Regulations on Entry to Thailand & COE Application
LATEST UPDATES
- From 1 April 2021,
- Non-Thai travellers no longer need to present a Fit to Fly Certificate at check-in. It is sufficient to present a Medical Certificate with a laboratory result indicating that COVID-19 is not detected, using RT-PCR method, issued no longer than 72 hours before departure (in addition to the COE, health insurance & ASQ confirmation). HOWEVER, certain airlines may have a different internal policy; please double check required documents with your airlines.
- Quarantine period will be reduced from 14 days to 10 days for travellers from countries with no mutated strain of the corona virus. The list of countries with mutated strains of the corona virus will be published and updated by the Ministry of Public Health of Thailand every month.
- As of 2 April 2021, Austria, Slovakia and Slovenia are not included in the said list. Therefore, travellers from these countries will enter 10-day quarantine upon arrival in Thailand from 1 April 2021 onward.
- Travellers with vaccine certificate, issued by their authorities, and travelling from countries with no cases of COVID-19 variant strains may be eligible to no less than 7-day quarantine.
- This condition will only apply to those who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 with a vaccine approved by World Health Organization (WHO) or Ministry of Public Health of Thailand no less than 14 days before the travelling date.
- The following vaccines are accepted (as of 31 March 2021)
- SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine (CoronaVac) by Sinovac (2 doses needed)
- AZD1222 by AstraZeneca/Oxford (2 doses needed)
- AZD1222 by SK BIOSCIENCE AstraZeneca/Oxford (2 doses needed)
- BNT162b2/CORMIRNATY Tozinameran (INN) by Pfizer/BioNTech (2 doses needed)
- Covishield (ChAdOx1_nCoV19) by Serum Institute of India (2 doses needed)
- Ad26.COV2.S by Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson (1 dose needed)
- mRNA-1273 by Moderna (2 doses needed)
- SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine (Vero Cell), Inactivated (InCov) by Sinopharm/BIBP (2 doses needed)
- Travellers must present vaccine certificate (an original paper or a print out of online vaccine certificate) to International Port Health Control at the port of arrival, otherwise you may be quarantined for no less than 10 days.
- The vaccine certificate must be issued by a government authority (document issued by private entities will not be accepted). The vaccine certificate must contain the following information:
- The travellers' personal details, including name, date of brith, nationality and passport number.
- Vaccination information, including dates of vaccination (the last dose must be administered no less than 14 days before travelling), name and batch number of the vaccine.
- While undergoing quarantine, travellers will be allowed to engage in leisure activities, namely outdoor exercise, indoor fitness room exercise, swimming, indoor cycling under a controlled environment, and ordering goods and food from outside, subject to conditions set by the Ministry of Public Health of Thailand.
- The above relaxation will come into effect from 00.01 hrs. on 1 April 2021 (Bangkok time).
- From 1 March 2021, international transit passengers at Suvarnabhumi International Airports (with lay-over time not exceeding 12 hours / check-through luggage only / cannot leave transit area) do not need to apply for the Certificate of Entry (COE), but need COVID-19 PCR Test, Fit to Fly Certificate, and Health Insurance. HOWEVER, all prospective transit passengers are advised to contact their airlines directly to inquire about their internal transit-through-Thailand policies.
All non-Thai nationals travelling to Thailand must present the following documents at check-in counter in the country of origin:
- Certificate of Entry (COE) issued by the Embassy (see application process below)
- Valid visa or re-entry permit (for visa application process, please refer to https://thaiembassy.at/en/consular-services.html)
- Health insurance policy (or "confirmation letter" issued by the insurance company) in English which expressly covers treatment and medical expenses in relation to COVID-19, with a minimum coverage of 100,000 USD (except for diplomats and representatives of foreign governments or international organizations) Travellers are advised to purchase their health insurance which meets Thailand's entry criteria here: http://covid19.tgia.org/
- Medical Certificate with a laboratory result indicating that COVID-19 is not detected, using RT-PCR method, which has been certified or issued no more than 72 hours before departure
- Confirmation of Alternative State Quarantine (ASQ) hotel booking (or ALQ/AHQ/OQ confirmation) for a 10-day quarantine (see options below)
- Certification of Vaccination issued by a government authority, containing personal information of the travellers (name, date of birth, passport number) and information on the vaccine (name, batch number, vaccination dates) (if applicable).
