# Entering Thailand without an outbound ticket: problems with immigration?



## lometogo

Hi guys,

I'm moving to Bangkok from Philippines. Cebu Pacific strongly advised that I purchase a rt ticket, something I didn't want to do since I don't plan to return to PI.

They said I "might" encounter problems with Thai immigration if I arrive without an outbound or onward ticket. Anyone with any experience in this situation?

OTOH, I do have a return ticket to usa FROM MANILA but, again, nothing onward or outbound from Thailand.

Any experiences, opinions, suggestions would be welcomed.

thanks
Terence


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## Guest

What visa have you got? If it's a one year spouse visa for example, they are not ime bothered about the outward ticket. If it's a three month visa of some kind, then the best bet is to get yourself a budget one-way ticket to a neighbouring country such as Laos or Cambodia - there are some extremely cheap ones available.


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## lometogo

*Comin' in as a tourist..*



frogblogger said:


> What visa have you got? If it's a one year spouse visa for example, they are not ime bothered about the outward ticket. If it's a three month visa of some kind, then the best bet is to get yourself a budget one-way ticket to a neighbouring country such as Laos or Cambodia - there are some extremely cheap ones available.



Froggy,

I'll be landin' and leanin': will get my visa when I enter, at the airport....I am told that is possible.

Are you suggesting they will bar entry if I have no onward/outbound ticket? 

Thanks


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## Thai Bigfoot

*One way*

I moved to Phuket from the U.S. in November, 2009. Only had 1-way ticket. Never a question.

Hope it helps.






lometogo said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> I'm moving to Bangkok from Philippines. Cebu Pacific strongly advised that I purchase a rt ticket, something I didn't want to do since I don't plan to return to PI.
> 
> They said I "might" encounter problems with Thai immigration if I arrive without an outbound or onward ticket. Anyone with any experience in this situation?
> 
> OTOH, I do have a return ticket to usa FROM MANILA but, again, nothing onward or outbound from Thailand.
> 
> Any experiences, opinions, suggestions would be welcomed.
> 
> thanks
> Terence


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## lometogo

JMalefyt said:


> I moved to Phuket from the U.S. in November, 2009. Only had 1-way ticket. Never a question.
> 
> Hope it helps.



Thanks, J. Yes, I'm tempted to do the same and plead ignorance, fake paralysis, and maybe even hum softly in Esperanto.


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## EMIGRANT

lometogo said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> I'm moving to Bangkok from Philippines. Cebu Pacific strongly advised that I purchase a rt ticket, something I didn't want to do since I don't plan to return to PI.
> 
> They said I "might" encounter problems with Thai immigration if I arrive without an outbound or onward ticket. Anyone with any experience in this situation?
> 
> OTOH, I do have a return ticket to usa FROM MANILA but, again, nothing onward or outbound from Thailand.
> 
> Any experiences, opinions, suggestions would be welcomed.
> 
> thanks
> Terence


What visa do you have to enter Thailand?
If you are coming to get a 30 day Permit to stay ( which is not a visa)
You will need a return ticket to somewhere
Consider a cheapy to Malaysia from Puket/ Bangkok or something similar for 1000bht or less


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## lometogo

EMIGRANT said:


> What visa do you have to enter Thailand?
> If you are coming to get a 30 day Permit to stay ( which is not a visa)
> You will need a return ticket to somewhere
> Consider a cheapy to Malaysia from Puket/ Bangkok or something similar for 1000bht or less


Since no consulate exists here in Davao, my plan is to arrive and get a 30 or 60-day tourism visa (I have conflicting info on getting a 60-day) upon arrival. 

Will I need to leave the country to get the extension? If that is the case, I'll get a ticket for 29 days out to Phnom Penh.

thanks


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## Guest

If you just turn up in Thailand by air, they will only give you the 'stamp on arrival', valid for a 30 day stay if you arrive by air. The actual 60 day tourism visa (extendable by 30 days) is only issued by a consulate outside the country.

You fill in an entry card when you arrive, whether you simply get the stamp on arrival, or have a visa of some sort issued in the Philippines. On this card you have to fill in the flight details for your exit travel plans.

So either you fill this in with an fictitious flight, in which case if they check you are liable to be refused entry into Thailand, or you do as I suggested originally, and book yourself a cheapo flight out to Phnom Penh or somewhere nearby.

If you don't bother getting the tourist visa while in the Philippines, don't forget that land border runs once the 30 days are up from the original stamp on arrival only give you a further 15 days in Thailand, and then you have to start all over again. They are cracking down on overstays.

Far better to go to the trouble of getting yourself the 60/90 day tourism visa at the outset.


