Applying for Thai tourist visa in the US - beyond confusing

[Bangkok Barry]

20 hours ago, ChiangMaiThai said:

It is truly bizarre how difficult it has become to simply apply for a tourist visa to Thailand!

It is further evidence of the government's plan to deter visitors and its determination to close down the tourist industry in its present form - the only thing the government is dealing with in an efficient manner.

[shdmn]

18 hours ago, EricTh said:

Just come in visa exempt and if you want to extend get another tourist visa. It's much simpler in Thailand

But then the airline could deny you boarding.  I know they carefully checked my 60 day visa on a 59 day return ticket.  Also, the same thing could happen on the other end.  There are services you can use that give you a cancellable onward ticket to show as proof, to get around it, but that's just another thing to deal with and another thing they could potentially deny you boarding or entry for.  Getting the 60 day visa is the safest bet.

Edited October 28, 2021 by shdmn

[wwest5829]

18 hours ago, Captain Monday said:

Well I cant get past uploading Photo and passport Data page page. Applying for O/A, from US. Trying different browsers. It says the system will delete incomplete applications after 2 weeks

 

I would like to know ideally before continuing 

• What file types and size they require
• A complete list of required docs and what docs need to be notarized

Not questioning your decision to apply for an O-A Visa but curious. I have been here over a decade on an O-A and looking to change to an "O Visa" ASAP.

[Bangkok Barry]

19 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

On page 26 of the instruction manuals it show the page where you select your visa type.

My bold. Says it all, really, doesn't it. A large instruction manual for what should be a simple formality. Meanwhile, US citizens have their own vast country to enjoy and the whole of South America to explore. And Europeans have a huge continent to explore with little or no instructions needed at all.

[Bangkok Barry]

18 hours ago, Captain Monday said:

I would like to know ideally before continuing 

• What file types and size they require
• A complete list of required docs and what docs need to be notarized

plus, What alternative country do you recommend I visit instead.

[ubonjoe]

59 minutes ago, Wydahoan said:

I am seeing new rules on the Washington DC and Los Angeles websites about visa extension, also the Thai immigration is saying only tourist visas can be extended. I check these sites often and never have seen this before. 

That is just old out of date info on the embassy, consulate and immigration websites.

About all embassy and consulate websites are way out of date with some showing info from 2008 or before. You have to remember that they normally have nothing to do with visa exempt entries.

Nothing has changed since the immigration order for extensions of stay was changed in 2014.

This is what the order states.

 

[ChiangMaiThai]

Ok for a regular tourist visa, here's the documents you have to provide. There is no clarification or elaboration on their website. Emailed the consulate and they sent me to the useless 40 page PDF which is screenshots of how to use the website. Thailand never ceases to amaze me. They want tourists to come right? How have they not figured out how to make this process as easy as possible? Ever applied for a visa to Mexico?

1. Biodata page of Passport or Travel Document
2. Photograph
3. Declaration (download from website, print and sign)
4. Travel booking confirmation (pay for your ticket before you know if your visa is approved)
5. Proof of accommodation in Thailand, e.g. Accommodation bookings, invitation letters from family/friends in Thailand
6. Financial evidence, e.g. bank statements, proof of earnings, sponsorship letter
7. Confirmation of legal residence in a country in which you are applying for the visa. (In case that you are not a national of the country in which you are applying for the visa.) No info on what kind of document would be accepted. 
8. Medical insurance policy that shows minimum medical coverage in Thailand for Coronavirus Disease(COVID-19), of amount equal to or greater than 100,000 USD
9. ASQ (Alternative State Quarantine) Hotel Reservation Confirmation
10. A copy of flight confirmation reservation (The name of the applicant must indicated clearly) Didn't we just provide this above?
11. Applicant is required to upload his/her passport pages which contain all travel records for the past 12 months (1 year) since the last international trip. (Wow, keeping it simple)
12. Applicant must apply for e-Visa via specific Embassy/Consulate conforming with his/her consular jurisdiction and residency. Applicant is required to upload document that can verify his/her current residency. (what kind of document???)
13. Please upload your picture holding the photo and information page of the passport. (ok standard KYC hostage photo).

 

[Wydahoan]

ubonjoe, sorry, I forgot I saw this also, it seems newer as it’s mentioning the Evisa  process. So confusing for an old man!
 And if I could ask another question here, can I apply for the Thailand Pass and Tourist visa from an IPad? Can I upload screenshots of the information they want? Or will I have to locate a desktop with a scanner? 

Thank you, 

[ubonjoe]

27 minutes ago, Wydahoan said:

And if I could ask another question here, can I apply for the Thailand Pass and Tourist visa from an IPad?

You do not need to apply for a tourist visa for a stay of less than 60 days.

You should be able to do a visa application online using a IPad. See: https://thaievisa.go.th/

The Thailand Pass is new so there is not a lot of info about it. 

The COE website has this on the first page. 

No mention of Safari as you can see. If you have problems with Safari perhaps try installing Chrome or Firefox.

