Hi there,

We’re heading to Southeast Asia for several months as a family with two teens (10 and 13). The first country we’re visiting is Cambodia. I’m having an issue with the e-visa—it won’t accept any of the documents I’m attaching. I’ve validated all four e-visas and received the registration numbers, but when I check the application, it shows no attachments. I’ve tried multiple times in different formats (PDF, JPEG, PNG), whether compressed or not, but there’s always a red cross next to the documents.

Has anyone else run into this problem?

Thanks for your help—I’m losing patience, and our departure is in 15 DAYS 😕

Magos

Good evening and best travel wishes to everyone. I’m leaving soon for a two-month road trip in Southeast Asia. Arriving in Bangkok on January 14th, returning from Ho Chi Minh City on March 13th. I don’t have an exit ticket from Thailand because I’d like to keep some flexibility in my itinerary. Do you think my return ticket from Vietnam will be enough to prove that I’ll have left Thai territory within 60 days of my entry? I hope I won’t run into any issues boarding at Roissy or at immigration once I’m in BKK. What do you think? Thanks for your help. Christine

Hi everyone,

I’ve got a one-way ticket to Vietnam. My return flight will be from Malaysia since I’ll be traveling around Southeast Asia overland. To qualify for the 45-day visa-free entry, you need to show an exit ticket from Vietnam. Do you think a bus ticket from Saigon to Phnom Penh would work?

Hi everyone,

I’ll be in Bangkok at the end of March and I’m thinking of heading to Chongqing, China, for a few days. I know China has a visa exemption program for French citizens, but a few years ago, I was in South Korea and wanted to go to Shanghai. They wouldn’t let me board because I was departing from Thailand instead of France—basically, the 3-day visa exemption at the time only worked if you were coming from Europe, not Asia. So I lost my flight tickets and accommodations and ended up staying in Seoul.

Now I’d like to give it another shot to visit that wild city, Chongqing. I read on the embassy’s website that "you can travel to China without a visa, even from a third country" (??)... But nothing’s clear—you call them, they don’t answer; you don’t know where to go to ask; and the website talks about 2025, not even 2026 yet. It’s kind of a mess...

If you’ve got any firsthand experience, I’d love to hear it! :)

Thanks everyone,

Hi everyone, is there anyone sure about this topic? I’ve heard two different things. I’m leaving for Thailand on March 2nd and returning to France on March 30th, and my passport expires on September 25th. When I look at the rule that says the passport must be valid for more than 6 months upon entry, I’m good until March 25th, but on the way out, I’ll be 2 days short of the full 6 months (5 days early, to be precise).

Most people tell me it’s okay because it’s the entry date that counts, and even ChatGPT confirmed that for me. But some say no, it’s the return date that matters. So I called Qatar Airways, and even there, I got two different answers—one person said no, it’s the return date, and another said it’s fine for them. I’m not sure they fully understood what I was asking, and since I’m not in Paris, I can’t go in person either...

Just to be safe, I applied for a passport renewal at the town hall. They told me it would take 4 to 6 weeks, and I applied on January 14th, leaving on March 2nd, which is 6 and a half weeks. On the ANTS tracking, it’s been marked as "in production" since January 17th...

So, are there any experts on this topic out there? Either about whether boarding is allowed with the old passport or about the usual timeline for receiving a new passport... Am I wrong to worry in either case?

Thanks to those who reply!

Hi there, Do I need a return ticket? Proof of insurance and a hotel reservation?? I’m French. Also, is there any control on meds and sleeping pills?? Thanks a bunch!

Hello,

We’re French nationals planning a tourist trip to Asia with the following itinerary:

First entry into Thailand from Paris: 3 days in Bangkok (visa exemption).

Departure to Cambodia (we have a Cambodia e-visa) then to Laos (we have a Laos e-visa) for 5 days in each country, totaling 10 days outside Thailand.

Second entry into Thailand from Laos: 8 days in Chiang Mai (visa exemption) before returning to Paris.

This means two entries into Thailand in less than a month, with a total stay of 11 days in the country.

**Can you confirm if we can do this trip under the visa exemption policy, or do we need to apply for a double-entry tourist visa?**

Thanks for your help!

Hi, I’m planning a trip to Thailand from April 1st to 24th. I’m flying with Qatar Airways. My passport is valid until October 7th, 2025. My question: For entry into Thailand, my passport is valid for more than 6 months (6 months and 6 days). For my exit, my passport’s validity will be 5 months and 14 days. Do I need to renew my passport, or is it okay? Thanks for your answers!

Hi there,

I need some help—I’d like to bring an Egyptian friend to France, but booking an appointment for the visa on the TLS site is impossible! Visa applications usually go through the TLScontact center, which is authorized by the French Consulate General in Cairo. You’re supposed to book an appointment via their platform, but I’ve been trying for weeks with no luck. Still no available slots!! GETTING AN APPOINTMENT ON THE TLS SITE IS MISSION IMPOSSIBLE! What can I do? Do you have any other suggestions, please?

