How does the new TR visa rule affect applying from Hong Kong?

[ChomDo]

Hi,

 

I'm going to Hong Kong next month and plan to apply for a TR visa there. I've been reading the news and the thread about the changes in TR visa rules (https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1068563-thailand-announces-huge-changes-to-tourist-visas-in-bid-to-boost-tourism/).

 

Would the same rules apply for an EU citizen applying for a Thai TR visa in Hong Kong? I mean usually they are very strict there, so I was wondering if I apply for a SETV, would they really give me a Double Entry Tourist Visa for a 180 day period? I guess the same rule should apply in all consulates around the world, but just want to make sure if I should expect that they can say differently. 

 

This would be my second SETV in my current passport, the previous one is from the Thai Embassy in my home country. From my experience the Thai consulate in Hong Kong used to give me a hard time for any consecutive SETV's. I also have a second passport (dual nationality), that has a previous visit to Thailand in May, so I would probably be better of using that anyway.

 

Thanks! 

 

[ubonjoe]

I don't have a clues at to what will be required or how the 2 entry tourist visa for the fee of a single entry thing will work since nothing has been posted by the MFA about it.

I don't think it will be any easier to apply for though.

[elviajero]

I assume that, during the two month promotion, they will automatically issue DETV’s instead of SETV’s. I doubt the application requirements will change.

[JackThompson]

My thought was that they were just going to, essentially, make Tourist Visas have "automatic re-entry-permits" on them - not allow 2 separate 60-day stays.  It will be interesting to see what they decide.  I am recalling the METV, which started out sounding good from TAT's original announcement, until the more-restrictive thinkers put their fingers in the pie.  I am betting some people are banging their fists on a conference-room table somewhere (metaphorically, if not physically), demanding it not be "too easy".

[ChomDo]

Thanks for the replies. I also understood that according the news it would just mean that I apply normally for a SETV and it will be automatically changed to a DETV without any extra paperwork requirements. Was just wondering if that would make it even harder to apply for a SETV in Hong Kong. Of course it shouldn't but in this case they would be giving you a 2x90 day stay instead of one, so I guess they could do even more questioning than usual. 

 

I've also noticed that the rules are not always consistent in different consulates. For example a few years ago I was applying for a SETV in HCMC at the time that Thailand was offering free TR visas and I still had to pay the normal charge. I asked them how is that possible and no explanation was given. 

 

When I checked the SETV requirements on the website of the Thai consulate in Hong Kong, it only talked about HK/Macau citizens, so I'm still unsure what paperwork I need to show there? I did email them but no reply yet. An updated report about applying for a SETV in Hong Kong would be handy (the ones I've found are really old). 

[coollife99]

im interested as well about it, please keep us posted

[ChomDo]

Below the list of requirements I got from them by email. I don't quite understand what they mean by "round-trip air ticket". Usually you would need to show the one-way ticket out of Thailand within 90 days of the arrival date. 

 

-Passport original with a copy of main pages of a passport including the last Hong Kong landing slip
-A valid at least 6 months passport with a clear page for a visa sticker
-One application forms must be completely filled out in English (CAPITAL LETTER)
-One recent photo, 1.5x2 inches in size, with clear face taken within 6 months. The photograph should have a plain white background.

-A copy of confirmed round-trip air ticket or an itinerary
-Two working days for process
-Tourist visa fee HK$300 in cash

 

I was wondering if anyone would know the answer to the following question:

 

I have two passports (from two different Shengen countries) and I usually switch between these two, so that one would not be too full of Thai visas and stamps. The application forms always ask "last visit to Thailand". The tricky thing is that according to the passport that I'm applying with (in this case not the one I just used when I left Thailand) has a previous Thailand exit stamp from about 7 months ago but of course the truth is that I just left Thailand 1-2 days ago. So as I am applying with that second passport with last visit to Thailand 7 months ago I would write that information in the form. I'm not sure if this is the correct way to do it when switching between two passports or not? On the other hand if I would state in the application form that I just came from Thailand but my passport was stamped out of Thailand 7 months ago, that could also create some confusion.  

[JackThompson]

7 hours ago, ChomDo said:

Below the list of requirements I got from them by email. I don't quite understand what they mean by "round-trip air ticket". Usually you would need to show the one-way ticket out of Thailand within 90 days of the arrival date. 

 

-Passport original with a copy of main pages of a passport including the last Hong Kong landing slip
-A valid at least 6 months passport with a clear page for a visa sticker
-One application forms must be completely filled out in English (CAPITAL LETTER)
-One recent photo, 1.5x2 inches in size, with clear face taken within 6 months. The photograph should have a plain white background.

-A copy of confirmed round-trip air ticket or an itinerary
-Two working days for process
-Tourist visa fee HK$300 in cash

Some consulates want to see your ticket "to" Thailand, as well as the one heading "out" within the 60 or 90 days (varying by consulate).  The "out" ticket would not have to be a "round trip return" to HK.

[ChomDo]

On 12/11/2018 at 5:29 PM, JackThompson said:

Some consulates want to see your ticket "to" Thailand, as well as the one heading "out" within the 60 or 90 days (varying by consulate).  The "out" ticket would not have to be a "round trip return" to HK.

Oh OK I see. That's just a normal requirement, but the way they state it is different. Normally they say "ticket out of Thailand". Anyway I'll just book the cheapest AirAsia ticket to Saigon or Hanoi as usual.

 

Can anyone help with the second part of my question concerning the two passports and what to write in the form where they ask about "date of last visit to Thailand"?

[elviajero]

2 hours ago, ChomDo said:

Can anyone help with the second part of my question concerning the two passports and what to write in the form where they ask about "date of last visit to Thailand"?

You write the date YOU last visited Thailand.

[ChomDo]

21 minutes ago, elviajero said:

You write the date YOU last visited Thailand.

That's what I did before and they didn't ask questions, but it should create confusion at the consulate because my passport (the one I provide to them) has a previous stamp to Thailand 7 months ago (but actually I just came from Thailand to Hong Kong). I just wonder that if they ask why my passport is stamped 7 months ago but I state in the form that I just came out of Thailand 1-2 days ago. If they do, I would have to tell them that I have two passports and in that case they might refuse the SETV, because they can see that I switch between two passports (I have 1-3 SETV's in each passport per year).