Visa Manila

[martaway]

hi

has anyone recently obtained a visa at the Thai Embassy in Manila ?

would be interested to know how long it took and what type of visa available

thx

[Crossy]

Every report we've had here says forget it! Not a friendly embassy.

I do know someone who actually got a tourist visa there a year or so back. Made him jump through all sorts of hoops, he just kept going back with whatever rediculous requirement they came up with eventually they gave him the visa to get rid of him.

[troy04]

hi

has anyone recently obtained a visa at the Thai Embassy in Manila ?

would be interested to know how long it took and what type of visa available

thx

End March 2008:

I received a tourist visa from Manila TH Embassy 10 days ago!

First they wanted to refuse my application because of the '90 days within 180 day period' policy, even the 3 mths I stayed in TH previously were on a non-immi visa, not on a tourist or arrival visa for which this rule applies...

In my understanding that policy doesn't apply for non immi visas since (if they are multiple entry) they allow to stay several times up to 3 mths within one year. Wouldn’t make sense!

After letting me wait for 3 hours until all of the 33 people who came after me were finished, they reconsidered and decided to give me the tourist single entry visa. Therefore was no risk to loose the 1400 pesos fee through their no-refund policy.

They asked for and copied my credit card (had to fight not get number, code and expiry date of it copied) even I had over 50'000 baht worth cash foreign currency and TC. I also had written a letter with the reasons why I needed a tourist visa, for example a family visit to TH (which I was not able to proof).

On their pin board is a list of their visa requirements. I was not asked for and didn't need to show a hotel reservation (anyway I rent a condo in TH).

As required I had copies of Philippines visa and entry stamp. Printed schedule of electronic ticket for return and onward ticket. The onward ticket was a reservation only (the departure date from bkk was after desired tourist visa and extension of it would have expired). Both of it could be written by yourself, there was nothing official as a letter head or a bar code!

Didn't need a bank statement, didn't have my condo contract or my TH bank books with me but mentioned them in my letter. Didn't get a stamp in my passport that I could not apply there a second time.

Getting there isn't that difficult!

Taxi from Malate/Ermita near Robinsons was 85 pesos and took about half an hour at 9am.

2nd time I took LRT (sky train) to Gil Puyat station 15 pesos and from there aircon bus (Ayala sign) to Ayala area (Makati) get off at Erera stop 10 pesos and walk 5 minutes. Took 30 minutes at 3pm!

Since everybody speaks English and is quite educated and helpful all is very easy to find (imagine here in TH even you speak a little bit Thai...)!

Just copy everything you can imagine could be required and bring it with you!

Of course the handle you as if you would be a beggar, hic you are in some kind, and you have to quite almost beg to get a visa to get permission to spend your money in their kingdom. For me it was worth it!

[tropo]

Every report we've had here says forget it! Not a friendly embassy.

And going by Troy's reports, nothing has changed.

Edited April 6, 2008 by tropo

[lapamita]

JUST ONE WORD FORGET THIS EMBASY

if you go to PHP make your visa on the way

go from BKK to KL and tan to clark by Airasia and make on a stoppover your visa in kl

or

go by tigerairways stopover singapore than to clark and make your visa in singapore

if youre in the PHP and want to go to thaild make it the oposit way.

[jonniebkk]

has anyone recently obtained a visa at the Thai Embassy in Manila ?

[dr_Pat_Pong]

The staff there are wanke_rs.

[jonniebkk]

I think if one of these was actually found to exist, it would become a high-priced collectors item...sorta like that rare upside airmail airplane stamp

Like the stamp, it was something that was issued by mistake.

Edited April 6, 2008 by jonniebkk

[Maestro]

...I also had written a letter with the reasons why I needed a tourist visa

I’d bet it was your letter that did it. You see, everything that you submit to a consulate has to be filed and can be pulled up if later a complaint should be made. The information required on the application form is rather basic and thus it is relatively easy for a consulate with Manila’s reputation to explain a rejection, but when there is a covering letter with a reasonable justification for the application it gets more difficult to reject it. You gave a bona fide reason for your application and by stating it in writing in a covering letter with your application you made it too risky for the consulate to reject it.

--

Maestro

[jamesthefirst]

hi

has anyone recently obtained a visa at the Thai Embassy in Manila ?

would be interested to know how long it took and what type of visa available

thx

Hi,

I obtained a non-immigrant O visa from Manila six months ago.

I found the staff extremely friendly and courteous.

A couple of differences I found there that did not apply in Vientiane, where I usually go were that instead of collecting my passport and visa the day after the application, they told me to go back two days later.

Also on top of the usual documents I had to provide a letter addressed to the consular section from my wife, asking for them to grant me the visa.

The Filipino chap behind the counter who dealt with me even gave me his mobile number so that I could check on the status of my application any time I wanted to.

Edited April 7, 2008 by jamesthefirst