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If you want a clean 60-day Pattaya stay with the option to extend +30 days, and you're either not from a visa-exempt country or want pre-approval before flying — Tourist Visa TR is your answer. USD 40 single-entry to USD 200 METV. Apply online at thaievisa.go.th. For ~80% of tourists from visa-exempt countries, the free 60-day visa exempt is still the better choice.
What the Tourist Visa actually is
The Tourist Visa (TR) is the simplest paid Thai visa. You apply for it before travel (now mostly online via the official eVisa portal at thaievisa.go.th), pay a fee, and arrive in Thailand with 60 days of permitted stay already approved. At Pattaya Immigration you can extend +30 days for THB 1,900 — total 90 days per entry.
There are three flavours: Single Entry (one trip, ~USD 40), Double Entry (two trips, ~USD 80), and METV — Multiple Entry Tourist Visa (unlimited trips for 6 months, ~USD 200, each entry granting 60+30 days).
Tourist Visa is for actual tourism. Not remote work (DTV is for that), not retirement (Non-O/O-A/O-X/LTR), not studies (ED), not business. Be honest about your stay reasons.
Tourist Visa vs Visa Exempt
| Factor | Visa Exempt (no visa) | Tourist Visa TR |
|---|---|---|
| Eligible nationalities | ~64 countries | Most countries (broader) |
| Default stay | 60 days (raised from 30 in 2024) | 60 days |
| Extension | +30 days at Pattaya Immigration (THB 1,900) | +30 days at Pattaya Immigration (THB 1,900) |
| Multi-entry option | No — each entry is fresh visa exempt, with land border limits | Yes — METV gives 6 months unlimited entries |
| Fee | Free | USD 40 (single) / USD 200 (METV) |
| Land border restriction | Yes — limit on visa exempt land entries per year | No — METV/TR enter freely |
| Best for | Single 60–90 day Pattaya trip | Longer Pattaya stays, multiple trips, eligibility issues with visa exempt |
The unspoken truth
For ~80% of tourists, visa exempt is sufficient. It's free, you get 60 days, you can extend +30 in Pattaya for THB 1,900. Tourist Visa makes sense when: you're not from a visa-exempt country, you want METV multi-entry, you're worried about being rejected at the border (e.g. previous overstays), or you want everything pre-approved before flying.
The three TR flavours
Single Entry TR (~USD 40)
One entry into Thailand, 60 days, extendable +30 in Pattaya. Visa itself valid 3 months from issue date — use it or lose it.
Double Entry TR (~USD 80)
Two entries within the 6-month validity. Each entry 60+30. Useful if you want one big trip with a Cambodia/Laos visa run between halves.
METV — Multi-Entry Tourist Visa (~USD 200)
Valid 6 months. Unlimited entries during that window. Each entry gives 60 days, extendable +30. Real-world ceiling: about 8 months of legal stay (4 × ~60 days) before METV expires. Requires stronger financial proof at application (typically bank statement showing ~£5,000 / USD 6,000+).
How to apply eVisa step-by-step
- Go to thaievisa.go.th — the official Thai eVisa portal. Be careful of fake sites that charge extra.
- Create an account with passport details.
- Select visa type: Tourist (TR) → Single / Double / Multi.
- Upload documents: passport bio page (valid 6+ months remaining), recent photo (white background, 4x6cm), proof of travel (return/onward flight), proof of accommodation (hotel booking or rental contract), bank statement (last 3–6 months, usually USD 700+ per person required minimum).
- Pay visa fee online. USD 40 / 80 / 200 depending on type.
- Wait 5–10 working days for approval.
- Receive eVisa PDF by email. Print 2 copies — show at airline check-in and at immigration in Thailand.
- Enter Thailand — passport gets a 60-day stay stamp tied to your TR visa.
Extending in Pattaya
Pattaya Immigration — Soi 5, Jomtien
The most straightforward visa task. Bring everything below, queue, pay, done in 2–4 hours if it's not chaos.
- Passport + photocopy of bio page + entry stamp page
- TM7 application form (free at office)
- 1 photo (4x6cm, white background)
- Departure flight proof (onward ticket within new 30-day window)
- Address proof (lease contract or hotel booking)
- TM30 receipt (filed by landlord/hotel within 24h of your arrival)
- THB 1,900 in cash
- If applying within last 7 days of current stamp: faster
Best time: weekday 8am–10am. Avoid Mondays and last Friday of month.
What you can NOT do on Tourist Visa
5 hard limits
- No work, paid or unpaid. "Volunteering" at a Pattaya bar counts as work. No teaching English. No client calls if you're a freelancer — that's where DTV comes in.
- No long-term residence intent. If you're applying for your 3rd TR in a year and have no flight home, Immigration may refuse entry. Look at DTV, Non-O, ED instead.
- No business activities. Meetings, signing contracts, business networking — not tourist activity. Use Non-B short-stay if needed.
- No back-to-back forever. Tourist visa is not a residency hack. After 2–3 cycles, get a real long-stay visa.
- No bank account opening realistically (UOB Privilege the only exception — see bank checker).
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FAQ
Tourist entry by nationality: UK · USA · India · China · Switch to retirement
Is visa exempt now also 60 days?
Yes. In July 2024 Thailand raised visa exempt stay from 30 to 60 days for the ~64 eligible nationalities. So for many travellers, visa exempt now matches Tourist Visa Single Entry on stay length — making free visa exempt the better choice.
Should I get METV or just do multiple visa exempt entries?
If you're flying in/out (airports), visa exempt × 2 in a year is fine for most. If you're crossing land borders multiple times, you'll hit the land-border visa exempt limit (currently 2 per year). METV bypasses that.
Can I extend a Tourist Visa twice?
Generally no. One +30 extension is standard. Some immigration offices grant a second under "emergency" reasons (medical, flight problems) — rare and not for routine use.
What's the financial requirement?
For single TR: typically USD 700/person bank statement shown at application (not always checked at airport). For METV: typically USD 6,000+ / £5,000+ as proof of means.
Can I switch from Tourist Visa to Non-O / Marriage / Retirement?
Yes — Pattaya Immigration converts TR/visa exempt to Non-O if you meet retirement (50+, THB 800k) or marriage (Thai spouse, THB 400k) requirements. Apply ~30 days before TR/extension expires.
I want to stay long-term — what should I get instead?
If you're under 50 and working remotely → DTV. Over 50 → Non-O retirement. Married to a Thai → Non-O marriage. Studying Thai/Muay Thai → Non-ED. Wealthy → LTR or Privilege/Elite.