Visa Application Submitted to Ministry of Foreign Affairs

[GrengJai]

Hello

Its been many years since I lived in Thailand so I'm a bit out of touch with current procedures etc.

 

I've recently applied for a multi-entry NON O Visa based on being married to a Thai National.  I was told by the London consulate to apply 1 month before my departure.  I applied last weekend (flying at the start of June) and have received an email this morning stating that my visa application is on hold and that it has been submitted to the MOFA for initial approval and may take up to 2-3 months.  I've tried to call them to ask for more information, but couldn't get through to speak to anyone.  I plan to sit tight until the day before my flight and then (if my me non o visa is not back) alter my return flight to fit in with the 30 day visa exemption criteria, and enter on a tourist visa.  

 

Has anyone experienced this 'submitted to the MOFA' response?

 

Also, what would be the process of entering Thailand on a Visa Exempt (30 day tourist visa) and then converting this to a non O?  Many years ago I used to leave Thailand and apply for a 90 day non O visa in Vientiane, Laos.  Can I still do this?  I'd need to leave and re-enter a few times as I plan to stay for a year.

 

Many thanks

[DrJack54]

Not in any particular order.

Forget the return flight if you end up flying visa exempt.

You can buy a rent a ticket for onward flight . 

Google "onward flight.com" cheap. 

I will post this and then add links to process re enter visa exempt and obtain non O marriage.

Not difficult.

I assume you have Thai bank account? 

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1284614-change-visa-exempt-entry-to-non-o-spouse-visa-in-cw/

Edited April 28, 2023 by DrJack54

[GrengJai]

Thanks for your reply.  No Thai Bank account.  And from what I can gather I wont be able to open one without a non O visa.

Have you ever heard of this 'visa application is on hold and that it has been submitted to the MOFA for initial approval'?

Thanks again

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, NJS123 said:

Thanks for your reply.  No Thai Bank account.  And from what I can gather I wont be able to open one without a non O visa.

Have you ever heard of this 'visa application is on hold and that it has been submitted to the MOFA for initial approval'?

Thanks again

That's a standard message however should be short turn around. 

Back to the Thai bank ...

Regardless if you enter with visa or visa exempt opening a bank account is not simple these days.

 

Where do you plan to live and hence obtain non O and extension. 

 

[GrengJai]

We have a house in Sakon Nakhon.

 

[DrJack54]

2 minutes ago, NJS123 said:

We have a house in Sakon Nakhon.

 

That will be much easier to open bank account there as compared to for example Bangkok.

You still may require a certificate of residence however having Thai wife and house that should be simple.

The bank account only required if you enter visa exempt and want to apply for 12 month extension.

 

That is not clear. 

[GrengJai]

Is the option to get a single entry non O from Vientiane still available and if so what paper work etc. would be required?  Could do this a few times too to be able to stay for the year? 

[Maestro]

36 minutes ago, NJS123 said:

 

...have received an email this morning stating that my visa application is on hold and that it has been submitted to the MOFA for initial approval and may take up to 2-3 months.  I've tried to call them to ask for more information, but couldn't get through to speak to anyone...

Don't call them. Click on the reply icon on the email you received and ask your question or give your comments there.

[DrJack54]

7 minutes ago, NJS123 said:

Is the option to get a single entry non O from Vientiane still available and if so what paper work etc. would be required?  Could do this a few times too to be able to stay for the year? 

Silly idea.

You would be better off applying for multiple entry Non O marriage from Savannakhet.

Each entry is 90 day stamp but can obtain 60 day extension to visit wife

[GrengJai]

I suggested Vientiane due to living in Sakon Nakhon and not yet having a bank account etc.  Why would you do it at Savannakhet?  I'd need to get a Thai bank account first I assume.

Thanks 

[GrengJai]

7 minutes ago, Maestro said:

Don't call them. Click on the reply icon on the email you received and ask your question or give your comments there.

I've emailed them too ????

[GrengJai]

The visa status online shows 'Additional Document Check'.  Any ideas what the additional document check may be - I'm thinking the MOFA may be validating our marriage certificate - hopefully this will not take too long.

[DrJack54]

13 minutes ago, NJS123 said:

I suggested Vientiane due to living in Sakon Nakhon and not yet having a bank account etc.  Why would you do it at Savannakhet?  I'd need to get a Thai bank account first I assume.

Thanks 

Depends what visa are you looking for..

Read my previous post.

A ME Non O marriage does not require funds in Thai bank account.

It's a visa valid for 12 months.

I have posted info already.

 

That visa is not available at Vientiane immigration. 

 

Edited April 28, 2023 by DrJack54

[Maestro]

9 minutes ago, Maestro said:

Don't call them. Click on the reply icon on the email you received and ask your question or give your comments there.

