Relief from the heat comes during Songkran, an annual festival that runs from April 13 to April 15th. It was originally the Thai New Year celebration, though nowadays Thailand celebrates New Year’s on January 1st.

Traditionally, Songkran was a time to engage in “spring cleaning,” both physically and spiritually, as well as to honor one’s elders. Many people still observe some of these customs, cleaning their houses as well as bathing their Buddha statues in fragrant water and traveling home to spend time with parents, grandparents and other older relatives.

However, the main attraction, especially if you’re a tourist, is the endless water fights in the streets.  Natives and tourists alike arm themselves with water balloons, buckets and water guns of all shapes and sizes, and hit the town. Anybody outside is fair game, though according to Nomadic Matt most people will refrain from soaking you if you’re holding a  camera or smoking a cigarette.

If you’d like to attend the world’s biggest water fight, the biggest Songkran celebrations are in the northern city of Chiang Mai, though Bangkok is also a good place to go.  You’ll need a valid passport, naturally, and you’ll also need a Thai visa.

If you’re only staying in Thailand for a short time, you can just get a visa on arrival.  If you fly in, you’ll be given a 30-day visa, and if you enter by land you’ll get 15 days. However, if you’re planning to stay longer, you can get a tourist visa in advance that’s good for 60 days.  See Thailand Visa Requirements for Tourists for details.

If you’re applying for a visa ahead of time, RushMyTravelVisa can help. We’ll research your itinerary to make sure you have the documents you need for each stage of your trip, and we’ll help you with the paperwork and answer any questions you may have. Then, we’ll take your visa application directly to the Thai Embassy for the fastest possible processing.

Apply for your Thai visa today!

In as little as 5 years, though, that may change. As part of its strategic plan to encourage tourism in member countries, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) is trying to introduce one travel visa to rule them all: a Schengen-like visa that would allow tourists to travel effortlessly between countries such as Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines and Brunei.

Stuart McDonald of TravelFish.org told the Inquirer Global Nation that visa regulations in these countries are a source of confusion for many would-be travelers: “One of the most common questions that we see on travelfish.org is people asking visa questions: What kind of visa can I get? How long is it valid for? What does it cost? The rules change all the time and it introduces a level of uncertainty and confusion that the industry can do without.”

A common visa for all of Southeast Asia would undoubtedly be a good thing for tourism, but don’t expect it to happen immediately. In its strategic plan, even Asean itself noted that there are many obstacles to overcome first: “The establishment of such a visa will not likely occur in the next five years due to barriers of technology, political issues, concerns of sovereignty and security and the different visa systems in the member states.”

Until that day arrives, here’s a rundown of the visa regulations from several of the most popular Southeast Asian countries:

Thailand Visa Requirements for Tourists

Indonesian Visa Requirements for Tourists

Cambodian Visa Requirements for Tourists

Laos Visa Requirements for Tourists

Vietnam Visa Requirements for Tourists

In the meantime, RushMyTravelVisa is here to help you get the visas you need to travel. For assistance and answers to your travel visa questions, contact us today!

There’s a lot to do in Thailand: enjoying delicious spicy curries, lounging on one of the country’s many pristine beaches, scuba diving, exploring ancient temples and much more.

Travel requirements to visit Thailand are fairly straightforward. You aren’t required to get any vaccinations to get into the country, but check with your doctor to see what he or she recommends. Of course, it should go without saying that you need a passport. Check the expiration date, as yours needs to be valid for at least 6 months after you enter the country.

What about visas? American citizens can get a visa stamp valid for 30 days when flying in to Thailand. If you enter by land, you’ll get a Thai visa stamp good for 15 days.

If you plan to remain in Thailand for more than that, you can also apply for a Thai visa valid for up to 60 days before you leave the US. Here’s what you will need to apply:

• Your US passport
• A completed Thailand visa application
• 2 passport photos
• A copy of your itinerary or round-trip ticket
• A copy of a bank statement showing a balance of $500 per person or $1000 per family.

Depending on what your itinerary is like, you may need other visas as well, For example, if you will be stopping in other countries on your way to or from Thailand, you may need a transit visa for that country.

RushMyTravelVisa can help you determine which travel documents you need, help you with the necessary paperwork, and expedite your application. We’ll research your itinerary, walk you step by step through the application process, and then deliver your Thailand visa application to the Department of State for the fastest possible processing.

Apply for your Thailand visa with us today!

“If Chiang Mai were a person, it would be Bob Dylan. With a history dating back further than anyone can remember, its influence remains enormous. And despite its great age, there’s still a bohemian chic that makes it as relevant and hip as ever.”

Chiang Mai is obviously a timeless city, but what makes this year such a good year to visit? The article notes that the city is growing in popularity as a tourist destination, with many new tours and other activities springing up. However, this year at least, it’s still more relaxed and accessible than busy Bangkok.

