The Bureau of Immigration of Thailand will launch a new e-visa on arrival (eVoA) system on February 14 for foreign tourists from 21 countries to help support the tourism industry of the country.
With the new eVOA service, developed by the bureau with outsourcing and technology services specialist VFS Global, travelers can fill out the electronic form and make an e-payment any time regardless of embassy working hours.
Travelers can apply online for the eVOA by visiting thailandevoa.vfsevisa.com, and will receive their pre-departure travel authorization online within three days prior to departure from their country of origin.
Once the tourists arrive at the airports, they can show their passports at specific counters to obtain a visa in just one minute, rather than go through a one- to two-hour wait, according to chief of immigration police Surachate Hakparn.
The new initiative will mean that no physical copies of documents, photographs or local cash will be needed during the immigration process at Thai airports.
The service will first be available at Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Phuket, and Chiang Mai international airports, and will be extended to other airports later this year.
The 21 countries eligible for the system are Andorra, Bhutan, Bulgaria, China, Cyprus, Ethiopia, Fiji, India, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Papua New Guinea, Romania, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, and Taiwan.
Hakparn said: “With the e-visa on arrival service, we are proud to offer a new age digital solution which enhances the overall experience for the modern day traveller who seeks to visit Thailand from 21 countries across the globe.
“We aim to effectively meet the objective of increasing tourism to the country through this solution, especially taking into consideration the all-important security aspect that allows pre-check of travellers prior the arrival, as it offers time to the Immigration Bureau for effective assessment.”
Photo: Roger Price
