Denied by visa agent in Phnom Pen

[NorthernRyland]

I tried to use a visa agent in Phnom Pen but they refused to service me because I had too many Thai visas. In my passport I have 5 TV from USA (3 of which are 3x entries) and 2 TV from S.E. Asia (1 of which is from Phnom Pen) all spanning 5 years.  I'm pretty certain this isn't a problem but the visa agent is confused perhaps (she didn't care where they were from and when). Just a  heads up for the record in case you were thinking of using them.

 

On the Phnom Pen embassy it says they're open from 8:30-12:00 and 2:00-5:00 but does anyone know if those hours are limited to submission or pickups only? I may need to collect the visa in the morning or submit it in the afternoon depending on when times I can get to Phnom Pen from here.

[sananeamk0715]

I just got my 5th 2+1 single entry tourist visa from Vientiane yesterday without any problem. I believe Vietnam or Cambodia takes 2-3 days so they must be checking or etc.  I think you have to try in Vientiane or Savannakhet. Because Vientiane easy and safe I got from there 3 times. For Savannakhet people saying not red stamp yet. 

[NorthernRyland]

27 minutes ago, sananeamk0715 said:

I just got my 5th 2+1 single entry tourist visa from Vientiane yesterday without any problem. I believe Vietnam or Cambodia takes 2-3 days so they must be checking or etc.  I think you have to try in Vientiane or Savannakhet. Because Vientiane easy and safe I got from there 3 times. For Savannakhet people saying not red stamp yet. 

I was denied by the "visa agent" but I think I can submit myself if I go in person.

[Nick ZepTepi]

Submit in the morning

Collect in the afternoon

Try another agent - the have different fixers who can help.

Search this site for recommend agents

Sent from my mobile, please forgive the autocorrect.

[ubonjoe]

48 minutes ago, genericptr said:

On the Phnom Pen embassy it says they're open from 8:30-12:00 and 2:00-5:00 but does anyone know if those hours are limited to submission or pickups only?

From this page on embassy website. http://www.thaiembassy.org/phnompenh/en/organize

Quote

Consular Section:   Monday - Friday     08.30 - 11.00 hrs. (application)

    15.00 - 16.30 hrs. (collection)

 

[NorthernRyland]

6 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

From this page on embassy website. http://www.thaiembassy.org/phnompenh/en/organize

I see now. Thanks.

 

Another question about their hours. I thought they were closed on Thai holidays but the visa agent said they're open on Monday the 11th (which is a holiday). Worse yet the website has these 2 confusing conflicting pages. One page lists their closures explicitly (does not include Monday) and the other page has a list of holidays which I assume they would be closed on (which does include Monday). So which is it? I would call but it's closed today and I need to leave tonight from Kam Pot so I can make the morning submission time.

 

http://www.thaiembassy.org/phnompenh/en/news/7047/76992-Upcoming-Embassy’s-Holidays.html

http://www.thaiembassy.org/phnompenh/en/organize/21817-Embassy-Holidays-2017.html

[NorthernRyland]

12 minutes ago, Nick ZepTepi said:

Submit in the morning

Collect in the afternoon

Try another agent - the have different fixers who can help.

Thanks. I think I'm done with those guys since I got burned twice and really messed up my trips planning. I don't trust them anymore.

[BritTim]

I actually respect an agent who does not take the application unless confident they can deliver the visa. More than one agent will take your money, and then refuse to refund the agent fee (only returning the visa fee itself) if they cannot deliver. Phnom Penh is iffy, whether using an agent or not. In borderline cases, if you come across well to conservative Asian officials, you actually have a better chance applying in person. My guess is that you will get your visa, but processing time will be four days and they will give you the red stamp.

 

For the future (without a red stamp min your passport) I suggest Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Yangon, Savannakhet and (best of all) Hong Kong. Vientiane is good if you only have 0-1 from them previously (or 2-3 but none from elsewhere) but you otherwise risk a red stamp. Penang, these days, also red stamps freely.

[ubonjoe]

18 minutes ago, genericptr said:

So which is it? I would call but it's closed today and I need to leave tonight from Kam Pot so I can make the morning submission time.

I would go by the official holiday list. I am 99% sure they will be closed tomorrow the 11th.

