Confirmed 60-day Tourist Visa from Wellington $300 NZD

[Liquorice]

20 minutes ago, Maestro said:

 

 

Does that make it legal?

It may be unjust and unfair, but does it make it illegal?

[Celsius]

Just paid 120 bux CAD for Non-O 

 

Seems like a bargain now.

[Pattaya57]

35 minutes ago, Celsius said:

Just paid 120 bux CAD for Non-O 

 

Seems like a bargain now.

Me too, just paid A$120 for non-O e-visa in Aus.

 

Charging NZ$800 for non-O is ridiculous so can't imagine anyone actually doing it. Much cheaper to apply for non-O in Thailand as only 2000 baht (NZ$92)

 

Same with NZ$300 for a 60 day tourist visa. Get 30 day visa exempt for free + 30 day extension for 1900 baht (NZ$87)

 

[Maestro]

1 hour ago, Liquorice said:

It may be unjust and unfair, but does it make it illegal?

 

That's the question.

[Kiwifarang]

The Google Translate of the Thai version of document posted on the Thai Wellington Embassy website states more than the English version attached to the same document. In addition to the changes in the exchange rate it states "including reciprocal treatment with the New Zealand Embassy".

 

I take that to mean the cost of the New Zealand visas.

 

 

Consular_Service_fees_1.pdf

[Kiwifarang]

37 minutes ago, Kiwifarang said:

A Google Translate of the Thai version of document posted on the Thai Wellington Embassy website states more than the English version attached to the same document. In addition to the changes in the exchange rate it states "including reciprocal treatment with the New Zealand Embassy".

 

I take that to mean the cost of the New Zealand visas.

 

 

Consular_Service_fees_1.pdf 876.75 kB · 0 downloads

So, one has to ask, if Thailand is suddenly applying a tit for tat reciprocal type of fee structure specifically for visas issued within New Zealand, then why are they not doing the same in the case of other countries that also charge Thai more for their visas? Perhaps this is a trial in diplomacy given the negotiations taking place next month that Srettha is having with Luxon and his request for visa free status for Thai. The visa free status of Thai was ended by the immigration minister Lianne Dalziel in 2001 when Thai were claiming asylum in New Zealand and working illegally in the country. https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/changes-thai-and-czech-visa-requirements

[Maestro]

13 hours ago, Kiwifarang said:

The Google Translate of the Thai version of document posted on the Thai Wellington Embassy website states more than the English version attached to the same document. In addition to the changes in the exchange rate it states "including reciprocal treatment with the New Zealand Embassy".

 

I take that to mean the cost of the New Zealand visas.

 

 

Consular_Service_fees_1.pdf 876.75 kB · 1 download

 

That's a very interesting detail. Thank you for having discovered it and posting it here. 

[Ben Zioner]

On 3/19/2024 at 4:46 PM, HauptmannUK said:

Bizarre when a 30 day entry is free. Can't see it being a popular option......What has NZ done to upset Thailand?

Couldn't it be just that NZ visas are outrageously expensive? 

[Kiwifarang]

8 hours ago, Ben Zioner said:

Couldn't it be just that NZ visas are outrageously expensive? 

If you look up the prices, you'll find the price of a New Zealand visa is not outrageous. It's in line with other western countries and non-discriminatory in price, and also in the sense that some countries don't get visa free for good reasons, which is also in line with other countries not providing visa free to more or less the same set of countries. So, to reiterate, there appears, at least on the surface of it, from the consular statement written in Thai that visa fees in Wellington have been set as a tit for tat and as a negotiating point in upcoming discussions on granting visa free and have not been set in a manner consistent with other like countries. Alternatively, the Thai MoFA needs to set the fee higher because of extra security checks they must make on New Zealanders, e.g. because we are more dangerous than those of other countries (we don't include the idiot brothers in Phuket in that). I'd love to know why they need to charge us more. If it isn't for negotiations then there are at least two other possibilities, i.e. it cost more to issue us a visa in Wellington, or they dislike us and don't want us to travel to Thailand. Can anyone think of a reason that the Thai MoFA would do this?

[Ben Zioner]

6 hours ago, Kiwifarang said:

If you look up the prices, you'll find the price of a New Zealand visa is not outrageous. It's in line with other western countries and non-discriminatory in price, and also in the sense that some countries don't get visa free for good reasons, which is also in line with other countries not providing visa free to more or less the same set of countries. So, to reiterate, there appears, at least on the surface of it, from the consular statement written in Thai that visa fees in Wellington have been set as a tit for tat and as a negotiating point in upcoming discussions on granting visa free and have not been set in a manner consistent with other like countries. Alternatively, the Thai MoFA needs to set the fee higher because of extra security checks they must make on New Zealanders, e.g. because we are more dangerous than those of other countries (we don't include the idiot brothers in Phuket in that). I'd love to know why they need to charge us more. If it isn't for negotiations then there are at least two other possibilities, i.e. it cost more to issue us a visa in Wellington, or they dislike us and don't want us to travel to Thailand. Can anyone think of a reason that the Thai MoFA would do this?

You could be right, and if your are it would be better to keep things as they are. Korea has been flooded by Thai overstayers, and I'd hate to see that happen in the Shengen area. On the other hand it will become more and more unpleasant to be a whitey in Thailand.