Non B Visas

[nonthaburial]

There has been a lot on here about the Consulate in Hull, and more lately Birmingham, but can anyone tell me about Cardiff for 1 year Non B multi entry.

I was there earlier this year for business documentation verification and met the Consul - a very likeable elderly man and was thinking of trying there next month for a visa renewal

Any feed back please

[Manchester]

There has been a lot on here about the Consulate in Hull, and more lately Birmingham, but can anyone tell me about Cardiff for 1 year Non B multi entry.

I was there earlier this year for business documentation verification and met the Consul - a very likeable elderly man and was thinking of trying there next month for a visa renewal

Any feed back please

I think you have answered your own question to be honest. Call them and see what they say.

[Mr Conrad]

If you do not get one in Cardiff, try Glasgow.

I have a couple of mates who use the Glasgow Consulate for Non B all the time, the paper work they submit to support their applications is shoddy at best, but they get their Non B's no problem.

PS. Keep this to yourself, don't want to spoil it for everyone.

Regards

Mr Conrad

[nonthaburial]

If you do not get one in Cardiff, try Glasgow.

I have a couple of mates who use the Glasgow Consulate for Non B all the time, the paper work they submit to support their applications is shoddy at best, but they get their Non B's no problem.

PS. Keep this to yourself, don't want to spoil it for everyone.

Regards

Mr Conrad

quite a distance to go if Cardiff dont perform ! Then there would be the added expense of a Scottish visa !!!!!

[Guderian]

I phoned the Cardiff Consulate in June to check that they would issue me with another 1 year Non-O when it came due six months later (in January 2008). I was just checking out the ground, so to speak, in view of the changes reported in which rules were being enforced. For my last 1 year Non-O all I had to do was show a UK bank or BS account with reasonable funds in it and a copy of my lease on a property in Thailand (plus fill in the form, pay the fee, etc., of course).

On the phone this time, instead of the pleasant, helpful, elderly lady who normally runs the office, I got what sounded like a young know-it-all kid on the line who told me that a Non-B was out of the question without all the paperwork, and they didn't accept "entertainment venues" like bars as a legitimate business. I didn't pursue this point as I don't own a bar. A 1 year Non-O was not possible as I was not married to a Thai (never mind that they gave me one in January this year, when I was also not married to a Thai!). A 3 month Non-OA would be possible to allow me to apply for a retirement extension when I returned to Pattaya. (I apparently hadn't made it clear that I am already living in Pattaya.)

In summary, the Cardiff Consulate changed from being as helpful and easy to deal with as Hull, to apparently strict enforcement of all the rules that they now post on their website, see

http://freespace.virgin.net/royalthai.consulate/visas.htm

That was back in June, and I suppose it's possible, in view of recent positive reports about the Birmingham Consulate (and Glasgow?) becoming more helpful, that they have relaxed some of the rules again.

I suggest that you phone them beforehand to save a possible wasted journey, but ask to speak to the lady in charge, not the snot-nosed kid.

If you do go to Cardiff, I should be very interested in hearing your experiences. I will be applying for a retirement extension in the Jomtien Immigration Office in December, but I have to have a "Plan B" in case something goes wrong, and that alternative is to visit Cardiff again at Christmas and see what I can beg, steal or borrow from them. (There's a "Plan C", too, but that involves The Philippines… )

Good luck.

[nonthaburial]

Its a little like Russian Roulette it appears

[Mr Conrad]

quite a distance to go if Cardiff dont perform ! Then there would be the added expense of a Scottish visa !!!!!

You could post it by Royal Mail- but then again?

Visa's on arrival in Scotland are very fair, none of this 90 days in 180 thingymajig.

[astral]

No-one mentioned the Welsh visa to get to Cardiff.

[Crossy]

No-one mentioned the Welsh visa to get to Cardiff.

Unlike Scotland no visa is required to enter Wales, the visa fee is collected on the way out by the River Severn Crossings who only charge when you leave Wales, entry is free

I got my first visa from Cardiff, they were friendly and helpful then, sad to hear they may have gone down hill

Edited November 2, 2007 by Crossy

[Guderian]

Unlike Scotland no visa is required to enter Wales, the visa fee is collected on the way out by the River Severn Crossings who only charge when you leave Wales, entry is free

Actually Crossy, it's the other way around, see e.g.

http://www.severnbridge.co.uk/toll_prices.shtml

"Tolls are charged westwards only"

I've wondered about this for a long time, why does one have to pay to get into Wales, but not to leave it? I'm sure that there are all sorts of jocular answers possible, but it's a serious question.

I got my first visa from Cardiff, they were friendly and helpful then, sad to hear they may have gone down hill

The Cardiff Consulate has been great over the years. I met a guy on one flight to Bangkok who lived near Hampton Court, but used to travel to Cardiff for his visa as it was so much less hassle than getting it in London. I hope my telephone call was not indicative of a new regime in Cardiff, and if anyone has recent information that the lady who used to run the Consulate is still there, and that she is as helpful as ever, then it would be appreciated.

Regards.

[Trevor]

Why the need to travel to Cardiff? Use the mail. And if Glasgow is a soft touch, post it there!