Thai Embassy in New Zealand increases visa fee 600%

[UKresonant]

4 hours ago, mstevens said:

So what is the reason for this increase in New Zealand, and seemingly not elsewhere? There are a few possibilities:

 

1.  The price increases are indeed worldwide and the embassy in New Zealand jumped the gun in publishing the new prices. Consulates and embassies elsewhere will follow with announcements in the days before March 19. I strongly believe this is the case. Let's not forget that there have been changes to visa policy in the past that has been announced just a few days before the change came in.

 

2.  The new prices reflect the rates Thais have to pay for a visa to visit that country. If that were the case, expect adjustments elsewhere around the world and visa fees to be different, depending on where you apply / what your nationality is.

 

3.  New Zealand is a test case to see what sort of change there is to visitor numbers if visa fees are hiked significantly, with this used as part of the decision-making process to determine how much to increase fees by elsewhere. New Zealand has been used as a test market for some products released by major Japanese manufacturers such as Panasonic, so you could say there is precedent for this, even if it seems unlikely.

 

My money is firmly on number 1. The Thai embassy in New Zealand jumped the gun and published the new visa prices early. I maintain that come March 19, wherever you are in the world you'll be paying the equivalent rate for a visa in your local currency.

Will be a big shock to a family  that has booked a Flight resulting in a   32 day visit, because the flight was a bit cheaper, or it better fitted with other destinations plans.

But if people keep buying the visas, or even there is no change to numbers visiting, albeit keeping just under 30 days, they won't care.

They may just say they are a premium destination, ( like a brand name on a generic white T shirt).

Edited February 27 by UKresonant

[thesetat]

10 hours ago, Skeptic7 said:

Did I miss something???

What's the current price❓

What's the percentage of the increase❓ 

You can not blame them for wanting to increase visa fees. They can not collect money for this from their biggest income earning country (China) so they need to make it up somehow/ somewhere. Hence the increase being so much (600%). I wonder where they will make their next increase in fees. Surely this increase would ne cover their losses either. Their free visa for the Chinese had to have repercussions elsewhere. Nothing is free in the world. 

[Robert Paulson]

Costs are going up for them so they’ve got to raise prices, because you know the cost to transport and manufacture the visas is increasing so much. Wait…

[Lopburikid]

11 hours ago, Pouatchee said:

bageeeeezzzzz... who else but ruskies and chinese and indians do they want here?

8 MILLION!

[arick]

So The Kiw's have way more options to travel to for $25 USD. 

[jacko45k]

11 hours ago, KannikaP said:

So why will this not apply to ALL countries?

And what has the exchange rate got to do with it, quote the price in THB and any moron  potential visitor can work that out in his own currency.

Not NZ folks mate! 

Give it time.... I don't expect it is an independent action by the Thai Embassy in NZ.

I also heard a rumour of an increase of domestic 'visa' costs, ie Extensions. Boosting tourism selectively it appears. 

[4MyEgo]

Looks like Velcro gloves will be back in fashion real soon as the humble Kiwi goes back to.......

 

[Kiwifarang]

12 hours ago, BestB said:

how much tourism is coming out of NZ to Thailand?

I doubt as much as before since THAI dropped their daily direct flights from Auckland to Bangkok in 2020 and have no intention to resume them.

[Kerryd]

I just checked to see if the fees increased for Canadians. I don't recall what they were before, but the "e-visa" and the Consulate websites are very cryptic about the fees. Took some digging to finally find the Consulate (in Canada) "fees".

And then noticed the difference they charge for a Single Entry and a Double Entry Tourist Visa. $65 for a Single Entry (3 month validity) but $325 for a Double Entry (6 month validity) !!
FIVE times more !!
Date effective - last October so just a 4 months ago.

And they want to increase tourism ?!?!?


 

[Thonburi-tales]

NZ is a tiny market so why bother with this.

[Chongalulu]

12 hours ago, John Drake said:

 

Need to streamline entry for Russian mafia and Chinese triads. Don't know where the poor ole Indians fit in.

