Special Visa to Enter Thailand
The Thailand Special Tourist Visa (STV) is a special visa introduced by the Tourism Authority of Thailand for long-stay tourists who would like to travel to Thailand. It is one of the economic measures by the Thai government to restore the local tourism industry that has been affected heavily by COVID-19.
Update: The Thai Embassies and Consulates are currently issuing the normal 60-day tourist visa (SETV) and the special tourist visa (STV). Kindly contact your local Thai embassy for more information.
Thailand Special Tourist Visa Qualifications
Foreigners applying for a Special Tourist Visa must be:
- Foreigner from a low-risk country according to the Public Health Ministry regulations.
- Accept compliance of preventive measures as prescribed by the government, including submitting to alternative state quarantine (ASQ) in accredited hospitals/hotels for not less than 14 days upon arrival.
- Provide evidence of a place to stay or accommodation during the long stay visit.
- Show proof of payment for hotel accommodation or admittance to hospitals chosen as alternative state quarantine (ASQ) facilities.
At this stage, the definition of ‘low risk’ country remains open for interpretation and will change over time. It is highly recommended for those who are wishing to apply for the STV they must enquire at the Royal Thai Embassy or a consulate in their home country before making any bookings or paying money for agents or other services.
Requirements for Thailand STV
Foreigners applying for the STV will need to provide the following:
- Proof of accommodation after the 14-day quarantine, which could be any of the following:
- Proof of payment for hotel or accommodation to be used after discharge from quarantine.
- Copy of a condominium title deed owned by the visitor or a family member.
- Evidence of renting accommodation – condominium or house.
- Evidence of payment for the purchase or lease of a condominium-type residence that foreigners can legally buy or lease.
- Proof of medical and travel insurance policy
Medical and Travel Insurance with a minimum 100,000 USD coverage for COVID-19 medical treatment and a minimum coverage of 400,000 THB for other medical and accident expenses. The insurance must cover for at least 90 days which is the initial validity of the visa.
NOTE: Some embassies will reject your COE application if you do not have the correct format for the Health Insurance. In order to have the correct insurance for the COE. You may check HERE.
Foreigners with the evidence needed above will be eligible to apply for an STV from Thai embassies or consulates in selected countries.
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STV Application Process
The interested applicant must get in touch with the Thai Embassy or Consulate or local office of the Tourism Authority of Thailand in their country or an accredited travel agency. An initial application will be submitted to the Bureau of Immigration for a background check.
After receiving the approval from the Immigration Bureau, the applicant or the agency will be requested to submit the visa application form, pay the visa fee, provide the proof of ASQ accommodation, proposed chartered flight to Thailand and copy of the health insurance policy. The application will be submitted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
After the visa application has been approved by the MFA, the applicant will collect the STV visa and the Certificate of Entry (COE) which will be issued by the Thai Embassy or Consulate in his/her current location. The applicant will also provide the Fit to Fly Medical Certificate which must state that the applicant does not have COVID-19 and this certificate must be issued within 72 hours before the flight departure.
Visa Fee and Validity
Eligible applicants will have to pay a visa fee of 2,000 baht and the visa holder will be allowed to stay in the country for 90 days. After this period expires, immigration officers will be able to renew the holder’s visa twice, each for another 90 days at a time. Foreigners must submit an application and pay a fee in accordance with the rules.
Upon Arrival in Thailand
Upon arriving in Thailand, visitors must undergo health screening from the Ministry of Public Health. The STV holder will be issued a permit to stay for 90 days in Thailand if the tourists pass all screening measures. They will immediately depart the airport to begin the strict state quarantine at their paid ASQ/ALSQ.
Once they are tested negative for Covid-19 after the 14-day quarantine, long-stay tourists will have the freedom to travel as they please around the country with a mobile application that will track their destination.
The Thailand Special Tourist Visa (STV) holders can enter Thailand starting on October 1, 2020 until September 30, 2021.
The images above were taken from the video footage of TAT VTR Special Tourist Visa.
Update:
The Thailand Special Tourist Visa or STV cannot be changed or converted into any other type of visa in the duration of your stay in Thailand. If the STV holder is found to be in breach of the conditions for entry into Thailand, the stay permit will be revoked immediately and the visa holder will be banned from returning to Thailand in the future.