If you’re just going to Thailand to visit Chiang Mai for a short trip and staying less than 30 days, you don’t need to worry about a visa. Just make sure that your passport is valid for at least 6 more months. If it expires sooner than that, you’ll need a passport renewal before you leave. If you’re staying longer than 30 days, you can apply for a Thai visa valid for up to 60 days before you leave. You’ll need the following documents:

• Your US passport
• A completed Thai visa application
• 2 passport photos
• A copy of your round-trip ticket
• A copy of a bank statement showing a balance of $500 per person or $1000 per family.

RushMyTravelVisa can help you get a Thai visa if you need one for your trip. We can also help you get visas for other countries on your itinerary. Remember, visas may be required if you stop in another country on your way to Thailand or on your way home, even if your stay is very brief.

At RushMyTravelVisa, we’ll be happy to research your itinerary’s visa requirements and help you get the documents you need to be on your way.

Apply for your Thai visa with us today!

This article on Phuketwan.com provides a cautionary tale to illustrate the point: An American tourist who called herself “Nick” was arrested earlier this month for overstaying her Thai visa. Apparently, the overstay was discovered when she went on a “visa run” to the Thai border, with the intention of getting a new visa issued when she re-entered the country.

Per Phuket Wan, the visa run did not go as planned:

Precise circumstances of the case are being clarified, but it appears the woman either misunderstood the conditions of her permission to stay in Thailand or failed to realise there was a 500 baht a day penalty for overstaying. As a result, she was arrested by Immigration officials when she attempted a one-day ”visa run” from Phuket to Ranong and was unable to pay the overstay fine.

“Nick” is currently in jail in Bangkok. Not how you want your holiday to end!

If you enter Thailand by air, you can automatically stay up to 3o days, with no need to apply for a visa in advance. If you enter by land, you get 15 days. Also, if you opt to come to Thailand without applying ahead of time for a visa, you are limited to spending 90 days in any given 6 month period in the country. For longer stays, you can get a Thai visa at an embassy before your trip that will be good for 60 days and can be extended if necessary.

To get one, here’s what you’ll need:

• Your US passport
• A completed visa application
• 2 passport photos
• A copy of your round-trip ticket
• A copy of a bank statement showing a balance of $500 per person or $1000 per family.

RushmyTravelVisa.com can help you get your Thai visa, as well as any other visas you need for your trip. We’ll research your travel needs and help you get the appropriate expedited travel visas in hand before you leave.

Apply for your Thai visa today!

One thing that makes the beach parties at Ko Phi Phi so interesting is the large numbers of people playing with fire. Thai locals perform stunts like poi (dancing/gymnastics with fire) and jump rope with flaming jump ropes, often inviting tourists to join in.

Over at Nomadic Matt’s blog, Sean Ogle recommends a sobriety check before indulging your inner pyromaniac. Thai beach parties are almost always fueled by innocent-looking children’s beach buckets filled with a not-so-innocent concoction of Red Bull, soda and booze, and Ko Phi Phi is no exception. Ogle explains the dangers of this flammable combination:

The combination of buckets and the fire antics that take place at beach bars such as Ibiza and Apache put inebriated travelers in a position to have the best nights they’ll never remember, yet leave them with scars that will never let them forget the nights they spent on Ko Phi Phi.

Yikes! So remember, kids: fire jumping first, buckets of booze second.

Also, remember to make sure you know what travel documents you’ll need before you go. Americans entering Thailand don’t need a visa for stays of less than 30 days. However, if you’re taking a few months off to travel in Thailand and surrounding countries, you might want to stay longer than that.

In that case you can apply for a 60-day Thailand visa before you leave. To submit your application, you’ll need the following documents:

• Your US passport
• A completed Thai visa application
• 2 passport photos
• A copy of your round-trip ticket
• A copy of a bank statement showing a balance of $500 per person or $1000 per family.

RushMyTravelVisa can help expedite your Thai visa, as well as any other visas you might need for your journey. We’ll review your itinerary and let you know what visas you need, help you with the applications, and expedite your visa paperwork for the fastest possible processing.
Apply for your Thai visa today!

When King Inthawichayanon died, he requested that his ashes be deposited on top of Doi Inthanon. The area is now a national park, and both the mountain and the forests that surround it are protected, just as the king would have wanted. According to Norman Rubin of Bootsnall.com:

Doi Inthanon National Park is a true jewel of natural beauty, consisting of rugged mountainous terrain blanketed by lush tropical forests and dotted with mighty rivers and majestic waterfalls. The trek up Doi Inthanon, the highest mountain peak in all of Thailand provides breathtaking views as well as many interesting and unique sidepaths where you’ll see and enjoy aspects of nature (and some of man) which would be difficult to find anywhere else in the world.

The park is also full of interesting wildlife and spectacular waterfalls. Hiring a minibus or other private transportation is the recommended way to see the park.

Thai Visa Requirements

Check the expiration date on your passport- you’ll need at least 6 months left in order to enter Thailand. However, if you’re American, you shouldn’t need a Thai visa unless you are entering by land and plan to spend longer than 15 days, or entering by air and plan to spend more than 30 days.

