Us Consular Outreach To Samui June 20

[sbk]

Recd this email today:

Dear Koh Samui Area American Citizens,

The Consular Section of the American Embassy in Bangkok is pleased to

inform you of the addition of a last minute consular outreach visit to

Koh Samui. If you are in the area and need services, or on the island

and just want to say hello, please come if you can!

Consular staff will be available to provide consular services at the

following date and location:

Friday, June 20, 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM on Koh Samui at the Iyara Beach

Hotel & Plaza on Chaweng Beach, 90/13-16 Bophut, Koh Samui, Suratthani

84320, Tel: 077-231-631. Please look for signs in the hotel lobby

pointing to the location of the outreach.

The following consular services will be available during our outreach

visits:

* Passport renewal applications ($75.00 or Baht 2550 for adult

passports, and $85 or Baht 2890 for a child's passport)

* Notarial Services and Certified Copies ($30.00 or Baht 1020)

* Absentee ballot application and voting abroad information

* Social security, VA or other federal benefits question will be

limited, but we will try to provide forms and answers

(Please bring exact change!)

NOTE: We cannot process extra visa pages during our outreach trips. We

can accept applications, but the passports will have to be brought back

to the Embassy for final processing the next day. The passports will

then have to be picked up in person (or by a friend upon presentation of

a letter of authorization signed by the applicant) at the Embassy. We

regret any inconvenience caused by this change in procedure, and we are

still working on gaining authorization to begin mailing passports back

to applicants.

Additionally, Consular Reports of Birth cannot be processed during

consular outreach trips.

If you have any questions, please e-mail: [email protected] or call the

American Citizen Services Unit at: 02-205-4049.

We look forward to seeing you on Koh Samui on Friday, June 20th.

Sincerely,

American Citizen Services

U.S. Embassy

Bangkok, Thailand

[Noodles]

US renewal passports are cheap. Getting one renewed from the UK emabassy in BKK

will set you back Bt. 7,735.00!!

[sbk]

And getting pages added to the passport is free! Something most other nations do not even offer, the UK I know requires that you get a new passport once the passport is full.

[Samui Coconut]

I understand that the limited amount of Americans on Samui does not warrant a regular visit of the consul and his staff.

Unlike the German Consul who comes here from Phuket every month.

[sbk]

The US Consulate office in Chiang Mai is the sole US consular presence outside of Bangkok. They also make regular visits to Phuket and Khon Kaen. So, in that light it makes sense they have visits to various areas of the country --I doubt it has anything to do with the number of Americans in Samui but rather, I suspect, how the US structures its consular services.

[mssabai]

Does the british embassy do a similar service? It's great!

[sunlife2000]

think the british embassy done something similar last month

[yorkie100]

Any U.K. and N.I residents may find this site useful.

http://www.help4brits.org/

[kevdulounge]

what about the australian embassy ? There's many australians in samui...

[yorkie100]

Google it and this is what you get:

http://www.tillekeandgibbins.com/consular_honorary.htm

The Consulate of Australia, Surat Thani

124/19 Moo 3, Lamai Beach

Koh Samui, Surat Thani Province 84310

Tel: (6677) 424-429, 424-012

Fax: (6677) 424-011

Office Hours: 08.00 - 17.00 (Monday - Friday)

[sbk]

I have been told by an honorary consulate that the consulates listed above are honorary consulates and are there to provide aid and assistance to citizens in need. They do not issue passports, etc. The US consular officers visiting are regular consular officers and as such are providing services normally provided for at the Embassy.