Transit Visa (TS) is be issued to passengers in transit in Thailand, non-professional athletes visiting Thailand for sports competitions, and airline crews.
If you need to pass through Thailand’s territory on your route to another country, you may need to apply for a Thailand Transit Visa. However, in addition to foreigners transiting through Thailand, the Thai Transit Visa is also provided to athletes and crew members going for work-related purposes.
Transit travelers staying in Thailand for longer than 12 hours must apply for a Transit Visa.
The Transit Visa is valid for 90 days (30 days maximum per stay).
This page will go through Thailand Transit Visa types, application procedures, requirements, and other frequently asked issues.
In This Post
What Are The Types of Thailand Transit Visas?
Thailand Transit Visas include the following categories:
- Category type“TS”, which is issued for foreigners passing through Thailand on their route to a third destination.
- Category type “S, which is issued to international athletes entering Thailand to compete in a sporting event.
- Category type “C”, which is issued to crew members of a vessel arriving at a Thai port, station, or location.
Thailand Transit Visa validity
- Single-Entry: valid for three months from the date of issuance.
- Double-Entry: valid for two entries into Thailand within six months of issuance.
- Triple-Entry: valid for three entries into Thailand within six months.
- Quadruple-Entry: valid for four entries into Thailand within six months of issuance.
Who Needs a Transit Visa for Thailand?
A Thailand Transit Visa is required if:
- You must pass through Thailand on your route to a third destination, or
- You are a sportsperson traveling to a sporting event, or
- You are part of a vehicle arriving at a Thai port, station, or location, and
- You are not a national of a country exempt from a Thailand visa for short-term stays.
Is a Thailand Transit Visa Required?
You do not require an airport Transit Visa to transit through Thailand if:
- Your connecting flight is in under 12 hours.
- The same ticket for both flights
- You are not permitted to exit the international airport transit zone.
You have all of the documents required for your final destination.
However, according to IATA, this restriction does not apply to Pakistanis or foreigners flying with the following aircraft: Angkor Air, Beijing Capital Airlines, Business Air, Cebu Pacific, Eaststar Jet, Golden Myanmar Airlines, Indigo, Jeju Air, Jet Asia Airways, Jetstar, Jetstar Pacific, Jin Air, JuneYao Airlines, Lao Central Airlines, Mandara Airlines, Norwegian Air, Okay Airways, Orient Thai Airlines, Regent Air, Scoot, Shandong Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Siberia Airlines, Sichuan Airlines, South East Asian Airlines, Spice Jet, Thai Smile Airlines, Tianjin Airlines, Trans Aero, Turkmenistan Airlines, T’way Airlines, Ural Airlines, and VietJet Air.
What Documents Do I Need for a Thailand Transit Visa?
Your Thai Transit Visa application must include the following documents:
- Passport, which is valid for no less than 6 months.
- A completed and signed Thailand Transit Visa application form, which you can download from the website of the Royal Thai Embassy or Royal Thai Consulate-General.
- Two passport-size photos with the following:
- 3.5 cm x 4.5 cm dimensions:
- White background
- Taken within the last six months
- You must have a neutral facial expression, staring straight ahead
- Your entire face must be fully visible
- Headgear is not allowed, except for religious purposes, and when it does not cover the face
- Glasses are allowed only if they do not cover your eyes and do not have heavy frames.
- Bank Statement or Proof of sufficient funds to cover the duration of your stay. You must have 10,000 Thai Baht if traveling alone and 20,000 Thai Baht if you are traveling as a family.
- Hotel booking
- If you are passing through Thailand on your route to another country:
- Proof of onward travel, such as a paid and confirmed airline ticket.
- Visa for the third country is required.
- If you’re going to a sporting event, you should:
- A letter of invitation confirming your attendance.
- A letter of confirmation from your own country’s organization.
- If you are going as a member of the crew of a conveyance:
- A letter from your employer confirming your visit to Thailand.
- If applicable, proof of travel routes or parking authorization.
