OA Visa Frustration

[Gtto]

   I was in the USA last week and wanted to get an OA long stay visa. I am currently on an extension but prefer to leave my money in a US bank. The website for the Consulate in NY said they needed three copies of everything including the medical statement proving that I don't have syphilis stage 3. (Is stage 2 allowed?) Before heading to NY, I was in Miami where i lived before moving to Thailand. I contacted the local authorities and was told to obtain a criminal background check from the Clerk of Courts for the county, which I did. Went to the consul with all my papers and of course was given back a bunch of copies because they only needed 2 of each contrary to what was stated on the website. FWIW, other Thai consuls in the US ask for 4 copies. After going through my papers I am told that the background check is no good because it didn't come from the police. I tried to explain that the courts stood over the police but my explanation fell on deaf ears. Went to the NY police but the background check would take 10 days and I was leaving the US in 2 days. Tried with other local police but in New Jersey I was told that local police could not give a background check. Very frustrating to say the least. It amazes me that I have been in Thailand for 5 years both working and then retired and no criminal check is necessary but they won't accept the perfectly valid and notarized background check I provided. Now I will have to try and renew my extension with the income verification letter I got from the US Consulate on Dec 31 and hope it works. If not I will have to return to the US and start over. Fun, fun, fun.

[BritManToo]

Always get the police check and medical done in Thailand before you leave.

[ubonjoe]

8 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Always get the police check and medical done in Thailand before you leave.

Many embassies and consulates would not accept them since their requirements state it has to be done in the country where the application is done.

Edit: From the consulate website. For police clearance see my post after this one.

"Three copies of medical certificate (1 original and 2 copies) for completed by a doctor in the country of application reporting no prohibitive diseases as indicated in the Ministerial Regulation No.14     (B.E. 2535). The certificate forms must be valid for not more than three months."

[ubonjoe]

It states on the consulate website what they require for the police clearance.

"Three copies of criminal record (1 original and 2 copies) in good  conduct issued by local police, state police department, or Federal Bureau of Investigation."

Source: https://www.thaicgny.com/ภาษาอ-งกฤษ-english-version/visa-service/doc-non-im-oa/

 

[NokNokJoke]

If you Google, you can find the info on getting an FBI check. You have to get fingerprinted by a local agency on the correct form and mail it in. Takes a few weeks. Some states may offer a background check the consulate accepts, you'll need to check the specific requirements.
(Mine doesn't )
Online background checks don't work, and the result must be signed.

Sent from my Nokia 6.1 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[setbkk]

The criminal record is a bit of a joke.  Years ago, when I first applied for retirement visa, I went to my local police department and got the necessary report, which only pertained to that local jurisdiction.  I could have been an ax murderer in the adjacent community and on FBI 10 most wanted list but in good standing in my local area.

 

If Thai was serious about this requirement, they would require a report from a federal agency.  Oh, while they are at it, they might update their medical report for current diseases (SARS, HIV, avian bird flu, Ebola, etc.) instead of 3rd stage syphilis, elephantitis and the other outdated, obscure diseases they are interested in.  TIT.

[Kelsall]

I went to the Chiang Mai police and got fingerprinted.  Used that for the FBI report.  No problem.

[mosan]

1 hour ago, Kelsall said:

I went to the Chiang Mai police and got fingerprinted.  Used that for the FBI report.  No problem.

At the FBI are not particular about where you get the fingerprint card done, only that it's done by a professional organization and it meets their requirements. However, The Thai Embassy in Washington D.C. does require a signed federal or state FBI report.

 

Said requirements are located here:

[email protected] 

[Kelsall]

59 minutes ago, mosan said:

At the FBI are not particular about where you get the fingerprint card done, only that it's done by a professional organization and it meets their requirements. However, The Thai Embassy in Washington D.C. does require a signed federal or state FBI report.

 

Said requirements are located here:

[email protected] 

Yes

[ThaiBunny]

3 hours ago, setbkk said:

If Thai was serious about this requirement, they would require a report from a federal agency.  Oh, while they are at it, they might update their medical report for current diseases (SARS, HIV, avian bird flu, Ebola, etc.) instead of 3rd stage syphilis, elephantitis and the other outdated, obscure diseases they are interested in.  TIT.

When have you ever known a bureaucrat interested in the quality of the information being presented? What they want is documentation that conforms to their rules, and if the rules are out of date, so be it

[Searat7]

9 hours ago, NokNokJoke said:

If you Google, you can find the info on getting an FBI check. You have to get fingerprinted by a local agency on the correct form and mail it in. Takes a few weeks. Some states may offer a background check the consulate accepts, you'll need to check the specific requirements.
(Mine doesn't )
Online background checks don't work, and the result must be signed.

Sent from my Nokia 6.1 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

In Florida you apply online and the State Criminal Justice Information Services Dept. mails you an original report which is certified.

[lamyai3]

18 hours ago, Gtto said:

Is stage 2 allowed?

Yes - ironically the only stage of syphilis that's denied a visa is the one that's no longer contagious. 

[ThaiBunny]

1 hour ago, lamyai3 said:

Yes - ironically the only stage of syphilis that's denied a visa is the one that's no longer contagious. 

