THAI IMMIGRATION 101

30-day no visa privilege

Filipino nationals with ordinary passports are not required to obtain a visa when entering Thailand for tourism purposes and will be permitted to stay in the Kingdom for a period of not exceeding 30 days on each visit. However, they must possess adequate finances for the duration of their stay in Thailand (i.e., cash 10,000 Baht per person and 20,000 Baht per family).

Extension of temporary stay 

Filipinos who want to extend their temporary stay in Thailand can apply for extension (up to 7 days) at any immigration office except at the Suvarnabhumi Airport. For a list of Thai immigration offices, please visit the Thai Immigration office website at www.immigration.go.th

Extension fee

The fee for application for extension of temporary stay is THB 1,900.

Visa run

If a 7-day extension is too short, Filipino nationals can do a visa-run to immigration checkpoints at border neighboring countries such as Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia. This will give them 15 days of stay on each visa run. However, under new regulations issued by the Thai Immigration Bureau, this privilege can only be availed of up to four (4) times.  

Penalty for overstaying

The penalty for overstaying is THB 500 per day.

Airport re-entry fee

If you are merely transiting through Suvarnabhumi airport (meaning, Thailand is not your final destination) but mistakenly exit the airport (meaning, you go past the immigration counter), you will be asked to pay a re-entry fee of THB 700.00 when you re-enter the airport to catch your connecting flight.

Work permit

Foreign nationals are not permitted to work regardless of their types of visa, unless they have a work permit.

Working as teachers

Filipino nationals who intend to work as school teachers below university level in Thailand must have a Non-Immigrant Visa Category “B” (Teaching) and submit the following documents:

- Passport or travel document with validity of not less than 6 months.

- Completed visa application form.

- Recent passport-sized photograph (4 x 6 cm) of the applicant taken within the past 6 months.

- Letter of acceptance from employing institute or school in Thailand.

- Letter of approval from government agencies such as the Office of the Private Education Commission and the Office of the Basic Education Commission.

- Evidence of educational qualification such as diplomas or teaching certificates.

- School license or business registration, list of shareholders and school profile.

- Applicant’s resume.       

- Police certificate verifying that applicant has no criminal record or equivalents or letter issued by authorized agencies in applicant’s country. (The requirement of the submission of such police certificate is optional. The applicant must submit it if consular officer requests he/she to do so. This requirement is effective as from May 2007).

The family members (i.e., spouse, parents and children who are
unmarried and under 20 years old) are eligible to apply for a Non-Immigrant Visa (category “O”) and will be allowed to stay for a period of 90 days but no longer than 1 year.

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