Certificate of Entry - "Pre-Approval"

[David Roberts]

I have registered and uploaded all the required documents for the initial step of the COE process. I received almost immediately an automated email saying I had been "pre-approved". The instructions say once pre-approved, we can start uploading documents about flights and ASQ hotel. However the system just returns "Your application is under consideration" when I attempt that. Am I missing something? Perhaps that immediate email just means that I've successfully registered, and I must still wait 3 business days before I can start the second step? Anyone experiencing this problem?

[bluezircon]

I just checked my emails. My application was "pre-approved", then a few hours later it was "confirmed". Only then could I upload more docs.

 

Hopefully you'll get it soon.

[David Roberts]

Yes, thanks. Mine took 3 days + but I just received the same "confirmed".  

[wanderingengine]

I am applying from the US (Los Angeles consulate). Mine was rejected because I did not enter a "complete address in Thailand". I suppose that this would be the quarantine hotel, but I have not reserved this since I don't yet have pre-approval.

 

How are others handling this?

[houstoniron]

How soon before you travel do you have to get a COE for "pre-aproval". If you leave Thialnd for 4 weeks, can you apply for the Pre-Approval COE before you travel?

[DFPhuket]

38 minutes ago, wanderingengine said:

I am applying from the US (Los Angeles consulate). Mine was rejected because I did not enter a "complete address in Thailand". I suppose that this would be the quarantine hotel, but I have not reserved this since I don't yet have pre-approval.

 

How are others handling this?

When I applied I listed a hotel at the pre approval stage, but then due to their lack of responsiveness, I changed it to a different one. After being pre approved, when I was asked to update the SHA+ receipt, itinerary, etc, I changed the hotel name and uploaded the SHA+ certificate. The COE was approved with no issues. I'd go ahead and list the hotel you are thinking about so you can get the pre approval. 

[DFPhuket]

Just now, houstoniron said:

How soon before you travel do you have to get a COE for "pre-aproval". If you leave Thialnd for 4 weeks, can you apply for the Pre-Approval COE before you travel?

They seem to be approving based upon the travel date you list in the pre application. So it won't hurt to apply early, but you probably won't get approved for a week or more if your travel is later.

 

After pre approval you have a maximum of 15 days to upload all of the other required documents (flight details, hotel, etc.) or your pre approval will be cancelled. 

[SunsetT]

Dont forget govt. employees do not work at weekends so expect to wait at least until Monday.

[statman78]

32 minutes ago, houstoniron said:

How soon before you travel do you have to get a COE for "pre-aproval". If you leave Thialnd for 4 weeks, can you apply for the Pre-Approval COE before you travel?

I arrived back in Thailand 2 weeks ago.  I applied for my COE 5 weeks before I travelled.  It took 1 day to get the pre-approval then another 3 business days to get final approval.

[mikecha]

got mine this week first fill  the Embassy 

with the application form  u get a 6 number code send s you an automatic reply that your documents have been received  

 

later i got a mail of approval  and could upload my asq and flight  you have 15 days to do this 

 

 

after sending it was about an hour i got my coe letter  print out u need for the airline 

[jojothai]

2 hours ago, houstoniron said:

How soon before you travel do you have to get a COE for "pre-aproval". If you leave Thialnd for 4 weeks, can you apply for the Pre-Approval COE before you travel?

 

2 hours ago, DFPhuket said:

They seem to be approving based upon the travel date you list in the pre application. So it won't hurt to apply early, but you probably won't get approved for a week or more if your travel is later.

 

After pre approval you have a maximum of 15 days to upload all of the other required documents (flight details, hotel, etc.) or your pre approval will be cancelled. 

Just clarifying what that means. You would have to book your ASQ hotel to get confirmation within the 15 days period.
In your case maybe 2 weeks before your return date.

Are you happy to book the ASQ hotel this long before you intend to travel? Things can change.

Are you confident on the return date.  Check the ASQ refund or rebooking conditions.

[Kinok Powell]

22 hours ago, wanderingengine said:

I am applying from the US (Los Angeles consulate). Mine was rejected because I did not enter a "complete address in Thailand". I suppose that this would be the quarantine hotel, but I have not reserved this since I don't yet have pre-approval.

 

How are others handling this?

I actually have an address in Thailand but coming back under the Sandbox thingy.Anyone know which Thai address to put on the COE,home or hotel? Cheers,KP.

[ubonjoe]

4 minutes ago, Kinok Powell said:

I actually have an address in Thailand but coming back under the Sandbox thingy.Anyone know which Thai address to put on the COE,home or hotel? Cheers,KP.