EXCEPTIONS: international transit/transfer passengers at Suvarnabhumi International Airports (lay-over time not exceeding 12 hours / check-through luggage only / cannot leave transit area) do not need to apply for the Certificate of Entry (COE), but are required to have the following documents:
- Medical Certificate with a laboratory result indicating that COVID-19 is not detected, using RT-PCR method, which has been certified or issued no more than 72 hours before departure
- Fit to Fly Health Certificate. To download Fit to Fly Template: CLICK HERE
- Travel health insurance covering health care and treatment expenses for COVID-19 disease, or any other guarantee throughout their stay in the Kingdom, with a coverage of no less than 100,000 USD
For more information regarding transit exception, see https://www.caat.or.th/en/archives/56377
Other relevant information
- Travellers who plan to travel to other parts of Thailand after completing 10-day quarantine at their ASQ/ALQ facilities are advised to study the latest travel/health measures imposed by the provincial authorities of their respective destinations. For the latest measures, please visit: http://moicovid.com/map.html
- Flight cancelled? Please contact us for a revised COE. Travellers who have received COEs but have to change plan due to flight cancellation should write to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. They will be given special access to their old accounts on the COE application platform to amend flight/ASQ details and re-apply for a new COE.
1. Who can enter Thailand?
2. How to travel to Thailand?
3. Mandatory 10-day quarantine
4. What documents are required for entry to Thailand?
5. How to apply for the Certificate of Entry (COE)?
6. Download important documents
1. Persons permitted to enter Thailand
In accordance with the Regulation issued under Section 9 of the Emergency Decree on Public Administration in Emergency Situations B.E. 2548 (2005), as amended, the following persons are permitted to enter Thailand:
(1) Thai nationals (for more information please visit www.thaiembassy.at/th/repat)
(2) Persons with exemption or persons being considered, permitted or invited by the Prime Minister, or the head of responsible persons accountable for resolving state of emergency issues to enter the Kingdom, pertaining to necessity. Such consideration, permission or invitation may be subject to specified conditions and time limits.
(3) Persons on diplomatic or consular missions or under International organizations, or representatives of foreign government performing their duties in the Kingdom, or persons of other international agencies as permitted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs pertaining to necessity, including their spouse, parents, or children.
(4) Carriers of necessary goods, subject to immediate return after completion.
(5) Crew members who are required to travel into the Kingdom on a mission, and have a specified date and time for return.
(6) Non-Thai nationals who are spouses, parents, or children of Thai nationals.
(7) Non-Thai nationals who hold a Certificate of Residence, including their spouses and children.
(8) Non-Thai nationals who have work permit or have been granted permission to work in the Kingdom in accordance with Thai laws, including their spouses and children, or foreign workers who have been granted exemption from the government to temporarily stay in the Kingdom and permitted to work through their employers or licensees who are permitted to bring in foreign workers to work in the Kingdom.
(9) Non-Thai nationals who are students of educational institutions approved by Thai authorities, including their parents or guardians, excluding students of non-formal educational institutions in accordance with the law on Private schools and of other similar private educational institutions.
(10) Non-Thai nationals who are in need of medical treatment in Thailand, and their accompanying persons. However, this shall not include medical treatment for COVID–19.
(11) Non-Thai nationals who have been granted permission to enter into the Kingdom under special arrangements between Thai government agencies and other countries, or persons or groups of persons who have been granted permission by the Prime Minister upon the submission for consider after the examination and review by the Ad Hoc Committee for the Consideration of the Relaxation of the Enforcement of Measures to Present and Suppress the Spread of the Communicable Disease Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19), and shall comply with disease prevention measures determined by the Ad Hoc Committee.
LATEST UPDATES
- From 1 April 2021 (arrival in Thailand from 00.01 hrs. Thai Time onward),
- Non-Thai travellers no longer need to present a Fit to Fly certificate at check-in. They only need to present a Medical Certificate with a laboratory result indicating that COVID-19 is not detected, using RT-PCR method (in addition to COE, insurance & ASQ confirmation)
- Quarantine period will be reduced from 14 days to 10 days for travellers from countries with no mutated strain of corona virus. The list of ineligible countries will be publised and updated by the Ministry of Public Health of Thailand every 15 days.
- As of 26 March 2021, Austria, Slovakia and Slovenia are not included in the said list. Therefore, travellers from these countries will enter 10-day quarantine upon arrival in Thailand.
- Those arriving in Thailand before 00.00 hrs. on 1 April 2021 still need to enter 14-day quarantine, regardless of where they travel from.
