Travel to Thailand

[lele]

Hello.

 

I have thoroughly looked through the regulations since I wanted my darling and I to travel out of China for at least a week or two about going to other countries. Vietnam is really easy, but I think that after my last time there, we would need at least 1 month to really explore.

 

Thailand says that it issues a "Visa on Arrival valid for 15 days for tourism" to people who arrive at one of 23 places (including the main airport in Bangkok) to people who hold Chinese Passports. I have been in parts of Thailand before and feel that we could have a good time there and really learn some things in about a 8-10 day period. So this works well.

 

However, my questions stem from the visa regulations. Has anyone (before they obtained a green card) on a Chinese Passport been able to get a visa to go to Thailand (not following a tour group and not a business visa)? Specifically about the process for the visa on arrival (which is far easier and cheaper than a full visa issued in Beijing)? Is it an automatic, or will there be some toss of the dice or other method which prevents us from gaining entry if we meet their other requirements (already have a plane booked back out and at least US$500 per person on hand)?

 

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

 

Also, if people want any advice on places to go in Vietnam, Cambodia, or Laos (all are really easy to get to for people with a Chinese Passport), just ask and I can talk your ear off (or just send you photos). Thanks again for your help.

 

[lele]

Today, I happened to get some information about this from an outside source (a lady who works at the Boston Thailand consulate). It has answered my question. However, I wanted to post the information, since it seems like a wonderful opportunity for those of you who want to travel to Thailand with your SO's, as well as the fact that it will likely only help during your interview to show that your SO has left the country and returned.

 

Have fun with it!

 

It seems that the requirements are as follows:

1. that you have at least US$500 per person

2. you have a return airplane ticket to China (Guangzhou, Kunming, Hong Kong, Macao, etc. are all fine choices and offer direct return flights from both Bangkok and Chang Mai) with which you will leave in less than 15 days from the day you arrive

3. that you enter into Thailand through one of a few special checkpoints (both Bangkok and Chang Mai qualify)

4. you can not extend the length of your stay once in the country

5. you bring with you at least 2 passport-type photos (to be used for when the visa is issued in the airport)

 

that is it!

 

I can not wait...and I hope that this information helps others out too.

[IceBreaker]

Lele,

thanks for this info. I had the same questions as you and am lucky to find your post. I am in Guangzhou and am curious about visiting Thailand since I am so close. Is anything special needed for me to enter Thailand with my US passport? I am assuming this is very easy. For the cash requirement do you think Thailand would accept the $500 equivalent in Chinese RMB?

 

Cheers

Icebreaker

[kevincs31]

If you need any travel tips for Thailand, I will be happy to pass them on. I lived there for two and a half years (moved back to the US this year).

 

Tons of "landmines" to avoid that are aimed at tourists.

 

My g/f visited me there a number of times from China and she had a great time...some big cultural differences as well.

[rosyanne]

Just picked up my VISA to Thailand today. I am here in Shanghai.

 

- My passport

- 2 photos

- 300RMB (could be cheaper if I find out eariler that the girl I bought ticket could do the VISA thing too.)

 

Nothing else needed. I gave these things to a local travel agency here and 5 days later(could be 3 days if you tell them you are kind of hurry.), VISA in hand. Hope US gov. does the same thing some day. (I am dreaming.)

 

For US citizen, you don't need a VISA in hand before you arrived in Bangkok. You can get 15 days VISA in the airport I believe. Unfortunately, the Chinese custom won't allow us leave for Thailand if we don't have VISA in hand.

 

For other places of China it won't be that difficult for a VISA either. Beijing should not have any problem with that. (I once saw something online that Shanghai and Beijing are the same about this issue.)

 

Good luck and happy trip.

[sawadee]

US passport holder is not required to have a Thailand tourism visa (not even upon arrival) to enter Thailand. You just show your passport then you can pass. Chinese people can apply Thai visa upon arrival, the problem is without a visa, Chinese passport holder can not leave China, you should have at least one valid visa to other country. It is very very very very easy to apply for a Thai 30 days tourism visa here in Shanghai, if a travel agency helps to apply, usually it costs CNY 250-300, if you go to the Thai consulate directly, it only costs CNY 180(?), however, the latter requires a little bit more of supporting documentary: employee certificate letter, bank deposit certiticate of CNY 10,000 or above, round way airtickets. It take 3 work day to apply, and they will issue 30 days tourism visa accordingly.

By the way, Thailand is such a amazing country, a country of smile, a great place to explore the natural scenery, to enjoy oriental histroy and cultural stuffs, to hiking, scuba diving, snorkelling, or backpacking. It is a country that worth 50 times of visit. I have listed Thailand as my 3rd home town.(The 1st and 2nd are China and States) I have to visit Thailand every year or at least every other year otherwise I will miss it so much.

[lele]

Lele,

thanks for this info.  I had the same questions as you and am lucky to find your post.  I am in Guangzhou and am curious about visiting Thailand since I am so close. Is anything special needed for me to enter Thailand with my US passport?  I am assuming this is very easy. For the cash requirement do you think Thailand would accept the $500 equivalent in Chinese RMB?

 

Cheers

Icebreaker

Icebreaker,

 

If you have a US Passport, you merely show up, no visa is required. All you do is have a ticket within 30 days that you will leave the nation and have at least US$500 in convertible currency. I am not sure if RMB is ok, but a credit card certainly is ok, as would be HK$ or Euros, or US$. It is really easy.

