Thailand Special Tourist VISA

Thailand Special Tourist VISA

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As an effort to restore the local tourism industry has been affected heavily by COVID-19, the Thai government is proceeding with a new tourism scheme that will allow foreign visitors to remain in Thailand for up to 270 days. This new tourism scheme is called “Special Tourist VISA”.

On September 15, 2020, the Thai Cabinet has approved a Special Tourist VISA scheme (“STV”). The STV scheme is primarily aimed toward foreign visitors with the intention to stay in Thailand on a long-term basis. The STV is expected to be announced in October 2020 and will take effect till September 2021.

Requirements

To be eligible for STV, foreign visitors must meet the following requirements:

  1. Must be a foreign national with a long-stay intention;
  2. Must comply with Thailand’s COVID-19 public health policies and regulations;
  3. Must accept a mandatory 14-day quarantine in an Alternative Local State Quarantine (“ALSQ”) at their own personal expense;  
  4. Must provide proof of payment for ALSQ;
  5. Proof showing such foreigner’s accommodation after the 14-day quarantine, which could be one of the followings:
    • Proof of payment for an accommodation after the 14-day quarantine has ended;
    • A copy of a title-deed for a condominium owned by the foreign visitor or relatives;
    • Proof of condominium or house rental;
    • Proof of down payment for buying or leasing a condominium or house.

Terms-of-Stay & Extension

Provided that the requirements are met, foreign visitors may apply for STV at their local Thai embassy.

Foreign visitors granted with STV will be eligible for 90-day stay. After the first stay period has ended, foreign visitors may apply at the local immigration office (with applicable fees) for another 90-day as the first extension, and another 90-day as the second extension. To this end, foreign visitors must remain in Thailand at all times to be eligible for the second or third extensions.

Overall, the STV scheme is mostly aimed toward medical tourists and those who intend to traverse the terrain of Thailand on a long-stay basis. While the STV scheme is not intended for the typical tourists, it is expected that the Thai government will introduce additional tourism schemes in the coming months. If you required any assistance or have further questions, please contact: law@ilct.co.th. 

By:

Chart Chotiphol

Counsel/Business Development

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