Visa Requirements for Thai Citizens

Thai citizens can visit 80 countries visa-free or with visa-on-arrival in 2025. Popular visa-free destinations include Japan (15 days), Singapore (30 days), South Korea (90 days), Malaysia (30 days), Vietnam (30 days), Indonesia (30 days), Brazil (90 days), Argentina (90 days), Russia (30 days), and all ASEAN member states. Additional countries offer visa-on-arrival or e-visa options including Cambodia, Laos, India, Turkey, and Sri Lanka.

The US B1/B2 tourist and business visa costs $185 (approximately ฿6,475) for Thai applicants. This is a non-refundable application fee paid before scheduling your visa interview at the US Embassy in Bangkok. Payment can be made via Electronic Fund Transfer, credit card, debit card, or at Krungsri bank branches throughout Thailand.

The UK Standard Visitor Visa costs £127 (approximately ฿5,715) for Thai citizens applying for stays up to 6 months. VFS Global charges an additional service fee of around ฿1,500. Priority processing is available for £500 extra (5 working days) or £1,000 for Super Priority (next working day). Longer-term visas of 2, 5, or 10 years are also available at higher fees.

Schengen visa processing for Thai applicants typically takes 15 to 30 calendar days from the date of application. During peak travel season (April to October), processing can extend to 45 days. The Schengen visa fee is €80 (approximately ฿3,040) for adults and €40 for children aged 6 to 12. This single visa allows travel to all 29 Schengen member countries.

Standard visa requirements for Thai citizens include: valid passport with 6+ months validity and 2 blank pages, recent passport-size photographs (specifications vary by country), bank statements for the last 3 to 6 months showing sufficient funds, employment letter or business registration documents, confirmed flight itinerary and hotel bookings, travel insurance (mandatory for Schengen), and cover letter explaining travel purpose. Original house registration (tabien baan) may also be required.

The US B1/B2 visa approval rate for Thai applicants is approximately 70% to 75% based on recent fiscal year data. Approval rates are higher for applicants with strong ties to Thailand, previous international travel history (especially to visa-free countries like Japan and Singapore), and clear documentation of funds, employment, and property ownership.

Yes, Thai citizens have excellent visa-on-arrival access throughout Asia. Cambodia offers 30-day visas on arrival for $30. Nepal provides 15 to 90-day visas on arrival. Maldives grants 30 days visa-free. India offers e-visas with quick online processing. Within ASEAN, Thai citizens enjoy visa-free access to all member states including Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, and Brunei.

Thai applicants face higher rejection rates for Schengen visas from certain countries, particularly France (rejection rate around 20%), Germany (18%), and Italy (15%). Common rejection reasons include insufficient financial documentation, unclear travel purpose, weak ties to Thailand, incomplete applications, and lack of previous travel history. The UK has a rejection rate of approximately 18% for Thai tourist visa applications.

To maximize visa approval chances: apply at least 4 to 8 weeks before travel, provide 6 months of bank statements showing consistent income and savings, include tax documents and employment verification letters, show property ownership or other assets in Thailand through chanote (land title) or condo ownership documents, document previous international travel stamps especially to countries like Japan and South Korea, provide a detailed day-by-day travel itinerary with confirmed bookings, and ensure all documents are properly translated into English where required.