Note: According to the Royal Thai Embassy or Royal Thai Consulate-General’s request, you may be required to provide extra papers depending on your purpose of travel.
How Can I Get a Thailand Transit Visa?
You must apply for a Thailand Transit Visa at a Thai diplomatic mission office in your country or a neighboring country.
The specific application process varies by country, however, it may be summarized as follows:
- Contact the Royal Thai Embassy or Royal Thai Consulate-General where you will be submitting the visa application. If one is accessible, you may also go to their website.
- Learn about the visa office’s opening hours, working days, and preferred form of payment.
- If one is necessary, make an appointment.
- A list of Thailand’s diplomatic mission offices may be found here.
- Collect the required documents for a Thailand Marriage Visa.
- Submit the documents as well as the visa application. Depending on which Embassy/Consulate you apply in, you can apply:
- In-person.
- By mail, in which case you must attach a postage-paid, self-addressed envelope.
- Allow time for the application to be reviewed.
- Get your passport and other documents:
- You must pick up your passport if you apply in person.
- If you applied by mail, your documents will be returned.
Note: If your application for a Thai Transit Visa is accepted, you must enter the country within the time frame specified on the visa.
How Long Does It Take To Get A Thailand Transit Visa?
The time it takes to complete a Thailand Transit Visa varies every the Royal Thai Embassy or Royal Thai Consulate. It may take 2 – 10 working days, but it might take longer. So, apply for a Thai visa at least two weeks before your trip.
How Long Is A Thailand Transit Visa Valid?
Thailand Transit Visas are valid for the following periods:
- A Single Entry Thai Visa (SETV) with a maximum stay of thirty (30) days is available.
- Multiple Entry Thai Visa (METV) A valid for sixty (60) days with a maximum stay of up to thirty days each entrance.
How Much Is the Thailand Transit Visa Cost?
A Thai Transit Visa costs 800 Thai Baht (about USD 26) for each entry. Depending on whose representative office you’re applying to, the process for paying the visa cost varies. You may be asked to pay in cash or by bank transfer.
The exact fee depends on the local currency.
Can I Extend a Thai Transit Visa?
Before your Thai Transit Visa expires, you may apply to extend a Thai Transit Visa (or change its category to another type of visa) at the Thailand Office of Immigration Bureau in Bangkok.
However, you cannot apply for an extension if you are transiting through Thailand with a Thailand Visa on Arrival (Thai VoA). Thailand VoA is valid for a maximum of 15 days and is not extendable.
Can I Get a Thailand Transit Visa on Arrival?
Yes, you can only enter Thailand with a Visa On Arrival if you are from one of the countries listed below:
- Bulgaria
- Bhutan
- People’s Republic of China
- Cyprus
- Ethiopia
- Fiji
- Georgia
- India
- Kazakhstan
- Malta
- Mexico
- Nauru
- Papua New Guinea
- Romania
- Russia
- Saudi Arabia
- Taiwan
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu.
Find out how to apply for a Thailand Visa on Arrival and which points you can use to enter Thailand.
Thailand Transit Visa FAQs:
Do you need a visa to transit through Thailand?
Yes, you need it. You’ll need a Thailand Transit Visa. If you need to pass through Thailand on your route to another location, or, you are a sportsperson and are on your way to a sporting event, or, you’re aboard a vessel that’s headed to a Thai port, station, or other location.
Is a transit visa required for Bangkok airport?
If your incoming and departing flights are on the same ticket and you’re transiting via Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK), you don’t require a visa.
Can you transit through Thailand?
THAI allows passengers to transfer between international flights booked on the same ticket at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport if the transiting time is less than 24 hours.
Can I transit from Bangkok to Phuket?
Under the Sandbox program, if you want to go to Phuket, you may book your flights through Bangkok. It hasn’t been made public yet since the AOT (Airports of Thailand) are still preparing and coordinating how the transit will be handled.
What is the difference between a Transit visa and a Tourist visa?
Tourist visas are often provided to visitors intending to holiday in the country, whilst Transit visas are issued to those passing through on way to another destination.
