COE Delay (10 days total so far)... ??

[moon47]

Short end is :

I have been waiting about 10days for my COE and am a bit nervous.

(1day after application/9days after travel conformation)

 

I submitted my COE application on the 2nd.

I then received and completed the travel confirmation on the 3rd

I also received an email "Thai Consulate-General, Los Angeles has received your travel confirmation" on the same day the 3rd.

 

I called the embassy on the 10th because I was reading the 3days stated on the code page https://coethailand.mfa.go.th/regis/step?language=en

 

She kept saying "you have to wait" and something about 15days. I was confused so I said thank you any way and she hung up on me.

Then I remembered another notice on the embassy web site.

 https://thaiembdc.org/visas/ 

Quote

Due to the large number of travelers requesting the COE,
please be informed that the estimated time for the pre-approval process is around 3-7 days

and the COE will be issued within 3-7 days after you submit all required documents and provide all relevant information. 

Hence, the whole process could take up to 15 days.

 

Do I really have to wait 15days to get my COE? I am definitely over 7 days since the travel confirmation.

 

Has anyone else had delays in receiving a COE longer than stated on https://thaiembdc.org/visas/ 

 

I sent the below email to the Embassy on the 13th, so 24hrs now and no reply to that. I am getting worried. This does not seem right.

 

Quote

It has been 8 days since this email was received.

 

Per the website https://thaiembdc.org/visas/ it should only take between 3-7 days after the travel confirmation is received.

 

"the COE will be issued within 3-7 days after you submit all required documents and provide all relevant information. "

 

...

 

Please explain why there is a delay in my COE approval past the stated timeframe.

 

 

Sincerely,

 

Ryan Mooney

 

[ezzra]

If i were you and was ignored by the embassy and the consulate i would right or even phone the TAT department in charge of the Coe here in Thailand and tell them your grievances maybe they will listen...

[ubonjoe]

20 minutes ago, ezzra said:

If i were you and was ignored by the embassy and the consulate i would right or even phone the TAT department in charge of the Coe here in Thailand and tell them your grievances maybe they will listen...

TAT has nothing to do with the COE issuance. It is entirely done by a the MFA and the embassy or official consulate you are applying to.

[IAMHERE]

I recieved mine a week before flight take-off; after waiting 7 days.  I think there is an unnanounced policy of holding your approval until 7-8 days before your travel date.  There may be last minute changes from the home country so they don't want a bunch of 'formerly okay' COE's out there, just a weeks worth. Let us know how many days before flying you get your email approval notification.

Edited August 17, 2021 by IAMHERE
clearity

[fauxie]

I'm stuck still trying to submit my COE application. Plan to travel 12th of September so still plenty of time, but the site won't accept my NHS Covid Pass pdf. Just asks me to attach vaccination certificate even though I already have.

 

It's just unbelievable. I guess I'll call the embassy in London and ask them what I should do.

Edited August 17, 2021 by fauxie

[dj230]

43 minutes ago, fauxie said:

I'm stuck still trying to submit my COE application. Plan to travel 12th of September so still plenty of time, but the site won't accept my NHS Covid Pass pdf. Just asks me to attach vaccination certificate even though I already have.

 

It's just unbelievable. I guess I'll call the embassy in London and ask them what I should do.

what website are you using?

theres a button you have to press after you upload the document initially (its like having to upload and then click another button to submit the upload) if you're using this website

coethailand.mfa.go.th

[fauxie]

3 minutes ago, dj230 said:

what website are you using?

theres a button you have to press after you upload the document initially (its like having to upload and then click another button to submit the upload) if you're using this website

coethailand.mfa.go.th

omg thank you. I cannot believe I missed that. I blame stress and/or tiredness.

[dj230]

3 minutes ago, fauxie said:

omg thank you. I cannot believe I missed that. I blame stress and/or tiredness.

i think its just poor web design, same thing happened to me and i filled out the form about 10 times thinking i filled something in wrong before I realized

 

[buick]

i had a fairly lengthy wait for my COE via the consulate in Los Angeles.  i submitted on a thursday afternoon.  no word for the next two weeks.  got it on monday, 12 business days after submission.  my departure date was still two weeks away when i got it.  they may give priority to more urgent requests.

[japanese]

Mine was through the Embassy in Tokyo.  I am in quarantine now.  I heard back in less than 24 hours and it was about a month before the flight.

 

The OP says he has uploaded the travel confirmation.  Presumably that is your flight?

 

The hotel booking is also required and at that time just a deposit was sufficient.  Now it must be paid in full.

