Monaco consul closed.help!

[geisha]

Hi all, just found out tonight that the Thai consul in monaco has closed down. I need an SETV. I am a thousand km from Paris. I have just looked at Rapidvisa agency , but the delay says 14 days , and I'm leaving on the 30 th November which means cutting it a bit close. Does anyone have a quicker solution ? Details, I am leaving on the 30 th November, return the 13 th March (3 and half months). I've already bought a flight to Penang for the 21 st of January, staying there 6 nights, and was planning on getting another visa there . Now what should I do? Chance that Emirates will let me board with no visa and a return 3 and a half months later ? Will I have a problem entering at Suvarnabhumi? Or should I just go to Paris for 2 days tho that will cost me a lot ? I'm calling Paris tomorrow but have heard that they are not very helpful at all with a take it or leave it attitude ! Any help will be most welcome . Thanks.

[geisha]

Me again. Just looked on the Paris Thai embassy site and it states to ask two weeks before leaving date at least. So going there doesn't help me at all. I'm calling emirates tomorrow morning to ask if they will let me board with no visa .If yes,  will I be able to enter Thailand ? Thanks.

[ubonjoe]

Without a visa you may need a ticket out of the country within 30 days of arrival to board your flight. Getting a low cost one way ticket to a nearby country will meet the requirement.

[Mattd]

AS ubonjoe states, your easiest and cheapest option would be to purchase a cheap one way ticket departing Thailand within 30 days of your Emirates flight arrival in to Thailand, via one of the low cost airline websites, then use this to show Emirates upon boarding.

Enter Thailand on the 30 day visa exempt entry, extend this entry by a further 30 days at the immigration office local to where you will be staying in Thailand, then proceed as you planned for Penang.

 

Edited November 13, 2017 by Mattd

[pby92]

You have one in Lyon too. Did you call them?

[wump]

2 hours ago, Mattd said:

AS ubonjoe states, your easiest and cheapest option would be to purchase a cheap one way ticket departing Thailand within 30 days of your Emirates flight arrival in to Thailand, via one of the low cost airline websites, then use this to show Emirates upon boarding.

Enter Thailand on the 30 day visa exempt entry, extend this entry by a further 30 days at the immigration office local to where you will be staying in Thailand, then proceed as you planned for Penang.

 

Most sensible advice. Buy a throw-away ticket out of the country with a low cost carrier or buy an expensive flight with THAI etc that is 100% refundable and just cancel it once in the country.

 

Don't call Emirates. The girl at the check-in counter won't know what conversation you had with some call center agent. Better be safe and get your ticket. This way you will also be on the safe side with immigration in Thailand seeing you having a flight out within 30 days and granting you visa exempt entry. 

 

The extension for the visa-exempt entry is a breeze... costs 50 euros and takes about 1 hour of your time.

[Gillyflower]

I get my visas from Paris too.  I am pretty sure that Lyon is closed.  Wednesday will make it four weeks, which is about how long they normally take, but I haven't got it ye  But then I had the King's funeral and Toussaint to take into account.  I have about ten more days before I go.

 

Not wanting to make you downcast, but last yearI got it at 14,00 the day before I was to leave (at 8.00).  An agency in Toulouse does all the work for me.  For God's sake don't forget to get the bank to stamp your attestation.

 

 

Edited November 13, 2017 by Gillyflower

[wump]

Op is staying less than 60 days and apart from the ticket issue does not require a visa at all if arriving from Europe. Why make it so difficult? Just go visa exempt and get the proper visa in January.

[Gillyflower]

In France I can make a reservation to somewhere without having to pay for it straight away.  I have 60 days or something.  You get a ticket .  I did this the year before last.  Paris wouldn't give me a visa because I had a four month ticket.  So I trooped into the nearest travel agency and booked for correct dates (it was with AF).  I got a ticket and sent it off to the embassy.  I didn't pay anything.

[geisha]

Hi all, thank for the help, do I buy a single or return ticket ( Phnom Penh) seeing as I won't be using it ( throw away, cancel a bit complicated with air asia ) ??

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, geisha said:

Hi all, thank for the help, do I buy a single or return ticket ( Phnom Penh) seeing as I won't be using it ( throw away, cancel a bit complicated with air asia ) ??

A one way ticket out of the country is all you need.

Check for flight to Kuala Lumpur on Air Asia from all airports here they fly from. Sometimes you will find them cheaper that from DMK.

[matador007]

Hi there,

 

I would suggest to you, if your staying more than 60d to just get a proper visa.  And if you intend to repeat this within a year, you can reduce the number of border hops without a visa by getting the METV one (150 Euro at Rome).

 

The best route I found, that I would take, is either a train ride to Consulate in Turin or Milano.
(TrenItalia.it for options/dates)

 

Or I found you have direct flights from Nice to Rome. (EasyJet Return for ~US$100)  Take the evening flight, stay the night and head to the Embassy in the morning.  Should be able to do 1 day processing, so stay another night and fly out next day.

 

Requirements for METV are listed here:
http://www.thaiembassy.it/index.php/en/consular-services/visa-application

They say Bank Statement with more than 5500 Eur for METV, and 550 for SETV.

Good luck/Bon chance.

[AndyJo]

4 hours ago, Mattd said:

AS ubonjoe states, your easiest and cheapest option would be to purchase a cheap one way ticket departing Thailand within 30 days of your Emirates flight arrival in to Thailand, via one of the low cost airline websites, then use this to show Emirates upon boarding.

