(I'm a US citizen applying for a Thai tourist visa from an agency in the US)

Is blue ink really required to fill out a visa application? I'm being told by my visa agency to use a blue pen, but I only own black ones.

Quite believable I'm afraid.

 

I had some photocopies rejected by SCB because I'd signed them in black, "looks too much like a photocopy, please use blue pen".

 

Blue pens are readily availalble even in the US.

 

All Government,official forms are required to be filled

in with blue pen.

regards wogeodie

Used a black pen for immigration forms for the last 9 yrs never had a problem, British passport application form states use a black ball point pen!

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Unbelievable what may be required by those with the power - remember in about 1985 being chastised by MSG (Marine Security Guard) at US Embassy in Beijing because I used a blue pen to sign in.  Indeed had to do again in black to make them happy.  Of course this was long before color copies so guess the tide has changed.  Now some seem to argue must be ballpoint pen rather than gel (as some gel can be easily removed) - who has a ballpoint pen these days?

The reason that the UK and others insist on black ink is that they do not fade over time as much as coloured inks.

 

I can only assume therefore that Thai's prefer a signature made with blue ink so that over time it has faded so much no ones thus knows who signed it in the first place so hence no one becomes responsible for anything.

Sod's Law in operation here. The UK passport renewal form specifically said use a black biro. Of course, I only had blue ones. So out I went, on a mission to secure a black one. Sod's Law meant that the Local 7/11 and CJ stores had no black biros, only blue ones. I eventually secured a multicolour red, blue, and black biro, a single example hidden at the back of a rack. Presumably the multicolour aspect had confused whichever of the Fates is running Sod's Law and it slipped through the net. 

19 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

Unbelievable what may be required by those with the power - remember in about 1985 being chastised by MSG (Marine Security Guard) at US Embassy in Beijing because I used a blue pen to sign in.  Indeed had to do again in black to make them happy.  Of course this was long before color copies so guess the tide has changed.  Now some seem to argue must be ballpoint pen rather than gel (as some gel can be easily removed) - who has a ballpoint pen these days?

A ball point leaves an indentation in the paper so that whoever is reading/examining the signed document can see that it is 'wet' signature and not a copy.....as if it really matters. Do banks, here or in UK, employ cryptographers to verify signatures....no

Edited October 4, 20187 yr by wgdanson

I believe it's a cultural issue.

Blue pen on white paper which can be read (red).

 

 

Very patriotic to the flag.

When I was based in Hong Kong the Governor always used a green ink pen and nobody else was allowed to use green ink on official documentation.  In the UK Military its a red ink entry in your log book for combat missions, black for all others.  Specifying blue doesn't seem too weird to me.    

What does a UK requirement have to do with Thailand government requirements? Completing and signing in blue ink has long been required in Thailand to prevent fraud. 

Several off topic posts meant to derail the topic have been removed.

I wonder if not this is a lot of confusion from people never worked in an office. I think that fill in the application in black pen, but the important thing is to sign it with blue colored pen.

 

glegolo