Tourist Visa Application London Consulate - Questions

[Siamesepiggster]

Hi,

 

I have already searched online (Google) and keep getting conflicting information.

 

Does anyone have any recent experience of applying for a Tourist Visa using the Thai Consulate in London as a British national using their online application service with particular regard to the following:

 

1) Processing time once application has been submitted?

2) Is the 200,000 Baht or equivalent shown on a bank statement currently enforced?

3) Anything else that I should be aware of given that the requirements/enforcement can chop and change?

 

Thanks.

[Sumiyoshicho]

13 minutes ago, Siamesepiggster said:

Hi,

 

I have already searched online (Google) and keep getting conflicting information.

 

Does anyone have any recent experience of applying for a Tourist Visa using the Thai Consulate in London as a British national using their online application service with particular regard to the following:

 

1) Processing time once application has been submitted?

2) Is the 200,000 Baht or equivalent shown on a bank statement currently enforced?

3) Anything else that I should be aware of given that the requirements/enforcement can chop and change?

 

Thanks.

Thai Embassy London emailed me this recently to my enquiry "Providing you meet all the eligibility criteria, and uploaded all the required documents in the visa system, the current online visa processing time is approximately 10 -15 working days, from the date your visa application is submitted "  I know people who have got approved within 5 working days. Financial statement no longer a requirement for a tourist visa.

[Liquorice]

1 hour ago, Siamesepiggster said:

2) Is the 200,000 Baht or equivalent shown on a bank statement currently enforced?

Firstly, it's an Embassy, not a Consulate in London.

Secondly your enquiring about the TV, but quoting financial requirements for the METV.

Which one is it?

[PETERTHEEATER]

17 hours ago, Liquorice said:

Firstly, it's an Embassy, not a Consulate in London.

Secondly your enquiring about the TV, but quoting financial requirements for the METV.

Which one is it?

But it's the Consular Section of the Embassy which deals with visas.

[Liquorice]

8 minutes ago, PETERTHEEATER said:

But it's the Consular Section of the Embassy which deals with visas.

What has that got to do with the OP stating he's using a Thai Consulate?
The UK no longer has any 'Consulates', only the Thai Embassy .......... in London.

[VBF]

19 hours ago, Siamesepiggster said:

Hi,

 

I have already searched online (Google) and keep getting conflicting information.

 

Does anyone have any recent experience of applying for a Tourist Visa using the Thai Consulate in London as a British national using their online application service with particular regard to the following:

 

1) Processing time once application has been submitted?

2) Is the 200,000 Baht or equivalent shown on a bank statement currently enforced?

3) Anything else that I should be aware of given that the requirements/enforcement can chop and change?

 

Thanks.

You haven't searched that carefully have you? 🙄

I posted this on Monday - think you'll find it answers all 3 of your questions 

 

 

Edited January 10 by VBF

[Toby1947]

20 hours ago, Siamesepiggster said:

Hi,

 

I have already searched online (Google) and keep getting conflicting information.

 

Does anyone have any recent experience of applying for a Tourist Visa using the Thai Consulate in London as a British national using their online application service with particular regard to the following:

 

1) Processing time once application has been submitted?

2) Is the 200,000 Baht or equivalent shown on a bank statement currently enforced?

3) Anything else that I should be aware of given that the requirements/enforcement can chop and change?

 

Thanks.

Processing time mine took 5 working days. No bank statement required or asked for on my latest application. Be aware the Visa duration starts on the day of issue not on the day of arrival in Thailand. Very simple nowadays  

[Toby1947]

Just now, Toby1947 said:

Processing time mine took 5 working days. No bank statement required or asked for on my latest application. Be aware the Visa duration starts on the day of issue not on the day of arrival in Thailand. Very simple nowadays. Watch video on YouTube by Robert Sultan, how to apply for a Thailand tourist visa after 2023. Very informative if you get stuck 

 

[VBF]

14 minutes ago, Toby1947 said:

Processing time mine took 5 working days. No bank statement required or asked for on my latest application. Be aware the Visa duration starts on the day of issue not on the day of arrival in Thailand. Very simple nowadays  

To clarify what I think you meant (?)

Visa is usable for 90 days from the date of issue (Date of grant)

Once entering Thailand one's duration of stay is maximum 60 days...note the use of days, not months - that's important, especially in a leap year!

