Are Honorary Thai Consulates Authorized To Issue Visas?

[klaus2005]

I am sure you can help me...out of urgent need I would like to know if Honorary Thai Consulates (Honorary Thai Consulate in Innsbruck/Austria) are also authorized to issue regular non immigrant visas!

Thank you so much for your help!

[lopburi3]

Yes. That is there primary function.

[Crossy]

Yep, agree with lop ^^^

One caveat. I don't know about Austria, but in the UK the consulates cannot issue retirement visas, these must be processed by the embassy in London. Non-immigrant B and O etc. along with Tourist visas are no problem

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Yep, agree with lop ^^^

One caveat. I don't know about Austria, but in the UK the consulates cannot issue retirement visas, these must be processed by the embassy in London. Non-immigrant B and O etc. along with Tourist visas are no problem

They certainly can issue Non-Immigrant O visa's in the UK which can be extended for those meeting the age and income / asset requirements. The Royal Thai Consulate Hull also features a specific application form for the issuance of Non-Immigrant O-A retirement visa's.

[jazzbo]

I would reply to Kuhn Lopburi's statement that issuing visas is an Honorary Consul's primary function. I received 2 non-Imm visa's from such a consul (before a Retirement extension) and have thought about it though not discussed it with the Honorary Consulate.

I would say their primary function is to assist Thai citizens in the USA or some other country. The USA is quite large with an Embassy in Washington and official consulates in NYC, Chicago, and LA. There are lots of Thai citizens (working or going to university) in Texas, Florida, Colorado, and other places quite a distance from the above cities and the special consulate can provide more immediate assistance.

As a reward for providing this service to Thai citizens, the Honorary Consuls are allowed to issue visas to Thailand which provides them with some offsetting income...and is maybe why they are easier to deal with than the officiall embassy or consulates.

[astral]

There are some limitations.

I asked the honorary Thai consul in Beirut if he could certify some Thai documents for me,

and the asnwer was No. I would have to wait until the full Consul visited from Saudi.

[timonase]

i can not tell you about austria, but hamburg, germany, issues all kinds of visas.

regards

Timo

[Crossy]

Yep, agree with lop ^^^

One caveat. I don't know about Austria, but in the UK the consulates cannot issue retirement visas, these must be processed by the embassy in London. Non-immigrant B and O etc. along with Tourist visas are no problem

They certainly can issue Non-Immigrant O visa's in the UK which can be extended for those meeting the age and income / asset requirements. The Royal Thai Consulate Hull also features a specific application form for the issuance of Non-Immigrant O-A retirement visa's.

It does indeed Doc. Maybe a new update, but certainly 2 years ago non O-A visas were restricted to the embassy only. Perhaps clarification from Hull would be an idea, I'll drop them an email, they seem pretty good at resonding

Non-Os for later extension in Thailand have never been a problem

Edited May 5, 2007 by Crossy

[Lotusbluete]

i can not tell you about austria, but hamburg, germany, issues all kinds of visas.

regards

Timo

Hallo Timo,

I had the opposite experience in Hamburg. The secretary (maybe not even the consul!) strictly denied to issue Non-B- Visa although I had all my papers with me. Reason: Because I just had all the papers. She suspected I would work in Thailand. No chance! BTW got the visa with another consulate in Germany. No problem...

[steffi]

Be advised that the consulate in Chicago will not issue multiple entry non immigrant visas. I've been married for 5 years and have all the documentation but they still won't do it without providing a satisfactory reason.

I am sure you can help me...out of urgent need I would like to know if Honorary Thai Consulates (Honorary Thai Consulate in Innsbruck/Austria) are also authorized to issue regular non immigrant visas!

Thank you so much for your help!

[lopburi3]

denied to issue Non-B- Visa although I had all my papers with me. Reason: Because I just had all the papers. She suspected I would work in Thailand.

That is normally the reason you apply for that type of visa? I guess you had paperwork from an overseas company to make visits rather than employment type?

the consulate in Chicago will not issue multiple entry non immigrant visas. I've been married for 5 years and have all the documentation but they still won't do it without providing a satisfactory reason.

Do you have any idea what a "satisfactory reason" might be? Normally visiting your wife would be considered a good reason but if you are under age 50 there may be suspicion you plan to stay (rather than visit) and work under the radar so they would only want to issue single entry and have you extend your stay at Immigration (this seems to be common at most Official Consulates these days). But are you saying they will issue multi entry to those who prove themselves (such as offshore oil workers and such)?

[ovenman]

Be advised that the consulate in Chicago will not issue multiple entry non immigrant visas. I've been married for 5 years and have all the documentation but they still won't do it without providing a satisfactory reason.

If you check this thread, the current claim at the Thai consulate in Chicago is that they cannot issue any multi-entry non-immigrant visas for any purpose apart from education. That sounds like b.s. though, I suspect that cannot really translates into will not.