They bring the useful for the economy gold necklaces,silly ! 

[Chongalulu]

48 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

Looks like Velcro gloves will be back in fashion real soon as the humble Kiwi goes back to.......

 

In Wales they tie them to a post and call it a leisure centre…

[Chongalulu]

10 hours ago, farangbuffalo said:

 

Umm that was Robin Williams. Robbie Williams is the guy who sang angels 

 

 

Which one's dead again..?

[Kiwifarang]

28 minutes ago, Thonburi-tales said:

NZ is a tiny market so why bother with this.

Why bother with anything? Like lambs to the slaughter

 

In Isaiah 53, a chapter in the Hebrew Bible, a virtuous servant is murdered but does not protest: "Like a sheep being led to the slaughter or a lamb that is silent before her shearers, he did not open his mouth" (Isaiah 53:7).

[Kiwifarang]

50 minutes ago, Kerryd said:

I just checked to see if the fees increased for Canadians. I don't recall what they were before, but the "e-visa" and the Consulate websites are very cryptic about the fees. Took some digging to finally find the Consulate (in Canada) "fees".

And then noticed the difference they charge for a Single Entry and a Double Entry Tourist Visa. $65 for a Single Entry (3 month validity) but $325 for a Double Entry (6 month validity) !!
FIVE times more !!
Date effective - last October so just a 4 months ago.

And they want to increase tourism ?!?!?


 

That's because the single entry for 3 months for $65 is a maximum of 3 months, whereas the multiple entry maximum of 6 months is $325 for 12 months if you leave 2 days before it expires and return the day before it expires because multiple entry resets each time you leave and you get a further 6 months upon re-entry. So, look at it this way $65 divided by 3 is $21.66 x 12 = $260, so you could save if you got 4 labels, but for convenience they offer you one label and the opportunity to leave and return as many times as you want without buying a re-entry permit. It's multiple by the way, not double.

[Callmeishmael]

Since only the NZ Embassy has posted figures that are so out of line with other Embassies has anyone considered the possibility that someone there simply doesn't know how to convert from Baht to NZ Dollars correctly?

 

[ROGER DUNN]

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

 

The Royal Thai Embassy in Wellington announced an increase in visa fees for individuals from New Zealand intending to visit Thailand. The new fees will be effective from March 19 onwards. The announcement has caused concern among netizens on social media that there could be a possible visa fee increase for other nationalities.

 

The embassy announced on its official website on February 23 that the visa fees would be raised in accordance with relevant laws, regulations, and the exchange rate. The embassy also provided a document detailing the updated fees.

 

For instance, the cost of a single-entry tourist visa will be NZ$300 (6,600 baht), while the multiple-entry tourist visa (with a six-month validity) will be NZ$1,000 (22,000 baht).

 

In addition to the fee increase, the embassy informed citizens that it will cease accepting physical visa applications starting from March 19. Those wishing to travel to Thailand will need to apply for a visa online only.

 

No other announcement on the visa fees has been made by other embassy offices. Following the clarification from the Royal Thai Embassy in Wellington, these new fees apply only to citizens from New Zealand. However, there is a possibility that fees for visa applications from other countries may also rise.

 

The Royal Thai Embassy in Wellington advised people planning to enter Thailand to stay updated on announcements from each embassy office.

 

The Prime Minister’s Office spokesperson, Chai Watchaong, shared that Thailand granted visa-free access to 60 countries in 2023 and plans to expand this to more countries in the future to boost Thai tourism.

 

New Zealand is not included in the plan to stimulate tourism of the Thai government. Thailand recently approved permanent visa-free travel for Chinese nationals and extended a visa-free scheme for Kazakh nationals until August of this year to enhance Thai tourism.

 

Tourists from China remain the country’s main target as the spokesperson mentioned that Thailand anticipates welcoming 8 million Chinese travellers this year and aims to increase the number of flights between the two countries to facilitate tourism.

