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Thai Embassy in New Zealand increases visa fee 600%


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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. 

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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! :tongue:

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. 

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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 ?!?!?

fees.jpg.faa0d106a39c6c13ed4e3b7bfdeee9e7.jpg
 

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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).

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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 ?!?!?

fees.jpg.faa0d106a39c6c13ed4e3b7bfdeee9e7.jpg
 

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.

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13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

visa-1200x800-1.jpg

 

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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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      🐑  :sorry:

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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/

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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.

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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.

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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

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