- From 1 March 2021, international transit/transfer passengers may transit/transfer at Suvarnabhumi International Airports (lay-over time not exceeding 12 hours / check-through luggage only / cannot leave transit area) *without* the need to obtain the Certificate of Entry (COE), but still need Fit to Fly Certificate, COVID-19 test, and Travel Insurance.
- For more information, visit https://www.caat.or.th/en/archives/56377
- HOWEVER, all prospective transit passengers are advised to contact their airlines directly to inquire about their internal transit-through-Thailand policies.
- From 14 January 2021, all travellers who have received COEs are required to download, and register via, ThailandPlus Application. They are required to show a QR code generated from the registration via the Application to be scanned by Thai authority upon arrival in Thailand. To download, CLICK HERE.
- From 14 January 2021, all visa schemes have been reinstalled, except Visa on Arrival and 14-day visa exemption schemes.
- From 22 December 2020, nationals of Austria, Slovakia and Slovenia entering Thailand under Visa Exemption Scheme are permitted to stay in Thailand for up to 45 days (in effect until 30 September 2021).
- For more information on Visa Exemption, CLICK HERE.
- From 9 December 2020, travellers from Austria, Slovakia and Slovenia may now apply for the Special Tourist Visa (STV), which will allow them to stay in Thailand for 90 days.
- For more information on STV, CLICK HERE.
- From 7 December 2020, tourists who are nationals of Austria, Slovakia and Slovenia are permitted to enter Thailand under Visa Exemption Scheme, although they still need to apply for the Certiticate of Entry (COE).
- For more information on Visa Exemption, CLICK HERE.
- From 25 November 2020, the following non-Thai nationals may enter Thailand under exempted Category (8 - work permit holder / those with permission to work in Thailand)
- Representatives/staff of international organisations who wish enter Thailand to perform duties temporarily (please apply for an Official F or a non-immigrant F visa)
- Local staff of diplomatic missions in Thailand (please apply for a non-immigrant F visa)
- Those working for non-profit organisations, foundations, and NGOs in Thailand (please apply for a non-immigrant O visa)
- From 18 November 2020, Tourist (TR) visa applicants no longer need to provide a 6-month Bank Statement with funds not less than 500,000 THB (15,000 EUR).
- For TR Visa application procedures, CLICK HERE.
- From 11 November 2020, holders "O - Retirement" Visa or re-entry permit marked "Retirement" are now permitted to enter Thailand
- From 2 November 2020, travellers from Austria, Slovakia and Slovenia who hold Tourist (TR) Visa are permitted to enter Thailand under exempted Category (11),
- subject to having 6-month Bank Statement with funds not less than 500,000 THB (15,000 EUR) maintained THROUGHOUT 6 months (this condition has now been removed)
- For TR Visa application procedures, CLICK HERE.
- From 9 October 2020, holders of Non-Immigrant "B" Visa are permitted to enter Thailand under exempted Category (11).
- For information on procedures for Non-Immigrant "B" Visa application, CLICK HERE.
- From 29 September 2020, the following non-Thai nationals are permitted to enter Thailand under exempted Category (11):
- 1) Holders of Non-Immigrant ‘O-A’ (Long Stay) Visa. For application procedures, CLICK HERE.
- 2) Holders of Non-Immigrant ‘O-X’ (Long Stay) Visa (applicable only for nationals of Japan, Australia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Canada and United States); or
- 3) Holders of APEC Card (from New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Republic of Korea, Japan, Chinese Taipei, and China).
IMPORTANT NOTICE
- During COVID-19 situation, the Royal Thai Embassy will accept visa application *BY APPOINTMENT ONLY*.
- Visa appointments can be made through https://rtevienna.setmore.com/
2. How to travel to Thailand
FLIGHT UPDATE
- Certain arilines are operating semi-commercial flights to PHUKET. Travellers arriving in Phuket are required to enter Alternative Local Quarantine (ALQ) in Phuket only. For a list of certified ALQ, see below.
- At present, air operators are permitted to operate semi-commercial flights to Thailand (Bangkok), including Austrian Airlines (VIE-BKK: OS25); Emirates (DXB-BKK: EK384); Qatar Airways (DOH-BKK: QR 830 & QR836); Etihad Airways (AUH-BKK: EY406); Lufthansa (FRA-BKK: LH772); Swiss Air (ZRH-BKK: LX180); EVA Air (TPE-BKK: BR211); Singapore Airlines; KLM; Air France; Cathay Pacific; and Thai Airways.