 

And I had to buy and upload the Covid insurance.

 

Make sure you have uploaded all required documents.  As mentioned above, some people overlook the actual uploading part.  It is a 2 step process.

[DFPhuket]

Without knowing when you plan to travel, it's hard to say much. But it's clear that they prioritize COEs based upon travel departure date. If a person applies several weeks ahead of their travel date they will wait much longer than someone traveling in the next week or so.

 

I have a friend who has an August 23 departure and applied via the LA consulate on July 24. She received pre approval on July 27, submitted final documents that day, and the COE was approved on August 9 - exactly 2 weeks before departure.    

[MarcIssan]

I started my COE when I arrive in the USA on June 22.  I actually did the online thing 4 weeks later since some of my docs were hard to gather up.  when their response took longer than 3-4 days I emailed the Consular to ask why and that day or the next I got a reply.  You might try that approach.

Edited August 17, 2021 by MarcIssan

[XtraFly]

Hey I’m from LA too.

I feel your anxiety dude.

Problem is most of the consulates I have dealt with here in LA are super slow and lazy compared to the rest of the nation.

 

I would email them your flight ticket scan and let them know when you need to departure although they know make it more clear and also call your airline ask about what happens if there’s delays with the COE to rebook you for free. When is your flight date ?

where are you headed also ?

 

Im planning mine in October to Samui and Phuket.

[DineshR]

Hello,

 

I am in the same predicament as you. I applied for my COE on the 2nd - on the same day that my wife (Thai) applied for her COE. We got pre-approvals almost immediately and was asked to submit documentation for ASQ hotel and flights (insurance documentation was turned in when we first applied). I turned those in on the 3rd. My wife got her COE that afternoon but I didn't get anything back. I waited a week and then called. I was told that they were only processing COE's for those traveling in the next few days and that mine would be issued only just a few days before my flight. Today is the 17th so I have been waiting now for 14 days. I am planning to call them next Monday the 23rd to follow up. My flight is on the 28th. I'm hopeful there will be no problems.  Hope this helps.

[MayPutThai]

I had some trouble with the Singapore Embassy because they did not understand that I had booked a ALQ Hotel in Pattaya and that this of course also include the AQ Package with the PCR Test etc.

They refused two times after 3 days each on that I would not have payed the AQ Package.

When I sent the last email and explained all again and what they also told me wrong before regarding the Health Insurance etc. then I added the following email in copy to my email to the SG Embassy.

 

'[email protected]'; '[email protected]'

 

Ministry for Tourism and Sport, Ministry of Foreign Affairs!

I send this on a Monday at 3:30pm and got my COE link within 3 hours at 6:30pm!

Don't know if that had helped but I heard from many Thai Embassy that they are a bit, how to say polite, other. 

Therefore everybody should use the complaint email. It is exactly for cases if the officers play games with the applicant.

 

 

[bbko]

Back in March/April of this year I was dealing with the Thai Embassy in Los Angeles, I met all the requirements to obtain a visa to return to my wife and son here in Thailand.  I had the insurance, the ASQ hotel reservation, met the financial requirements, had the airplane ticket, uploaded all required family paperwork, all paperwork was uploaded about 3 weeks before I was due to fly.  As my flight date grew nearer and still no COE after daily checks and emails to the LA office were slow to respond, I had to push back my flight, ASQ hotel, and change my then current living arrangements all because whenever I checked the website on my iPhone, my COE wasn't available for download.  Then my brother said "Hey, try checking on my (his) laptop", sure enough there was my COE ready for download, but when I checked on my iPhone it showed not available.   

A word of advice to those that submitted proper paperwork and still having a delay getting approval, try using another computer, notebook, or phone.

[moon47]

Thank you for the replies everyone!

 At least I understand the situation now after seeing how many other have a similar issue.

 

Clearly the embassy is not interested in explaining current policy. 48 hours since email and no response.

 

For those wondering 15  business days from first application date (2nd Aug)  will also be about one week before my flight.

 

Fingers Crossed for Monday/Tuesday next week that I receive COE.... =]

 

It's a shame these government agencies are not more accountable for their actions. To have several timeframes posted on official sites (3+3 days on COE site, 3-7+3-7 on embassy site) and to uphold none of them is a sham. If it were a private company handling things, this would not ever be accepted by anyone.

My own US embassy in Bangkok is an example of one of the worst. Not interested at all in actually helping those they are supposed to serve at all... =[ 

[moon47]

12 hours ago, MayPutThai said:

I had some trouble with the Singapore Embassy ... then I added the following email in copy to my email to the SG Embassy.