Thanks for your attention and help,

Hi, Currently in Thailand, I was supposed to return to Bangkok to apply for a visa at the Indonesian consulate. Given the state of emergency in Bangkok following the earthquake, I’m looking for a way to apply for my 2-month tourist visa (renewable once) online. I only have about 10 days left before my Thai visa expires. Can anyone give me the correct website address and let me know the required documents and procedures? Thanks in advance

Hi everyone, I’d like to take a trip from France to Malaysia and Thailand like this:

Paris to Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi

Langkawi to Koh Lipe

Bangkok to Paris

I’m wondering if I’ll run into any visa issues on arrival since I won’t have an outbound flight ticket from Malaysia and I won’t have an inbound flight ticket to Thailand. If you’ve got any tips or have done this trip before, I’d really appreciate your help.

Thanks so much.

Hi, We're heading to Zanzibar in 6 weeks. I've been stuck for several days on the website https://visa.immigration.go.tz/ because we need to specify whether we're employed or self-employed, but the "employer" and "profession" fields are grayed out. It's a roadblock—I can't move on to the next step. I thought it might be a temporary bug, but that's not the case. I've tried filling out the form on my computer using two different browsers, on my phone, but I keep getting stuck at the same step. I emailed their contact address but haven't heard back. Has this happened to any of you? I don't know how to resolve this issue, especially to get our visas before our departure. Thanks for your help. Stéphanie

Hi everyone!

I’m planning to go to Thailand for 90 days (departure on 20/06).

- I thought I’d read that the processing time for the E-Visa had been reduced to just a few days since June 2025 (so very recent). Can you confirm? However, on the embassy’s website and when I try calling them, they’re still quoting 3-4 weeks. Hasn’t this been updated yet? Because I’m starting to sweat here…🤪

- I was a bit hasty in declaring the funds to prove my solvency. Should I wait for their response rather than submitting a second visa application, which might conflict with the first one?

Thanks for your feedback! Have a great day

Hi everyone, For an Egypt e-visa application, they ask online: Country you’re traveling from Now, if you’re French but leaving from Italy, for example, what do you put? Has anyone been in this situation before? Thanks

Hi,

I’m planning to travel to China very soon, and I read in this article that getting a visa is really complicated. Can anyone confirm? Thanks so much. Nicolas

Hi there, I’m planning a trip to Laos in February. I tried to apply for my eVisa online, but the system keeps telling me that both my address and the address of my hotel upon arrival are invalid, without any further explanation. I’ve modified them, shortened them several times, but nothing changes. I sent a message to ask for clarification but haven’t received a response. Has anyone else run into this problem? How was it resolved?

Thanks in advance, and happy New Year! 🙂

Hi Has anyone been to Rwanda recently and gotten a 3-month visa on arrival easily? Thanks

Hello, We’ll soon be moving to Madagascar long-term. As a French national, I need to obtain a short-stay visa that can be converted to a long-stay one. To do this, I have to send the required documents to the Madagascar embassy in Paris. No issues with that procedure so far. If I get this visa, once I arrive in Madagascar, I’ll need to provide the same documents to the Ministry of the Interior in Anosy. I’m trying to find an email address or website for the Ministry to check which documents I need to submit (I think they ask for additional ones). If you have any info on this, I’d appreciate your replies. Best regards, M. Buisson Eric

Hi there,

I’m not sure what’s being said on the various European diplomatic sites, but on the Belgian one, they mention that an ESTA and/or visa aren’t a guarantee of entry. Immigration services have the final say—they could even ask to see your electronic devices like phones, tablets, or cameras. And there might be extra hassles for LGBTQIA+ travelers.

hi everyone

We’ll be applying for a retiree OA visa by September. For our part, we’ll head back to France for a bit and return a month BEFORE our current OA visa expires to renew it at immigration. We’ve emailed several immigration offices but haven’t gotten any responses. We’ve searched online for info but haven’t found anything. What we’re really interested in is knowing which documents they’ll ask for at the immigration office in Phang Nga, for example, for our renewal. We’ve seen all the paperwork needed for the initial OA visa on the official online visa application site... but for the renewal, do we need to provide ALL the same documents? Thanks in advance

hi there since the forum is back up, let’s try to gather some updated info. first off, arrival formalities are changing—starting January 1st, you’ll need to fill out an electronic form before arrival. This replaces the paperwork you used to fill out on the plane or at the airport (for air arrivals). Here’s the link: https://www.arrival.gov.kh/. for visas, the same options remain: e-visa, visa on arrival, or visa at the embassy. The standard price is $30 on arrival, but at land borders, be prepared for a small "extra" for "cigarettes or coffee." don’t forget your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after your return. regarding airlines, prices are pretty high for carriers like Singapore, Qatar, Emirates, Vietnam Airlines, and Thai. EVA Air is a great Taiwanese airline with slightly lower fares, but ongoing pressure from mainland China and quasi-blockades could cause delays or issues—something to watch. there are cheaper Chinese airlines, but friends from China advise being cautious with connections. Worth double-checking. transport is evolving too—there’s now a highway from Phnom Penh to Kampot. Soraya, a well-known bus company, has disappeared. More highway projects are in the works. Buildings are popping up fast, just mentioning this for those who haven’t been to Cambodia in a while.

