How's the Los Angeles consulate these days (post COVID)?

[JamesLA]

Hey all. I'm thinking of coming out to Thailand on a METV. I've done this once before a few years back, pre COVID times. Going to the consulate in Los Angeles to get it sorted was an easy process. I was in and out with my visa in just a few hours. Does anybody have experience with the LA consulate in post COVID times? Will I be able to just pop in and get my visa sorted without much issue? Or is the online application process the way to go these days? Thanks!

[ubonjoe]

You will not be applying for the visa at the LA Consulate.

You will apply online. Not need for a trip to there. Everything is done online and they send you your visa by email.

See: https://thaievisa.go.th/

[JamesLA]

45 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You will not be applying for the visa at the LA Consulate.

You will apply online. Not need for a trip to there. Everything is done online and they send you your visa by email.

See: https://thaievisa.go.th/

Thanks. Any idea on the actual turn around? Think they mention 15 days...

[ubonjoe]

18 minutes ago, JamesLA said:

Thanks. Any idea on the actual turn around? Think they mention 15 days...

That is about correct but I would not do it any later than that.

I would probably add a few days to it (maybe make it 20).

[George36]

Figured my update concerning LA Thai Consulate might be appropriate to be posted her also.  
 

“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, 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.”

 

 

Edited July 16, 2022 by George36

[JamesLA]

On 7/16/2022 at 11:10 AM, George36 said:

Figured my update concerning LA Thai Consulate might be appropriate to be posted her also.  
 

“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, 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.”

 

 

Thanks for the response, George. Let me know how long it takes for you to get your visa. Also, one thing I don't see on your list that I do see in some lists: letter of proof of employment. Is that no longer required? I'm "essentially" retired, living off of investments (sometimes I do some short time work while in the US, I just finished a 6 week temp gig for example). Last time I got an METV I just included some "self" employed letter that I made up myself. Nobody seemed to care. Are they even asking for that any longer?

 

Another question I have is, the visa is sent via email? My understanding of the METV is that you can only apply for it in your home country. But what is stopping people from just applying wherever they are in the world, using a VPN if necessary?

[teelac777]

On 7/17/2022 at 1:10 AM, George36 said:

Figured my update concerning LA Thai Consulate might be appropriate to be posted her also.  
 

“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, 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.”

 

 

I'm blown away that all this is required for a 6 month tourist visa, and wonder if  there are many takers, especially given the steep price.

"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

 

[Thai Visa Member 999999]

16 hours ago, JamesLA said:

Thanks for the response, George. Let me know how long it takes for you to get your visa. Also, one thing I don't see on your list that I do see in some lists: letter of proof of employment. Is that no longer required? I'm "essentially" retired, living off of investments (sometimes I do some short time work while in the US, I just finished a 6 week temp gig for example). Last time I got an METV I just included some "self" employed letter that I made up myself. Nobody seemed to care. Are they even asking for that any longer?

 

Another question I have is, the visa is sent via email? My understanding of the METV is that you can only apply for it in your home country. But what is stopping people from just applying wherever they are in the world, using a VPN if necessary?

The different consulates around our dear USA have different requirements (or at least they did) specified on their web pages. They may all be the same in effect. I'm not sure anybody really knows. I use DC which states you have to have a letter of employment. You will find it at requirement #8 on the link below. If you're self-employed, #9 applies:

 

https://thaiembdc.org/tourist-visa-category-tr-multiple-metv/

[George36]

17 hours ago, JamesLA said:

Let me know how long it takes for you to get your visa.
 

Also, one thing I don't see on your list that I do see in some lists: letter of proof of employment. Is that no longer required? 

 

Another question I have is, the visa is sent via email? My understanding of the METV is that you can only apply for it in your home country. But what is stopping people from just applying wherever they are in the world, using a VPN if necessary?

Will let you know when I hear from them and, yes, it comes by email and no need to send in passport. Love that as it was a hassle last year when completing the COE.

 

Proof of Employment. Is not required for the Tourist Visa that I applied to get.

 

[George36]

6 hours ago, teelac777 said:

I'm blown away that all this is required for a 6 month tourist visa, and wonder if  there are many takers, especially given the steep price.

"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

 

This is what is required for a 60 day tourist visa.  ????????????