Special Note:
Some information about Thailand Special Tourist Visa still remain not clear, so you should contact the Thai Embassy or Consulate in your current location or the local office of the Tourism Authority of Thailand before making any plans or reservations.
hello,
When booking hotel, can I book any hotel or are there criteria for the hotels to book?
Thank
KG
Dear Karim,
Good day.
For the first 15 days of your arrival, you must book an ASQ Hotel. After that, you may book a normal hotel room.
Thank you.
Good day,
I would like to know if the USD 100,000 insurance for covid related illness must be exclusively purchased from a Thai Insurance company or may I also purchase it with an affiliated insurance country in my home country.
Kind regards,
Jonathan
Dear Jonathan,
Good day.
It would be better to have an insurance company that can issue the certificate and state the required information that is needed for the visa and COE. You may check the link below for an accredited company that you can use and you may choose 3, 6 or 12 months insurance policy:
https://bit.ly/3nPTAU5
Thank you.
I am planing to fly from Taiwan to Thailand in January
Is it possible for me to get the Tourist visa instead of Special tourist visa ?
Dear En Ci,
Yes, the normal 60-day tourist visa is now available from the Thai Embassy or consulate. You just need to contact them directly to know the process for the tourist visa and COE.
Thank you.
Hi i am currently in Aruba.i am from Ireland. As there are no embassies here as it is a small caribbean island and i would like to fly directly from here in a few weeks. Can i apply for 60day visa online?
Dear Annie,
It is not possible for you to travel from Aruba to Thailand if you do not have COE. I suggest that you use the the free visa exemption as your visa category and apply for the COE using this page:
https://coethailand.mfa.go.th/regis/step?language=en
Thank you.
I live in Canada is STV visa available for Canadians
Dear Fernando,
Good day.
Yes, the STV is now open to most countries. I recommend for you to contact the Thai Embassy in Ottawa for the list of requirements and to know the process on how to apply by mail.
Thank you.
I am an Indian national on a long term tourist visa in the UK visiting my boyfriend and his family for the holidays. Can we apply for the visa from here or do I need to go back to India to do so?
Dear Kavana,
Good day.
If you are applying for the STV for Thailand, you need to have an indefinite leave to remain in the UK.
Thank you.
Hi, I am from the Netherlands and I really want to come into Thailand. Is there any possiblity for me at the moment? And how can I apply for the visa?
Dear Marissa,
Good day.
Yes, you have 2 options: You can apply for the normal 60-day tourist visa or you can apply for the special tourist visa. If you wait for next week, it might be officially announced that visa exemption will be re-instated. But we are not certain about just yet.
Thank you.
Hello,
I am from Holland(Netherlands)
Is it possible to travel to Thailand Right Now ?
Dear Marisa,
Good day.
Yes, you have 2 options: You can apply for the normal 60-day tourist visa or you can apply for the special tourist visa.
If you wait for next week, it might be officially announced that visa exemption will be re-instated. But we are not certain about it just yet.
Thank you.
Hi,
I am from the UK and would like to travel to Thailand on a Thailand Special Tourist Visa (STV). Is this possible for me?
Thanks,
Dasha
Dear Dasha,
Good day.
Yes, the Thai Embassy in London is already issuing the normal tourist vis and the special tourist visa.
Thank you.
Im from Philippines. Can i get a normal 60day tourist visa ?
Dear Iderlyn,
Good day.
Yes, the Thai Embassies and consulate are issuing the normal tourist visa. Please call the Thai Embassy in Manila for more information.
Thank you.
Hi i am.from singapore , interested to go thailand for the 60day visa . But i am confuse about the purchase of insurance , is there any insurance package only for the 60day period . Online are only showing for 1 year period costing around 26000-30000baht.
Dear Jack,
The requirement for the COVID 19 travel insurance is for the duration of your stay. Since the tourist visa is valid for 60 to 90 days, then you need to have an insurance for 3 months.
Thank you and have a good day.
Hi How i can apply this STV online?
Dear GG,
The application for the visa is online in UK and USA. If you are in any of these countries, you can apply online.
I am not sure where are you located right now so I can only advise you to contact the Thai Embassy wherever you are right now.
Thank you and have a good day.
Do we have to purchase the flight and hotel BEFORE we apply for the tourist visa?
Dear Brianna,
Good day.
If you are from the UK, you do not need to book the flight just yet. If you are in the USA, yes, you must book a flight and ASQ hotel before applying for the visa. So I guess, if you can tell me where you are now, I will be able to advise you on what to do or how to apply for the visa.
