Non O (Multi Entry) no longer issued at Royal Thai Embassy in London - new financial requirements for Single Entry Tourist Visas (SETV)

[VBF]

10 minutes ago, Lovethailandelite said:

<snip> And also include £10 cash or postal order for the return postage

Actually better to include a pre-paid Special Delivery envelope with your name and address on it.

Slightly cheaper (about £7.50) and you can note the tracking number when you purchase it - that way you can track your submissions to the embassy, and your passport's return. Been doing that as long as i can remember.

Edited June 22, 2019 by VBF

[Lovethailandelite]

4 minutes ago, VBF said:

Actually better to include a pre-paid Special Delivery envelope with your name and address on it.

Slightly cheaper (about £7.50) and you can note the tracking number when you purchase it - that way you can track your submissions to the embassy, and your passport's return. Been doing that as long as i can remember.

Yes that could be good. Is it still available by the Embassy? I know at consulates it can still be used if your dropping off an application that you need to wait for Embassy approval. Consulates, you can also email the documents to get pre approval and then wait for the appointment and get the visa the same day. That only applies to single entry Non Immigrant visas. I believe tourist visas are issued the same day you walk in.

Edited June 22, 2019 by Lovethailandelite

[VBF]

5 minutes ago, Lovethailandelite said:

Yes that could be good. Is it still available by the Embassy? I know at consulates it can still be used if your dropping off an application that you need to wait for Embassy approval. Consulates, you can also email the documents to get pre approval and then wait for the appointment and get the visa the same day. That only applies to single entry Non O visas. I believe tourist visas are issued the same day you walk in.

That's a bizarre reply to my post! You suggested sending money for return post, I simply pointed out a (IMO) better method - What do you mean Is it still available by the Embassy? 

Edited June 22, 2019 by VBF

[Lovethailandelite]

Just now, VBF said:

That's a bizarre reply to my post! You suggested sending money for return post, I simply pointed out a (IMO) better method - ???

No. I meant it was good idea if you can use a prepaid envelope instead of sending cash

[VBF]

3 minutes ago, Lovethailandelite said:

No. I meant it was good idea if you can use a prepaid envelope instead of sending cash

Ahhhhhhhh! Light from yonder posting dawns. ????

Well as I said, it's worked very well for several years for me especially as my local Post Office is 15 minutes walk away. 

Edited June 22, 2019 by VBF

[Lovethailandelite]

Just now, VBF said:

Ahhhhhhhh! Light from yonder posting dawns. ????

Well as I said, it's worked very well for several years for me especially as my local Post Office is 15 minutes walk away. 

Actually thinking about consulates, I don't know if posting is possible at all, in anyway as you have to attend to get the visa.

[VBF]

4 minutes ago, Lovethailandelite said:

Actually thinking about consulates, I don't know if posting is possible at all, in anyway as you have to attend to get the visa.

Yes - that is true - consulates USED to accept postal applications but do so no longer (hence my comment about Hull in #479) but I'm referring to not having to visit the embassy and using Special Delivery both ways.

Edited June 22, 2019 by VBF

[Lovethailandelite]

1 minute ago, VBF said:

Yes - that is true - consulates USED to accept postal applications but do so no longer (hence my comment about Hull in #479) but I'm referring to not having to visit the embassy.

Anyway, nice chatting and having sensible conversations with members. I have all sorts of pages open including the E visa site looking to collate information and it's giving me a headache. I am off of here for the night.
Good night

Edited June 22, 2019 by Lovethailandelite

[treetops]

1 minute ago, VBF said:

Yes - that is true - consulates USED to accept postal applications bot do no longer (hence my comment about Hull in #479) but I'm referring to not having to visit the embassy.

You don't have to visit according to an email I got from them the other day.  I posted it on another thread at the time, but here it is again:
 

Quote

 

Dear Sir/Madam,
1. After you had successful application, you must print out barcode  2 pages and declaration paper sign

2. What is the purpose for type O

3. with 10 GBP and return address . 

Kind Regards,

Visa Officer

Please note

After 15 June 2019 visa system will be changed please check from the website before you submit an application. Walk-in will be available.

 

 

[VBF]

2 minutes ago, treetops said:

You don't have to visit according to an email I got from them the other day.  I posted it on another thread at the time, but here it is again:
 

 

Oh please @treetops read the 10 or so posts immediately above yours - that's what we're discussing - it's £10 or a Special Delivery envelope!