 

The information I posted was the wonderful news about how our Chinese Passport Holding loves can come with us to, quite easily!!! :-)

 

Have a great time while there (especially grom GZ, there are direct, cheap flights, almost daily).

[lele]

Just picked up my VISA to Thailand today. I am here in Shanghai.

 

- My passport

- 2 photos

- 300RMB (could be cheaper if I find out eariler that the girl I bought ticket could do the VISA thing too.)

 

Nothing else needed. I gave these things to a local travel agency here and 5 days later(could be 3 days if you tell them you are kind of hurry.), VISA in hand.  Hope US gov. does the same thing some day. (I am dreaming.)

 

For US citizen, you don't need a VISA in hand before you arrived in Bangkok. You can get 15 days VISA in the airport I believe. Unfortunately, the Chinese custom won't allow us leave for Thailand if we don't have VISA in hand.

 

For other places of China it won't be that difficult for a VISA either. Beijing should not have any problem with that. (I once saw something online that Shanghai and Beijing are the same about this issue.)

 

Good luck and happy trip.

Hmmm,

 

But my understanding is that if you have a VISA issued by a travel agency, that you must come and go with the tour group that you are on. If this is the case, then it is quite limiting.

 

Also, while this may be true from Shanghai PuDong (which has an extensive external travel section), my understanding was that from Kunming that they do not, and hence anyone can board the plane. Is this actually not the case? Have any Chinese just tried with a passport but no visa (saving the visa instead for a 15-day visa on arrival) from Kunming?

 

Thanks to everyone!

 

:-)

[lele]

US passport holder is not required to have a  Thailand tourism visa (not even upon arrival) to enter Thailand. You just show your passport then you can pass. Chinese people can apply Thai visa upon arrival, the problem is without a visa, Chinese passport holder can not leave China, you should have at least one valid visa to other country. It is very very very very easy to apply for a Thai 30 days tourism visa here in Shanghai, if a travel agency helps to apply, usually it costs CNY 250-300, if you go to the Thai consulate directly, it only costs CNY 180(?), however, the latter requires a little bit more of supporting documentary: employee certificate letter, bank deposit certiticate of CNY 10,000 or above, round way airtickets. It take 3 work day to apply, and they will issue 30 days tourism visa accordingly.

By the way, Thailand is such a amazing country, a country of smile, a great place to explore the natural scenery, to enjoy oriental histroy and cultural stuffs,  to hiking, scuba diving, snorkelling, or backpacking. It is a country that worth 50 times of visit. I have listed Thailand as my 3rd home town.(The 1st and 2nd are China and States) I have to visit Thailand every year or at least every other year otherwise I will miss it so much.

Ok,

 

But what about the via HK option?

 

Under HK immigration (I left the website up in an earlier blog) it clearly says that anyone with a Chinese passport is allowed 7-days entrance (without a permission card) if they have a travel flight on past HK. Since purchasing a ticket to Thailand from HK would be this, and since HK is already past Chinese Immigration, would this not work?

 

Also, do they check this from Kunming airport as well, or only from large airports that have seperate and gated regions, such as from Shanghai PuDong or Beijing?

 

Thanks for your help with this!!!

 

Also, about thailand, I really feel that what you say is true!

However, I really appreciate Vietnam a bit more. It has everything that Thailand does, without the built-up tourist infrastructure. Hence, it seems to be much more easy to get around, and there are fewer disappointing situations which involve people catering to your money, rather than you!

 

Thank you though for your wonderful insights into this. Could you please write down some of your experiences in Thailand for us to learn from? Places to go, stay, etc. :-)

[rosyanne]

Just picked up my VISA to Thailand today. I am here in Shanghai.

 

- My passport

- 2 photos

- 300RMB (could be cheaper if I find out eariler that the girl I bought ticket could do the VISA thing too.)

 

Nothing else needed. I gave these things to a local travel agency here and 5 days later(could be 3 days if you tell them you are kind of hurry.), VISA in hand.  Hope US gov. does the same thing some day. (I am dreaming.)

 

For US citizen, you don't need a VISA in hand before you arrived in Bangkok. You can get 15 days VISA in the airport I believe. Unfortunately, the Chinese custom won't allow us leave for Thailand if we don't have VISA in hand.

 

For other places of China it won't be that difficult for a VISA either. Beijing should not have any problem with that. (I once saw something online that Shanghai and Beijing are the same about this issue.)

 

Good luck and happy trip.

Hmmm,

 

But my understanding is that if you have a VISA issued by a travel agency, that you must come and go with the tour group that you are on. If this is the case, then it is quite limiting.

 

Also, while this may be true from Shanghai PuDong (which has an extensive external travel section), my understanding was that from Kunming that they do not, and hence anyone can board the plane. Is this actually not the case? Have any Chinese just tried with a passport but no visa (saving the visa instead for a 15-day visa on arrival) from Kunming?

 

Thanks to everyone!

 

:-)

No, you don't have to go with the group.

I bought plane ticket from the girl who also works there(find that out when I pick my VISA up.)

And, we booked hotels ourselves.

And I am pretty sure this will work out for Shanghai at least.

 

For Kunming, I am not 100% sure but hey, why not ask your girl have a visit to any big travel agency there? As travel to Thailand is popular and cheap nowadays, esp, Kunming is in South. They will give her all the details as she needs to know. Don't listen to the "you will have to go with the group." Try few agencies and she will find out the truth.

 

As for Thailand, you can go to a forum here:

http://www.thailandguidebook.com/cgi-bin/f...m/ikonboard.cgi