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## EMIGRANT

You will have to get a visa outside Thailand. If you arrive in Thailand without one you will get a 30 permit to stay only. Your best bet is to get a visa from Manila, probably 60 days and then renew it it Malaysia or Laos. When I went to Thailand on the first occasion I got a one year "O' non immigrant visa from the UK


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## Guest

EMIGRANT said:


> You will have to get a visa outside Thailand. If you arrive in Thailand without one you will get a 30 permit to stay only. Your best bet is to get a visa from Manila, probably 60 days and then renew it it Malaysia or Laos. When I went to Thailand on the first occasion I got a one year "O' non immigrant visa from the UK


Just to clarify, the 60 day tourist visa can be extended for a further 30 days without leaving Thailand, by visiting the nearest immigration office and coughing up a small fee...


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## Serendipity2

lometogo said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> I'm moving to Bangkok from Philippines. Cebu Pacific strongly advised that I purchase a rt ticket, something I didn't want to do since I don't plan to return to PI.
> 
> They said I "might" encounter problems with Thai immigration if I arrive without an outbound or onward ticket. Anyone with any experience in this situation?
> 
> OTOH, I do have a return ticket to usa FROM MANILA but, again, nothing onward or outbound from Thailand.
> 
> Any experiences, opinions, suggestions would be welcomed.
> 
> thanks
> Terence



Terence, 

A simple solution. Buy a full fare [or as close as you can] one way ticket from Thailand to, say, Kuala Lumpur or some other destination. Make sure it's a fully refundable ticket. Keep in mind you will need to leave Thailand periodically so you could even do a cheap throw away ticket several months out on Air Asia and if you didn't use it - toss it. 

You will need proof of an ongoing flight or your carrier will NOT let you board. So, when checking in show them that confirmation and away you go! Thai immigration will not check your ongoing ticket. At least I've never been asked. My bill's in the mail! 

Serendipity2


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## lometogo

Thanks, Frogman. You've convinced me it's best to fly to Cebu and get the business done. 

As for the cheapie tickets to Laos or Cambodia, would you suggest getting one for the original 60 days I will be given, or get it for 90 days out, assuming I will get the "automatic" 30 in-country extension.

Also, can one buy these cheapie tickets online? I'd obviously be buying it here in PI.

Thanks for all your help,

Terence



frogblogger said:


> Just to clarify, the 60 day tourist visa can be extended for a further 30 days without leaving Thailand, by visiting the nearest immigration office and coughing up a small fee...


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## lometogo

Serendipity2 said:


> Terence,
> 
> A simple solution. Buy a full fare [or as close as you can] one way ticket from Thailand to, say, Kuala Lumpur or some other destination. Make sure it's a fully refundable ticket. Keep in mind you will need to leave Thailand periodically so you could even do a cheap throw away ticket several months out on Air Asia and if you didn't use it - toss it.
> 
> You will need proof of an ongoing flight or your carrier will NOT let you board. So, when checking in show them that confirmation and away you go! Thai immigration will not check your ongoing ticket. At least I've never been asked. My bill's in the mail!
> 
> Serendipity2


Well, this is a new twist: you say the potential fly in the ointment is not immigration, but Cebu Pacific.....hmmm....

So much conflicting info.....let's open the damn borders and quit messing with people.

I'll call Cebu Pacific tomorrow to ask them if they will refuse me boarding without an ongoing ticket.

Thanks.


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## Guest

Some carriers do check, some don't. Technically they could be held liable if they don't check, and the traveller is refused entry. Then they might have to fly him out again, FOC.

I've been on flights into Bangkok where nothing has been checked by the airline. On the other hand, on my very first trip on a tourist visa, immigration asked me for a copy of my booking for the flight out. Since then I've been on retirement and marriage visas, which are for the full year, so they don't bother.

When you apply for your 60 day tourist visa at the Thai consulate, you will need a copy of your e-ticket or whatever flight confirmation you have - and obviously that will include your booking for the out trip. I booked mine for the end of the 90 days, and had no problem.

Either way, in your situation it makes sense to have a budget flight booked out, and at worst, you can time it so you can use it to get a further month in Thailand when the 90 days have expired.

At the end of the 60 days period of the visa, you can get it extended by a further 30 days at the nearest immigration bureau to wherever you are in Thailand, for 1,900 baht.