[treetops]

4 minutes ago, VBF said:

Oh please @treetops read the 10 or so posts immediately above yours - that's what we're discussing - it's £10 or a Special Delivery envelope!

Sorry, I thought Lovethailandelite was querying whether that service was still available and I was reinforcing your view with backup from the Thai Embasssy in London.

[VBF]

Just now, treetops said:

Sorry, I thought Lovethailandelite was querying whether that service was still available and I was reinforcing your view with backup from the Thai Embasssy in London.

I see... sorry, that wasn't how i read it - you are correct of course.

[Tuvoc]

39 minutes ago, BritTim said:

The 20-year Thailand Elite for only one million is looking increasingly attractive. That will be especially true once the Non O-A adds the mandatory insurance requirement. Until then, the Non O-A provides all the benefits of the Non O-X, just for only a two-year period, with much lower requirements.

 

Still, I'd want medical insurance anyway whether mandatory or not. So then the 10-year (5+5) Non O-X is looking really good to me.

 

Thai Elite for me would be one million plus the insurance that I'd pay every year anyway even though not mandatory. I'll give it some thought. I'm making the move next year, and probably everything will be different by then !!!

[Maestro]

13 minutes ago, treetops said:

You don't have to visit according to an email I got from them the other day...

 

Seeing that the change to the e-visa was recent it would be useful to know what what date "the other day" was.

[VBF]

1 minute ago, Tuvoc said:

 

Still, I'd want medical insurance anyway whether mandatory or not. So then the 10-year (5+5) Non O-X is looking really good to me.

 

Thai Elite for me would be one million plus the insurance that I'd pay every year anyway even though not mandatory. I'll give it some thought. I'm making the move next year, and probably everything will be different by then !!!

It'll probably all be different next WEEK the way these goalposts are flying around!  

[treetops]

4 minutes ago, Maestro said:

Seeing that the change to the e-visa was recent it would be useful to know what what date "the other day" was.

More recent than the change of course, Tuesday 18th June 2019 to be exact.

[VBF]

5 minutes ago, treetops said:

More recent than the change of course, Tuesday 18th June 2019 to be exact.

And here (link) it currently (22nd June) states:

 

**E-visa application**From 15 June 2019, visa applicants in the UK and Ireland have to apply online. In order to access online visa application, please go to https://thaievisa.go.th/HomeApplicants are required to set up an account and submit visa applications online, then book an appointment to submit their passports and visa applications in person at the Embassy, or submit them by post.

 

Edited June 22, 2019 by VBF

[lkv]

14 minutes ago, baboon said:

Sadly those of us who were not happy about the misfortunes of others are also caught in the dragnet....

It's sad that everybody is caught in the dragnet, even the ones that were happy about the misfortunes of others, as far as I am concerned.

 

At least I am happy of one thing. Nobody is blaming the overstayers anymore ????

[Maestro]

I just found this 34-page Guide to Thailand E-Visa application.

 

Guide to Thailand E-Visa application.pdf

 

Source: https://www.thaievisa.go.th/Files/UserManual_EN.pdf

[Maestro]

28 minutes ago, treetops said:

More recent than the change of course, Tuesday 18th June 2019 to be exact.

 

Thank you.

 

Therefore, the email you got from the Thai embassy in London is a clear indication that they will send your passport with visa back to you by mail, ie no personal visit to the embassy, neither to submit the documents nor to pick up your passport, if I understand this correctly.

 

Quote

3. with 10 GBP and return address

Source: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1107363-non-o-multi-entry-no-longer-issued-at-royal-thai-embassy-in-london-new-financial-requirements-for-single-entry-tourist-visas-setv/?do=findComment&comment=14271112 

 

[treetops]

31 minutes ago, VBF said:

And here (link) it currently (22nd June) states:

 

**E-visa application**From 15 June 2019, visa applicants in the UK and Ireland have to apply online. In order to access online visa application, please go to https://thaievisa.go.th/HomeApplicants are required to set up an account and submit visa applications online, then book an appointment to submit their passports and visa applications in person at the Embassy, or submit them by post.

 

It was that comment (which has been there since before the change to evisa) along with various posts on here which made me ask.

[treetops]

3 minutes ago, Maestro said:

Thank you.

 

Therefore, the email you got from the Thai embassy in London is a clear indication that they will send your passport with visa back to you by mail, ie no personal visit to the embassy, neither to submit the documents nor to pick up your passport, if I understand this correctly.

