Tourist Visa From Manila

[cartmanfinn]

Has anyone applied for a tourist visa in Thai Embassy in Manila? Do they give 2+2 months? Is it possible to get the visa next day?

[Crossy]

Manila is generally accepted as being one of the most unfriendly embassies in the area.

Last reports were that they won't do visas for anyone other than Philippine nationals or at least those with a residents card. So unless you happen to be in MNL for some other reason, don't bother

The Indian embassy in Manila have the same constraints (meant I had to fly MNL - DEL via a week in BKK )

[lopburi3]

Yes people have reported about visa issue from Manila and most have regretted the experience.

[tropo]

So unless you happen to be in MNL for some other reason, don't bother

I'd recommend that even if you are in MNL for other reasons, don't waste your time going there. It would mean at least 2 trips to Makati (one to apply, and one to find out you've been refused) in very heavy traffic.

It was difficult enought to get a visa in Manila before the new regulations have been in force in Thailand so I can just imagine how difficult they will be now.

I travel to Manila often and never bother to apply there. If you really do need a tourist visa there is another solution if you are in the Philippines.

Take a cheap Tiger Airways flight to Singapore (from Clark), apply for your visa there, and then fly into Bangkok on AirAsia. If you book these flights well in advance on the Internet, you'll get them cheap.

[tim77]

Has anyone applied for a tourist visa in Thai Embassy in Manila? Do they give 2+2 months? Is it possible to get the visa next day?

Don't even try. First, it is impossible to find out their requirements in advance. The requirements are made up as needed so as not to issue a visa.

I am a U.S. citizen, in my late 50s, and a respectable looking professional The Embassy in Manila refused to issue me a visa because: (i) although I had a valid ticket out of Thailand, I did not have a ticket back to the Philippines; and (ii) although I had a valid ticket from Manila to Thailand, I had not booked a flight to Thailand, and when I did book a flight the Embassy would not accept the validity of my ticket because the ticket to Thailand was purchased more than six months before I had applied for the visa. The fact that the ticket was a expensive one year open ticket on Thai airlines was not acceptable.

The place is an embarrassment.

[troy04]

Hi

are there any new information available on this case?

I'm in the Philippines and was planing to get my tourist visa here!

Were u guys talking about tourist visa or non-immigrant?

Dan

[tropo]

Hi

are there any new information available on this case?

I'm in the Philippines and was planing to get my tourist visa here!

Were u guys talking about tourist visa or non-immigrant?

Dan

Give it a go and report back here with your experience. I don't fancy your chances, but like other embassies, things can change - and in this case for the better because they couldn't get any worse. There was one positive report of someone scoring a tourist visa on here within the last 6 months.

[troy04]

Has anyone applied for a tourist visa in Thai Embassy in Manila? Do they give 2+2 months? Is it possible to get the visa next day?

End March 2008:

I received a tourist visa from Manila TH Embassy 10 days ago!

First they wanted to refuse my application because of the '90 days within 180 day period' policy, even the 3 mths I stayed in TH previously were on a non-immi visa, not on a tourist or arrival visa for which this rule applies...

In my understanding that policy doesn't apply for non immi visas since (if they are multiple entry) they allow to stay several times up to 3 mths within one year. Wouldn’t make sense!

After letting me wait for 3 hours until all of the 33 people who came after me were finished, they reconsidered and decided to give me the tourist single entry visa. Therefore was no risk to loose the 1400 pesos fee through their no-refund policy.

They asked for and copied my credit card (had to fight not get number, code and expiry date of it copied) even I had over 50'000 baht worth cash foreign currency and TC. I also had written a letter with the reasons why I needed a tourist visa, for example a family visit to TH (which I was not able to proof).

On their pin board is a list of their visa requirements. I was not asked for and didn't need to show a hotel reservation (anyway I rent a condo in TH).

As required I had copies of Philippines visa and entry stamp. Printed schedule of electronic ticket for return and onward ticket. The onward ticket was a reservation only (the departure date from bkk was after desired tourist visa and extension of it would have expired). Both of it could be written by yourself, there was nothing official as a letter head or a bar code!

Didn't need a bank statement, didn't have my condo contract or my TH bank books with me but mentioned them in my letter. Didn't get a stamp in my passport that I could not apply there a second time.

Getting there isn't that difficult!

Taxi from Malate/Ermita near Robinsons was 85 pesos and took about half an hour at 9am.

2nd time I took LRT (sky train) to Gil Puyat station 15 pesos and from there aircon bus (Ayala sign) to Ayala area (Makati) get off at Erera stop 10 pesos and walk 5 minutes. Took 30 minutes at 3pm!

Since everybody speaks English and is quite educated and helpful all is very easy to find (imagine here in TH even you speak a little bit Thai...)!

Just copy everything you can imagine could be required and bring it with you!

Of course the handle you as if you would be a beggar, hic you are in some kind, and you have to quite almost beg to get a visa to get permission to spend your money in their kingdom. For me it was worth it!

[troy04]

..and finally consider: I heard that the philippines visa you can extend up to 2 years without leaving their country! its a beautiful country with friendly English speaking people!

[Crossy]

Thanks for the report Troy, evidently Manila is still on the list of less-than-friendly embassies

At least you got your visa

By the way, did you really have to bump ALL the Manila related threads, one would have been just fine

[Bayoke]

I got a single entry tourist visa from Manila last week. I went to the Embassy on monday morning and got back my passport on wednesday afternoon. Requirements were photocopies of my passport, two pictures, a filled application form, a flight ticket to Thailand and then they asked me to write a statement what I am gonna do in Thailand. So in case you are near Manila it is not bad place to apply a single entry tourist visa.