Travel Without Visa

[Big Boy]

My travel plans for relocation to Thailand on Sunday have hit a slight snag today. To enable my son to be permitted to work in Thailand, he has to invoke his birthright to Thai citizenship. He needs to arrive in Thailand on Thai travel documentation. We've achieved this by having a Certificate of Identity (CoI) issued by the Thai Embassy today.

Now for the snag ............. the Embassy said that we have to check with the airline to be sure they will accept travel on a CoI. We are travelling this time with Jet for the extra baggage allowance. I've phoned Jet to ask the question, but rather than give me a yes/no answer, they insisted I submit my question via e-mail . Will my e-mail be answered in time?

Assuming the worse, the key part of the CoI is to enter Thailand using it. As a workaround, he could use his British passport at check-in, and not produce the CoI until he arrives in Thailand. OK, plan B works until we remember that he is travelling on a one-way ticket, and no visa. Officially, the airline can refuse him without a valid visa.

It's been mentioned before that an easy workaround for snag 2 is to book him a 'cheap' ticket out of Thailand to a neighbouring country. Now my question, if we need to invoke plan B, where is the cheapest destination to buy a one-way ticket out of Thailand to please?

[Bamboo Grove]

I think, you could check with Air Asia, they used to have the cheapest flights. Maybe one to Phnom Penh?

[Big Boy]

Thanks BG, 1,990 Baht would be a good compromise.

[Siani]

Possibly Singapore? If he is travelling on a UK passport, why not sort out the other problem when you arrive, if that is possible?

[Big Boy]

Singapore is twice as expensive .

Regarding his Thai citizenship, the Embassy have been very helpful, but it relies on him arriving with the CoI as opposed to a passport. The way they've explained it, there isn't very much room for manoeuvre.

[margaretcarnes]

Singapore is twice as expensive .

Regarding his Thai citizenship, the Embassy have been very helpful, but it relies on him arriving with the CoI as opposed to a passport. The way they've explained it, there isn't very much room for manoeuvre.

Singapore might be more expensive - but what about some other destination in Malaysia? I'm just thinking that with his UK passport there would be least hassle there than maybe other countries, especially if he experienced any delay getting sorted. Penang area?

[leoedgar]

I´m not sure I understand this correct, but you are saying:

Assuming the worse, the key part of the CoI is to enter Thailand using it. As a workaround, he could use his British passport at check-in, and not produce the CoI until he arrives in Thailand. OK, plan B works until we remember that he is travelling on a one-way ticket, and no visa. Officially, the airline can refuse him without a valid visa.

In my understanding, you don´t need a visa to go to Thailand if you are comming as a tourist, so the airline can not refuse him without a visa and a one-way ticket. I came here 2 years ago without a visa, and no return ticket, no problem. Ok I only got 30 days visa at arrivel, but that´s not your case.

Leo

[Takiap]

I don't think you should have any trouble BB. A friend of mine came over here last year on a one way ticket and had no trouble doing so.


BTW BB..................I bet you're happy the long wait is finally over.

[dozer]

A friend of mine came over from the UK late last year and he was a bit wary of not having a return ticket, so he bought a one-way to Penang with Air Asia I thnk he said it was 1500B, but he was never asked by the airline.So I suppose 1500B for a bit of peace of mind is not too bad.

[Pleng]

In my understanding, you don´t need a visa to go to Thailand if you are comming as a tourist, so the airline can not refuse him without a visa and a one-way ticket. I came here 2 years ago without a visa, and no return ticket, no problem. Ok I only got 30 days visa at arrivel, but that´s not your case.

Leo

Airlines can refuse you entry if you have a one way ticket and no visa. I don't particulalry see why they would choose to exercise that right.

The first question I was asked at checkin with Thai airways was "How long are you going for". I replied a long time, and I was asked "You have visa?" I have a feeling that if I didn't have a visa, my one way ticket may have been frowned upon.

[leoedgar]

In my understanding, you don´t need a visa to go to Thailand if you are comming as a tourist, so the airline can not refuse him without a visa and a one-way ticket. I came here 2 years ago without a visa, and no return ticket, no problem. Ok I only got 30 days visa at arrivel, but that´s not your case.

Leo

Airlines can refuse you entry if you have a one way ticket and no visa. I don't particulalry see why they would choose to exercise that right.

The first question I was asked at checkin with Thai airways was "How long are you going for". I replied a long time, and I was asked "You have visa?" I have a feeling that if I didn't have a visa, my one way ticket may have been frowned upon.

The airline can and have to refuce you boarding if you don´t have a valid visa, and if you are going to a country, which require that you have to optain a visa before you come to this country. This is not required in Thailand if you come as a tourist.
The one way ticket is not the airlines bussines. In my case, I was not sure where to go after my first visit to Thailand, therefore a one way ticket. I ended up in Vietnam, and came back again two weeks later in Thailand, again with a one way ticket and no visa. So I don´t see any problem.

Leo

[dtaai-maai]

The problem with any aspect of life in Thailand is the lack of a consistent approach by the authorities.

Whether you're talking about immigration, business, buying a car, getting stopped by the police, running a bar, etc. the individual "well, I did this/that/the other and I had no problem" response is quite useless, however well intended and accurate, because someone else doing exactly the same thing the next day will wind up being refused entry/thrown in jail/fined, etc.

[leoedgar]

I think BB have control of the Thailand issue, the problem was the flight to Thailand, which I don´t think will be a problem to, but let´s hear how it´s going.
Leo

[Big Boy]

Singapore is twice as expensive .

Regarding his Thai citizenship, the Embassy have been very helpful, but it relies on him arriving with the CoI as opposed to a passport. The way they've explained it, there isn't very much room for manoeuvre.

Singapore might be more expensive - but what about some other destination in Malaysia? I'm just thinking that with his UK passport there would be least hassle there than maybe other countries, especially if he experienced any delay getting sorted. Penang area?

The idea is that we would buy the ticket for the sole purpose of making him legal for travelling without a Thai visa on a one way ticket. He would arrive in Thailand using his CoI. There is no intention whatsoever of using the cheap ticket to wherever.

[Big Boy]

Airlines can refuse you entry if you have a one way ticket and no visa. I don't particulalry see why they would choose to exercise that right.

Unfortunately the Thai Embassy told me that I had to check, and Jet will not confirm ................ yet.