From the official website:



> *2. TOURIST VISA *
> _1. REQUIREMENT_ This type of visa is issued to applicants who wish to enter the Kingdom for tourism purposes . _2. DOCUMENTS REQUIRED _
> - Passport or travel document with validity not less than 6 months - Visa application form completely filled out - Recent( 4 x 6 cm.) photograph of the applicant - *Evidence of travel from Thailand (air ticket paid in full) * - Evidence of adequate finance (10,000 Baht per person and 20,000 Baht per family) - Consular officers reserve the rights to request additional documents as deemed necessary *3. VISA FEE  1,000 Baht per entry *
> (_Visa fee may be changed without prior notice_) _4. VALIDITY OF A VISA _ The validity of a visa is 3 months *or 6 months*. _5. PERIOD OF STAY_ Upon arrival, travellers with this type of visa will be permitted to stay in Thailand for a period of not exceeding 30 days or 60 days. Nationals of countries which are on Thailand’s Tourist Visa Exemption list or have bilateral agreements on visa exemption with Thailand will be permitted to stay for a period of not exceeding 60 days. Nationals from other countries who hold a tourist visa will be permitted to stay in Thailand for a period of not exceeding 30 days. _6. EXTENSION OF STAY _ Those who wish to stay longer or may wish to change their type of visa must file an application for permission at the Office of Immigration Bureau located on Soi Suan Plu, off South Sathorn Road, Bangkok 10120 , Tel 02 287-3101-10 (or at http://www.immigration.go.th ). The extension of stay as well as the change of certain type of visa is solely at the discretion of the Immigration officer.. _7. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS_ Nationals of certain countries are required to apply for a visa only at the Thai Embassy or Consulate-General in their home/residence country or at the designated Thai Embassy. Therefor, travellers are adivised to contact the nearest Thai Embassy or Consulate-General to find out where they may apply for a visa to Thailand before departure.
> Information on lacation and contact number of all Thai Embassies and Consulates-General is available at /web/10.php


Note the three parts I highlighted...

- the bit about proof of outbound flight
- visa fee ... the Thais had waived that fee for a year because of the drop in tourist number with all the political turmoil, don't know if that's still the case
- 6 months ... you used to be able to get back to back tourist visas on first application, but they were phasing it out. No harm in trying though.


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## lometogo

Thanks, Frog.


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## Serendipity2

lometogo said:


> Well, this is a new twist: you say the potential fly in the ointment is not immigration, but Cebu Pacific.....hmmm....
> 
> So much conflicting info.....let's open the damn borders and quit messing with people.
> 
> I'll call Cebu Pacific tomorrow to ask them if they will refuse me boarding without an ongoing ticket.
> 
> Thanks.



lometogo,

It's easy to book a flight on Air Asia and, if you book months out the fare is CHEAP but you can't change your booking once made. Well you CAN but it's so expensive you might as well toss the ticket. Air Asia is a point-to-point carrier so each sector is considered a flight whereas most carriers want to sell round trip and punish you if you only do a one way. 

The other side of that is to get a flight, full fare, that is completely refundable and when you arrive simply get the refund. Virtually ALL carriers - excepting Air Asia? will gladly sell you an unrestricted ticket so essentially you're just lending them your money for a period of time and you can wait until just before your initial flight to book/buy since your destination isn't all that important - as you're going to cash the ticket in. 

As frogblogger pointed out, the carriers can be fined if your documents aren't in order. That includes a ticket out of Thailand. I think, in fact, they are fined but that's my guess. Flights withing Asia seem to have different rules compared to flights from either the USA or Europe to Asia and I think they check pretty close since they have a liability/fine should you arrive without said ticket. Once arriving in Thailand I've never been checked.

Serendipity2


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## Merrill

*Visa*

Never had a problem. I originally came here on a Non-immigrant "B" Visa with a one-way ticket. With the one year visa, not a blink. If you come with a 2 or 3 month visa or Visa on Arrival, I think you will have a problem. I do have to do the Visa Run every 90 days, but I travel so much not an issue. Siam Legal was very helpful to me and not a problem.:clap2:



lometogo said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> I'm moving to Bangkok from Philippines. Cebu Pacific strongly advised that I purchase a rt ticket, something I didn't want to do since I don't plan to return to PI.
> 
> They said I "might" encounter problems with Thai immigration if I arrive without an outbound or onward ticket. Anyone with any experience in this situation?
> 
> OTOH, I do have a return ticket to usa FROM MANILA but, again, nothing onward or outbound from Thailand.
> 
> Any experiences, opinions, suggestions would be welcomed.
> 
> thanks
> Terence


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## Song_Si

re the outward flight - I have twice gained 60 day tourist visas (Singapore and KL) without an outward flight, but with a Thai bank book showing I had adequate funds for the time I would be here. In both cases they took a copy of the bank book I produced (I had updated the balance the day before to show it was current). 

I recently extended locally for another 30 days, and the fee for this remains 1900 baht. The tourist visa application (made out of Thailand) is currently free.


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