How to Save Money on Tourist Visas to Thailand - Travel Permits Don't Have to Be Expensive

One of the annoying things about spending longer than a month in Thailand is the need to buy an expensive tourist visas. Unlike many of Thailand's neighboring countries, where tourists get an immediate 90-day allowed visit free upon arrival at the airport, Thailand only allows 30 days and then you have to pay. Getting a tourist visa for Thailand is time-consuming and expensive, but there are cheaper ways to do it. Follow these quick tips on getting cheaper tourist visas, and you could save a bundle on your Thailand vacation.

Don't Get a 30-Day Stamp at the Airport - Many tourists come to Thailand every year, not sure how long they'll stay. So, they neglect to apply for a tourist visa before they arrive and, instead, get the automatic 30-day stamp at one of Thailand's airports. But, when the 30 days are up and they want to stay longer, they have to leave the country and do an expensive visa run.

That's why, if there's even the remotest chance you'll stay in Thailand longer than 30 days, apply for a tourist visa before you arrive (you cannot get one once inside Thailand's borders) and that way you're covered.

Look for Government Announcements on Free Tourist Visas - Over the last few years, as Thailand has experienced political upheaval, a tsunami, bird flu, mass protests and government murder of its citizens, it has also seen a drop in tourist arrivals.

That's why, periodically, the Thai government announces a period of "free tourist visas" to persuade tourists to return. These free periods last anything from a few months to over a year. But, before you apply for a tourist visa, check a Thai embassy website to see if free visas are being offered. Often you can apply a bit earlier than you planned, just to fall within the free visa period.

Get a Double or Triple-Entry Tourist Visa - Tourist visas to Thailand come as single-entry, double-entry of triple-entry. What that means is, once you enter Thailand, you're allowed a specific number of days with that one visa. With a single it's 90 days, with a double its 180 days, and with a triple-entry 270 days total. You still have to leave the country at the end of each 'entry' and come right back to Thailand, but with a double or triple-entry you get far more allowed days in Thailand at a much cheaper cost than paying for two or three single-entry visas, and a lot less hassle.

See Hull's Thailand Embassy website (link below) for more information.

Don't Do Short 15-Day Visa Runs - Once in Thailand, if you decide you need to stay longer, don't do a short-term visa run to Cambodia. All this will give you is 15 more days in Thailand, and it takes all day to get there and back, then you have to turn around and do it again 15 days later. At a cost of 2,100 baht ($70) every time, that's $140 just for the privilege of staying in Thailand another month.

Instead of doing a quick visa run to Cambodia, take a cheap flight from Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. You can often get flights for as cheap as $100-120 round-trip on Air Asia and, all you have to do is hop on a plane, arrive in Kuala Lumpur's LCCT Airport, turn around and take the next flight back. Takes about eight hours total - less time than you'd spend on a short visa run to Cambodia -- but, once stamped back through the airport, you're legal in Thailand for another month.

More Information:

Thai Consulate, Hull, UK (the best Thai embassy to deal with, anywhere)