Thank you.
Hello…
thethaiger . com today is reporting Thai govt now offering STV to all countries. The D.C. consulate is saying there’s been no official announcement.
Can you verify any of this? And how soon the details/requirements will be available?
Thank you,
Chris
Dear Chris,
Good day.
Yes, it is correct. The proposal was approved by the Cabinet, but there has been no guideline and no official announcement. We may have to wait for a week or so.
Thank you.
Hello,
I am from U.S.
Is it possible to travel to Thailand Right Now ?
Dear Gregg,
Good day.
The US citizens and residents can apply for the normal 60-day tourist visa since November 12th.
Thank you.
I have been trying to get a 60-day from https://thaiembdc.org/2020/11/05/trsingle_entry/
They were initially responding to it but I haven’t heard from them in 15 days.
Please post if you find something out. I will too. This is not easy to figure out.
Dear Herb,
Good day.
Have you submitted an application online or did you only send them an inquiry?
Do you want to make a new or first time application?
Thank you.
Hi Rex,
I have been trying to get the online part finished. I have been to Thailand quite a few times and always have done Visa-on-Arrival. This is my first time trying online. The application is on the Los Angeles website but I suspect the people reviewing it are in BKK because every time they have responded it would be 6-7 in the evening in LA which is 9-10 the morning in Thailand.
Are any of the embassies in America open? If so, is any accepting people coming in to apply?
Thank you
Dear Herb,
Good day.
If you are still finishing and you have not completed the online application, you may email me at rex@siam-legal.com
Thank you.
Hello,
I have submitted an application online. This is a first time application. In the past I have just done a Visa on Arrival. It has been 15 days since the last response and I can’t access my application or submit a new one. Please advise.
Are any embassies open in the US? If so, do they accept in-person applications?
Thank you.
Dear Herb,
Good day.
In-person application has been suspended. The online application is working. Perhaps some emails of the consulate has been lost. You may contact the Thai consulate in LA by emailbetween 5pm and 7pm California time, they would normally respond back to you immediately.
Thank you.
I’m a Brazilian citizen, I’ve checked that Brazil is considered low risk at least as per the table above. Can I apply for the STV for me and my wife? How long it takes for the visa to be issued?
Thanks.
Dear Mario,
Good day.
I think right now, it is recommended to just apply for the normal 60-day tourist visa.
Thank you.
I’m Brazilian, am I able to apply for that special tourist visa for me and my wife? If yes, how long it takes to issue the visa and is there any website of a consulate or embassy of Thailand in Brazil?
Thanks a lot.
Dear Mario,
Good day.
Right now, the best option is to apply for the 60-day tourist visa and you can extend it for another 30 days in Thailand.
Thank you.
I will be traveling to Thailand to get married to a Philippine woman that lives and works in Phuket. I know that I must quarantine , I will contact Thailand embassy in Canada and get all appropriate documents.
I was also wondering if My wife to be can quarantine with me at the hotel in Bangkok. I get tested before I get on the airplane and after so it will be nice to quarantine with her.
Dear Brent,
Good day.
Yes, you will have to get the tourist visa for 60 days and the COE from the Thai embassy in Ottawa.
No, she cannot join you in quarantine. Only married couples are allowed in 1 room.
Thank you.
Good day, want to visit our son who works in Thailand, during the December holidays. We are from SA. We only have 14 days to travel to and from. Quarantine @ a hotel is expensive and not possible. Any other way of entering and visiting?
Dear Sanet,
Good day.
The best thing to do is to wait until next year when the vaccine is available and quarantine is not required. That could happen middle or towards the end of 2021.
Thank you.
don’t really understand why STV visa is only available for low risk countries, if you can enter from high case country with standard tourist visa.. Should be a benefit if someone enters trough all the safety procedure and stays 6 months instead 60 days !
Dear Lew,
Good day.
Yes, I understand. I believe the reason why the TR visa is being issued right now is that the STV was not a success. And that low risk countries were not really attracted to the STV scheme. Therefore the government starting issuing the normal 60 days tourist visa for all low, medium and high risk countries.
Thank you.
Hi is possible to get a visa for thialand 3/012/2020
Entery
requirements
Say not but special visa say yesy I’m lost thanks if you can help
Dear Mark,
Good day.
If you are in the UK right now, you cannot apply for the STV but you can apply for the normal 60-day tourist visa.
Thank you.