Enter Thailand on the 30 day visa exempt entry, extend this entry by a further 30 days at the immigration office local to where you will be staying in Thailand, then proceed as you planned for Penang.

 

The best would be to book an expensive ticket which can be cancelled and fully refunded if he doesn’t want to leave Thailand. 

[Gillyflower]

20 minutes ago, matador007 said:

Hi there,

 

I would suggest to you, if your staying more than 60d to just get a proper visa.  And if you intend to repeat this within a year, you can reduce the number of border hops without a visa by getting the METV one (150 Euro at Rome).

 

The best route I found, that I would take, is either a train ride to Consulate in Turin or Milano.
(TrenItalia.it for options/dates)

 

Or I found you have direct flights from Nice to Rome. (EasyJet Return for ~US$100)  Take the evening flight, stay the night and head to the Embassy in the morning.  Should be able to do 1 day processing, so stay another night and fly out next day.

 

Requirements for METV are listed here:
http://www.thaiembassy.it/index.php/en/consular-services/visa-application

They say Bank Statement with more than 5500 Eur for METV, and 550 for SETV.

Good luck/Bon chance.

For a 60 day visa, I have to show that I have 1000 euros in my bank account.  Perhaps I should go to Italy too.  Although it makes a VERY expensive trip to Thailand.

Edited November 13, 2017 by Gillyflower

[Mattd]

11 minutes ago, AndyJo said:

The best would be to book an expensive ticket which can be cancelled and fully refunded if he doesn’t want to leave Thailand. 

That very much depends on the OP's circumstances, as it would mean an upfront cost and could take a while to get refunded, though I do agree if he can do this it would be better, as the cheap airlines such as AirAsia are not that cheap in the latter part of December.

It sounds like it would still be cheaper than him having to traipse somewhere to get a visa.

[geisha]

Hi all, just booked a one way to Phnom Penh for 2700 Baht. For the 27 th December. Giving me 27 days in Thailand for emirates and immigration. Ignoring this flight out, I will then do an extension of one month, which will take me to my real week in Penang on the 21 st of January where I will do an SETV.

wow, a three and half month stay has turned into a complicated rigmarole! In all my 33 years to Thailand I've never had a problem. 

I have no idea what is happening in France with the consuls ? Other countries, like Britain, seem to have quite a few consuls and seem helpful. Next year , I'll do my visa in Britain on my annual trip home from France. Thank you all for the info. Cheers Ubonjoe.

[BritTim]

19 minutes ago, Gillyflower said:

38 minutes ago, matador007 said:

Hi there,

 

I would suggest to you, if your staying more than 60d to just get a proper visa.  And if you intend to repeat this within a year, you can reduce the number of border hops without a visa by getting the METV one (150 Euro at Rome).

 

The best route I found, that I would take, is either a train ride to Consulate in Turin or Milano.
(TrenItalia.it for options/dates)

 

Or I found you have direct flights from Nice to Rome. (EasyJet Return for ~US$100)  Take the evening flight, stay the night and head to the Embassy in the morning.  Should be able to do 1 day processing, so stay another night and fly out next day.

 

Requirements for METV are listed here:
http://www.thaiembassy.it/index.php/en/consular-services/visa-application

They say Bank Statement with more than 5500 Eur for METV, and 550 for SETV.

Good luck/Bon chance.

For a 60 day visa, I have to show that I have 1000 euros in my bank account.  Perhaps I should go to Italy too.  Although it makes a VERY expensive trip to Thailand.

If you are French, you will not be able to get an METV in Italy.

 

If you really need a tourist visa (single entry) before arrival (and I agree it is desirable) one option could be to buy a connection to Vientiane for use when you arrive at Bangkok airport (make sure it is from Savannakhet assuming that is where you will be arriving). That is likely to be cheaper than a special return trip to Italy.

[Gillyflower]

6 hours ago, BritTim said:

If you are French, you will not be able to get an METE in Italy.

 

If you really need a tourist visa (single entry) before arrival (and I agree it is desirable) one option could be to buy a connection to Vientiane for use when you arrive at Bangkok airport (make sure it is from Savannakhet assuming that is where you will be arriving). That is likely to be cheaper than a special return trip to Italy.

I don't really want to go far from the original OP,  but if I follow what you are saying, anyone who is not of the nationality of the country where they are living,  cannot get a visa.  In that case why did Matador advise a Brit (if I understand correctly) living in Monaco, to go to Italy for a visa (apart from the fact that it is next door, so to speak)?

[BritTim]

4 hours ago, Gillyflower said:

I don't really want to go far from the original OP,  but if I follow what you are saying, anyone who is not of the nationality of the country where they are living,  cannot get a visa.  In that case why did Matador advise a Brit (if I understand correctly) living in Monaco, to go to Italy for a visa (apart from the fact that it is next door, so to speak)?

You can get certain visas in a country different from your passport country or country of residence. Two definite exceptions are multiple entry tourist visas and Non-OA visas.

[Gillyflower]

Thanks Brit Tim.  Actually I don't have any problems (ha,, ha, ha) getting my 60 days.  I just poodle off to Toulouse with my papers, go to an agent and he does all the work for me.  It's just that the Paris embassy is painful and extremely slow.  As there are many public holidays in France, they don't struggle all that much.  However to be impartial (painfully) there are no more consulates, so  they probably do have quite a lot of work.  To judge by all the French I try to avoid in Thailand, they are inundated.