How to Apply for the Thailand Pass

Update: The Thai Pass is no longer required. It’s optional.

The Thai government created the Thailand Pass, an online registration system, in response to the COVID epidemic. The system served as a pre-departure check to ensure easier entry into Thailand. 

What is the Thailand Pass

A Thailand Pass QR Code was to be provided once the online application process for Thailand Pass was completed. Visitors were required to provide the QR code to screening personnel at the immigration checkpoint when they arrived in Thailand and when they checked in for their flight to Thailand. Travelers could enter their basic health information on the Thai Pass before traveling to Thailand, which functioned like the COVID-19 health declaration form. Travel was made easier during the COVID-19 pandemic due to the implementation of the Thailand Pass registration system.

Eligibility for the Thailand Pass

Travelers, including Thai citizens and visitors from other countries, no longer register for the Thailand Pass Scheme as of July 1, 2022. Additionally, visitors no longer need to meet the USD10,000 health insurance requirement to enter the nation. Earlier travelers were required to provide a certificate of vaccination, a negative PCR test, or a professional Antigen test result that had to be presented by travelers within seventy-two hours of departure.

Additionally, Thailand’s airport authorities conducted random inspections of arriving passengers at international airports and land border checkpoints. Today, tourists are no longer required to apply for the Thailand pass. 

Requirements for the Thailand Pass

The Thailand Pass registration requirement is no longer there. Since October 1, 2022, both Thai and foreign visitors to Thailand were no longer required to produce COVID-19-related documents, such as the certificate of vaccination and COVID-19 test result, upon arrival. Tourists no longer need to register for the Thai Pass to enter Thailand or undergo a quarantine upon arrival. This holds for those who have received all recommended vaccinations and those who have not.

Pre-requisites for Boarding

The following documents were required for the Thai Pass: 

• a passport
• plane tickets
• a visa, if one is necessary for the intended purpose of entering Thailand 

But before boarding, certain airlines can require a negative PCR test result. It is advised to contact the airline to confirm the most recent criteria for travel.

Thailand’s COVID-19 Entry Rules for Tourists

Travelers who had previously contracted COVID-19 and have completely recovered without displaying any symptoms, such as a fever, will be permitted to visit Thailand.

Regulations for Travelers in International Transit or Transfers

Since July 1, 2022, travelers who entered Thailand via transit rather than through immigration were no longer required to register for a Thailand Pass. There was no need to provide a negative RT-PCR test result.

1. No need to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination
2. Not required to provide proof of health insurance 

However, the airline can have different specifications. Tourists must check with the airline and the nation of their desired destination for the most recent travel restrictions.

Step-by-Step Guide for Thai Pass

For the Thailand Pass application, documents had to be in JPEG format before an applicant could begin filling out the application. PDFs could only be uploaded to the system for the supplementary documents section at the end. Travelers were advised to keep the following documents and convert them into JPEG picture files before applicants could begin the Thai Pass application process.

Step 1: Registration on the Thailand Pass Official Website

Applicants had to register on the official website. Travelers could select either the Thai or non-Thai option. Applicants were then taken to a website page where they could select an entrance program:

1. The "Sandbox" program was only available to vaccinated visitors entering Pattaya, Phuket, or Samui. 
2. The "Test and Go" program was for completely vaccinated passengers entering any international airport in Thailand.
3. "No quarantine" was available for passengers vaccinated in part or not at all.

However, there was no point in applying for the Thailand Pass under the Sandbox program since it was only restricted to specific regions like Phuket, Samui, and Pattaya. The Test and Go program was open to visitors from all countries and available in the majority of the provinces in Thailand upon arrival by air, land, or sea.

Step 2: Arrival Information

Those who were returning residents or were traveling to Thailand on business had to state their reason for doing so in this section. Visitors also had to provide their anticipated departure date from Thailand and their country of origin, airport, flight number, and day of arrival.

Step 3: Provide Personal Information

Applicants had to complete the personal details section, including their full name as it appeared on their passport or other travel documents, nationality, passport number, birth date, and email address. Before moving on to the next stage, travelers had to double-check that their personal information was spelled correctly. Visitors were advised to use a Gmail email address when applying for a Thailand Pass.

Step 4: Provide Proof of Vaccination

Visitors had to provide their immunization details in this section. They were expected to provide the name or brand of their vaccine and mention the time it was administered. They had to upload their vaccination certificate as JPG or PNG files. Travelers also had to upload the QR code of their vaccination papers, if available, for quicker processing of their Thailand Pass. Travelers who applied under the Quarantine Program but were not fully immunized could skip this application process step. 

Step 5: Insurance Details

Any insurer that satisfied the Thailand Pass standards could be used. Visitors had to provide the details of their insurance policy. Travelers had to ensure their coverage was over 10,000 USD and extended throughout the trip. The one-page cover sheet in JPG format with the necessary data had to be uploaded.

