Thai Consulate in Sydney, AU, launches eVisa from March 19, 2024

[george]

The Royal Thai Consulate in Sydney has today announced they will stop issuing "sticker visas" and go live with eVisa online applications from March 19th, 2024.

 

The Sydney Consulate will only accept applications from people who live in NSW from that date.

 

You can apply until Mar 9th, 2024 the 'old way'.

 

As of today there is no mention of any visa fee increases on their website https://sydney.thaiembassy.org/

 

The Royal Thai Consulate in Sydney has long been known as the "easy" consulate in Australia, compared to the more "strict" Royal Thai Embassy in Canberra. Canberra is also moving to e-visas, to be announced later.

 

As a note, recently The Royal Thai Embassy in Wellington, New Zealand raised visa fees by 600%.

 

ASEANNOW are monitoring the visa situation at all Embassies and Consulates and will post updates as they happens

 

-- ASEANNOW 2024-03-01 

 

[DrJack54]

12 minutes ago, george said:

The Sydney Consulate will only accept applications from people who live in NSW from that date.

Found that strange. 

As the saying goes "it is what it is" 

[Fat is a type of crazy]

Applying for one shortly - new passport in the mail - based in Melbourne - maybe best to get the application in by the 9th in Sydney. Funny to introduce new technology for one state and make the rest of Australia stick to mail system.  

[Upnotover]

The e-visa application gives you the choice, maybe Canberra are a little slow with their memo.

[Pattaya57]

59 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Found that strange. 

As the saying goes "it is what it is" 

When Thai Consulate closed in Brisbane during covid we were told we must apply to Canberra office as Sydney was only for NSW applicants. 

 

I Just ignored that advice as Sydney is well known as the easier office to deal with and got two Tourist Visa by online application through Sydney. Maybe this is the same?

 

[KhunBENQ]

I navigated through to single Non-O visa.

Fee 120 AUD.

About 78 USD.

 

TR 60days is 60 AUD.

Reasonable.

 

[Pattaya57]

1 hour ago, george said:

The Royal Thai Consulate in Sydney has today announced they will stop issuing "sticker visas" and go live with eVisa online applications from March 19th, 2024.

 

The Sydney Consulate will only accept applications from people who live in NSW from that date.

 

You can apply until Mar 9th, 2024 the 'old way'.

 

Be aware that the Sydney Consulate takes approx. 7 days to approve the current online tourist visa application so you may need to apply now to get a visa approved in Sydney by 9th March

 

I applied online on 7th Feb, got approval email 14 Feb to send passport (1 day delivery) which then had visa dated 19 Feb

 

[DrJack54]

Off topic ....however might be useful to Oz folk.

I just received new AU passport.

Process was 21 days from posting application to AU embassy Bangkok and receiving passport at my my condo.

I used mail option so no need to attend embassy.  

[sidneybear]

5 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Found that strange. 

As the saying goes "it is what it is" 

Royal Thai Consulate in Sydney also serves folks from other states. Wifey works there. 

[Pattaya57]

18 minutes ago, sidneybear said:

Royal Thai Consulate in Sydney also serves folks from other states. Wifey works there. 

So please ask her why press release says e-visa is only available to NSW Residents

 

 

[sidneybear]

16 minutes ago, Pattaya57 said:

So please ask her why press release says e-visa is only available to NSW Residents

 

 

They frequently make this or that announcement, but are actually very helpful.

[Pattaya57]

10 minutes ago, sidneybear said:

They frequently make this or that announcement, but are actually very helpful.

Pretty clear announcement from Sydney Consulate. "The Royal Thai Consulate-General will only accept applications from residents of New South Wales"

 

[Fat is a type of crazy]

11 minutes ago, sidneybear said:

They frequently make this or that announcement, but are actually very helpful.

Thanks. So looks like no increase in price so may as well wait till the 19th and send to Sydney.  

[bmanly]

8 minutes ago, sidneybear said:

They frequently make this or that announcement, but are actually very helpful.

I put in an online application on Wednesday morning. In your educated opinion, how long do you think I will have to wait until they green light me to come in to drop my passport off? How long roughly before I get that email? Thanks.

[Pattaya57]

4 minutes ago, bmanly said:

I put in an online application on Wednesday morning. In your educated opinion, how long do you think I will have to wait until they green light me to come in to drop my passport off? How long roughly before I get that email? Thanks.

 

4 hours ago, Pattaya57 said:

Be aware that the Sydney Consulate takes approx. 7 days to approve the current online tourist visa application so you may need to apply now to get a visa approved in Sydney by 9th March

 

I applied online on 7th Feb, got approval email 14 Feb to send passport (1 day delivery) which then had visa dated 19 Feb

Already answered above

[sidneybear]

28 minutes ago, Pattaya57 said:

Pretty clear announcement from Sydney Consulate. "The Royal Thai Consulate-General will only accept applications from residents of New South Wales"

 

Official proclamations often differ from reality. It's the Thai way. RTC Sydney can and does serve interstate folks.

[Bvor]

5 minutes ago, sidneybear said:

19 minutes ago, Pattaya57 said:

Pretty clear announcement. "The Royal Thai Consulate-Genaral will only accept applications from residents of NSW"

 

 

IMHO is somehow referring to other non evisa applications cos the thai evisa system has its own website and user manual - as stated in the announcement (where applicants need to be registered). 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Pattaya57]

1 minute ago, sidneybear said:

Official proclamations often differ from reality. It's the Thai way. RTC Sydney can and does serve interstate folks.

I know. I said above Qld residents were directed to apply in Canberra when Brisbane Consulate closed. I went to Sydney instead and got two Tourist Visa's even though I was supposedly not allowed

 

[sidneybear]

1 hour ago, Pattaya57 said:

I know. I said above Qld residents were directed to apply in Canberra when Brisbane Consulate closed. I went to Sydney instead and got two Tourist Visa's even though I was supposedly not allowed

 

Exactly. RTC Sydney is helpful with interstate folks. They'll generally issue visas, but bear in mind that a visa doesn't guarantee entry. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Immigration Bureau don't have much to do with each other. 

[UbonEagle]

Finally catching up with the tech many other Asian countries have been using for years 🤔

[Pattaya57]

2 hours ago, UbonEagle said:

Finally catching up with the tech many other Asian countries have been using for years 🤔

Is Australia Asian now, good to know

[bbi1]

On 3/1/2024 at 1:42 PM, sidneybear said:

Royal Thai Consulate in Sydney also serves folks from other states. Wifey works there. 

Can you please ask your wifey why Sydney consulate never bothers to answer people's emails? Why the hell put an email address on the site when they never answer emails?

[sidneybear]

On 3/10/2024 at 3:42 PM, bbi1 said:

Can you please ask your wifey why Sydney consulate never bothers to answer people's emails? Why the hell put an email address on the site when they never answer emails?

I think it depends on the question and how it is asked - like any public service they get lots of daft emails asking for stuff that's already on their website, or is impossible, as well as rude and boorish emails. My wife and her lovely colleagues generally respond to emails from people who are genuinely in need of help.

 

Worth noting is that visas are going all online very soon, with no more visa stickers, so the whole process will be a lot more convenient.

[Bvor]

1 hour ago, sidneybear said:

 

Worth noting is that visas are going all online very soon

according to sydney announcement that consulate will only accept applications from NSW residents.

according to canberra announcement its embassy will accept applications from other states and regions but not from NSW residents.

both announcements have a 19 March 2024 commencement that "coincidentally" is the same date as New Zealands proposed fee increases...........???? 

i'm from Perth so the canberra announcement is most welcome albeit overdue.