Tourist Visa from LA Consulate Desired

[George36]

Hi All,

 

You all, especially Ubonjoe, helped me tremendously last February to enter Thailand.  After two weeks quarantine and two weeks of freedom, I cut my trip short because of the Covid situation at the time.  Bummer.  
 

My wife and I are ready to try again.  I will travel to Thailand arriving on 8/17 and intend to spend 90 days with my wife joining me for the last thirty.  I hope to do Tourist Visa for 60 days and 30 Jomtien extension.

 

My problem is that I can find no one in Southern California that can assist in this as all seem to have no knowledge of the requirements after 7/1/2022.  Even the agency websites contain all the information of the prior requirements.  
 

The LA Consulate is only doing E-Visa ones.  The E-visa seems to contain a lot of the old requirements.

 

Have anyone here gotten a Tourist Visa since the requirements came in 1st of July?

 

What other way is there to stay 90 days?  
 

Thanks.

[bbko]

This is off their webpage

https://thaiconsulatela.thaiembassy.org/en/page/information-on-travelling-from-the-us-to-thailand

[George36]

12 minutes ago, bbko said:

This is off their webpage

https://thaiconsulatela.thaiembassy.org/en/page/information-on-travelling-from-the-us-to-thailand

Thanks.  I set up an account for the E-Visa and it requires Covid insurance, hotels, Thai Pass, etc.

 

it does not look like they have updated the E-Visa site for new requirements that went into effect 1st of Julie.  All the agency sites do not seem to be updated yet.

 

Does anyone know about border runs?  I could go in under 30 exempt, get extension and do a border for the final 30 days.

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, George36 said:

Does anyone know about border runs?  I could go in under 30 exempt, get extension and do a border for the final 30 days.

You could do that if needed.

If your wife is Thai you could apply for a single entry non-o visa that will allow a 90 day stay. It may not show all the requirements that a tourist visa requires.

[George36]

54 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You could do that if needed.

If your wife is Thai you could apply for a single entry non-o visa that will allow a 90 day stay. It may not show all the requirements that a tourist visa requires.

Not Thai, American.  Sorta catch 22.  Tourist visa seems easy but no one has updated their systems.  Guess the only thing to do is to wait and see if they clarify things as I get closer.  I leave about five weeks from today.  Thanks.  ????????

[ubonjoe]

16 minutes ago, George36 said:

Not Thai, American.  Sorta catch 22.  Tourist visa seems easy but no one has updated their systems.  Guess the only thing to do is to wait and see if they clarify things as I get closer.  I leave about five weeks from today.  Thanks.  ????????

Odd they are asking for the insurance and etc when they have a pop message when you open the e visa site that states this.

[bbko]

4 hours ago, George36 said:

Thanks.  I set up an account for the E-Visa and it requires Covid insurance, hotels, Thai Pass, etc.

Did you start the application before July 1?  If yes, delete it and start a new one and see if the "requirements" are still there.

Good Luck.

[George36]

6 minutes ago, bbko said:

Did you start the application before July 1?  If yes, delete it and start a new one and see if the "requirements" are still there.

Good Luck.

I started the application on the 5th of July.  Sent emails to two agent services.  One in Thailand and one in LA.  Will let you all know as I work through.  Thanks .

[alex8912]

3 hours ago, George36 said:

I started the application on the 5th of July.  Sent emails to two agent services.  One in Thailand and one in LA.  Will let you all know as I work through.  Thanks .

Maybe because of the July 4th holiday they updated nothing on Friday July 1. I'm trying to be logical but perhaps no one at all at the LA Consulate or anywhere else updated the site on July 5th yet either. They should be embarrassed but of course no one would ever take the blame for this as most of us know. A simple 60 day tourist visa or similar type visa in many many other countries is extremely easy to get and usually obtained instantly or within hours. Thailand is completely pathetic in this area. Why would ANY tourist with $$$ want to come here for more than 30 days visa exempt?  You simply can't win. 

[George36]

Update:  No travel agents have any updated knowledge of how to navigate the Thai E Visa site.  Worked with five of them.

 

Right now, you must download 11 supporting documents for the visa request to be submitted.  The documents are below:

 

- Bio Page of Passport

- Passport Photo 

- Declaration

- Travel/Flight Booking

- Proof of Accommodations

- Bank Statement

- Copy of license

- Flights. Redundant from above

- Passport pages for international travel for last year

- Driver’s license.  Redundant from above

- Picture with me holding passport info page

 

In the application, you identify the Thai Consulate that serves your area and THEY process the application.  The purpose of the driver’s license is to identify the right consulate.  You cannot get in touch by phone and no walk-in is allowed.