Separately, send a polite email to [email protected], giving a summary of the phone conversation with the Thai Embassy in London when they advised you that you should apply one month prior to your flight to Thailand, complain that after having made your application you got an email saying that approval may taker two to three months, and enclose a PDF file of the email you received. Give them your flight date and ask if they can help you get the visa in time for your trip.

[GrengJai]

3 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Depends what visa are you looking for..

Read my previous post.

A ME Non O marriage does not require funds in Thai bank account.

It's a visa valid for 12 months.

I have posted info already.

 

That visa is not available at Vientiane immigration. 

If I went to Vientiane it would be a single entry I'd apply for.  I'll look into the multi-entry application at Savannakhet as a back up.  Many Thanks

[GrengJai]

4 minutes ago, Maestro said:

Separately, send a polite email to [email protected], giving a summary of the phone conversation with the Thai Embassy in London when they advised you that you should apply one month prior to your flight to Thailand, complain that after having made your application you got an email saying that approval may taker two to three months, and enclose a PDF file of the email you received. Give them your flight date and ask if they can help you get the visa in time for your trip.

Thanks for the email address and idea.  I may follow through with this.  Have you contacted them before/did they help?  Thanks again.

[Maestro]

21 minutes ago, NJS123 said:

Thanks for the email address and idea.  I may follow through with this.  Have you contacted them before/did they help?  Thanks again.

I never needed to, but it has been my experience in dealing with bureaucracy not only in Thailand (Food and Drug Administration) but also in Switzerland that a written message to to the next higher level in a government agency produces results.

 

In the case of the Consular Division of the MFA, they will never get to hear about deficiencies in the visa section of an embassy if the users don't inform them.

[NanLaew]

2 hours ago, NJS123 said:

Also, what would be the process of entering Thailand on a Visa Exempt (30 day tourist visa) and then converting this to a non O?  Many years ago I used to leave Thailand and apply for a 90 day non O visa in Vientiane, Laos.  Can I still do this?  I'd need to leave and re-enter a few times as I plan to stay for a year.

If the Non-O isn't issued in time in the UK, you can enter Thailand on a visa-exempt and then pop over to Savannakhet before it expires and get the MENO.

[NanLaew]

1 hour ago, NJS123 said:

We have a house in Sakon Nakhon.

 

You're nearer to Savannakhet than you are to Vientiane.

[GrengJai]

15 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

You're nearer to Savannakhet than you are to Vientiane.

Thanks for your post.  Would the money have to be in a Thai bank account for the MENO?  Also, how long do you think I'd have to stay in Savannakhet to get it issued/sorted?  

 

I confused Savannakhet with Suvarnabhumi in an earlier post!  Last time I was doing all this there was not a consulate in Savannakhet. 

 

I'm hoping that the email I received this morning about a possible 2-3 month delay is as DrJack said, an automatic/standard reply and the visa comes through in time.  It's just alarming to see when you're traveling in a month that it may take considerably longer and no further information about why.  Thanks again.

[Upnotover]

18 minutes ago, NJS123 said:

Thanks for your post.  Would the money have to be in a Thai bank account for the MENO?  Also, how long do you think I'd have to stay in Savannakhet to get it issued/sorted?  

I think you'll find what you need in this thread;

 

[GrengJai]

3 minutes ago, Upnotover said:

I think you'll find what you need in this thread;

 

Thanks very much.  No mention of any proof of funds.  Strange how they required proof of £10,000 when applying from the UK and no proof of funds when applying in Laos.

[Upnotover]

9 minutes ago, NJS123 said:

Thanks very much.  No mention of any proof of funds.  Strange how they required proof of £10,000 when applying from the UK and no proof of funds when applying in Laos.

I think it's mentioned a couple of times in that thread, here's one; "No financial information was requested when applying."

[UKresonant]

A few days ago I emailed the London Embassy asking about the Non-O ME.

 

I asked for

A. (something else)

 

B. The income level for non-O Single Entry and non-O ME to visit wife (as for an ME they asked for £1400/m for one in 2018 and £1500/m for one in 2019 Q2, as listed on the London website. Later I found (on here) that they did not enforce that then. I cannot find any such requirement  on the current website. The e-system seems to suggest to check with London. 

 

C. Do they actual issue non-O ME now?  (as they discontinued them for .for a while, just after they got the e-visa system June 2019. I was actually in the Embassy Jan 2020 and someone was getting told he could not get the ME).. 

 

I watch with interest, with what they come back with for my questions and your situation!

 

The £10000 thing use to be the fall-back option  for the retirement non-O if you did not have a state pension / pension other etc. I'm hoping that it is just that the template of supporting docs, like the e-visa TR/TRME, is general for that group of Visa's.

 

 

 

Edited April 28, 2023 by UKresonant

[Maestro]

2 hours ago, NJS123 said:

Thanks very much.  No mention of any proof of funds.  Strange how they required proof of £10,000 when applying from the UK and no proof of funds when applying in Laos.

