Hey there everyone, I need some visa advice. I\'m heading to Thailand later this year but am unsure what to do about flights and visas as I don\'t know when I will return home. Having some thoughts about doing some teaching there, but want to leave my options open. However, am I going to run into problems at customs if i don\'t have a return flight booked? Is there any way I can get a year long visa just in case I decide to stay for a while? Any help would be gratefully received.
Reply to this Hi
If you travel to Thailand without a return flight OR a visa, you tend to get most hassle from the airlines before you leave. They don't like to let you on the plane without having one or the other.
However, just because you have a visa, doesn't mean you actually HAVE to leave when it expires. You could buy a 60 day tourist visa, which entitled you to 60 days and then you can usually extend it in Thailand for a further 30 days. Then if you decide to teach and stay longer you can get a new visa from a Thai consul somewhere in SE Asia (it's easy to cross into Cambodia/Laos or Malaysia and apply there.
If you get a teaching job then the school you work for will help you with the paperwork for a B visa, which is what you need to work in the country. It used to be easier to get in your home country without having a job yet, but it's getting harder now.
Check out the website for the Thai embassy in your home country which has more info on the types of visas you can get.
Also check out
ajarn which is a website about teaching in Thailand - with information about requirements, qualifications, terms, types of school etc. etc. as well as job adverts.
Hope this helps
Kate
Reply to this Thanks for all that info Kate - thats really helpful. So if I have a visa do you think it will be okay that I don't have a return flight booked? Just cos it seems a bit pointless to just choose a date when I have no idea when I will want to return? Cheers
Reply to this Yes. You can just invent a leave date if you need one for the visa form, but the visa will be issued for the length of the visa (i.e. 60 days for a 60 day visa, 30 days for a 30 day visa etc.
Reply to this Last spring I flew into Bangkok twice, both times without visa or return ticket. Had no issues what so ever. Maybe it depends on which airline you use? I used AirAsia both times.
Reply to this This is when flying from the UK. We have been asked for either a return ticket or visa every time we have flown from the UK to Bangkok.
Reply to this I flew from Hong Kong and Phnom Penh, so that could be different I guess.
Anywho, just noticed you planned to do some teaching there, and then you would want a business visa anyway, not the (I guess only) tourist visa you get at arrival.
Reply to this 
