Visa Woes In Bombay

[mike_rad]

I called the consulate here inquiring about the procedure for a TV. They said I had to present both an inbound ticket and outbound one. Inbound one's a bit strange I thought but let it slip. When I mentioned that an outbound ticket is an unusual request for a TV application they said it was the consulate's policy. Aha, I thought, must be for the locals, I said (as if they couldn't already tell I wasn't one from my accent). No they said, it's for everybody.

Well, I said, I haven't got an onward ticket as I'll be purchasing one in Bangkok like I always do. Well sir, in that case you need to show $500 cash or a credit card. Now I never carry that amount of cash around with me, my ATM card serves me quite well, thank you very much. And I haven't got a credit card either.

Wait a sec, I've got my SCB passbook showing a balance of 30,000 baht, surely that will do, No sir, we cannot accept that, only credit cards or foreign currency of $500 or equivalent. Why not? 30,000 baht is more than $500? Declined to answer.

I'm just about tearing my hair out by this stage, so I ask again: are you sure these rules are for ALL applicants, instead of just the locals, who may be more inclined to overstay? Yes sir, quite sure.

So I don't know what's the problem, and whether it's now a nationwide policy or just this with particular consulate. I say "now" because I've applied in Delhi a few times over the years and never any of this - just fill in the form, pay the fee and collect it two days later.

Or perhaps it's part of the general trend of making it more difficult to get TVs.

Anyway, I'd just thought I'd post my experience in case anybody is planning the same.

Regards.

---

[moe666]

There seems to be a trend in cracking down on issueing TV. Could be all those folks who live in Thailand on TV are causing a problem for the real tourist.

[Crossy]

Delhi was certainly no problem for a non-o multi (marriage) back in march, no money in bank required

A collegue was bounced for a non-b in Mumbai about a month back, they want a WP-3. Looks like Mumbai is not going on our list of 'friendly' consulates

BTW both of us went to the respective consulates because we happened to be in India on business, no special trips so no money wasted. I'm probably going to be in Bangalore when my visa next expires, wonder if there's a consulate there.

[pomraksao]

Delhi was certainly no problem for a non-o multi (marriage) back in march, no money in bank required

A collegue was bounced for a non-b in Mumbai about a month back, they want a WP-3. Looks like Mumbai is not going on our list of 'friendly' consulates

BTW both of us went to the respective consulates because we happened to be in India on business, no special trips so no money wasted. I'm probably going to be in Bangalore when my visa next expires, wonder if there's a consulate there.

There is no consulate in Bangalore (the nearest is Chennai which is a 7 hour drive or 30 minutes flight) , but there is a new service organized by the Thai consulate wherein application centers have been opened in Bangalore.

http://www.vfs-thailand.co.in/wheretoapply.html

Cheers!

[mike_rad]

Delhi was certainly no problem for a non-o multi (marriage) back in march, no money in bank required

A collegue was bounced for a non-b in Mumbai about a month back, they want a WP-3. Looks like Mumbai is not going on our list of 'friendly' consulates

BTW both of us went to the respective consulates because we happened to be in India on business, no special trips so no money wasted. I'm probably going to be in Bangalore when my visa next expires, wonder if there's a consulate there.

There is no consulate in Bangalore (the nearest is Chennai which is a 7 hour drive or 30 minutes flight) , but there is a new service organized by the Thai consulate wherein application centers have been opened in Bangalore.

http://www.vfs-thailand.co.in/wheretoapply.html

Cheers!

Yes, it definitely can be considered unhelpful.

Thanks for that info about VFS - I'll be in the Chennai area for a week or so before leaving for BKK so I may as well give it a try and will let you know if successful. Cheers.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

I called the consulate here inquiring about the procedure for a TV. They said I had to present both an inbound ticket and outbound one. Inbound one's a bit strange I thought but let it slip. When I mentioned that an outbound ticket is an unusual request for a TV application they said it was the consulate's policy. Aha, I thought, must be for the locals, I said (as if they couldn't already tell I wasn't one from my accent). No they said, it's for everybody.