The inclusion of proof of GBP 10,000 (or the equivalent of THB 400,000 in some countries) with the non-O e-visa application to visit the Thai wife is generally considered to be an error and there have been posts on this forum that uploading a sheet of paper with "not required" was accepted, but I don't remember if any of these applications were made from the UK and if there was a longer than usual processing time in such cases.

[Maestro]

The disturbing text on the website of the Thai embassy in the UK — and probably a similar text to the same effect on the websites of Thai embassies in other countries — is this:

 

Quote

All payments are non-refundable, therefore please double check all information and especially spelling of names, e-mails and passport numbers since the Embassy would not be able to edit once you have made payments. All applicants will have to take their own responsibility on any error made on information submitted in the e-Visa application, which the Embassy will have to reject and as mentioned "non-refundable" and applicants will have to submit a new application.

Theoretically, even if the request for proof of funds is an error, the e-visa application can be refused without refund of the pre-paid fee.

[NanLaew]

21 hours ago, NJS123 said:

Thanks for your post.  Would the money have to be in a Thai bank account for the MENO?  Also, how long do you think I'd have to stay in Savannakhet to get it issued/sorted?  

Enter Laos early on Tuesday and submit MENO application on the way to the hotel. Overnight. Collect passport with MENO and return to Thailand on Wednesday afternoon. These specific days avoids the crowds that come in by minivan from out of province. Monday's can see dozens of applicants, Tuesday less than a dozen.

 

No proof of financials required or asked for.

 

The thread linked by @Upnotover has the details.

[GrengJai]

If my visa doesn't come through before I leave the UK, Savanakhet is where I'll be headed.  Thanks for all the information on requirements, financials, days, hotels etc.  It's much appreciated.

 

If anyone has/gets one of the emails from the UK embassy with the MOFA response, I'd still like to know what the outcome was etc. or your thoughts.  ????

[UKresonant]

I received an e-mail back from London, a lot of cut and paste but the essentials I was looking for/understand it to be

 

Staying with family

Financial evidence showing savings....

£10000 multi Non-O 

£1000 single entry Non-o

e.g. Bank Statement, proof of earnings, for at least one month.

The Red bold Paragraph implies, non-B and non-O staying with family, it will be a single entry (Please do not submit multiple entries) The Visa fee is non-refundable. Which suggests to me, it still as I thought it was since June 2019, if you just go on the e-visa system and ask for a multi non-O, you will likely end up with a Single entry Non-O (£60) after applying for a Multi (£150). They are not saying absolutely you can't get a Multi. But they cannot and have no way of refunding the difference in the Visa fee if you end up with a SE.

 

Accommodation hotel booking for the first few nights will be acceptable (I presume that will be enough to get a initial TM30 in the system perhaps)

 

(Past experience with London they will try and get you what they are allowed to get you. Many years ago dad had the application with them and there was a rule change, instead of two tourist entries the gave him a single non-O so in time for his trip to post the Passport back, but then found after that he could get a non-O ME retired Visa from then until 2018-19, which was better for 177 days total  on three trips p.a.)

 

OP good luck with your Multi!

 

Edited May 2, 2023 by UKresonant

[GrengJai]

4 hours ago, UKresonant said:

I received an e-mail back from London, a lot of cut and paste but the essentials I was looking for/understand it to be

 

Staying with family

Financial evidence showing savings....

£10000 multi Non-O 

£1000 single entry Non-o

e.g. Bank Statement, proof of earnings, for at least one month.

The Red bold Paragraph implies, non-B and non-O staying with family, it will be a single entry (Please do not submit multiple entries) The Visa fee is non-refundable. Which suggests to me, it still as I thought it was since June 2019, if you just go on the e-visa system and ask for a multi non-O, you will likely end up with a Single entry Non-O (£60) after applying for a Multi (£150). They are not saying absolutely you can't get a Multi. But they cannot and have no way of refunding the difference in the Visa fee if you end up with a SE.

 

Accommodation hotel booking for the first few nights will be acceptable (I presume that will be enough to get a initial TM30 in the system perhaps)

 

(Past experience with London they will try and get you what they are allowed to get you. Many years ago dad had the application with them and there was a rule change, instead of two tourist entries the gave him a single non-O so in time for his trip to post the Passport back, but then found after that he could get a non-O ME retired Visa from then until 2018-19, which was better for 177 days total  on three trips p.a.)

 

OP good luck with your Multi!

 

Many thanks for the update.  I'm hoping that as we will be staying in our own house (TB blue book photocopy sent) we may get the ME.  After receiving that email about a possible long delay, I'd take the single entry over over nothing though.  This would give me more breathing space and a better chance of opening a bank account should I decide to try to get a 1 year visa via immigration in Thailand.  It's nice to hear that in your experience the e-visa team were very helpful, I'm sure they will be with myself too :).  Just wish the auto-generated email was a little more specific with what the issue was.  Just sitting tight now and waiting for some news.  I'll update when I have more information.  Thanks again.