- For a list of flights to Thailand, CLICK HERE.
- Before booking flights, travellers should ensure that they fall within the 10 categories of non-Thai nationals permitted to enter Thailand. Please note that having plane tickets does not guarantee entry to Thailand. To enter Thailand, non-Thai travellers must have all the required documents mentioned in point 4 below.
- For an overview of arrival procedures, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=_yTlCC3KQbI
3. Quarantine measures
3.1 General Information
All non-Thai nationals from Austria, Slovakia and Slovenia are required to undergo a 10-day quarantine at either
- Alternative State Quarantine (ASQ)
- Alternative Local Quarantine (ALQ)
- Alternative Hospital Quarantine (AHQ)
- Organisational Quarantine (OQ)
- Golf Quarantine (GQ)
3.2 Conditions
- Travellers arriving in Bangkok can only stay at ASQ, or ALQ in Chonburi & Prachinburi.
- Travellers arriving in Phuket can only stay at ALQ in Phuket and Phang-Nga only (transfer from Bangkok to Phuket/Pang-Nga is not possible)
- Category (10) travellers, i.e. those seeking medical treatment, can only stay at AHQ
- Categories (3) and (9) travellers, i.e. diplomats and students, may choose to stay at OQ (if available).
- Categories (11) travellers, i.e. tourists, retirees, short-term business travellers, etc., may choose to stay at GQ (if they qualify).
Please note that GQ is currenly available for those travelling from LOW-RISK areas only. At present, travellers from Austria, Slovakia and Slovenia do not qualified.
3.3 List of Certified Quarantine Facilities
- For a list of certified ASQ, ALQ & GQ faciltities, CLICK HERE
- For a list of certified AHQ facilities, visit http://www.hsscovid.com/files/Alternative%20Hospital%20Quarantine.pdf / http://www.hsscovid.com/files/Alternative%20Hospital%20Quarantine2.pdf
3.4 How to book ASQ/ALQ?
- Travellers may book ASQ/ALQ
- directly with the hotel
- via www.agoda.com/quarantineth
- via https://asq.locanation.com/
- via https://asq.ascendtravel.com OR
- via https://asqthailand.com/
- Reservation must be made for "ASQ/ALQ package / 10 days" at the travellers’ own expenses.
- For AHQ, OQ and GQ, travellers must contact the hospitals/institutions/golf resorts directly.
4. Entry requirements
Non-Thai nationals who are permitted to enter Thailand must present the following documents at check-in counter in the country of origin and at immigration control in Thailand:
- Certificate of Entry (COE) issued by the Embassy (see application process below)
- Valid visa or re-entry permit (for visa application process, please refer to https://thaiembassy.at/en/consular-services.html)
- Health insurance policy (or "confirmation letter" issued by the insurance company) in English which expressly covers treatment and medical expenses in relation to COVID-19, with a minimum coverage of 100,000 USD (except for diplomats and representatives of foreign governments or international organizations) Travellers are advised to purchase their health insurance which meets Thailand's entry criteria here: http://covid19.tgia.org/
- Medical Certificate with a laboratory result indicating that COVID-19 is not detected, using RT-PCR method, which has been certified or issued no more than 72 hours before departure
- Confirmation of Alternative State Quarantine (ASQ) hotel booking (or ALQ/AHQ/OQ confirmation) for a 10-day quarantine
All travellers who have received COEs are required to download, and register via, ThailandPlus Application. They are required to show a QR code generated from the registration via the Application to be scanned by Thai authority upon arrival in Thailand. To download, CLICK HERE
**The travellers should avoid crowded or high-risk places at least 14 days before travelling to Thailand and they must wear masks while travelling**
5. How to apply for a Certificate of Entry (COE)
Non-Thai nationals who resides in Austria, Slovakia, or Slovenia, may apply for a Certificate of Entry (ONLINE) with the Royal Thai Embassy in Vienna. Those residing in other countries should submit their applications with their respective Royal Thai Embassies.
***Please apply for COE online at least 3 weeks before your scheduled departure***
To apply, please:
(1) First, apply for an appropriate visa. For information on visa application procedures, CLICK HERE. If you already hold a valid Thai visa or qualify for Tourist Visa Exemption Scheme, please proceed to step (2).
