non immigrant-o for visiting family in Penang, any recent experiences?

[4evermaat]

I was wondering if the requirements for non-o have changed since the before covid situation at Penang Thai embassy in Malaysia  Been a few years since I've had to get one.  Let's see if this list is still valid:

 

Thai Visa Application

2 passport photos

Valid Passport with a few blank pages

Copy of passport ID page

Copy of entry stamp into Malaysia

Copy of Thai Mother's ID card

Copy of Thai child's birth certificate

Copy of Tambien Baan (housebook registration, page 1 and page with Thai mom/kid's info)

Multiple entry non-o:  Copy of Bank Statement showing 400k THB equivalent in USD, (or EUR, MYR, if using non-Thai bank acct)

Single entry non-o:  Copy of Bank Statement showing 150k THB equivalent in USD, (or EUR, MYR, if using non-Thai bank acct)

 

I don't know what the visa fee is now for the single/multiple non-o.

 

Are there any extra covid related requirements or anything else not on the list?

 

Are the hours still 09:00 - 11:00 to accept application?  And 14:00-16:00 to receive it in evening?

 

Thanks in advance.

[geisha]

Before Covid you had ´to pick up the next day. With the thousands of longstayers that have apparently descended on Phuket since November ( so busy you can’t get a table in a restaurant , or run on the beach , reported by friend who lives there for 30 yrs yesterday) there might be long queues . So better check.

[grumpyoldman]

2 hours ago, geisha said:

Before Covid you had ´to pick up the next day. With the thousands of longstayers that have apparently descended on Phuket since November ( so busy you can’t get a table in a restaurant , or run on the beach , reported by friend who lives there for 30 yrs yesterday) there might be long queues . So better check.

Just so that I follow, the OP can expect long queues at the Thai Embassy Penang due to all of the Phuket longstayers.

 

O.K., well, make it a couple day trip, have some great food in Penang. Why not?

 

Sorry OP do not have a direct answer for you on required docs.

[mrwebb8825]

The 1 time I did that run I contacted a visa service in Hat Yai (like the ones that do the Loas runs). Flew down, stayed the night, left by van the next morning and they took care of everything. All I had to do was stay in a hotel a couple of nights and enjoy myself. Got a list of things to bring from the service people. Found out the hard way that my SCB bank card didn't work down there too. Luckily I brought around 5k baht or I'd have been stuck with no funds.

[4evermaat]

On 1/27/2023 at 8:08 AM, grumpyoldman said:

Just so that I follow, the OP can expect long queues at the Thai Embassy Penang due to all of the Phuket longstayers.

Got the non-O multiple.

 

It wasn't as bad as I thought.   About 100 applicant tickets total on a Monday.   It was pretty much like it was pre-2020.  But now they make people hang outside the consulate a little bit longer until the inner queue is reduced.  And you follow an exact queue when you enter the consulate, constantly rotating seats until you get to the front.   Need a face diaper for when you go inside.

 

The printer van was gone (he did passport photos also).  Not sure if that was just that day or permanent.  I would suggest getting any photocopies or photos done at the printer shops near Chulia St, Komtar, or your hotel if they have it.  The consulate does have copies of the Thai Visa application form; get 2 copies at the security window if you don't already have one (2nd copy is in case you make too many errors you can start over).

 

Several people seemed to have downloaded the Chinese national instructions, which was 3 copies of everything for a tourist visa.  Most nationals only needed a single copy of any required document.   

 

I forgot to ask if it was possible to do a 3-Year Multiple Non-O.    And the O-X visa also peaked my curiosity.

 

Make sure you have enough MYR for the visa fee.  They seem to informally accept THB if you are short, but I wouldn't rely on that.  The nearest ATM is nearly 1KM away

 

Pick up is the next business day, 14:00 - 15:30-ish

 

Relevant links:

2023 Office Holidays Penang Thai consulate closure

2021 Updated Visa Fees in MYR

Penang Thai Visa Application form 

Online_Visa_Application_Form.pdf Thai-Consulate-Penang-Office-Holidays-2023_ตารางวันหยุดราชการ.pdf

[BritTim]

There are some interesting items in that visa fee list. I thought the ACMECS visa died many years ago. I seem to remember enquiring about it with the Cambodian embassy in Bangkok around 2015 to ask if it was possible to apply for it in Bangkok, using it to return to Thailand after an overseas trip. The answer was yes, except that the visa was no longer offered. Sad, as that was a wonderful potential option if planning to travel overseas somewhere that had no consulate offering Thai tourist visas.

 

This is also the first time I saw price quotes for the 3-year Non Immigrant visa, which I assume is only for Non B visas under restricted circumstances.