Thailand has always inspired me with bustling nightlife and extraordinary culture and that is why for our college reunion we decided to travel to this perfect leisurely spot! But do you need a visa for Thailand? Like any other first time traveller, the first question that crossed our minds was whether we need to take a visa and if so, how and when? Well, being an Indian citizen, of course, you need a tourist visa! In this blog, I shall explain to you how we got our Thai visit visas faster and easier with Blinkvisa.
You can now get a Thailand tourist visa from India with attractive 100% cashback on blinkvisa.com. You will get the cashback on your entire visa fee and what more? You can use it to book the flight, hotel, activities to do in Thailand all at cost price.
As far as I see, applying for a visa is close to dating. You put your best foot forward by laying out everything with the hope that you will get a YES. And when you get stuck in crises, you have the ‘best friend’ to rely on and pull you through! In this case, Blinkvisa was our perfect guide to pull us through the ordeal of getting a visa and helping us in getting one without any hassle.
Before getting into a detailed explanation of the type of visas, there are some quick facts that you should put attention to while you apply for a Thailand Visa.
- Accomplish the visa requirements – While it is tagged as a ‘common knowledge’, some people may feel that skipping out on a few documents is fine. No, it’s not! We need to make sure we furnish all the necessary proofs and documents to avoid wasting time and rejections.
- Passport validity – The 6 months passport validity is no joke. To travel to Thailand, we must have a valid passport requirement and make sure your photographs also comply with the standards of the Thai consulate.
- Protect your travel – While many may think taking insurance is not compulsory, I feel it is better and advisable to insure your trip because you do not want to ruin your peaceful trip without anything to cover your emergencies.
- Accurate travel itinerary – You have to keep in mind that without a proper return flight ticket, you neither can avail of a visit visa nor get a Visa On Arrival at the Phuket airport.
What are the types of Thailand visa?
Thailand visa for Indians is a paper visa (which means it is not stuck to your passport) that you need to carry with you when you arrive.
There are two types of Thailand visa for Indian citizens based on your reason for travel:
Thailand Tourist Visa:
Issued to visit any friend/relative and also travelling in and around the country, a Thai tourist visa is easy to obtain. Since we planned to for a 5-day trip to enjoy our hearts out in the best of islands in Thailand, we, of course, applied for a Tourist visa in India.
- Processing time for the tourist visa: 2-3 working days (when you apply with the right visa agent)
- You can stay for a maximum of 30 days.
- It is a single entry visa.
- The visa cost is Rs.2140 including the GST percentage and the Blinkvisa charges! (Can you imagine?) When applying through the normal way, your fee might vary anywhere from Rs. 2500 to 3000 and if you are not applying through the right agent, they might get from you an additional Rs.400 as part of their charges and to sum it up to at least 3400 INR and without 100% cashback! That’s why Blinkvisa is a blessing in disguise. I got my entire visa covered in just 2140 INR
Read More: Thailand Tourist Visa
Pay for your visa only after you get it!
You read it right! It’s not ordinary when you have an agent that helps you get the visa but also understands the kind of anxiety you go through till you get it in hand. The process that Blinkvisa follows is smooth and reliable. They only get Rs.500 as a fee to the initial visa processing and you can give the remaining fee only after they deliver the visa to you.
In any rare case, your visa gets visa rejected or in case of unexpected delays, Blinkvisa also refunds it! So no matter what, your money is secured.
Read More: Thailand Visa Fees
How many days before should you apply for a Thai online visa?
We planned to travel on September 20, stay and travel around for 5 days and return. With many suggesting to apply a month before for a Thai visa or maybe just go for a Thailand visa upon arrival, we were confused about how to go forward and that was when the expert at Blinkvisa called and advised us to apply just 3 days before. He explained to us that our visa validity will begin the day the visa is approved. We were also surprised when he told that we will get our visas within 2-3 days.
And it was right! Our passports and visas were delivered at our home in just 3 days.
Read More: Thailand Visa Online
Thailand Visa On Arrival
The most famous Visa On Arrival option is for Thailand. India is one of the countries to be eligible for Visa On Arrival to Thailand. Unlike a visa applied prior, this VOA visa enables you to stay just for 15 days.
