Just to let you know that payment for UK visas. in Thailand, is now in Thai Baht.   Today, a 6 - month visit visa cost 4064 THB, which is 97.62 GBP at today's rate of exchange. I think this is a lot cheaper that the USD exchange rate.

Thanks for the heads up Tony ????

 

I believe this takes effect from 18 February

Any idea if you can pay with a Thai bank card?

3 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

Any idea if you can pay with a Thai bank card?

It's still an online payment system, so whilst I don't know for sure, I don't see why not.

 

https://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/th/en/news/uk-visas-and-immigration-payment-improvements

Be nice if I could get a refund on the 2 year visa at a cost of £361 that my wife has only been able to use once due to travel restrictions.  Always puzzled me why they required payment in $US. 

 

Anyway, now need to find another £1700 for ASQ as we have flights booked and paid for via UAE....when they resume.

17 hours ago, DaLa said:

Be nice if I could get a refund on the 2 year visa at a cost of £361 that my wife has only been able to use once due to travel restrictions.  Always puzzled me why they required payment in $US. 

The UKVI will argue that the fee is the cost of processing the application, and they’ve processed the application.

 

Some years ago the charge was the same whatever the length of the visa applied for, they introduced a higher fee for longer term visas, as a way to generate more income, probably ten years ago.

13 hours ago, theoldgit said:

Thanks for the heads up Tony ????

 

I believe this takes effect from 18 February

It has already started.  It was supposed to have started on 18th January, but we noted that it was still charging in USD after that date. After informing the Home Office/UKVI. they sorted out a technical problem, and it is now in THB. 

That´s good!

17 hours ago, DaLa said:

Anyway, now need to find another £1700 for ASQ as we have flights booked and paid for via UAE....when they resume.

 

Both Etihad and Emirates are flying passengers from the UK currently (freight only on inbound) although not on all routes.  Emirates, for example, are only serving Heathrow and Manchester if that's any help.

It would be nice if the Thai Consulate in Ho Chi Minh would take note of what UKVI have done (dreaming I know) - $200 US for a 5000 baht Non O is one hell of a 'poor exchange rate'.

6 hours ago, treetops said:

Both Etihad and Emirates are flying passengers from the UK currently (freight only on inbound) although not on all routes.  Emirates, for example, are only serving Heathrow and Manchester if that's any help.

Don't even think about booking a return flight with either of those airlines at the moment - the UAE are on the 'Red List' therefore travellers simply transiting through the UAE will have to do paid quarantine when they arrive in the UK. That is regardless of where their original departure was from.

 

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/transport-measures-to-protect-the-uk-from-variant-strains-of-covid-19

21 hours ago, KhaoYai said:

Don't even think about booking a return flight with either of those airlines at the moment

 

I'm holding a Thailand to UK ticket with Emirates for a postponed trip last year.  They'll hold it for 2 years so if nothing changes and I want to travel I'll book elsewhere and keep this one for better times.

Nonsense troll post removed.

On 2/16/2021 at 4:14 PM, Tony M said:

Just to let you know that payment for UK visas. in Thailand, is now in Thai Baht.   Today, a 6 - month visit visa cost 4064 THB, which is 97.62 GBP at today's rate of exchange. I think this is a lot cheaper that the USD exchange rate.

10 years ago I paid in Thai baht (I think 4k) at UK Borders Agency office in Regent House for a 6 month visitor visa for my wife.

17 hours ago, Red Forever said:

10 years ago I paid in Thai baht (I think 4k) at UK Borders Agency office in Regent House for a 6 month visitor visa for my wife.

 

That was certainly possible 10 years ago.

 

But the government decided in 2013 that all visa fees outside the UK must be paid in US dollars. The reason they gave being that with the move to online applications and payment it was simpler to use one currency worldwide instead of many.

 

They refused when asked to explain why they chose USD rather than Sterling.

Whilst I applaud the ability to pay in Thai Baht (Sterling should also be an option as it is a UK visa .... and the fees are Sterling based).

 

 

 

Can anyone tell me where VfS get their exchange rates from?  A family visa is quoted at £1,523 but VfS manage to quote approx 68,500 Baht ....... an exchange of 44.9!! ... I wish....

1 hour ago, hotandsticky said:

Can anyone tell me where VfS get their exchange rates from?  A family visa is quoted at £1,523 but VfS manage to quote approx 68,500 Baht ....... an exchange of 44.9!! ... I wish....

The rates are set, and collected by, the UKVI.

1 minute ago, theoldgit said:

The rates are set, and collected by, the UKVI.

 

 

That is usury, the rate is totally unjustified.

9 hours ago, hotandsticky said:

That is usury, the rate is totally unjustified.

 

I'm certainly not arguing with that point, though they don't set the rate as often as the currency fluctuates so it's always set well in their favour.

 

It used to be set at what they call the "Consular rate", I don't know if that's still the case.

 

I wonder if your former colleagues have ever been accused of of usury ????

6 hours ago, theoldgit said:

 

I'm certainly not arguing with that point, though they don't set the rate as often as the currency fluctuates so it's always set well in their favour.

 

It used to be set at what they call the "Consular rate", I don't know if that's still the case.

 

I wonder if your former colleagues have ever been accused of of usury ????

 

 

Ha Ha ....................... hands up to the last question  (not me, of course ????)