'[email protected]'; '[email protected]'

Therefore everybody should use the complaint email. It is exactly for cases if the officers play games with the applicant.

 

 

Those are handy emails to have thank you MayPutThai... =]

Edited August 18, 2021 by moon47

[sniggie]

18 hours ago, fauxie said:

omg thank you. I cannot believe I missed that. I blame stress and/or tiredness.

You are not the first. It got me going way back in March!

[kiwikeith]

On 8/17/2021 at 12:49 PM, ezzra said:

If i were you and was ignored by the embassy and the consulate i would right or even phone the TAT department in charge of the Coe here in Thailand and tell them your grievances maybe they will listen...

Go online to the application and check, mine was approved, but I never received a email,, check by entering your pre approval code, I waited for 2 days after receiving no emails I checked online and bingo it was there, approved, just print it out. 

All communication by phone to the NZ embassy is hopeless, but email response to questions was good, however no confirmation of the COE came, but was sitting there in the online application, confirmed. 

[Max Brok]

On 8/17/2021 at 2:32 PM, buick said:

i had a fairly lengthy wait for my COE via the consulate in Los Angeles.  i submitted on a thursday afternoon.  no word for the next two weeks.  got it on monday, 12 business days after submission.  my departure date was still two weeks away when i got it.  they may give priority to more urgent requests.

I missed this second button too.

[moon47]

Today is day 15 since submitting first application.

 

I have not received any reply from my emails and will have to call the embassy AGAIN today to see what is going on.

 

This has caused me severe anxiety for weeks.

 

What a horrible way to welcome someone into your country.

Waiting with no explanation as to exactly how long or why is not my idea of a welcome mat. =[

 

I do check the web portal as well, just incase. As you can see by the screenshot still waiting for approval.

[Kelsall]

After 7 days I called the LA consulate and they approved my COE right after i hung up.  ymmv

[gk10012001]

I have a two month wait until my next upcoming contract job.  Normally I would jet off to Thailand ASAP while waiting. Been doing that since 2005 when between jobs.  Visa exempt on arrival, plenty of plane flights, never a problem getting a hotel, etc.  Just heaven which is why I first went to Thailand in the first place.  I would go now, but I have no desire to put out money for ASQ, planes in advance, buy COVID insurance, etc.  and then just watch the time tick by with no assurance on when I will finally be able to travel.. and return on schedule

[moon47]

This is really ridiculous already.

 

I called on Monday:

I had to repeat myself several times to say that it had been 15 days already.

She finally told me to wait 15 min while she looked into it and call extension 204 for COE.

 

After 15min I called with x204 and no answer.

Called back the main line and a man answered.

 

He looked over my info said it looked fine and told me that COE are normally given 3 days before departure.

After explaining several times AGAIN that it had already been 15days he told me to call back on Thursday if I still did not have my COE.

Looks like I will be on the phone AGAIN with the embassy tomorrow as I still do not have my COE after 17 days.

 

I was informed that there was only ONE officer handling the all foreigners COE applications for that office.

 

Thoroughly confused and frustrated at this point.

 

 

Edited August 25, 2021 by moon47

[moon47]

FYI my flight is next Wednesday.

 

So far I have waited past any date posted above... !!

 

Extremely worried... !!

[ubonjoe]

6 minutes ago, moon47 said:

FYI my flight is next Wednesday.

They have told you 3 days before your flight. You are not there yet. 

If there was a problem with your COE they would of contact you. 

I would guess it will be issued today or tomorrow US time.

[Caldera]

9 minutes ago, moon47 said:

FYI my flight is next Wednesday.

 

So far I have waited past any date posted above... !!

 

Extremely worried... !!

They told you three days before departure. How has that date passed already?

[moon47]

My point is that I have been "told" several dates as well as official posted dates that are all different.

 

• COE website reads it should only take a max of 6 days.

 

• Embassy website reads it should take a max. of 15 days. (7 for pre. approval and 7 for confirmation.)

 

• When I called the office back on the 17th I was "told" that I had to wait the full 15 days regardless.

 

Once that had passed, and others had posted on here that they received theirs one week before departure, all of those dates had passed.

 

To tell me later that I have to wait 3 days before departure is mind boggling.

 

I finally received my COE after my Thai wife called 4 days before (As I was instructed to do after my previous. call) to ask what the heck was going on. I received it about an hour after that final call.

 

Government agencies should not be allowed to treat people this way.

 

What an EXTREAMLY stressful and unnecessary experience. =[

 

 

[Max Brok]

In the Netherlands I have my COE after 6 days with a weekend included!