Step 6: Review the Thailand Pass Application

In the last stage, tourists had to upload their medical insurance documents. They were also required to enter information about any other nations they had visited 14 days before arriving. While their home country was excluded, they were advised to list any other nations they may have visited en route to Thailand. Finally, they could upload any of the files they had available as supporting documents in their original PDF format. They could view a detailed overview of their application on the last page.

After checking everything carefully, they had the final opportunity to go back and change any details. Their application could be rejected if any information was incorrect, forcing them to start the Thai pass application process from scratch. After submitting all the information, travelers had to wait for their Thailand Pass to be approved. As long as the documents were in order, applying for a Thailand Pass was relatively easy. 

Validity of the Thai Pass

The Thailand Pass is no longer required. With no entry restrictions since October 1, 2022, Thailand is completely accessible to tourists. As of today, travelers are not subjected to produce the following: 

1. No documents of COVID-19 immunization are required 
2. No tests for COVID are carried out 
3. There is an absence of the Thailand Pass
4. No mandated insurance 

Visitors to Thailand are free to travel anywhere in the country once they arrive. Suppose visitors are arriving in Thailand indirectly through another nation. In that case, they are advised to review the COVID policy of their airline and the laws of the nation they are passing through.

Is a Visa Also Needed

Travelers must obtain a visa from one of Thailand’s diplomatic missions unless they are residents of a country exempt from visa restrictions or whose people qualify for visas on arrival or Thailand eVisa. A visa may or may not be needed depending on the traveler’s nationality. Until March 31, 2023, visitors from nations or territories exempt from visa requirements were allowed to stay in Thailand for 45 days instead of 30. Travelers that qualified for a visa on arrival were allowed to stay for 30 days instead of 15 days.

Passport holders from the following nations and territories were eligible to enter Thailand under the tourist visa exemption program during this time. The maximum stay per visit was 45 days in each of these locations. The following countries were included in this list:

• Maldives
• Mauritius
• France
• Monaco
• United States of America
• Czech Republic
• The Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Norway
• Oman
• Brunei
• Canada
• Greece
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Belgium
• Finland
• Germany
• Hungary
• Saudi Arabia
• Singapore
• Iceland
• Slovak Republic
• Indonesia
• Andorra
• Ireland
• Israel
• Italy
• Australia
• Austria
• Bahrain
• Kuwait
• Latvia
• Liechtenstein
• Luxembourg
• Malaysia
• The Philippines
• Poland
• Portugal
• Qatar
• San Marino
• Turkey
• United Arab Emirates
• Lithuania
• United Kingdom
• Ukraine

An earlier rule that permitted tourists from countries where Thai visas were not required to stay for up to 45 days has been reversed. Thailand has overturned its previous ruling, which enabled tourists from visa-exempt nations to stay in the country for up to an additional 45 days without needing a prior visa. Due to this reversal, eligible visitors will again be permitted to travel without a Thai visa for 30 days.

It is advised to check the latest requirements with the embassy of Thailand before making any plans to visit the nation, as visa regulations are subject to change without further notice.

Additionally, for passport holders of the following nations and territories who were eligible to apply for a Thai visa on arrival during this time, the maximum stay per visit was going to be 30 days:

• Bhutan
• China
• Bulgaria
• Cyprus
• Ethiopia
• India
• Vanuatu
• Malta
• Kazakhstan
• Mexico
• Nauru
• Fiji
• Georgia
• Saudi Arabia
• Taiwan
• Papua New Guinea
• Romania
• Uzbekistan

Additionally, as part of a bilateral agreement, citizens of the following nations and territories had been exempt from requiring a visa to enter Thailand:

1. Cambodia for 14 days
2. Myanmar for 14 days
3. Hong Kong for 30 days
4. Argentina for 90 days
5. Brazil for 90 days
6. Russia for 30 days and a visa on arrival
7. Lao (PDR) for 30 days
8. Macau for 30 days
9. Peru for 90 days
10. Mongolia for 30 days
11. Vietnam for 30 days
12. Chile for 90 days
13. Korea (ROK) for 90 days

Moreover, visitors must check with the Embassy of Thailand regarding visa regulations and airlines to see if they have any requirements for passport validity. However, travelers should ensure the passport is valid for at least six months. 

Conclusion

Simply put, the Thailand Pass allowed authorities to limit COVID-19’s spread within Thailand. The Thai Pass registration safeguarded the security of both locals and visitors by doing this. The Centre of COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) in Thailand has approved the discontinuation of the Thailand Pass registration system and the necessity for foreign visitors to carry ten thousand USD in health insurance, both of which took effect on July 1, 2022. Random inspections may be performed on travelers arriving at Thailand’s land border crossings or international airports.