[JackThompson]

58 minutes ago, Nick ZepTepi said:

Submit in the morning
Collect in the afternoon
Try another agent - the have different fixers who can help.

In Phnom Penh?  It was once possible to pay extra for "next afternoon" service, but my agent told me "not at any price, any more," a few months ago.  I haven't seen a report since that time, indicating "expedited service" was still possible.

 

1 hour ago, genericptr said:

I was denied by the "visa agent" but I think I can submit myself if I go in person.

Yes, you can.  Expect a 3-day turn-around time.  I would point out that your previous TR-Visas were spaced-apart, to try to avoid getting a red-stamp (it says: "This person travels to Thailand frequently on Tourist Visas..."). 

 

If you do get a red-stamp, the visa is still usable, but you will need to get another passport if planning to apply for more TR-Visas at consulates near Thailand.

[NorthernRyland]

12 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

Yes, you can.  Expect a 3-day turn-around time.  I would point out that your previous TR-Visas were spaced-apart, to try to avoid getting a red-stamp (it says: "This person travels to Thailand frequently on Tourist Visas..."). 

Their website says 48 hours but I can just barely get by if I submit on Tuesday after the holidays  Monday and collect on Thursday (my flight is on Friday at 3:30 so there's not enough time to collect except for the morning, if they allow that ).

 

That visa agent really confused me about the previous TV's from USA because I didn't think those were counting towards my total. If they are I'm obviously screwed and I need to stop coming to Thailand for a while. I'll find out later this week.

[NorthernRyland]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

I would go by the official holiday list. I am 99% sure they will be closed tomorrow the 11th.

I think your right. I don't see why they would list their holidays otherwise unless they were going to close then.

[sananeamk0715]

16 minutes ago, genericptr said:

Their website says 48 hours but I can just barely get by if I submit on Tuesday after the holidays  Monday and collect on Thursday (my flight is on Friday at 3:30 so there's not enough time to collect except for the morning, if they allow that ).

 

That visa agent really confused me about the previous TV's from USA because I didn't think those were counting towards my total. If they are I'm obviously screwed and I need to stop coming to Thailand for a while. I'll find out later this week.

Why don’t you apply visa in Vientiane or Sakvanhannet. You can get easy visa and after 1 day later.

[NorthernRyland]

10 minutes ago, sananeamk0715 said:

Why don’t you apply visa in Vientiane or Sakvanhannet. You can get easy visa and after 1 day later.

Because I planned to come here and I'm here now. :)

[Evilbaz]

1 hour ago, genericptr said:

Because I planned to come here and I'm here now. :)

"Planned?" - research first, bookings after.

[NorthernRyland]

2 minutes ago, Evilbaz said:

"Planned?" - research first, bookings after.

Yes planned but after the visa agent rejected me it blew up my plan pretty bad. If I had just expected to do it myself it could have been far less painful. In retrospect I should have took pictures of the entire passport and sent it them first before I got the ticket. Lessons learned.

[JackThompson]

On 12/10/2017 at 11:21 AM, genericptr said:

Their website says 48 hours but I can just barely get by if I submit on Tuesday after the holidays  Monday and collect on Thursday (my flight is on Friday at 3:30 so there's not enough time to collect except for the morning, if they allow that ).

 

That visa agent really confused me about the previous TV's from USA because I didn't think those were counting towards my total. If they are I'm obviously screwed and I need to stop coming to Thailand for a while. I'll find out later this week.

Worst case - the only thing you need to do is get a new US-Passport - and only if red-stamped this time. 

 

No reason at all to stop coming to Thailand - just choose carefully on where you get your Tourist Visas based on the latest info.  Phnom Penh has been bad, good, bad, good - alternating over years.  They are in a generally "bad" cycle, right now, beginning a few months ago.  Even so, your Visa-History will likely not be a problem in-person, since you travel a lot - not staying in Thailand 360-days/yr.

 

Pick-up is generally 1PM there? (at some it is 2PM) - so could still be do-able from a Friday. 

Worst case, bus to Battambang and taxi to Ban Laem, where you will get no problems entering Thailand.  Avoid Poipet, unless you like being interrogated like a criminal.