Hi there,

This will be my first trip to Thailand, which will be the first stop on my Asian journey. This time, I’d like to leave with a one-way ticket so I can return to France from the last country I visit.

First and foremost, I’d like to confirm whether it’s possible to get a VOA (Visa on Arrival) when I land in Thailand without any prior steps? Is proof of onward travel (like a return ticket) required to get this visa?

If so, does it have to be a round-trip ticket from the country I’m arriving from, or can I use a flight or train ticket from Thailand to a neighboring country as proof of exit?

For Cambodia and Vietnam, is it also possible to get a VOA on the spot?

I’d also love any tips or important info you think might be useful about Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam—my planned destinations—especially regarding accommodation, transportation, points of interest, and, of course, any personal advice or experiences you’d like to share!

Thanks so much to everyone, and I wish you all an amazing 2025 filled with health, travel, and discoveries! !

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 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

Gosuslugi / Госуслуги is the Russian administrative portal. EBS / ЕБС is the unified biometric system.

Since 2025, foreigners (residents or not) must have a biometric profile in addition to a Gosuslugi profile to obtain SIM cards and open a bank account.

Administrative services are mostly centralized in MFCs, МФЦ (Multi-Functional Center), nicknamed "My Documents" Мои документы.

A non-resident foreigner can register with the pension fund, which provides a social security number, SNILS / СНИЛС. To do this, you must present your passport and a notarized translation at an MFC. The SNILS can be issued on the spot or within a maximum of five days. If not issued immediately, you receive a receipt, and the deadline is communicated by the administrative agent. You return to the MFC after the deadline to collect the certificate with the SNILS.

Once the SNILS is obtained, you revisit an MFC counter to register on the Gosuslugi portal. You must present your passport and notarized translation again, along with a phone number and email. The Gosuslugi portal authenticates users with three pieces of data: SNILS, email or phone number, and password. The agent creates the profile and completes the initial email and SMS confirmations on your phone.

After the Gosuslugi profile is active, you register on the biometric portal. If last year’s law centralization measures are fully implemented, you can do this at any MFC; otherwise, you go to a SBERBANK (or VTB) branch. Again, as always for foreigners, you must present your passport with its translation and show your open Gosuslugi profile on your phone. The employee records your voice (reading a series of numbers) and takes a photo of your face.

After that, you can go to a telecom agency to buy a SIM card. The staff will take your passport details with the translation and your Gosuslugi profile info. Then, they’ll take a photo with their webcam, which is verified by the online EBS biometric portal. However, procedures may vary depending on the provider (Megafon, MTS, Beeline), and some employees may not be familiar with the process.

Potential delays can be caused by network maintenance or slowdowns due to peaks in administrative activity.

I’ll illustrate this process as I experienced it in February and April 2025 in the next post. Just need to gather the photos I took on the spot.

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

Hi there, I just got back to France and realized I don’t have a stamp in my French passport. Is it normal that at Suvarnabhumi Airport customs didn’t stamp my passport? I’m really worried because I have to go back in a month and I don’t know what to expect when I arrive at Thai customs. I’m afraid of the consequences, like a fine or worse—being blacklisted from entering Thailand. Has anyone else had this happen? And if it’s not normal, what can I do to avoid any problems?

Hi there,

I read on the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs website that it’s possible to apply for a temporary driving permit in China, valid for 1 month. I’m planning to rent a car (without a driver) to explore part of the country next August, so I was wondering:

Has anyone here already gone through this process upon arrival? How long do the formalities take on the spot? Is it possible to handle these steps in advance, before arriving in China?

Thanks in advance for your replies.