I would say your home address. They will have your hotel in Phuket info after you submit the reservation.

[Kinok Powell]

1 minute ago, ubonjoe said:

I would say your home address. They will have your hotel in Phuket info after you submit the reservation.

Thanks Joe.

[Lee4Life]

I applied for our COE three weeks ago, which was over four weeks before our flights, and it still shows "under consideration". A few days after I applied, the status indicated I needed to upload more documentation such as the airlines reservation proof and two other documents which I had already uploaded at the time of application. I uploaded all of the requested documents but ever since it has just shown "under consideration".  

Edited July 11, 2021 by Lee4Life

[bluezircon]

59 minutes ago, Lee4Life said:

I applied for our COE three weeks ago, which was over four weeks before our flights, and it still shows "under consideration". A few days after I applied, the status indicated I needed to upload more documentation such as the airlines reservation proof and two other documents which I had already uploaded at the time of application. I uploaded all of the requested documents but ever since it has just shown "under consideration".  

Sounds like something has gone wrong there.

 

When I did my visa at least one email from Embassy didn't arrive in my inbox, they quickly sorted it when I emailed asking why the application was taking so long.

 

Try contacting Thai Embassy.

[Joe Mama]

The Thai LA Consulate is basically a mess!  I applied for the program in June, & did my initial input which was all approved.  On June 30th I added my Flight Data, & my SHA+ Hotel info as requested.  when I checked it again on July 2, the COE system asked me to re-enter my flight & hotel data.  The PDF files of both receipts were still there; however, they had apparently dropped all the other input...I believe they hadn't switched over their software yet from recognizing the former QSA hotels to the SHA+ hotels?  I waited several more days, & then on July 8th they said my COE request was "Not approved due to the Hotel & Flight to Phuket"!   They told me to re-apply, but at that point I was out of time to screw around with trying to do that as my flight was departing in just 4 more working days!  Plus, I didn't want to lose my hotel cost ($500 +), or my airfare ($1,200 +), so at that point the only logical choice was for me to cancel all the arrangements that I had spent over a month, & over $2,000 putting together!  Don't even bother wasting your valuable Time or Money on this stupid Phuket Sandbox BS...It's been a month long nightmare for me, & I'm still out over $300 on nonrefundable Covid-19 Insurance & related travel expenses!  I sent the LA Thai Consulate an email asking them why I was rejected...it came back as undeliverable as addressed!

[superal]

On 7/10/2021 at 11:47 AM, mikecha said:

got mine this week first fill  the Embassy 

with the application form  u get a 6 number code send s you an automatic reply that your documents have been received  

 

later i got a mail of approval  and could upload my asq and flight  you have 15 days to do this 

 

 

after sending it was about an hour i got my coe letter  print out u need for the airline 

Was this the London Thai embassy ?  Also when you booked your hotel  ( also how ) , at what stage were you asked for the money to pay for the 3 covid tests ? this is confusing for me as it does not appear in the SHA + hotel costs .

[mikecha]

13 hours ago, superal said:

Was this the London Thai embassy ?  Also when you booked your hotel  ( also how ) , at what stage were you asked for the money to pay for the 3 covid tests ? this is confusing for me as it does not appear in the SHA + hotel costs .

The Hague  Netherlands have all in quarantine in BKK no sand box

booked hotel flight  sent  after mail approval again open your loginwith 6 number code up load done get your document  for sha i dont know

[wanderingengine]

On 7/10/2021 at 8:03 AM, DFPhuket said:

When I applied I listed a hotel at the pre approval stage, but then due to their lack of responsiveness, I changed it to a different one. After being pre approved, when I was asked to update the SHA+ receipt, itinerary, etc, I changed the hotel name and uploaded the SHA+ certificate. The COE was approved with no issues. I'd go ahead and list the hotel you are thinking about so you can get the pre approval. 

I'm still trying to get the pre-approval from the LA consulate. This time, I was rejected with a message that I did not upload my flight ticket.

 

I thought that we were supposed to buy the flight after we have the pre-approval, not before. I don't want to end up with a ticket that I lose money on if something administrative fails here...

Edited July 14, 2021 by wanderingengine
details

[DFPhuket]

1 hour ago, wanderingengine said:

I'm still trying to get the pre-approval from the LA consulate. This time, I was rejected with a message that I did not upload my flight ticket.

 

I thought that we were supposed to buy the flight after we have the pre-approval, not before. I don't want to end up with a ticket that I lose money on if something administrative fails here...

I don't understand since there isn't even a place on the pre approval to add your flight details. Perhaps the expected travel date was left blank? Not sure what else to suggest other than logging in, clicking the yellow edit box and seeing if something seems missing. 