[shdmn]

1 hour ago, ChiangMaiThai said:

Ok for a regular tourist visa, here's the documents you have to provide. There is no clarification or elaboration on their website. Emailed the consulate and they sent me to the useless 40 page PDF which is screenshots of how to use the website. Thailand never ceases to amaze me. They want tourists to come right? How have they not figured out how to make this process as easy as possible? Ever applied for a visa to Mexico?

1. Biodata page of Passport or Travel Document
2. Photograph
3. Declaration (download from website, print and sign)
4. Travel booking confirmation (pay for your ticket before you know if your visa is approved)
5. Proof of accommodation in Thailand, e.g. Accommodation bookings, invitation letters from family/friends in Thailand
6. Financial evidence, e.g. bank statements, proof of earnings, sponsorship letter
7. Confirmation of legal residence in a country in which you are applying for the visa. (In case that you are not a national of the country in which you are applying for the visa.) No info on what kind of document would be accepted. 
8. Medical insurance policy that shows minimum medical coverage in Thailand for Coronavirus Disease(COVID-19), of amount equal to or greater than 100,000 USD
9. ASQ (Alternative State Quarantine) Hotel Reservation Confirmation
10. A copy of flight confirmation reservation (The name of the applicant must indicated clearly) Didn't we just provide this above?
11. Applicant is required to upload his/her passport pages which contain all travel records for the past 12 months (1 year) since the last international trip. (Wow, keeping it simple)
12. Applicant must apply for e-Visa via specific Embassy/Consulate conforming with his/her consular jurisdiction and residency. Applicant is required to upload document that can verify his/her current residency. (what kind of document???)
13. Please upload your picture holding the photo and information page of the passport. (ok standard KYC hostage photo).

 

The ASQ reservation is definitely wrong since that is no longer required after Nov 1.  One night in SHA+ is all that is required after Nov 1 and there are lots of those in all sorts of price ranges.

Edited October 28, 2021 by shdmn

[wpcoe]

46 minutes ago, Wydahoan said:

 

(I am not directing this question at @Wydahoan I am merely using the graphic.)

 

Step 01 clearly says that a "VISA EXEMPTION ... period of stay can not be extended."

 

A 30-day visa-exempt entry can no longer be extended in-country for an additional 30 days?  (Is that graphic actually from an official Thailand government web site?)

[Wydahoan]

5 minutes ago, wpcoe said:

 

A 30-day visa-exempt entry can no longer be extended in-country for an additional 30 days?  (Is that graphic actually from an official Thailand government web site?)

It is from the Washington DC Thai Embassy. Sorry, I don’t know how to post the website. 

Edited October 28, 2021 by Wydahoan

[ubonjoe]

50 minutes ago, wpcoe said:

A 30-day visa-exempt entry can no longer be extended in-country for an additional 30 days?  (Is that graphic actually from an official Thailand government web site?)

It is rubbish info from a embassy. That are many years out of date with their info for visa exempt entries that they don't normally have anything to with.

See my earlier post about the extension where i post the clause of the immigration order that has allowed them since 2014 and that has not been changed.

[WhiteBuffaloATM]

CMT: as suspected, it is clear you are accessing online longstay visa requirement not tourist visa.

“visa exempt” entry poses no immigration or visa problems if finding online tourist visa problematical.

once inside thailand you can remain indefinitely through various visa & extention of stay options available directly or through agents.

 

Wyda: Consulates concerned only with original visa issue for fixed term. local thai immigration issue various non-tourist visas with short three month term which they will extend. local imm. also extend consular tourist visas but cannot extend consular non- tourist visas, all with 12 month fixed term.

 

 

[WhiteBuffaloATM]

Police Clearance Letter: well known standard national or state online procedure for criminal record statement, for employment or visa, so not understanding the “what is this” questions here……. just google it……required at least for Consular Retirement Visa. Embassy have nothing to do with format. “ it is what it is” !Not Required at all for any local thai immigration visas.

[LukKrueng]

On 10/27/2021 at 1:15 PM, HiSoLowSoNoSo said:

In France you now have to show min 2000 Euros to be able to apply for a normal single entry tourist visa to Thailand, apparently they don't want any normal families with two-three kids coming for a holiday. 

 

On 10/27/2021 at 3:13 PM, John Drake said:

Page 26???   This is why opening up Thailand to tourism again is doomed. What tourist in their right mind wants to read through 26+ pages to apply for a simple tourist visa? When I first came to Thailand I entered on a visa exempt. Returned back to the US, went to an honrary consul general and got an O. Now, it sounds like they want security clearance to Fort Knox.

I guess that normal tourists that come here for a short holiday with our without kids find the 30 + 30 days visa exempt as good enough...

[tomazbodner]

12 hours ago, mrmicbkktxl said:

Comparing apples with...., USA is a 1st world country with a free elected government.Thailand is a jungle country with an army dictator.Besides that most Americans don't overstay,disappear or  planning to work in Thailand.If I would work in an embassy I wouldn't approve most visa applications for Thais

Dare to tell that to a Thai Embassy or Immigration official?

[bluebluewater]

Whenever I read through threads like this, with all the hoops to jump through, it kinda confirms that although I would like to I will never make it back to Thailand.   Shame that - 15 years I was there, LOTS of good friends, fluent in the language (Issan as well), and never to be seen again.

 

We'll see . . . .