Hi there, hope you're doing well! :) I’m leaving from Bordeaux for Thailand this Tuesday and should land on Wednesday. I wanted to ask about the TDAC—I don’t quite get it: Do you have to do it a maximum of 3 days before departure or 3 days before arrival? How long does it take to get the document, and what form does it come in? I’m worried about messing this up—if you were arriving on Wednesday, when would you fill it out? Thanks for your feedback!

hi, and help! I need to complete my TDAC, but the site is stuck on page 2 under Accommodation Information: I can't fill in the "province" field—it's mandatory! I enter Bangkok, but when I scroll down to add the address... everything disappears.

What should I do? Thanks for your help! Elisabeth

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

On the Air France website

For flights to Thailand

They might ask you at boarding to present the digital TDAC card

Hi everyone,

I’m applying for an O-A Visa from France, and they’re asking for a criminal record extract. In the site’s FAQ, there’s a question that interests me: "I want to present my criminal record extract to the administration of another European Union state. What do I need to provide?" But when I click for the answer, I get a "404 error"... of course 🤪.

My questions are simple: - Is it really the "extrait n°3" that’s required for the O-A Visa application? - Do I need to have it translated into English?

Thanks in advance! Olivier

Hello, I’m from Quebec, and my driver’s license is in French. I’m planning to rent a car in France in July 2025 with Sixt. When I check their website, it says I need to present my driver’s license and passport, so I wouldn’t need an International Driving Permit. However, if I keep reading, they specify this: «It is recommended for customers whose driver’s license was issued by a state not listed here (https://www.sixt.com/help-center/articles/permis-de-conduire/) to bring an International Driving Permit or a French translation by an organization listed in section b), as authorities may request to see the license during official checks.» When I click the link, I get an error page, so I can’t get all the information. Has any Quebecer rented a car through Sixt in France and could tell me if I can avoid the translation fees for a license that’s already in French (mine and my partner’s)? Thanks so much!

Hello, I’m a divorced mom with a 12-year-old, planning to take the train from France to London for a 5-day trip over Christmas. My question: is it mandatory to present the father’s authorization (which I’ll probably never get)? I’ve heard so many different stories from people who’ve already traveled—I’m totally lost. Please share your experiences!

Have a great day

Hi there,

I’d like to know if anyone has already applied for a private visa to Russia with an invitation from a Russian resident. I traveled earlier this year with an e-visa, but since I want to stay longer, I’ll be visiting my friend who lives in eastern Russia. For the visa application, does the invitation need to be on an official paper form issued by the Russian ministry? And most importantly, do I need to present the original for the application, or is there an electronic version that can be sent directly to the consulate in France? Thanks for any info if you’ve gone through this process before!

Best regards,

Gilles

Hello, HAPPY NEW YEAR 2026! We’re heading back in October for a trip through Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. I have a question: for our route, we’ll need to cross the Zambia and Zimbabwe borders twice each. From experience, I know we won’t have any issues with Botswana. But for the other two countries, I can’t find a clear answer. All your tips are welcome!

Thanks for your replies

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,

India is introducing an electronic arrival card for foreign travelers. The measure is effective for all travelers starting October 1st.

India is now adopting the electronic arrival card. Presenting this "e-Arrival Card" is now mandatory for all arrivals in India as of October 1, 2025. This formality replaces the paper card previously filled out on the plane or upon arrival. India aims to streamline traveler tracking. The requirement applies to travelers of all nationalities, both adults and minors, for all entry points into India. It’s an additional mandatory formality alongside the e-Visa or visa. The e-Arrival Card must be completed online within three days prior to arrival in the country. Available in English only, it’s free and can be done on the official Indian authorities' website. The document is valid only for the declared arrival day. "This means you’ll need to complete it for each new arrival," clarifies RapideVisa, an agency specializing in visa services. Travelers must provide standard information to obtain the document (passport number, purpose of stay, countries visited in the 6 days before arrival, etc.).

Once completed, a document with a QR code to present to authorities upon arrival is generated. With this new system, India aims to facilitate traveler tracking and reduce congestion at airport counters. Nearly 19 million international visitors traveled to India in 2023. Among them, 189,000 were French.