Hi everyone, I’m looking for info on how long it takes to get a tourist visa in Jakarta. My Indonesian friend has almost all the documents ready but is missing flight tickets and insurance. We’d like to book them last minute for practical reasons. Has anyone had a recent experience and could tell me how long it usually takes? Thanks in advance!

The consulate tells me my French residence permit needs to be valid for at least 6 months after I leave Egypt, but my permit will only be valid for 5 months and a few days by my departure date from Egypt. Is it still doable to get a visa on arrival (at the airport)? Thanks in advance to anyone who can answer me.

Hello, We’re planning to travel to Indonesia (Sulawesi with family) next July and August for a stay longer than a month (about 6 weeks). I’ve seen that it’s possible to get a 60-day visa before departure, but I’ve also read about people having a lot of trouble getting it (some even didn’t manage and had to leave without it). We absolutely need to have these 4 visas BEFORE leaving because once we’re in Sulawesi, I’m not sure we’ll be able to go to an embassy to request a visa extension after 30 days.

In short, how can we **100% guarantee** that we’ll get our 4 60-day visas before our trip this summer?

Thanks for your valuable tips!

Elodie

Hey Fellow Travelers,

I was caught off guard when the Malagasy consulate in Scandinavia informed me they don’t issue entry visas for Madagascar—what’s the point of a consulate, I wonder! They advised me to apply at the Malagasy embassy in London. So, I started filling out the online form, but the price for the visa made me do a double-take: nearly 200 €!

But apparently, you can also get it on arrival! Has anyone tried this before? I’d love to know if the process takes a long time (I’ll be landing in Nosy Be, exhausted after nearly 15 hours of travel), what the cost is, and—since corruption isn’t just a word—whether you absolutely have to grease the palm of the official(s). This is because I almost took the next flight back when I arrived in a country I won’t name. Even though all my documents were in order—passport, visa, vaccinations, hotel reservation—the immigration officer initially refused to stamp my passport. I later found out I was supposed to slip at least $10 into the document when presenting it... Thanks! /d

Good evening, I booked a one-month stay in an Airbnb in Thailand. Is the booking confirmation enough for the 3-month single-entry tourist visa?

Hi there. I hold a 60-day C1 visa obtained online in early April, and I’ve been in Indonesia since April 14th. I’d like to extend my visa, something I thought was possible online under the same conditions as when I got the visa—but oh no! I realize first that I can’t find my visa on the immigration website with the requested details (passport number, date of birth, nationality)... and also that it seems a sponsor is required for the C1 visa, not only for the extension but even for the initial visa application, which wasn’t asked of me before!!!! So, I’m wondering how I should go about getting this extension... Has anyone gone through this experience? What solutions might there be, given I only have two weeks left to sort this out... Thanks for your helpful feedback

Today I ended up being denied boarding at CDG. I booked the trip through a physical travel agency with no assistance for the visa application. I applied in plenty of time and got the approval. Except I put the 9th (the day I left France) as the date instead of the 10th, which is the arrival date in India. That’s what caused the denial. I’m guessing I don’t have any recourse? Thanks for your replies.

Hi, does anyone know the status of the ETA that’s supposed to go into effect in December 2024 (and needs to be requested on the e-visa portal www.thaievisa.go.th)? Is it officially starting on December 1st? I’ve got my flight on the 7th of December and I’m on a Non-O Retirement visa with a re-entry. From what I understand, it’ll only apply to visa-free entries and should allow a 60-day stay in the kingdom with the option to extend for 30 more days. So I’m wondering if I need to apply for this since I already have a valid visa. Thanks in advance for your answers! 😊

Hi there,

We’re a group of 7 people heading to SRI LANKA in March.

We’re transiting through Mumbai (Air India flight), then after a few hours, we’ll take a SriLankan Airlines flight to Colombo.

The return trip follows the same route 26 days later.

The issue is about the Indian visa.

1- Do we need an Indian visa since we’ll only be at Mumbai Airport for a few hours (no checked baggage)?

2- Do we need a double-entry visa?

Thanks for your help—everything I’ve read online is pretty unclear.