Yes, your days of arrival and departure are included in the 60 day total

 

From my visa:

 

 

See my post above for my link to a VERY recent experience as it has changed since early 2023

 

Edited January 10 by VBF

[Toby1947]

18 hours ago, Liquorice said:

Firstly, it's an Embassy, not a Consulate in London.

Secondly your enquiring about the TV, but quoting financial requirements for the METV.

Which one is it?

No financial requirements for Single Entry or Multiple Entry tourist visa required. But someone with a head as big as yours  would surely know that 

[Toby1947]

3 minutes ago, VBF said:

To clarify what I think you meant (?)

Visa is usable for 90 days from the date of issue (Date of grant)

Once entering Thailand one's duration of stay is maximum 60 days...note the use of days, not months - that's important, especially in a leap year!

Yes, your days of arrival and departure are included in the 60 day total

 

From my visa:

 

 

See my post above for my link to a VERY recent experience as it has changed since early 2023

 

No I meant the actual 6 months duration of the Visa 

[VBF]

1 minute ago, Toby1947 said:

No I meant the actual 6 months duration of the Visa 

If you are referring to a Single Entry Tourist Visa, you are INCORRECT!

There is no 6 months anything.

 

Please re-read my posts. If you are referring to any other sort of Visa, then I don't know.

[Siamesepiggster]

Thanks for all the helpful advice. Really appreciated.

 

As always I'll ignore all the keyboard warriors who clearly have some serious personal issues to deal with.

[Liquorice]

1 hour ago, Toby1947 said:

No financial requirements for Single Entry or Multiple Entry tourist visa required. But someone with a head as big as yours  would surely know that 

I know the difference between a SETV and a METV.

The SETV is valid for 3 months, the METV valid for 6 months.

The visa validity being the period you can enter Thailand. The periods of 60 days stays are granted on entry and different to the visa validity.

The SETV allows one single entry, the METV allows multiple entries during the visas validty period.

No financial requirement for the SETV, other than proof of 20K THB that may be required on entry.
The METV has financial requirements;

 

Tourist (TR/Multiple entries). 

 https://london.thaiembassy.org/en/page/tourist-multiple-entries-visa

5. Financial evidence, e.g. bank statements, proof of earnings, sponsorship letter (current balance not less than 200,000 THB for the past 6 months).    
          - Your recent official UK/Ireland bank statement shows your name, address, and a minimum closing balance of £5,000

 

[VBF]

15 minutes ago, Liquorice said:

I know the difference between a SETV and a METV.

The SETV is valid for 3 months, the METV valid for 6 months.

The visa validity being the period you can enter Thailand. The periods of 60 days stays are granted on entry and different to the visa validity.

The SETV allows one single entry, the METV allows multiple entries during the visas validty period.

No financial requirement for the SETV, other than proof of 20K THB that may be required on entry.
The METV has financial requirements;

 

Tourist (TR/Multiple entries). 

 https://london.thaiembassy.org/en/page/tourist-multiple-entries-visa

5. Financial evidence, e.g. bank statements, proof of earnings, sponsorship letter (current balance not less than 200,000 THB for the past 6 months).    
          - Your recent official UK/Ireland bank statement shows your name, address, and a minimum closing balance of £5,000

 

That is correct - I think @Toby1947 got his wires crossed between SETV and METV.

 

The other problem is that the Embassy website does not always reflect the reality when you come to actually apply as it's not updated as often as it might be.  

Example, the London Embassy website for an SETV https://london.thaiembassy.org/en/page/tourist-single-entry-visa which was last updated July 2023, still states that Financial Evidence, Travel Records, and photo showing you holding your passport are still required. I had them all ready, but, as my link shows, (and as you said) they were not  needed.

 

That's why I posted and linked to my detailed SETV application which is current this month - whatever the Embassy site says, that takes precedence.

Edited January 10 by VBF

[Liquorice]

14 minutes ago, Siamesepiggster said:

As always I'll ignore all the keyboard warriors who clearly have some serious personal issues to deal with.

@Siamesepiggster

You opened a topic titled 'Tourist visa', which to everyone in the know, would be the single entry Tourist, but then your second question re the financial requirements related to the visa known commonly as the METV, the multiple entry tourist visa. If you're not specific on exactly which visa type you're applying for, you'll get a variety of (sometimes incorrect) replies.

