Need info on how to get visa

[oskar55]

Never been to thailand, going in the summer for 2-3 months and want a single entry tourist visa. im from usa and will be using https://thaiembdc.org/consular-services/tourist-visas/category-tr/

i see all the documents needed on the site, which i'll have but i wanna make sure i know what im doing. would the people at USPS help me out if i brought all of the documents and my passport and the money order? i live in virginia so im pretty close to DC, how long should it take for me to get my visa in the mail? going by this website it'd be $65 right? $40 money order + a $25 stamp? would the USPS have this stamp there? And do you need a special kind of envelope? sorry for the dumb questions but i know nothing.

[ubonjoe]

You can go to the post office with and get a express mail envelope to put all your documents,  passport and the $40 money order into and then pay the fee for the postage. And at the same time get the prepaid express mail envelope for the return of your passport to put in the envelope with everything else. From embassy website about the return envelope  "USPS (US Postal Service) Express Mail ‘  use only flat rate mailing envelope with $25.50 postage stamp (Metered stamps will not be accepted). Source: https://thaiembdc.org/consular-services/tourist-visas/category-tr/

You could send the application up to 3 months before your planned entry to Thailand since the single entry tourist visa is valid for 3 months from the date of issue. No need to worry about getting it back late that way.

[oskar55]

10 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You can go to the post office with and get a express mail envelope to put all your documents,  passport and the $40 money order into and then pay the fee for the postage. And at the same time get the prepaid express mail envelope for the return of your passport to put in the envelope with everything else. From embassy website about the return envelope  "USPS (US Postal Service) Express Mail ‘  use only flat rate mailing envelope with $25.50 postage stamp (Metered stamps will not be accepted). Source: https://thaiembdc.org/consular-services/tourist-visas/category-tr/

You could send the application up to 3 months before your planned entry to Thailand since the single entry tourist visa is valid for 3 months from the date of issue. No need to worry about getting it back late that way.

havent bought the ticket yet though, so im wondering about how long does it take for them to mail my passport back? also for the application, do certain questions matter like your reference in thailand? if i bring all of my documents to the USPS will they have the express envelope and that $25.50 stamp that i need?

[ubonjoe]

8 minutes ago, oskar55 said:

havent bought the ticket yet though, so im wondering about how long does it take for them to mail my passport back?

They state 15 days on their website for mailed in application but normally it is only about a week from reports I have seen.

9 minutes ago, oskar55 said:

also for the application, do certain questions matter like your reference in thailand?

You can leave that blank or write self.

9 minutes ago, oskar55 said:

if i bring all of my documents to the USPS will they have the express envelope and that $25.50 stamp that i need?

Yes they will. You will purchase two flat rate envelopes. One to mail and the other for the return. You can order them online so you have them in hand when you go to the post office.

Some info is here. https://www.usps.com/ship/priority-mail-express.htm

[oskar55]

25 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

They state 15 days on their website for mailed in application but normally it is only about a week from reports I have seen.

You can leave that blank or write self.

Yes they will. You will purchase two flat rate envelopes. One to mail and the other for the return. You can order them online so you have them in hand when you go to the post office.

Some info is here. https://www.usps.com/ship/priority-mail-express.htm

ok so to be clear ill be putting all of these inside a priority mail envelope: my passport, visa application, the visa photos, my flight info (is this needed?), recent bank statement, 40usd money order, and an extra priority mail envelope. is this right? also, when im at the USPS will i be mailing it by giving it to the employees at USPS, or would i be putting it in the mailbox outside of the USPS?

[oskar55]

Another thing: if i decided to go for 2 months instead of 3, would i be able to get a 30 day extension on top of my free 30 days I get without applying for a tourist visa? Or do you need a tourist visa in order to get an extension?

[Essecola]

Best wishes for your first vacation in Thailand. You're gonna have the time of your life.

[ubonjoe]

15 minutes ago, oskar55 said:

Another thing: if i decided to go for 2 months instead of 3, would i be able to get a 30 day extension on top of my free 30 days I get without applying for a tourist visa? Or do you need a tourist visa in order to get an extension?

You could get a 30 day visa exempt entry and then extend it for 30 days. But the airline could deny boarding your flight without a ticket out of the country within 30 days.

[ubonjoe]

22 minutes ago, oskar55 said:

ok so to be clear ill be putting all of these inside a priority mail envelope: my passport, visa application, the visa photos, my flight info (is this needed?), recent bank statement, 40usd money order, and an extra priority mail envelope. is this right?

Yes  You need to send a copy of you tickets.

