How to apply for a Thai Tourist Visa online
Since June 17, 2019, all applications for Thai visas at the Embassy of Paris must be done online, known as an e-visa. What documents are required? How should you proceed? How long does it take? We answer all your questions! Discover how to successfully apply for your Thai visa online.
Required documents
The required documents depend on the type of visa desired. A tourist visa allows for a 60-day stay in Thailand from the date of arrival, extendable by one month at immigration service offices within the country. The tourist visa is valid for 3 months from the date of application submission. To apply, you must first gather the following documents:
- A passport valid for at least 6 months beyond your departure date.
- A passport-sized photo.
- A copy of your residence permit (only for travel document holders and foreigners with residence in France) or proof of address for European passports (electricity or telecom bill).
- Copies of round-trip airline reservations (within 90 days).
- Financial proof: recent bank statements (issued within 30 days of application) showing a minimum balance of €1000 per applicant (or €2000 for a joint account), or a signed and stamped bank certificate.
- Hotel reservations for the first 7 nights, showing your name and the hotel's complete address.
Steps to follow online
Once you have all your documents ready, visit the Thai Embassy website at https://www.thaievisa.go.th/. Create a user account to begin your application. Upload the required documents and pay the visa processing fee to schedule an appointment to submit your passport.
Good to Know: When uploading documents, each file cannot exceed 500 MB (which is quite limited). Given that three missing documents can result in visa refusal, we recommend using a tool to combine and compress your PDFs. You can find various online tools like https://combinepdf.com/fr/ and https://pdfcompressor.com/fr/ to manage your documents. Prefer PDF format over JPG, and ensure all documents are clear and legible.
After completing this step, you will be offered different dates and times for an appointment to submit your passport at the embassy.
Submitting your passport at the Thai Embassy
It is mandatory to appear at the Thai Embassy to submit your passport for visa processing. Bring your passport valid for 6 months from your departure date, a passport-sized photo, and the visa application proof found on your Thai eVisa account and in your email (a document with your photo and a barcode).
At the embassy, simply wait for your turn to submit your application. If any documents are missing, you will receive an email within 2–3 days of submission requesting the missing items. You may also be called in for an interview.
You can track the progress of your application online through your user account under "Checking status." If the status shows "Ready to collect passport," your visa is ready for pickup at the embassy between 2 PM and 5 PM on weekdays. If you cannot collect it yourself, a third party can do so with your receipt. No call or email will be sent to notify you of your "ready to collect" status, so check the website regularly.
Processing time
The processing time varies depending on factors like the season and the completeness of your application. The wait time for an initial embassy appointment can range from 2–3 business days in the low season to 2–3 weeks in the high season. Additionally, forgetting documents will inevitably delay the process by several days. Therefore, plan ahead and start your application process weeks before your departure date!
Attention!
Always check Thai holidays and public holidays to avoid surprises when visiting the embassy! You can find all embassy closure dates on their official website, http://www.thaiembassy.fr/holidays/, and on their Facebook page, "Royal Thai Embassy Paris.".
Florine Dergelet