There are several ways to get a Thai visa, but what makes it a little tricky is that the rules are changing all the time.
Citizens from most countries can get 30 days Visa on arrival when they first come to visit Thailand, it is when you want more than 30 days it starts to get fun.
I have over the years made many Thai visas, been on many visa runs and visited many immigration offices. I will not give updated information about Thai visa rules, it will be a full-time job.
But in this section of Siampictures.com, I will share my experience, give you practical information, and photo guides about how to get Thai visas on the easiest and cheapest way possible.
When I travel through Thailand will I revisit all the border crossings where you can stamp your passport or go on a Visa run? I will also visit the local immigration offices, I pass by. I will also give information about the Thai consulates, first in Laos and later in Malaysia.
One important thing you have to know is, it is very easy to make a Thai visa, and you only have to pay the Government fee.
I am still amazed at how different the rules can be interpreted, by lawyers, bloggers, and businesses who help people to obtain a Thai Visa.
It all depending on who you speak to or what website you are visiting.
A lot of the information you can find online is wrong or out of date. I do not think it’s because they want to give the wrong information, as but the rules are changing a lot, so people can have a hard time to keep updated.
The best advice I can give is to ask at your local immigration office, in my experience, they are happy to help and they have English speaking staff. They are there to help and they gladly do so, as long as you are polite and show respect.
There are some law firms that specialize in making visas for people. A few of these companies interests gladly tell you that you need their service because the immigration officers will not help, but that is not true.
I have always had a good experience at the immigration offices and found the people there very helpful. It is all about being polite.
It is not difficult to make a Thai visa, no matter what kind of visa you want. If you need help, there are English speaking staff in most of the immigration offices.
To give an example. In 2014, my mother needed to make a retirement visa. She lives part of the year in Phuket.
She has a lot of friends and a lot of them wanted to help her with good advice. Which was very nice of them.
Virtually all the tips included a lawyer who could help. The only difference between the various advises was what lawyer to use, and the price for the service.
All the prices were 10-15.000 bath and up, not including the government fee. The only thing the firms offered for the money was to fill out the papers, and take my mother to the immigration office.
When I heard the price the lawyer charged for filling out the papers i was chocked. I have done it many times.
To fill out the papers is very easy, and you do not need anybody to go with you to the immigration office, there is English speaking staff to help you.
When I visited the Thai consulate in Laos, there was even, a service inside the embassy compound where they offered to fill out all papers for only 100 bath.
I took my mother to the immigration office and she got her retirement visa in less than a 1/2 day.
Remember you can make a Thai visa yourself, you do not need a lawyer.
In all the time I have been in Thailand I have never spent more than an hour to fill out the paperwork to obtain a Thai Visa.
If you have questions about this article, please complete the form below and I will reply as quickly as possible.
I travel around Thailand so therefore I can check my email every day, but always within a few days.