a visa on arrival. The new Thailand eVisa will allow these four nationalities to stay for periods of longer than 30 days.

 

Mr. Chatree Arjanchan, Director General of the Department of Consular Affairs, said that the test phase will be observed before the visa is launched in several more countries in 2019.

 

Traveling to Thailand with an eVisa

 

The Thai capital, Bangkok, welcomes more visitors than any other city in the world. The popularity of Thailand as a tourist destination continues to grow for many reasons including its idyllic islands, stunning beaches, ancient temples, vibrant nightlife, and delicious food.

 

The eVisa for Thailand will make it easier for tourists to visit Thailand. Not only will it save time during the application process, but it will also save time at the border as travelers will have already been pre-screened by the authorities.

Visitors from the eligible countries will be able to enter Thailand by presenting their eVisa and their passport when they arrive. The details on the visa will need to match those of the passport exactly.

 

How will the four nationalities be able to apply for the Thai eVisa?

 

Applying for a Thailand eVisa will be simple. The first step will be to complete the visa application form which will require applicants to enter a range of basic information such as their name, date of birth, passport details, and travel dates. There will also be some security-related questions.

 

To successfully apply, it will be necessary to meet the basic visa requirements. This will include having a passport from an eligible country, completing the form fully without any inaccuracies, and paying a fee using a credit or debit card.

 

After an application has been completed and approved, the eVisa will be sent to the applicant electronically.

 

https://www.eturbonews.com/231423/thailand-to-launch-evisa-in-the-uk-france-china-and-uae-this-year

[ChristianPFC]

 

Not only will it save time during the application process, but it will also save time at the border as travelers will have already been pre-screened by the authorities.

 

As far as I know, Thai embassies who issue the visa and immigration who grant entry to Thailand are different entities. Even if you have a visa, immigration officer can refuse entry.

[vinapu]

As far as I know, Thai embassies who issue the visa and immigration who grant entry to Thailand are different entities. Even if you have a visa, immigration officer can refuse entry.

same same most English speaking countries, I know personally at least 3 people who at one point of time were returned home by USA immigration at the airports without granting an admission to the country even with valid visa

[reader]

I would not be inclined to share by most important identity information and documents with a third-party, non-govermental service provider.

 

Quote from OP:

 

"One of the ways that travelers will be able to process their applications is through thailandvisa.net, a non-governmental website which provides travel advice and assistance to visa applicants."

[Guest]

A google search brings up so many suspicious third party websites that I would probably be wanting to follow a link from an official Thai government site.

 

At least the Thaivisa site declares not affiliation with the government on the front page.

 

I would also like to know exactly when they plan to roll this out.   We are almost into September.   If it's being rolled out this year, I would think the authorities could commit to  date.

 

Incidentally, with the Cambodian e-visa, you can print out a couple of copies and leave one loose inside your passport.  Therefore, it does not waste a page in the passport, unlike all the other visas I have had.