Well, I said, I haven't got an onward ticket as I'll be purchasing one in Bangkok like I always do. Well sir, in that case you need to show $500 cash or a credit card. Now I never carry that amount of cash around with me, my ATM card serves me quite well, thank you very much. And I haven't got a credit card either.

Wait a sec, I've got my SCB passbook showing a balance of 30,000 baht, surely that will do, No sir, we cannot accept that, only credit cards or foreign currency of $500 or equivalent. Why not? 30,000 baht is more than $500? Declined to answer.

I'm just about tearing my hair out by this stage, so I ask again: are you sure these rules are for ALL applicants, instead of just the locals, who may be more inclined to overstay? Yes sir, quite sure.

So I don't know what's the problem, and whether it's now a nationwide policy or just this with particular consulate. I say "now" because I've applied in Delhi a few times over the years and never any of this - just fill in the form, pay the fee and collect it two days later.

Or perhaps it's part of the general trend of making it more difficult to get TVs.

Anyway, I'd just thought I'd post my experience in case anybody is planning the same.

Regards.

---

interesting info... I personally would prefer the $500 to having to buy a ticket which I did not plan on using... The one question I would have is "would they accept $500 in travelers checks?". Having to carry $500 is not so bad except for it could get lost or stolen.

as an aside when I got my last Non Imm 'ED' visa in august in the states they asked me to include a recent bank statement showing $500 or more.

[mike_rad]

interesting info... I personally would prefer the $500 to having to buy a ticket which I did not plan on using... The one question I would have is "would they accept $500 in travelers checks?". Having to carry $500 is not so bad except for it could get lost or stolen.

I didn't ask them that but would be surprised if they didn't. After all it's as good as cash.

---

[Khun ?]

You may be ask for onward ticket before they let you check in for your flight. I have seen it many times in the past

and this is not only Thailand.

[ovenman]

I spoke to a consular official at the Thai consulate in Mumbai several years back. They were strict regarding visa issuance even then. From what the officer told me, their strictness is because of issues with locals potentially overstaying, and that they do not make exceptions to their visa-issuing policy for non-locals.

[mike_rad]

You may be ask for onward ticket before they let you check in for your flight. I have seen it many times in the past

and this is not only Thailand.

I'm gambling on presentation of my SCB passbook showing a balance of 30,000 baht doing the trick.

[mike_rad]

I spoke to a consular official at the Thai consulate in Mumbai several years back. They were strict regarding visa issuance even then. From what the officer told me, their strictness is because of issues with locals potentially overstaying, and that they do not make exceptions to their visa-issuing policy for non-locals.

Yeah, well as I said in my OP, it seems it's just with this consulate as I never had a problem at the embassy in Delhi and I applied there several times.

[mike_rad]

Just got back to BKK (boy the airport was such a nightmare, as mentioned in other threads), so here's an update:

In Chennai I was presented with exactly the same situation as in Bombay, so I said, enough.

Went out to Chennai airport wondering what I would encounter, fronted up to checkin, with no visa-no onward ticket, and bingo, no probs. No questions asked. Now whether this was because of the policy of that particular airline (Air India) and a different airline would have produced another result, I don't know. (Actually, not sure if there is another airline flying that sector, but say, Delhi-BKK on TG, for example).

At BKK the woman very casually stamped me in for 30 days with not even a how-long-you-stay question fired at me.

[Beavis and Butthead]

God help us all if Mumbai slips into the unfriendly column

[stevemiddie]

I don,t wish to sound.........sceptical...............but if you are travelling frequently on " business" I would have thought a credit card would be part of your..errrrrrrrrrr imventory?

[mike_rad]

I don,t wish to sound.........sceptical...............but if you are travelling frequently on " business" I would have thought a credit card would be part of your..errrrrrrrrrr imventory?

Where did I say I was doing that? I'm just a long term tourist like so many others around here.