 

Anyway, I spent three hours yesterday working diligently taking pictures, making reservations and downloading one page in each category.  It was challenging as I am not a “download” knowledge kind of guy.  Lol.

 

i was successful in submitting my application for the Tourist Visa and it is in processing as of 7/15.  I fly out on the 16th if August so plenty of time.  Figure they will come back and want more stuff but p, at least, I got the process started.  
 

Ubonjoe, please correct anything that I have wrong as you, always, have the  superior knowledge.  This is just my experience.  Thanks.

 

 

 

 

[George36]

Submitting the incorrect application got their attention and they responded requesting complete PDFs for lodging bookings for full timeframe, flight tickets, bank statement and the last one was the declaration.  

 

Submitted the last document late last Friday and received the approved Tourist Visa early this morning, Monday.  Love it when a plan comes together.  Submitted on 7/04.  Two emails from them responded to and visa in hand on 7/25. 
 

Three weeks until my flight.  
 

[gk10012001]

OMG.  I thought I could get a Tourist visa in advance as the OP was trying.  Before it was easy, get 60 days visa before leaving home, then later extend for another 30 while in Thailand.  That's all I needed.  Now, I'm afraid to even start the darn process! Thanks for the posts and updates.  I will sweat this out a few more months and see if things get smoother before about Dec 1 when I hope to get back to the LOS for trip number 16.6  I may just go the visa exempt on arrival and extend for 30 days and be done with it, but I was hoping for an easy 80 to 90 day stay

[KIngsofisaan]

Why do short term tourists need a bank statement?

[ubonjoe]

3 hours ago, KIngsofisaan said:

Why do short term tourists need a bank statement?

To prove they have the same 20k baht or its equivalent that is required for all entries to the country and to apply for a visa.

[KIngsofisaan]

25 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

To prove they have the same 20k baht or its equivalent that is required for all entries to the country and to apply for a visa.

Thanks Joe.

 

Been so many years, I thought folks could just show up with 20,000 baht in their pocket.

 

Always the voice of reason.

 

Where would this forum be without you.

[George36]

15 hours ago, gk10012001 said:

OMG.  I thought I could get a Tourist visa in advance as the OP was trying.  Before it was easy, get 60 days visa before leaving home, then later extend for another 30 while in Thailand.  That's all I needed.  Now, I'm afraid to even start the darn process! Thanks for the posts and updates.  I will sweat this out a few more months and see if things get smoother before about Dec 1 when I hope to get back to the LOS for trip number 16.6  I may just go the visa exempt on arrival and extend for 30 days and be done with it, but I was hoping for an easy 80 to 90 day stay

I would not be leary of the process.  i am very much not Internet capable and I was able to do it myself.  Very rewarding.  Once you get it submitted, they are good at sending you emails to assist.  Very pleasant and desiring to help.  Imho.

[George36]

11 hours ago, KIngsofisaan said:

Thanks Joe.

 

Been so many years, I thought folks could just show up with 20,000 baht in their pocket.

 

Always the voice of reason.

 

Where would this forum be without you.

Agree wholeheartedly about Joe.  ????????

[Damrongsak]

I just applied and got my 60 day visa today ( one week - Thai embassy Washington D.C.).  I had trouble with the wonky web site and had to go through at least 4-5 tries.  It would hang up after half the docs were uploaded.  One time I selected a slightly different option (not the tourist/pleasure one but still tourist).  Holy cow, they asked for all kinds of extra stuff like insurance, life history and whatnot.  Scared me.

 

My friend applied for a 90 day just prior to me.  They gave him 60 days, so he'll have to extend.

 

Both of us have Thai wives and didn't have hotel accommodations.  Did have to submit an invitation letter with a tabien baan house registration.  ( I paid for that house and the land, just not in my name, 555.)

[ubonjoe]

2 hours ago, Damrongsak said:

My friend applied for a 90 day just prior to me.  They gave him 60 days, so he'll have to extend.

Both of us have Thai wives and didn't have hotel accommodations.  Did have to submit an invitation letter with a tabien baan house registration.  ( I paid for that house and the land, just not in my name, 555.)

I think you confusing tourist visas with a non-o visa based upon marriage to a Thai.

You cannot a apply for X number to days. If you apply for tourist visa it would be a single entry and allows a 60 day stay. If you apply for a non-o visa it would allow a 90 day stay.