[George36]

43 minutes ago, Thai Visa Member 999999 said:

The different consulates around our dear USA have different requirements (or at least they did) specified on their web pages. They may all be the same in effect. I'm not sure anybody really knows. I use DC which states you have to have a letter of employment. You will find it at requirement #8 on the link below. If you're self-employed, #9 applies:

 

https://thaiembdc.org/tourist-visa-category-tr-multiple-metv/

Actually, my understanding is that the site below is the only way to get a visa in the United States.  In the application, you verify by your license what consulate has your area services and they process the visa.  I could be wrong.  Lol.  
 

https://www.thaievisa.go.th/

 

 

[Thai Visa Member 999999]

On 7/18/2022 at 11:14 AM, George36 said:

Actually, my understanding is that the site below is the only way to get a visa in the United States.  In the application, you verify by your license what consulate has your area services and they process the visa.  I could be wrong.  Lol.  
 

https://www.thaievisa.go.th/

 

 

That's the site we all have to use but it asks you where you're applying from. I don't know if it then sorts those from the DC consulates territory from those applying to New York's and those applying from LA's consulate jurisdiction or what. I don't understand why they still have the consulate pages since we all go the evisa site. I would like to know how the METV goes as I will apply this fall for one. 

[teelac777]

On 7/18/2022 at 10:10 PM, George36 said:

This is what is required for a 60 day tourist visa.  ????????????

Then the days of 40 million visitors won't be coming back.

Seems all the ASEAN tourist destinations think they'll be the one to attract the 2-3-4 week big spenders but there are not enough to go around. 

 

[Misty]

9 hours ago, Thai Visa Member 999999 said:

That's the site we all have to use but it asks you where you're applying from. I don't know if it then sorts those from the DC consulates territory from those applying to New York's and those applying from LA's consulate jurisdiction or what. I don't understand why they still have the consulate pages since we all go the evisa site. I would like to know how the METV goes as I will apply this fall for one. 

Yes, that was what both the LA and NY consulates told me by phone when I applied.  Each of the 3 US consulates (also DC) has a territory.  So LA handles west cost only, etc.  Question #15 for the NonB e-visas application under NY consulate spelled it out (screenshot below)

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Whatever happened to the visa-exempt 30-day entry of the old days?  Does it even exist anymore?

 

You used to be able to just hop on a plane, show up in Bangkok, and if you were an American among various other nationalities, you got a pretty much automatic 30-day permission to stay stamp in your passport...... without ever filling out a single form except for the arrival/departure card.

 

 

[arithai12]

13 hours ago, teelac777 said:

Then the days of 40 million visitors won't be coming back.

Seems all the ASEAN tourist destinations think they'll be the one to attract the 2-3-4 week big spenders but there are not enough to go around. 

 

I don't know if 40M will be a reality again, but they never were people with 60d or METV.

The majority of the 40M were Malaysians on short weekend hops in the South, and Chinese on group tours which got their visas sorted out by agenices in China or on arrival.

 

Frankly, the list of 11 "documents" seems easy peasy, considering that some are just copies of pages in your passport or flight bookings. When you consider that you actually do not need to travel to a consulate in person, I'd say it's not a big hassle at all.

[ubonjoe]

10 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Whatever happened to the visa-exempt 30-day entry of the old days?  Does it even exist anymore?

It is available and many people have entered the country without a visa and got one.

[teelac777]

10 hours ago, arithai12 said:

I don't know if 40M will be a reality again, but they never were people with 60d or METV.

The majority of the 40M were Malaysians on short weekend hops in the South, and Chinese on group tours which got their visas sorted out by agenices in China or on arrival.

 

Frankly, the list of 11 "documents" seems easy peasy, considering that some are just copies of pages in your passport or flight bookings. When you consider that you actually do not need to travel to a consulate in person, I'd say it's not a big hassle at all.

Compared to all the countries we can enter for 3, 6, 12 months with only a passport, it's uhhhh no thanks.  Bank statement for 60 days, good grief what's next?  A note from mommy?

[George36]

On 7/20/2022 at 10:15 AM, arithai12 said:

Frankly, the list of 11 "documents" seems easy peasy, considering that some are just copies of pages in your passport or flight bookings. When you consider that you actually do not need to travel to a consulate in person, I'd say it's not a big hassle at all.

The submission was not too difficult.  It 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.  ????????
 

 

Edited July 25, 2022 by George36