 

More visa news updates to follow.

 

By Petch Petpailin

Caption: Photo via Unsplash

 

From discussion thread:

https://aseannow.com/topic/1320861-new-visa-fees-beginning-on-19th-march-2024/

 

Source: The Thaiger 2024-02-27

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

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[Pattaya57]

To my Kiwi brothers across the ditch, tell Thailand to <deleted> off and go to Vietnam for 90 days for only US$25

[KannikaP]

2 hours ago, jacko45k said:

I also heard a rumour

From where?

 

[Grumpy one]

13 hours ago, BestB said:

how much tourism is coming out of NZ to Thailand?

Judging by the amount of Lamb being sold here, there may be some sad farm hands seeking bits of their past loved ones      🐑  

[Kiwifarang]

36 minutes ago, Callmeishmael said:

Since only the NZ Embassy has posted figures that are so out of line with other Embassies has anyone considered the possibility that someone there simply doesn't know how to convert from Baht to NZ Dollars correctly?

 

As we had stated on the website. The Royal Thai Embassy Wellington will be adjusted the visa fees to enter Thailand, in accordance with relevant laws and regulations and the changing environment, as well as the exchange rate in New Zealand. Thank you

 

 

Note: The visa section is open between 09:30 am – 12.00 pm on Monday – Friday (except public and embassy holidays).  Please contact the visa section only between working hours. 

ขอแสดงความนับถือ
Best regards,

Salin

ฝ่ายวีซ่า | Visa Section

สถานเอกอัครราชทูต ณ กรุงเวลลิงตัน | Royal Thai Embassy, Wellington
110 Molesworth Street, Thorndon, Wellington | NEW ZEALAND

Tel: +64 4 496 2900  |  Email: https://wellington.thaiembassy.org/

[Kiwifarang]

2 hours ago, arick said:

So The Kiw's have way more options to travel to for $25 USD. 

Kiwi can apply for a tourist visa from any embassy, so not necessarily Wellington, however, if a Brit happened to be holidaying in New Zealand for example, and yes, I know, why would a Brit want to do that? 555, they would be charged the same fees set by the Wellington Embassy. So essentially this is just a case of the location where you apply, not what passport you have.

[Kiwifarang]

8 minutes ago, Grumpy one said:

Judging by the amount of Lamb being sold here, there may be some sad farm hands seeking bits of their past loved ones      🐑  

That's a sheep shot mate.

[Kiwifarang]

27 minutes ago, Pattaya57 said:

To my Kiwi brothers across the ditch, tell Thailand to <deleted> off and go to Vietnam for 90 days for only US$25

Well if Srettha's plan comes to fruition for a Schengen style S.E. Asia Visa with Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia then the cost may well rise to the New Zealand rate for Vietnam too.

[kinyara]

36th in the list of countries visiting Thailand in 2023, I wonder how many of the 85,897 actually stayed longer than 30 days requiring a paid for visa.

[Grumpy one]

6 minutes ago, Kiwifarang said:

That's a sheep shot mate.

It was the best I could come up with, been busy chasing a roo in the back paddock, she won't come home to me  

[Kiwifarang]

5 minutes ago, Grumpy one said:

It was the best I could come up with, been busy chasing a roo in the back paddock, she won't come home to me  

Forgot to bondage me kangaroo down sport did we?

[rexpotter]

Kiwis are the wrong color

[Pouatchee]

9 hours ago, Reigntax said:

TAT are expecting extra terrestrial tourists to arrive as a result of the success of their space expeditions!!

 

well... an alien is an alien...

[Pouatchee]

8 hours ago, George FmplesdaCosteedback said:

The article says 8 million, and the world population is now just exceeding 10 billion. I do agree everything we hear from TAT is hugely exaggerated but these figures seem to have been posted by the Thai embassy in Wellington, nobody else. Did the Kiwis just put their rent up?

 

did you read my other post?

look at who i quoted about the 8 billion... read the 2nd post of this thread