 

If we have now established that you intend to apply for the METV and not the TV, I can answer your questions correctly and in more detail.

 

22 hours ago, Siamesepiggster said:

1) Processing time once application has been submitted?

10-15 working days, but quite often only 5 days if submitted documents are all in order.

22 hours ago, Siamesepiggster said:

2) Is the 200,000 Baht or equivalent shown on a bank statement currently enforced?

The 200,000 Baht refers to a Thai sponsor, it's £5,000 using your own bank statement.
Yes, it is required.

22 hours ago, Siamesepiggster said:

3) Anything else that I should be aware of given that the requirements/enforcement can chop and change?

Not that I'm aware of.
Follow the online information and upload the requested documents.

[VBF]

1 minute ago, Liquorice said:

@Siamesepiggster

You opened a topic titled 'Tourist visa', which to everyone in the know, would be the single entry Tourist, but then your second question re the financial requirements related to the visa known commonly as the METV, the multiple entry tourist visa. If you're not specific on exactly which visa type you're applying for, you'll get a variety of (sometimes incorrect) replies.

 

If we have now established that you intend to apply for the METV and not the TV, I can answer your questions correctly and in more detail.

 

10-15 working days, but quite often only 5 days if submitted documents are all in order.

The 200,000 Baht refers to a Thai sponsor, it's £5,000 using your own bank statement.
Yes, it is required.

Not that I'm aware of.
Follow the online information and upload the requested documents.

Again, you're correct, except that this time last year (2023), all the documents needed for METV were also needed for SETV (I obtained one and kept my records) and, as I said, the London website implies that is still the case. And with respect, you referring to a SETV as a TV is slightly ambiguous too. TV could mean either.

Yes, I know it's pedantic but that's how these misunderstandings occur, not helped by the Embassy website not being updated (as I also said)

[Liquorice]

8 minutes ago, VBF said:

That is correct - I think @Toby1947 got his wires crossed between SETV and METV.

 

The other problem is that the Embassy website does not always reflect the reality when you come to actually apply as it's not updated as often as it might be.  

Example, the London Embassy website for an SETV https://london.thaiembassy.org/en/page/tourist-single-entry-visa which was last updated July 2023, still states that Financial Evidence, Travel Records, and photo showing you holding your passport are still required. I had them all ready, but, as my link shows, (and as you said) they were not  needed.

 

That's why I posted and linked to my detailed SETV application which is current this month - whatever the Embassy site says, that takes precedence.

The London Embassy site currently states a requirement of £500 for the SETV.

 

https://london.thaiembassy.org/en/page/tourist-single-entry-visa

Financial evidence, e.g. bank statements, proof of earnings, sponsorship letter.      

       - Your recent official UK/Ireland bank statement shows your name, address, and a minimum closing balance of £500 

 

They have been transitioning and changing the website recently.
I understand (from a friend) that the requirement on the e-visa application site do not always match those on the Thai Embassy, London website.

You will know that better than I if you've recently submitted an application for the METV or SETV.

[VBF]

1 minute ago, Liquorice said:

The London Embassy site currently states a requirement of £500 for the SETV.

 

https://london.thaiembassy.org/en/page/tourist-single-entry-visa

Financial evidence, e.g. bank statements, proof of earnings, sponsorship letter.      

       - Your recent official UK/Ireland bank statement shows your name, address, and a minimum closing balance of £500 

 

They have been transitioning and changing the website recently.
I understand (from a friend) that the requirement on the e-visa application site do not always match those on the Thai Embassy, London website.

You will know that better than I if you've recently submitted an application for the METV or SETV.

I think our posts just crossed as we're effectively agreeing with each other!  😎

[Liquorice]

2 minutes ago, VBF said:

Yes, I know it's pedantic but that's how these misunderstandings occur, not helped by the Embassy website not being updated (as I also said)

It's not pedantic to establish the exact type of tourist visa, in order to give the correct information.

 

[Liquorice]

2 minutes ago, VBF said:

I think our posts just crossed as we're effectively agreeing with each other!  😎

I agree, we are.

There are multiple Non Imm visa types, and it's not helpful if an OP just enquires about a Non Imm visa, without being specific in the type or the purpose.

When the OP can't be bothered posting the exact type of visa, and you remonstrate flippantly, you're called out as a keyboard warrior.

 

It's simple, use the correct terminology and name, and you'll receive good advice.