Edited May 7, 2007 by ovenman

[cooL_guY_corY]

the Honorary Thai Consulate in Edmonton , Canada, has issused me tourist visas easily in the past, and i have seen people getting NON IMM visas, but as i am going to school soon, the school is preparing the acceptance docs in Thai and has expressed concern that since no thai people work there and its just an honorary consulate that they will not accept the all-Thai docs, and that i should use the Embassy in Ottawa or the Consulate in Vancouver. I am having a difficult making contact with the Honorary Consulate to ask them about this but does any one have experience in providing docs all in Thai and obtaining a visa ? i am getting a Non IMM - ED visa.

[yatyisam]

Be advised that the consulate in Chicago will not issue multiple entry non immigrant visas. I've been married for 5 years and have all the documentation but they still won't do it without providing a satisfactory reason.

If you check this thread, the current claim at the Thai consulate in Chicago is that they cannot issue any multi-entry non-immigrant visas for any purpose apart from education. That sounds like b.s. though, I suspect that cannot really translates into will not.

I know the OP was not talking about the US, but FYI my American friends and I have had no problems with getting multiple entry visas at honorary Thai consulates in Houston, Dallas, and Denver.

[steffi]

They gave no satisfactory reason just said they cannot which is why I knew they were just being difficult and at the end of the day would rather I pay now and more later instead of just now. Given that my wife can walk into the British consulate and get a multiple entry valid for 2 years visitors visa it really pisses me off when the Thai consulate doesn't cooperate. I rang around the embassy and other consulates and they told me that they shouldn't have any problem issuing multiple entry as they do it all the time. It's just the Chicago consulate that's always difficult. They also told me that they couldn't handle my case and that Chicago had juristiction over my application.

the consulate in Chicago will not issue multiple entry non immigrant visas. I've been married for 5 years and have all the documentation but they still won't do it without providing a satisfactory reason.

Do you have any idea what a "satisfactory reason" might be? Normally visiting your wife would be considered a good reason but if you are under age 50 there may be suspicion you plan to stay (rather than visit) and work under the radar so they would only want to issue single entry and have you extend your stay at Immigration (this seems to be common at most Official Consulates these days). But are you saying they will issue multi entry to those who prove themselves (such as offshore oil workers and such)?

[ovenman]

They gave no satisfactory reason just said they cannot which is why I knew they were just being difficult and at the end of the day would rather I pay now and more later instead of just now. Given that my wife can walk into the British consulate and get a multiple entry valid for 2 years visitors visa it really pisses me off when the Thai consulate doesn't cooperate. I rang around the embassy and other consulates and they told me that they shouldn't have any problem issuing multiple entry as they do it all the time. It's just the Chicago consulate that's always difficult. They also told me that they couldn't handle my case and that Chicago had juristiction over my application.

One gets the impression that some of these local policies are in place simply based on the whims of the powers-that-be at the consular office in question. Isn't it the Thai consulate in Los Angeles that pretty much won't issue a retirement visa to any applicant, no matter how detailed their application/paperwork is?

[jostein]

Are Honorary Thai Consulates Authorized To Issue Visas?

They most certainly are! My feel-good story: After worrying for about three months if I would be able to stay in Thailand with my gf (knowing that she can not come to Norway for a long time, as Norwegian government are pretty afraid of people from other parts of the world wanting to stay in our cold climate voluntarily), I wrote a mail to the Hon. Consulate in Hull, UK. Asking if they could give me a mutiple entry tourist visa. Next day they answered: We can give you a multiple non-immigrant visa instead. Next question: what documentation do I need? Answer: Nothing! Made an appointment by telephone to come and get a non-imm. multiple visa. Paid £100, had the visa stamp in 5 minutes. In total this cost me about £400, as I had to visit UK from my home in Norway. But it is worth it. As the Thai embassy in Norway has a very simple policy towards people wanting to visit their country for an extended time: "We could not care less about you, your little shit...".

Happy man now .

Jostein

[astral]

One gets the impression that some of these local policies are in place simply based on the whims of the powers-that-be at the consular office in question. Isn't it the Thai consulate in Los Angeles that pretty much won't issue a retirement visa to any applicant, no matter how detailed their application/paperwork is?

Being authorised to do something and being willing to do it are not always the same, especially if you are a Thai consul.

In the past have been refused multi-entry Non Imm O visas in Sydney, Australia and Hongkong, even though I met all the requirements at the time.

The other side of the coin was the Thai Embassy in Lisbon, Portugal, who issued a Non Imm O visa in 30 minutes as there were

both Thai and Portugese holidays that would complicate when I could pick up the passport.

[Maestro]

Be advised that the consulate in Chicago will not issue multiple entry non immigrant visas.

But the consulate in Chicago is not an honorary consulate, is it?

The jobsworths in some government-staffed Thai consulates consider it below their dignity to issue visas

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Maestro