(2) Once visa has been issued, please proceed to completing COE application online: https://coethailand.mfa.go.th Please make sure that you have the following documents ready:
- For pre-approval stage (registration)
- Copy of passport
- Copy of valid visa or re-entry permit (unless travellers are qualified for visa exemption)
- Other documents to prove exempted status of non-Thai nationals (copy of marriage certificate for spouse of Thai national, copy of work permit for work permit holder, etc.) Travellers are advised to purchase their health insurance which meets Thailand's entry criteria here: http://covid19.tgia.org/
- For final approval stage (confirmation)
- Flight confirmation
- Confirmation of Alternative State Quarantine (ASQ) hotel booking (or ALQ/AHQ/OQ confirmation) for a 10-day quarantine
- Health insurance policy (or "confirmation letter" issued by the insurance company) in English which expressly covers treatment and medical expenses in relation to COVID-19, with a minimum coverage of 100,000 USD
(3) The COE application process is divided into two stages:
- Pre-approval stage (Registration)
- This is when the applicants are required to register for the COE by uploading a copy of their passports, valid or/re-entry permit, and evidence of their exempted status. Upon completing the registration, applicants will receive a 6-digit code. Applicants must take note of this code which is needed for checking the status of their applications.
- If the applicants qualify for the COE and have provided all required documents, the Embassy will pre-approve their registration within 3 working days. The applicants can check the status of their registration by visiting https://coethailand.mfa.go.th and clicking the "check the result" tab.
- If documents are missing, the Embassy will reject the registration and the applicant will have to upload additional documents as per instruction. The Embassy reserves the right to request additional documents, as necessary.
- Final approval stage (Confirmation)
- Once pre-approved, the applicants will have 15 days to confirm their flights and ASQ by uploading three additional documents:
- (1) Flight confirmation,
- (2) Confirmation of ASQ/ALQ hotel booking
- (3) Health insurance policy (or "confirmation letter" issued by the insurance company) *in English* which expressly covers treatment and medical expenses in relation to COVID-19, with a minimum coverage of 100,000 USD.
- To upload, please click the "confirm travel" tab on https://coethailand.mfa.go.th
- Please ensure that ASQ/ALQ hotel booking is for 10 days, starting on the date of arrival in Thailand. Booking should be made for "ASQ/ALQ package" directly with the approved ASQ hotel or with www.agoda.com/quarantineth / https://asq.locanation.com/ Hotel booking done via online agents without "the ASQ/ALQ package" will be rejected. Click HERE for the current list of approved ASQ/ALQ hotels.
- The Embassy will approve the COE within 3 working days upon receipt of all the required documents.
- Successful applicants can download COE directly from https://coethailand.mfa.go.th Please print out the COE and keep it for travelling.
- Once pre-approved, the applicants will have 15 days to confirm their flights and ASQ by uploading three additional documents:
- Remarks
- Please do not upload flight confirmation or ASQ/ALQ confirmation during the pre-approval (registration) stage.
- The COE is issued for specific flight and ASQ/ALQ. If the applicant changes flight and/or ASQ/ALQ after receiving the COE, he/she must contact the Royal Thai Embassy (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) for a new COE. The applicant will be given access to his/her old account on the COE application platform to amend flight/ASQ details and to re-apply for a new COE via the platform.
- The insurance policy must be in English and EXPRESSLY covers COVID-19 with minimum coverage of 100,000 USD. A pocket-sized insurance card is not accepted. Applicants with existing insurance are advised to ask their insurers for "cover letter" confirming COVID-19 coverage.
- There is no fee for the application for a COE.
- **Please apply for COE online at least 3 weeks before your scheduled departure***
(4) Once COE is issued, the traveller should proceed to making an appointment with doctors/clinics to obtain:
- Medical Certificate with a laboratory result indicating that COVID-19 is not detected, using RT-PCR method, which has been certified or issued no more than 72 hours before departure time.
- All travellers who have received COEs are required to download, and register via, ThailandPlus Application. They are required to show a QR code generated from the registration via the Application to be scanned by Thai authority upon arrival in Thailand. ThailandPlus is a journey recording application that helps inform users whether they have encountered or been in close proximity to COVID-19 infected or high-risk individuals, so that they can self-assess their risk of infection and undergo tests promptly if needed. The application can be downloaded from App Store and Google Play. For more information, please visit https://thailandplus.in.th/en/faq-2/
DOWNLOAD
- List of Alternative State Quarantine hotels: CLICK HERE (please note that the list is regularly updated on http://hsscovid.com/)
- ThailandPlus (jouney-recording) Application (all travellers must download and register via the application after receiving COEs): https://thailandplus.in.th/en/download/
***The information provided here is subject to change without prior notice***