I have read about so many tourists across the world opting for this type of visa to erase their worry about visa approval in India and also when they wish to travel on an emergency. Even for us, Thailand Tourist Visa On Arrival was also the first choice. But we were glad we didn’t take it and I will tell you why.
Why Visa On Arrival is not a reliable option?
We booked an Air Asia flight and our flight was full. When we landed at Phuket at around 2 pm, we were disappointed to see a long never-ending queue at the immigration checkpoint. We also saw an official collecting the passports and details from many people and informing them to go to different counters for some approvals. We were disheartened if we will spend an entire evening at the airport and that was when we realized that the queue was only for those who need a Visa On Arrival and not the ones who already have a visa.
We were literally thankful to have already applied for a visa in India. We were on cloud nine when we passed through immigration in just 15 minutes and entered the Thai wonderland without any trouble.
- You cannot just show up at the counter and get your visa. You have to provide them with all the necessary documents and not to forget, your accommodation details and if you are staying with a friend/relative, you must show their address proof and cover letter. (You need to fill it in a black pen) In case you do not have a return flight ticket, you would be asked to book the flight and then come back and stand in line to get the visa.
- Each tourist must pay around 20,000 Thai Baht and when you go as a gang of ten, you can imagine the amount of money you would be spending as the visa fee.
- There are also high chances your passport could get mixed up between the hundreds of passports that officials collect together at the time of VOA. And you could get further delayed in getting it back.
- Do not forget to scrutinize the list of arrival airports that accept the Visa On Arrival and they are the following :
- Phuket International Airport
- Don Muang Airport, Bangkok
- Suvarnabhumi International Airport
- Samui Airport, Surat Thani
- Chiangmai International Airport
- Hatyai International Airport, Songkla
Read More: Thailand Visa on Arrival
Important: Do not forget to fill the arrival/departure card provided by the authorities at the airport and carry a black pen with you. Getting a pre-approved tourist is more secure. Even if your trip is impromptu, Blinkvisa will help in getting your visa on time and enables you to enjoy the trip.
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How to apply for a Thailand tourist visa?
We spoke to the Blinkvisa customer support team. They had an expert call us and explain the essential checklist. After making the registration fee of Rs.500, the agent called us in half an hour and co-ordinated about the documents and photo specification required for applying for the visa. We scheduled an appointment at my home to pick up and drop off the requirements.
They came home as promised, collected our documents and helped us fill the application forms. After 3 days, I got a call confirming that our visa has been approved and they delivered our passports to my home.
Please note: They have an acknowledgement form along with insurance cover for each passport and the documents. And so there are no chances your passport will get lost or misplaced.
We also got 100% cashback and offers for our flight and hotels. And an almost 11% discount on the activities. They were kind enough to even make a custom travel plan exclusively for our trip.
Documents Required for Thailand Tourist Visa
Here is a summary of the tourist visa checklist :
- Your Indian Passport with at least 6 months’ validity.
- The tourist visa application forms duly filled and signed.
- Passport size photo as per visa specifications (you can ask the studio, it needs to be matt finish with 80% face covered)
- Personal covering letter explaining your travel
- Bank Statements for the last 6 months
- Flight Tickets (entire itinerary)
- Hotel Reservations
you can read more on Thailand visa requirements.
Thailand Business Visa
Thai business visa is a visa that is exclusively issued for business such as to attend meetings and in general engage in business-related activities. A business visa can also be taken by companies to send you for a short employment contract, although that depends on your work and designation.
- Processing time for business visa: 3-5 working days (when you apply with the right visa agent)
- You can stay for a maximum of 90 days each time you enter the country.
A business visa will need you to furnish specific documents related to your work and funds.
FAQs about Thailand Visa:
1. How to apply for a Thailand tourist visa?
Blinkvisa’s visa application process is simple and effective. You have to follow these steps:
Read More: Thailand Visa Application Form
2. Is there a Thailand visa on arrival?
Yes, Thailand’s visa on arrival is granted to a total of 21 countries and territories. Needless to say, India is one of them. However, getting a visa prior to travel will ensure the travel is safe and easy.
3. Can I stay in a hotel when travelling on a visitor visa?
Yes, you can. However, you need to produce proof of your hotel accommodation. And you must also give a covering letter and address or
4. Can I apply for a job using my visit visa?
Employment or work visa is a different kind of visa. One needs to apply for an employment visa through their designated company and it is facilitated by them.
