Preparation and Traveling to Bangkok, Thailand

Single vs Multiple Entry Visa

Similarities: 

When you arrive in Thailand, a stamp will be placed on your passport for a 90-day visa. The expiration date will be 90 days after that arrival date regardless of it being a Single or Multiple Entry Visa. Therefore, you need to apply for a visa extension to continue your stay until the end of your study period. You must get the extension at the immigration Bureau in Government Complex on Chaengwattana Road.

Differences: 

A single entry visa costs $80 and will allow you to enter Thailand only once. Every time you would like to leave Thailand during your study, you must apply for a re-entry permit before leaving the country. The re-entry permit costs roughly $40, and you can go to the Immigration Bureau or (the easier option) any international airport to apply for it there. It only takes about 10 minutes, with your photo being taken and a stamp on your passport to close the deal. A multiple entry Visa costs $200 and you are allowed to stay 90 days per entry. You can go abroad and come back to renew your visa. Or if you do not want to go aboard, you can extend your visa at the Immigration Bureau.

*Key Difference between the two is how many times you plan on leaving the country*

Required Documents

1.  Your actual Passport and one copy of your Passport.
2. One original visa application form completely filled out 
3. Two passport-size photographs (2″x2″) (photocopy or photo taken from Photostat will not be accepted).
4. A copy of flight confirmation/reservation , showing going from US to Thailand and leaving from Thailand 
5. A copy of recent bank statement  $700 per person
6. Original letter of acceptance from the concerned schools/ universities or institutes in Thailand . **if you would like to get a multiple entry visa, we require that schools/ universities have to provide those details in an invitation letter**
7.  Original letter  from USC stating that applicants are visiting Thailand for education purposes.

Apply for housing as soon as possible, because not only is communication a factor that makes things harder but spots fill up fast. Thammasat university did not provide housing for International students the Spring 2020 semester but did provide great alternatives to nearby apartments.

If you need a lot of cash for the initial down payment for housing it is best to take however much you feel comfortable carrying on you from America and exchanging your money to Thai Baht in Thailand. Not only are the exchange rates lower in Thailand but because every ATM has a specific limit on how much money you can withdraw from your account in a given day. Although I did not do this, I wish I did because it would have alleviated a lot of unnecessary stress that I went through upon arriving in Bangkok.