If you’re planning a longer trip, you can apply for a Thai visa valid for up to 60 days prior to leaving the US. Here’s what you will need to apply:

• Your US passport
• A completed visa application
• 2 passport photos
• A copy of your itinerary or round-trip ticket
• A copy of a bank statement showing a balance of $500 per person or $1000 per family.

Depending on what your itinerary is like, you may also need transit visas if you will be stopping in other countries on your way to or from Thailand. RushMyTravelVisa can review your itinerary, help you determine which visas are necessary and expedite them so you get them as quickly as possible.

Apply for your Thai visa today!

The streets of Thailand are calm again, and the travel warning has been lifted. However, Thailand’s tourist industry has suffered a major disruption. Of course, the silver lining to all of this is that now that it’s once again safe and pleasant to travel to Thailand, you can find some amazing travel deals there. As Gadling observes:

Hesitant tourists are the unfortunate result of any political instability, no matter how short-lived. The resulting drop in foreign visitors to Thailand has instigated a price war among hotels and resorts across the country–if you thought Thailand used to be cheap, it just got a whole lot cheaper. A number of awesome deals are up for the taking, like Thai Airways’ Discover Thailand pass (fly to any 3 cities within Thailand for $278).

The government is also doing its part to help tempt visitors. Gadling notes that for the time being, the Thai Tourist Authority is waiving Thai visa requirements and fees for tourists who would like to stay longer than the normal 30 days.  Ordinarily, if you wanted to stay longer than 30 days you would need to apply for a Thai tourist visa valid for up to 60 days. But not right now-so feel free to take an extended vacation in Thailand! You can check and see if the requirements are back in force by visiting the Thai Tourist Authority’s website.

Even if you don’t need a Thai visa, you may need a visa if your journey requires you to travel through or stop in another country. RushMyTravelVisa can help you by researching your itinerary and then expediting the application process for any visas you might need.

Apply for your travel visa today!

When you visit another country, even mundane activities like shopping are transformed into interesting new experiences. As Gadling.com notes, shopping is also a great way to interact with local people and experience the culture of the place you are visiting.

If you are visiting Bangkok, one of the coolest shopping experiences is actually located outside the city itself, in the floating market of Damnoen Saduak.  From around 8am to 11am each day, the canals of Damnoen Saduak are packed full of the boats of both shoppers and vendors. This is a great place to buy food of all types, as you can see from the video above.

Most of the produce comes from small farms located alongside the canals-about as fresh as you can get! Still, even if you don’t buy anything, it’s worth a trip just to take in the spectacle.

To visit Thailand, you will need a valid passport, of course. Check the expiration date, because you need at 6 months remaining before it expires or they won’t let you in.  However, Americans won’t need a Thai visa unless your trip is longer than 30 days if you enter by air, or 15 days if you enter at a land border crossing.

If you plan to stay in Thailand for more than 30 days, you do have the option of applying for a Thai visa valid for up to 60 days before you leave. Here’s what you will need to apply:

• Your US passport
• A completed visa application
• 2 passport photos
• A copy of your itinerary or round-trip ticket
• A copy of a bank statement showing a balance of   $500 per person or $1000 per family.

Depending on what your itinerary is like, you may also need transit visas if you will be stopping in other countries on your way to or from Thailand. RushMyTravelVisa can review your itinerary, help you determine which visas are necessary and expedite them so you get them as quickly as possible.

Apply for your Thai visa today!

Many backpackers plan routes that carry them across the region, often hitting more than one country.  Your route will depend on how much time and money you have, of course.

To help you get started, here is a guide to travel visa requirements for each of the countries in Southeast Asia:

• Indonesia: US citizens need a passport with at least 6 months validity left and a visa. Visas are available on arrival at the following airports:  Jakarta, Bali, Surabaya, Medan, Padang, Pekanbaru, Manado, Biak, Ambon, Balikpapan, Pontianak, Kupang, Batam, and South Sumatra. Some seaports can also issue visas, but if you entering from anywhere else, you need to get an Indonesian visa ahead of time.

• Malaysia: Backpackers who are entering the country as tourists don’t need visas for visits of less than 90 days.

• Myanmar (Burma): You need a visa, and you need to apply in advance. The Burmese government often turns away visitors who try to enter the country by land and who are not part of an approved package tour.

• The Philippines: American tourists do not need a visa to enter, and are usually allowed to stay 21 days, with additional extensions possible if you apply before your visa expires.

• Singapore: US citizen tourists do not need visas for stays of 90 days or less.

• Thailand- US citizen tourists arriving by air can stay for 30 days or less without a visa. However, if you entering by land, you may only stay 15 days without a visa.  You can apply for a longer visa ahead of time or  get extensions inside Thailand, but must leave the country and apply for a new visa after you’ve spent 90 days in Thailand during a 6 month period.

RushMyTravelVisa.com can review your itinerary and help you understand the visa requirements for your trip. We can also help you with the application paperwork and will deliver your visa application to the appropriate embassy or consulate for the fastest possible processing.  Contact us today!