Either method is allowed the way I read it.

 

The question I asked was:

Quote

If I apply using the new evisa system for a Tourist or Non Imm – O visa, can you confirm you can return this by post and how this is achieved?  Do I add a fee or enclose a paid for envelope or something else, and is this indicated anywhere on the website?

 

[VBF]

26 minutes ago, treetops said:

Either method is allowed the way I read it.

 

The question I asked was:

 

To try and answer this point: You have 2 Choices 

 

Choice 1 You can CHOOSE to visit the embassy by appointment to deliver your documents and then possibly have to visit again to collect your PP/visa.

 

 ** OR **

 

Choice 2 You can CHOOSE to send your documents by Special Delivery and include EITHER...£10 for return of the passport by Special Delivery, OR a prepaid Special Delivery envelope addressed to yourself

 

(I prefer Choice 2 as it goes.)

 

Does that clear it up?

Edited June 22, 2019 by VBF

[treetops]

That's been my understanding since I received their email, although they didn't explicitly state that a prepaid envelope was OK.  Based on previous history though I would say it's a safe bet.

[Lovethailandelite]

1 hour ago, treetops said:

Sorry, I thought Lovethailandelite was querying whether that service was still available and I was reinforcing your view with backup from the Thai Embasssy in London.

I was querying if a prepaid envelope could still be used, not if you could post the documents after you applied online and then had the application approved.

Edited June 22, 2019 by Lovethailandelite

[Tanoshi]

3 hours ago, Maestro said:

Are delivering the paper copies of the documents and receiving the the visa both done in one visit to the embassy?

You make an appointment for submission in person of documents and next day collection of passport.

http://www.thaiembassy.org/london/en/services/7742/84396-How-to-apply-for-visa-in-person.html

You also have the option to submit by post.

http://www.thaiembassy.org/london/en/services/7742/84397-How-to-apply-visa-by-post.html

Edited June 22, 2019 by Tanoshi

[lamyai3]

12 hours ago, Tanoshi said:

If true, that's good news for the over 50's who want to retire early to Thailand.

Since 2015, they've only had the choice of entering VE, or on a TV, then converting, or applying for the Non Imm O-A.

Until very recently the Non O/A was extremely easy to get. Before last year there wasn't even a need for three months seasoning in a UK bank account, a single current bank statement was accepted. Hard to interpret any of these changes as more user friendly than those they replaced. 

[ubonjoe]

12 hours ago, Lovethailandelite said:

The parameters of the system are locked by Thai Immigration.

Do you have any published proof of what you wrote above and other things you have posted related to the e visa.I have asked for the same info from you before but have seen nothing in reply to those posts.

I am certain immigration has nothing to do with visa applications at embassy and consulate. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs takes care of the that.

At the most there might be a check via immigration that a applicant is not on the blacklist or banned from entry.

Another point is is the approval of the visas being done in Bangkok. I am 99% sure that is not correct. A embassy or consulate will be signing and stamping the visa stickers which indicates they are the approval point for the application. Why else would you have to drop off your passport along with the original supporting documents that were uploaded on the e visa site at the embassy and then return to pickup your passport.

[BritTim]

Do others interpret this the same way I do?

Quote

General requirements (effective from 15 June 2019)

1. The Embassy is open for visa application from Monday - Friday from 09.00 am - 12.00 pm. Applicants are required to submit their visa application forms and supporting documents, as well as make payment online, before booking an appointment to come to the Embassy with their passports, the printout of their visa application form with barcode, and a copy of supporting documents. The Embassy reserves the rights to request more supporting documents as necessary.

As I understand it, this means they can deny your application outright (with no refund of the application fee) or they can wait until you attend the embassy and then inform you that they will not grant the visa without additional documents. If my interpretation is correct, I wonder what happens with postal applications if the embassy wants to see additional documents. Will they phone/email you?

[mngmn]

14 hours ago, BritTim said:

The Non O-A is possible if you are over 50. The METV is risky for regular visits unless willing to go to the hassle and expense of flying to neighbouring countries (rather than direct to Thailand) and entering by land. Immigration reserves the right to decide you should not have been issued the METV if you do not fit their profile of a "genuine tourist".

Aware of those points. Will be saving my money and using visa exempt as I am now living in Australia and only making infrequent trips.