[wanderingengine]

23 hours ago, DFPhuket said:

I don't understand since there isn't even a place on the pre approval to add your flight details. Perhaps the expected travel date was left blank? Not sure what else to suggest other than logging in, clicking the yellow edit box and seeing if something seems missing. 

I don't understand it either.

 

The travel date was not blank. According to the rules that I can find, you are supposed to buy the airline ticket after you have pre-approval, not before.

 

Since the airline is quite flexible about destinations, I went ahead and purchased the ticket. I uploaded it in "other documents for consideration". It has now been more than 7 days since I first applied for pre-approval -- I'm starting to lose confidence in this process.

Edited July 15, 2021 by wanderingengine

[DFPhuket]

17 hours ago, wanderingengine said:

Since the airline is quite flexible about destinations, I went ahead and purchased the ticket. I uploaded it in "other documents for consideration". It has now been more than 7 days since I first applied for pre-approval -- I'm starting to lose confidence in this process.

My experience (I applied thru the Chicago consulate) was that the vaccine certificate had to be approved by health authorities in Bangkok and that slowed things down. Once I got the pre approval, I added the documents on the second step and received my COE on the same day.

 

They seem to be reviewing and approving based upon the departure date. So if your departure is more than a couple of weeks in the future, there will be a delay as they do the earlier ones first. 

[superal]

4 hours ago, DFPhuket said:

My experience (I applied thru the Chicago consulate) was that the vaccine certificate had to be approved by health authorities in Bangkok and that slowed things down. Once I got the pre approval, I added the documents on the second step and received my COE on the same day.

 

They seem to be reviewing and approving based upon the departure date. So if your departure is more than a couple of weeks in the future, there will be a delay as they do the earlier ones first. 

My gripe is that if you want to ask a question to the Thai embassy in London and you are calling by phone , I have been in a queue in position of number 20 . I waited patiently for over 1 hour and when eventually connected to an assistant I merely stated that she must be busy cos I had a long wait and she hung up . Calling the London embassy for a simple query will always put you in a queue so I tend to use an email which is normally answered within 24 hours . 

[Captain Vas Deferens]

People that entered on COE Visa exempt, did the airline ask for to see return ticket? 

[ubonjoe]

27 minutes ago, Captain Vas Deferens said:

People that entered on COE Visa exempt, did the airline ask for to see return ticket? 

A return ticket is not required. All that is needed is a ticket out of the country within 45 days of arrival. It can be a one way ticket to anywhere or a temporary onward ticket you can find online.

[Lee4Life]

On 7/11/2021 at 9:38 AM, bluezircon said:

Sounds like something has gone wrong there.

 

When I did my visa at least one email from Embassy didn't arrive in my inbox, they quickly sorted it when I emailed asking why the application was taking so long.

 

Try contacting Thai Embassy.

I contacted the LA consulate via e-mail and explained that our applications had been "under consideration" for over three weeks, they replied, "your CEO application is currently under review by one of our CEO Officers". That was one week ago. Our flights leave in five days and we don't know whether or not to continue as far as getting the preflight covid test or not.

 

[richard_smith237]

4 minutes ago, Lee4Life said:

I contacted the LA consulate via e-mail and explained that our applications had been "under consideration" for over three weeks, they replied, "your CEO application is currently under review by one of our CEO Officers". That was one week ago. Our flights leave in five days and we don't know whether or not to continue as far as getting the preflight covid test or not.

 

E-mail again, and keep e-mailing each day until you get a reply. 

 

Have you also called ?

 

 

 

[Lee4Life]

On 7/14/2021 at 2:35 AM, DFPhuket said:

I don't understand since there isn't even a place on the pre approval to add your flight details. Perhaps the expected travel date was left blank? Not sure what else to suggest other than logging in, clicking the yellow edit box and seeing if something seems missing. 

There isn't any place to upload those documents, in my case they sent me an e-mail, the exact same e-mail they sent when I first applied, and then I went in and checked my status via the COE link they sent and it said I needed to upload our air reservations and two more documents I had already uploaded.

[Lee4Life]

4 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

E-mail again, and keep e-mailing each day until you get a reply. 

 

Have you also called ?

 

 

 

I'll e-mail again, I did receive a reply...but it seemed to be a generic one just saying the same thing the COE app told me. (under consideration) The sad part is that now we are coming into the weekend here on the West Coast and our flights are on Tuesday. It's a little nerve racking when we have thousands of dollars tied up in health insurance, covid insurance, quarantine packages and airfares. It does seem that they could be a bit more organized.

 

Edited July 16, 2021 by Lee4Life