Thailand is a place that speaks for itself. When you hear the name, you’re probably already thinking about beaches, shopping, beauty, wildernesses, and some mouthwatering thai food!  And your thoughts are spot on. This place has everything that will make your stay worthwhile. However, let’s be honest here- a trip can turn out exactly as we want it to be when it is planned properly, and the first step to that would be securing a visa for the desired place! 

Do Indians need a visa for Thailand?

Yes, Indians need a visa to enter thailand. Depending on the purpose of your visit. If you’re solely going for tourism, for not more than two weeks- you can get a visa on arrival.

However, if you’re going there for longer than two weeks or are going there for a business visit or a visit to family and friends, you may need to apply for a Thailand visa prior your departure.

Note - Thailand visa on arrival fee is waived off for Indian citizens until April-2020.

Is there a visa on arrival in Thailand for Indian citizens?

Yes, there is a visa on arrival in Thailand for Indian citizens, but it is given only if they meet the following requirements:

• The visit is strictly for tourism purposes.
• The passport must be genuine and should be valid for at least 30 days.
• You must have a valid address in Thailand whether a hotel or apartment that can be verified.
• You must have a confirmed return ticket to show that they are flying out of Thailand within 15 days of entry, as appropriate. Open tickets do not qualify.
• You may be asked to show your flight ticket when you enter Thailand. If you do not have a return flight ticket to show that will prove that you will be exiting Thailand within 15 days, you will most likely be refused entry.
• It is also necessary to prove that you have funds of at least 10,000 THB per person and 20,000 THB per family for your stay in Thailand.
• A fee of 2,000 THB  (INR 4,460) is payable upon entry and is subject to change without notice. It must be paid in cash and the Thai currency only.

Note - Thailand visa on arrival fee is waived off for Indian citizens until April-2020.

Online application- You can apply for a Thailand visa through the official website of VFS Global. The online visa application form requires basic details and passport details of the applicant. Applicants are required to visit the official VFS Global website - http://www.vfs-thailand.co.in/ to initiate the online visa application. Based on the applicant’s location, one of the following Thailand Visa Application Centres should be selected for carrying out the visa application:

• The Royal Thai Embassy - New Delhi
• The Royal Thai Consulate General – Chennai
• The Royal Thai Consulate General – Kolkata
• The Royal Thai Consulate General – Mumbai

Offline Application – The Royal Thai Embassy allows applicants to choose the offline (on paper) application by contacting one of the VFS Global Thailand Visa Application Centres. The application form can be downloaded from the VFS Global website which needs to be submitted along with the required documents. The address and contact details of VFS Global Thailand Visa Application Centres in India are mentioned below:

Passport Retrieval Timings: 08:00 to 12:00 - 13:00 to 15:00 (Monday-Friday).

Documents required for Thailand Tourist Visa from India

Don’t forget to carry all the following documents if you are applying for Thailand’s tourist visa:

• Passport or travel document with validity not less than 6 months
• Visa application form
• One recent 4x6cm Photograph of the applicant
• Round-trip air ticket or e-ticket (paid in full)
• Proof of financial means (20,000 baht per person/40,000 baht per family)

Thailand Visa Processing Time

The processing time for Thailand’s visa is approximately 7 working days.

E-Visa on Arrival for Indians Travelling to Thailand

You can now also avail an e-visa on arrival, this is a new service called e-Visa on Arrival available from 14^th Feb 2019. This is introduced by the Thai government to boost tourism in the country. With a little extra fee, you can avail this service. In order to avail this service, you need to apply through VFS and fill the online application form with required documents. The VOA will be emailed to you within 72 hours. 

Now after you have all the information about how to get a Visa for Thailand, we come to the most important part which is a ‘Travel Insurance’. We know most of you don’t even consider it an important part of your travelling checklist but believe us, you need one in Thailand; considering Bangkok is one of the top ten scam cities in the world. So, well, anything can happen!

You should have a Thailand travel insurance policy to protect yourself from unforeseen circumstances such as:

• Huge foreign country’s medical bills
  
• Protection of your luggage
  
• Safety in case of emergency medical situations
  

Check out the below-mentioned benefits we give you with Travel Insurance:

• Zero Deductible - You don’t pay at all from your pocket, we will take care of everything
  
• Cover that knows how you travel - Our coverage includes activities such as scuba diving, bungee jumping & skydiving (provided the duration is one day)
  
• Smartphone-enabled claims process - It’s all smart with a smartphone-enabled claim process. No paperwork, no running around. Just upload your documents when you make a claim.
• Missed Call Facility - Give us a missed call at +91-124-6174721 and we’ll call you back in 10 minutes. No more international calling charges!

Know more about:

• How to Compare Travel Insurance Online?
• Visa Free Countries for Indian Citizens
• Is Travel Insurance Mandatory for Visa?

It’s good to have protection on foreign land, right? Even the most cautious and well-prepared traveller cannot foresee every eventuality. Don’t take the risk of travelling without a travel insurance – it is simply not worth it. Happy Travelling!