24 minutes ago, oskar55 said:

also, when im at the USPS will i be mailing it by giving it to the employees at USPS, or would i be putting it in the mailbox outside of the USPS?

Best to hand it over at the counter so you get a receipt for it.

[oskar55]

14 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You could get a 30 day visa exempt entry and then extend it for 30 days. But the airline could deny boarding your flight without a ticket out of the country within 30 days.

how often do they deny entry? what about my other option: 3 month round trip ticket but only have a 2 month tourist visa? would they deny that? cause i'd be extending my visa 30days

[oskar55]

by the way, do i need to be writing anything on the self-addressed express return envelope? do i leave it blank or put my return address?

[BritTim]

4 minutes ago, oskar55 said:

how often do they deny entry? what about my other option: 3 month round trip ticket but only have a 2 month tourist visa? would they deny that? cause i'd be extending my visa 30days

The tourist visa is usually be better option if staying at least a month. Although on your first visit, you do not need to worry that Thai immigration could deny you a 30-day visa exempt entry, airlines have some rules for those travelling without a visa that do not apply if you have a visa in advance from the Thai consulate.

[oslooskar]

Can an American citizen apply for an O-A visa after arriving in Thailand as a tourist, or must he submit his documentation to the Thai Embassy in Washington D.C. or a Consular office somewhere in the U.S.? From what I've read online it looks like I must do everything here in the U.S. before leaving for Thailand.

[oskar55]

@ubonjoe check my new questions pls

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, oslooskar said:

Can an American citizen apply for an O-A visa after arriving in Thailand as a tourist, or must he submit his documentation to the Thai Embassy in Washington D.C. or a Consular office somewhere in the U.S.? From what I've read online it looks like I must do everything here in the U.S. before leaving for Thailand.

You cannot apply for a OA visa at immigration. You can only apply for a one year extension of stay based upon retirement after first applying for a change of visa status to get a non immigrant visa (category O) entry.

A OA visa in your case can only be applied for at the embassy or one of the official consulates in New York, Chicago or Los Angeles.

[oskar55]

9 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

You cannot apply for a OA visa at immigration. You can only apply for a one year extension of stay based upon retirement after first applying for a change of visa status to get a non immigrant visa (category O) entry.

A OA visa in your case can only be applied for at the embassy or one of the official consulates in New York, Chicago or Los Angeles.

this isnt me. my questions were:

 

how often do they deny entry? what about my other option: 3 month round trip ticket but only have a 2 month tourist visa? would they deny that? cause i'd be extending my visa 30days

 

by the way, do i need to be writing anything on the self-addressed express return envelope? do i leave it blank or put my return address?

[ubonjoe]

18 hours ago, oskar55 said:

by the way, do i need to be writing anything on the self-addressed express return envelope? do i leave it blank or put my return address?

You will need to put your address on it.

[ubonjoe]

6 hours ago, oskar55 said:

how often do they deny entry? what about my other option: 3 month round trip ticket but only have a 2 month tourist visa? would they deny that? cause i'd be extending my visa 30days

The only deny entry for those that have a long history of staying in the country on visa exempts or tourist visas.

No problem having a ticket out 3 months after arrival. Nobody will ask for the ticket other than the embassy. If you have a valid visa a return or onward ticket is not required for entry to the country.

[oskar55]

5 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

The only deny entry for those that have a long history of staying in the country on visa exempts or tourist visas.

No problem having a ticket out 3 months after arrival. Nobody will ask for the ticket other than the embassy. If you have a valid visa a return or onward ticket is not required for entry to the country. 

ok and when i apply for my visa they should accept it right? even though on my flight information it'll say its a 3 month round trip? they will assume that im just extending it?

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, oskar55 said:

ok and when i apply for my visa they should accept it right? even though on my flight information it'll say its a 3 month round trip? they will assume that im just extending it?

Yes they will.

[oskar55]

38 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Yes they will.

alright one last question, which address do i mail it to? 1024 Wisconsin Ave NW Washington DC 20007 or 2300 Kalorama Rd NW Washington DC 20008

 

on the official site it says mail it to kaloroma  rd, but on this site : https://traveltips.usatoday.com/visa-thailand-30264.html

it says to mail it to the wisconsin ave address

[ubonjoe]

8 minutes ago, oskar55 said:

2300 Kalorama Rd NW Washington DC 20008

You send it there because that is the address for the consular section as shown on the website.

Quote

Consular Office
Royal Thai Embassy
2300 Kalorama Rd., N.W.
Washington,D.C 20008-1623