Amazing Thailand: Your Stories Never End
THAILAND
Thailand is a Southeast Asian country known for its vibrant culture, beautiful beaches, and bustling cities.
Capital
Bangkok
Continent
Asia
Currency
Thai Baht (THB)
US Dollar (USD)
Language
Thai
Time-Zone
GST +3hrs
Flight Time
6-7hrs
Did you know… Thai culture is full of bright colours, festivals, and traditions with each day of the week having its own lucky colour! Yellow is commonly worn on Mondays to bring good luck, pink on Tuesdays for love and warmth, Wednesday is green for growth and harmony etc.
THE ESSENTIAL INFORMATION
Let the journey begin.
Asia is the largest and most populous continent, covering about 30% of the Earth’s land area and home to more than 4.7 billion people, roughly 60% of the global population. It is traditionally divided into several regions, including East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and Western Asia (also known as the Middle East), each with distinct cultures, languages, and historical influences.
Known for its vast diversity, Asia is home to major world economies like China, India, and Japan, as well as iconic landmarks such as the Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal, and the Arabian Desert, while also being a centre of innovation, rich traditions, and some of the oldest continuous civilisations on Earth.
Thailand has a tropical climate, with warm temperatures year-round and three main seasons: hot, wet, and cool. The wet season, brought by the monsoon, lasts from May to October, while November to February is drier and slightly cooler, making it a popular time for visitors.
The currency used in Thailand is the Thai Baht (THB), which was introduced in the 19th century. Historically, the Baht has seen various changes in value and design, particularly following Thailand’s economic shifts in the 20th century, with coins and banknotes featuring significant national symbols and figures, such as the King.
Parents should ensure that their child’s documents are eligible to travel to Thailand and match the criteria below.
If your child has multiple passports and plans to travel with one, whilst their UAE residency visa is linked to another, please make sure they carry both passports during their trip!
Please check all sample documents below, and relevant official checklists to ensure specific criteria are met.
Passport Validity (Minimum):
6 months after entry into Thailand
UAE Residency Validity (Minimum):
90 days after expected return to UAE
School/College NOC Required:
Yes
Parent/Guardian NOC Required:
Yes
Electronic Visa on Arrival (eVOA)
-----------------------------
Visa Type: Single Entry
Visa Fee: THB 2,000
Validity: 15 days
If your child is a citizen of one of the 15 nationalities listed below, they will be eligible for an eVOA to enter Thailand.
- Armenia
- Belarus
- Bolivia
- Bolivian Republic of Venezuela
- Costa Rica
- El Salvador
- Ethiopia
- Kyrgyzstan
- Namibia
- Nauru
- Paraguay
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Tunisia
- Vanuatu
- Suvarnabhumi International Airport
- Don Mueang International Airport
- Chiang Mai International Airport
- Phuket International Airport
Click here to learn if your child is visa exempt.
The Immigration Bureau of Thailand outsource their eVOA services to VFS Global.
Please therefore visit the Thai eVOA/VFS Global website to complete the necessary application form.
An eVOA will be valid for the specific dates of travel entered when submitting the application. If for any reason, the trip details change to a different date, you will be required to reapply for a new eVOA.
We therefore recommend submitting the application approximately 4-8 weeks prior to travel once all payments have been made, and final bookings confirmed by the school and trip provider.
Parent/Guardian to provide:
- Child’s passport cover page (This must be the passport they will travel on)
- Child’s passport biometric page (This must be the passport they will travel on)
- Photograph of child (<6 months old)
- Contact information (home address, telephone, email)
- Access to emails
- A credit/debit card to complete payment
Parent/Guardian to request from school:
- School no objection certificate – the NOC should include the child’s full name as per their passport, along with the details of the accompanying teacher(s).
Parent/Guardian to request from trip provider:
- Invitation letter
- Flight confirmation
- Proof of accommodation
On average, parents/guardians will receive the eVOA via email within 3 days.
Yes, we recommend that since your child is a minor travelling without you, they should carry both a copy of the eVOA and a parent/guardian NOC (sample below).
Tourist Visa
-----------------------------
Visa Type: Single Entry
Visa Fee: AED 400 (Cash)
Validity: Nationality Dependent
Click here to learn if your child is eligible for a tourist visa.
Click here to learn if your child is visa exempt.
In order to obtain a tourist visa for your child, you will be required to schedule and attend a visa appointment in-person to submit the mandatory documents.
All steps have been outlined below for your reference:
- Head over to the Thai Embassy or Thai Consulate website to schedule the mandatory visa appointment. Walk ins are not accepted.
- Collect and collate all required paperwork
- Attend the appointment in-person
- On average, the visa process takes 2 working days for all nationalities except Afghanistani and Iraqi citizens where it’s 30-45 working days
- Collect/receive passport with attached visa
- All set – we hope your child has a great trip!
The Thai Embassy/Consulate recommend applying 20-30 days prior to departure. However, we recommend applying 10-12 weeks prior to departure as some nationalities will take 6 weeks to process.
Parent/Guardian to provide:
- Thai visa appointment confirmation
- Thai visa checklist
- 2 x Thai visa application form (typed)
- 2 x studio-quality passport photograph (<6 months old)
- Photocopy of child’s passport
- Photocopy of child’s UAE residency visa
- Photocopy of child’s Emirates ID
- Photocopy of child’s birth certificate (English)
- Parental no objection certificate (NOC)
- Photocopy of parent/guardian(s) passport
- Photocopy of parent/guardian(s) UAE residency visa
- Bank statements (Last 3 months, original, stamped by the bank, in the name of the child’s UAE sponsor). Foreign accounts will not be considered.
Parent/Guardian to request from school:
- School no objection certificate – the NOC should include the child’s full name as per their passport, along with the details of the accompanying teacher(s).
Parent/Guardian to request from trip provider:
- Invitation letter
- Flight confirmation
- Proof of accommodation
On average, parents/guardians will receive the tourist visa within 2 working days. However, some nationalities can take up to 45 working days.
Unless extenuating circumstances, it is mandatory for both parent/guardian(s) to attend the visa appointment with the travelling student. This requirement is of utmost importance.
Yes, the Thai Embassy/Consulate will keep your child’s passport whilst their application is being processed.
- Thai Embassy, UAE Website
- +971 2 557 6551, ext. 111
- +971 4 348 9550 ext. 31, 32, 33
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
- Villa 137, Al Ma'mourah Street, Al Nahyan Area, Abu Dhabi, UAE