Source: https://www.lechotouristique.com/article/inde-une-nouvelle-formalite-obligatoire-pour-voyager

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WaPqVyUmuY

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

hi, I’m traveling to the United States via Canada. I’ve already arranged an AVE for the Canadian transit, but I’ve lost the email with the AVE number. Could you tell me how to retrieve this AVE number? Thanks in advance for your help

Hi, I’d like to know if a flight reservation for Bangkok is enough for the visa or if I need to wait until I have the actual ticket. Thanks

Hi there, I’m looking for info on the visa for India: duration, cost, and a reliable website to apply. Thanks!

Hi there. I had a simple question, please? My 10-year-old son’s French passport expired a month ago, and I just realized it. We’re supposed to leave for Morocco by car on June 30th, taking the ferry from Algeciras. I applied for his passport renewal today, but it won’t be ready for at least 2 months.

Can he enter Morocco with his expired passport? For the return trip, I’ll already have his valid passport.

Thanks for your help—I’m really in a bind here.

Hi there, Could anyone give me some info about the international driver's permit in Namibia? Is it mandatory to rent a 4x4 with or without a roof tent, or is an English translation of my French license enough to get around the whole country? Thanks in advance for your replies!

Hi there, Just a quick post to let travelers heading to Madagascar know not to apply for an eVisa online—the platform isn’t working. We actually submitted an application last Sunday on their official site (provided by the Madagascar embassy in Paris) http://evisamada-mg.com/. The 35 € payment for a 30-day visa was debited from our account, but no document was issued. After emailing back and forth, they admitted there’s a flaw in their system, and we’ll now have to apply for an AD visa on arrival! We thought we’d save time at the airport—nope, that backfired. They claim we won’t have to repay for the visa, but I’ll believe it when I see it…

Luckily, we only applied for my husband’s visa, so we’ll only lose 35 € if that’s not the case! I’ll apply for mine directly on arrival and skip the eVisa altogether!

Hi there, A sudden family event means I’ll be spending a few days in France alone with my kids in the coming days.

Just to set the scene—I live in Japan, I have two young children (4 and 2 years old), and this is my first time returning to France in 12 years. I’m feeling a little overwhelmed.

My questions: 1/ My kids don’t share my last name. Do I need to have a document proving our parent-child relationship (+ a French translation?) with me?

2/ They have Japanese nationality. Will they be able to go through the same line as me at the airport? (I think I remember there’s an EU nationals line and another for non-EU, but given their age...)

Thanks in advance for your help.

Hi everyone!

So happy the forum is back—I’ve been part of it since 2012! ☺️

After lots of twists and turns with Sri Lanka’s visa (called ETA) over the past few months, here’s a quick recap of the current situation for travelers:

- You need to get an ETA, either online or on arrival. I recommend doing it online because it’s cheaper (here’s a step-by-step guide to avoid common pitfalls: https://www.tongsetsrilanka.com/mode-demploi-pour-eta-au-sri-lanka)

- It’s valid for 30 days and costs $50 online or $60 on arrival.

- It was supposed to be free starting October 1st, but due to the elections and Parliament being dissolved, that didn’t happen. Stay tuned in December in case the topic comes up again.

- The online ETA is recorded in your passport, so you don’t need to show any documents, but I’d still recommend traveling with the confirmation.

- If you didn’t receive the confirmation email, you can check the status on the official ETA website.

- The only official site is eta.gov.lk. Watch out for agency websites pretending to be the official one.

- Avoid filling out your ETA on the French version—it’s buggy. Use my guide and do it in English instead. 😅

Happy travels! Caroline

Hi there,

My partner, our 8-year-old daughter, and I are going on vacation to Gex.

We’ve decided to spend one day in Switzerland and another in Italy. Will we need ID (national ID card or passport)? Do we also need ID for our daughter?

Thanks so much for your answers! 🙂