I get a new O-A every two years and my doctor signs the medical certificate without any tests, describing it as "b------t"

[lamyai3]

17 minutes ago, ThaiBunny said:

I get a new O-A every two years and my doctor signs the medical certificate without any tests, describing it as "b------t"

Yes it's a list of 19th century diseases most of which are typically diagnosed on sight. My GP did pull out the stethoscope and made a token effort to check for tuberculosis and then signed... problem is there's are some ultra cautious doctors around who won't sign without doing the tests. Probably more down to lack of experience than anything else. 

[arithai12]

22 hours ago, Gtto said:

I am currently on an extension

22 hours ago, Gtto said:

I have been in Thailand for 5 years both working and then retired

If you have a retirement visa extension already, what prevented you from extending that once more while in Thailand?

As for preferring to leave your money in a US bank, your choice of course but look at exchange and interest rates.

If you want an OA from a particular Embassy abroad, it might be wise to read their rules well in advance not two days before leaving. Silly or outdated as they might be, they are the rules. And speaking of outdated, It seems your problem was the NY police requiring 10 days for a background check (!).

 

 

 

[Martyp]

In Thailand you are getting extensions from the Department of Immigration. In the US you are getting a visa from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Different departments. Different rules. And an extension is not a visa.

 

I got my criminal background check in California by going to a UPS office. They took my fingerprints and sent in the application. The results were sent to my home a week later.

 

For the Los Angeles Consulate I think I needed 4 copies of everything. All notarized. Cost me small fortune.

 

 I don’t have US health insurance anymore so I would have to research how to get a medical certificate.

[ThaiBunny]

Just now, Martyp said:

For the Los Angeles Consulate I think I needed 4 copies of everything. All notarized. Cost me small fortune.

A friend of mine read the instructions on the Sydney Consulate web site that there must be three copies, bound and notarized.  He duly spent several hundred dollars getting this done.  I spent less than 10% of that, had them certified by a Justice of the Peace (they're not allowed to charge for their services) and sent mine off by post to the Canberra Consulate.  We both got our visas

[Martyp]

8 hours ago, ThaiBunny said:

A friend of mine read the instructions on the Sydney Consulate web site that there must be three copies, bound and notarized.  He duly spent several hundred dollars getting this done.  I spent less than 10% of that, had them certified by a Justice of the Peace (they're not allowed to charge for their services) and sent mine off by post to the Canberra Consulate.  We both got our visas

Recently someone told me that many US banks will notarize for their customers for free. Now that I am in Thailand I’m paying $50 to notarize documents at the US Consulate.

[lamyai3]

17 hours ago, ThaiBunny said:

A friend of mine read the instructions on the Sydney Consulate web site that there must be three copies, bound and notarized.  He duly spent several hundred dollars getting this done.  I spent less than 10% of that, had them certified by a Justice of the Peace (they're not allowed to charge for their services) and sent mine off by post to the Canberra Consulate.  We both got our visas

UK embassy asked for notarisation too, though this was clumsy wording since all they actually wanted was copies certified by a solicitor or similar, which can be 5 or 10 times cheaper. 

 

The UK incidentally changed their rules in 2018 to allow original documents to be submitted, maybe other embassies have done the same. 

[Gtto]

Consulate in NY didn't require notarized papers.

 

[Gtto]

On 3/23/2019 at 6:15 AM, arithai12 said:

I of course read the rules months in advance. When I went to the local police they told me to get the papers from the Clerk of Courts which is what I did. The guy at the consulate told me he usually accepts this but his boss was there and over rid him.

 

 

[Langsuan Man]

On 3/23/2019 at 9:43 AM, Martyp said:

 

For the Los Angeles Consulate I think I needed 4 copies of everything. All notarized. Cost me small fortune.

The solution to the notary problem for an O-A has been solved by Board member SpokaneAl who suggests a cover letter that lists all the documents that need to be notarized and the notary signs that they have certified as true copies those documents.  One notary fee for all

 

It worked for me last November at LA

[JGregory]

 Go to Sheriff's Department for the county.  Typically police never do background checks, they don't have jails any more either.  Sherriff is place to go. They do it all. Big counties will have a website explaining criminal history checks.

 

Other choice is go state level. Most states it's Department of Public Safety or Dept of Law Enforcement.  That's the easiest way can be done by mailing application, get from website. Example http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/Criminal-History-Records/Obtaining-Criminal-History-Information.aspx

[gunderhill]

On 3/23/2019 at 3:54 AM, ThaiBunny said:

I get a new O-A every two years and my doctor signs the medical certificate without any tests, describing it as "b------t"

I  like  your doctor,  good  man.

[sqwakvfr]

“The solution to the notary problem for an O-A has been solved by Board member SpokaneAl who suggests a cover letter that lists all the documents that need to be notarized and the notary signs that they have certified as true copies those documents.  One notary fee for all

 

It worked for me last November at LA”

 

I also went to the LA Consulate several years ago. I used a Notary and the technical term is to request a “Jurat”. $15 dollars per page.  Total notary fee was $45 dollars.  I may go to the LA Consulate again next year(unless I decide to stay in US?)

[SheungWan]

My advice for those considering going for an O-A visa is to allow plenty of time for the process. There are potential hold-ups on the road. The OP has discovered this.

[SpokaneAl]

My advice for those considering going for an O-A visa is to allow plenty of time for the process. There are potential hold-ups on the road. The OP has discovered this.

I agree. That is why, when I apply for a non imm o-a, I do not wait to the last minute to squeeze out an extra day or so. I want time to fix - who knows what can go wrong.


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