British embassy - No affirmation appointments

[darren1971]

Tried to book an affirmation at the British embassy in Bangkok, but their online booking form is showing no available appointments for the whole of 2019. I have been through the process before in 2018 but the wedding had to be postponed. I have emailed the Embassy but no response as yet. Anybody else having issues?

[Damaz6052]

Could be a problem with there online calendar. Normally you can only book 3 months in advance.

[worrab]

Have replied to this supposed problem a few times now. Again, the Embassy normally releases dates on Monday or Tuesday for the next 6 to 8 weeks.

So there is no point looking any further in advance. I had no problems last October booking for November.

Just be patient and keep checking.

[worrab]

I have just had a look and there are appointments available for 31 Jan, 7, 11, 12, 14 Feb. Have not looked further.

[darren1971]

7 minutes ago, worrab said:

I have just had a look and there are appointments available for 31 Jan, 7, 11, 12, 14 Feb. Have not looked further.

yep, seems they release small blocks at a time.... I only have a small window of time in Bangkok to get everything done and it went pearshaped last year when we attempted to get married... leaving our passports on Koh Kood didn't help

[worrab]

25 minutes ago, darren1971 said:

yep, seems they release small blocks at a time.... I only have a small window of time in Bangkok to get everything done and it went pearshaped last year when we attempted to get married... leaving our passports on Koh Kood didn't help

When are you looking for?

[Andycoops]

17 hours ago, Damaz6052 said:

Could be a problem with there online calendar. Normally you can only book 3 months in advance.

I think they have gremlins in their system.

I went to book 2 weeks ago and the 1st appt was shown as 7th March.

[darren1971]

On 1/25/2019 at 11:12 AM, worrab said:

When are you looking for?

arrive on the 29th (which is a Friday and early closing)... Ideally want to get in there Monday 1st April, get the documents to an agent an off to CFA, get her TB scan done and married the following week

[darren1971]

23 hours ago, Andycoops said:

I think they have gremlins in their system.

I went to book 2 weeks ago and the 1st appt was shown as 7th March.

I think so too... I don't remember the appointments being so restricted last June when I went

[easyridercc]

I'm been having this problem too. Trying to book appointment for affirmation of marriage. Online appointment system has earliest as 18th March (for affirmations). I called up as was hoping to get married in Feb and needed to get paperwork together. They said its not an error, Bangkok embassy is very busy. No walkin appointments possible. Only advice was to book March and keep checking incase cancellation.

What a joke, 8 weeks away was earliest appointment when I enquired and pay 2600bht for this service. Its messed up my plans for trip to ampher next month to register marriage.

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[darren1971]

2 hours ago, easyridercc said:

I'm been having this problem too. Trying to book appointment for affirmation of marriage. Online appointment system has earliest as 18th March (for affirmations). I called up as was hoping to get married in Feb and needed to get paperwork together. They said its not an error, Bangkok embassy is very busy. No walkin appointments possible. Only advice was to book March and keep checking incase cancellation.

What a joke, 8 weeks away was earliest appointment when I enquired and pay 2600bht for this service. Its messed up my plans for trip to ampher next month to register marriage.

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pretty poor show, im sure they realise people are often on tight timeframes when trying to marry abroad, makes you think they just dont really care about their citizens

[Kalasin Jo]

20 hours ago, darren1971 said:

pretty poor show, im sure they realise people are often on tight timeframes when trying to marry abroad, makes you think they just dont really care about their citizens

My impression is that they don't. As this Embassy downsizes, after the Foreign Office made a fat killing selling this very large prime site in central Bangkok, they seem much more in to flying the flag for diplomatic relations, for business and glad handing for trade. I'm sorry to be so negative about my country's diplomatic presence here for ordinary folk but British Citizens here seem way down their list of priorities, as evidenced by the ending of the Embassy income letter. Yes some other Embassies have followed suit but most have not whilst the Thai immigration authorities have confirmed that they will continue to accept them....if you can get one. If not, it's either money in the bank or visa runs out and back.

[jesimps]

I just checked the appointment calender and it indicates that it's full all of this year. There was one day free on 4 April, but when I clicked on it, I got a message saying that it wasn't available! Absolute disgrace, only want to open a bank account with Bangkok Bank which shows TransferWise transfers as coming from outside of Thailand. Brits are now very much out on a limb in this country, it's frightening. 

 

[graemeaylward]

I just checked the appointment calender and it indicates that it's full all of this year. There was one day free on 4 April, but when I clicked on it, I got a message saying that it wasn't available! Absolute disgrace, only want to open a bank account with Bangkok Bank which shows TransferWise transfers as coming from outside of Thailand. Brits are now very much out on a limb in this country, it's frightening. 
 

I checked this morning, couldn't find anything on calendar so rang Embassy. Very helpful woman checked, taking about 5 minutes, and told me that this section was very busy at the moment and may not have many slots left. She suggested that I try again and look at April 12 but if I still had problems to call her back. Checked, and there were 3 slots available all before 09:00. As this was a Friday and coming from Khon Kaen I decided that i would try again next week as I don't want to have to spend a whole weekend in Bangkok getting paperwork sorted.

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[Spidey]

At the time that the British Embassy announced that it was ceasing the income letters, they announced the cessation of a number of other notary services. Maybe this was one of them.

[graemeaylward]

I checked this morning, couldn't find anything on calendar so rang Embassy. Very helpful woman checked, taking about 5 minutes, and told me that this section was very busy at the moment and may not have many slots left. She suggested that I try again and look at April 12 but if I still had problems to call her back. Checked, and there were 3 slots available all before 09:00. As this was a Friday and coming from Khon Kaen I decided that i would try again next week as I don't want to have to spend a whole weekend in Bangkok getting paperwork sorted.

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Looks like they may be releasing dates 60 days in advance on a daily basis so will check tomorrow to see if they release April 15!

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[graemeaylward]

Looks like they may be releasing dates 60 days in advance on a daily basis so will check tomorrow to see if they release April 15!

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Glad I didn't book 12th April as Thai Government have just announced it as yet another public holiday! Also, 15th & 16th are out as Songkran holiday! Looks like my plans are scuppered for now :-(

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[Ketyo]

I have been looking for the last couple of weeks and there are zero dates available for affirmations of residence for 2019. Since the embassy make about B2000 for each affirmation this should be a profit making opportunity for them. Why would they ration time slots like this? I wonder if they really are so incompetent, or don't care about British citizens in Thailand or are reacting against the increase in bureaucracy and surveillance of foreigners by the Thai authorities by forcing Thai government to do more work themselves. Whatever the reason, it's a pain in the butt. Could be time to try to get a yellow house book.

Edited March 27, 2019 by Ketyo

[BritManToo]

On 1/23/2019 at 8:50 PM, darren1971 said:

Tried to book an affirmation at the British embassy in Bangkok,

Tell her, sorry your and my government are making it too difficult to marry you.

 

Marry a Viet, 5 year VISA for $40 or marry a Filipino free VISA for a year.

Plenty of women to choose from, marry a Thai and get nothing but trouble from Immigration.

Edited March 27, 2019 by BritManToo

[bobby2]

Can anyone give the link to make an online payment for an affirmation?

[theoldgit]

14 hours ago, bobby2 said:

Can anyone give the link to make an online payment for an affirmation?

You can't make an online payment, affirmations have to be done in person and you pay by cash or card when you visit the embassy to swear your affirmation.

 

https://www.gov.uk/marriage-abroad/y/thailand/opposite_sex

[thaibeachlovers]

Look on it as a heaven sent opportunity not to do something one will later regret.

I wish I'd had such an opportunity when I got married.