Will Be In The States For 1 Week, Need To Get New Non O

[steelepulse]

I'll be in Nevada for a week for business, and in the meantime I'd like to send my passport to a consulate to get a new 1 year non O by marriage.  I've got all the legal paperwork etc.  I used to send to Denver a number of years ago and it was simple, but now I read hear that Denver is no longer issuing and I can't even get an email through to Dawn who has been there for years.  Anyone have recent experience with this.  Nevada doesn't have a consulate or embassy, and I think mailing to Los Angeles would take too long.  Houston?  Dallas? 

I can send it off Fedex on Monday and need to get it back by Friday, which used to be no problem with Denver, but not sure these days about anywhere else.

[jdinasia]

Dawn has been gone for years ...

Denver still issues multi-non-imms IF you have the valid reasons for them. Call Ringsby Realty (I think) and ask them. They do not do walk-ins and you need an appointment if going in person.

I would advise contacting Houston

[ubonjoe]

The 4 main consulates of Thailand in the US can all be unfriendly. The honorary consulates are best and give fast mail in service.

Pull down menu at top of this page has a list of them.

Link: http://www.thaiembdc.org/AboutEmb/EmbDirect.aspx

Houston is great. You should use one near you though.

You can download visa application form at the above website.

[jdinasia]

I have used Denver and not had issues but then again I had all the documentation i could possibly need. Most recently I used denver in Apr 07

[jfchandler]

I've had good experience with Houston last year and again this past July... all by express mail...back and forth. That was for a B visa... but I'd assume if you qualify, they'd be OK too for Os.... You can e-mail them to inquire, and they will respond promptly...

[beechguy]

I've had good experience with Houston last year and again this past July... all by express mail...back and forth. That was for a B visa... but I'd assume if you qualify, they'd be OK too for Os.... You can e-mail them to inquire, and they will respond promptly...

Does Houston grant 1 year multi-entry "B" visas?

[ubonjoe]

Houston gives great service and turns around mail in applications the same day received.

I have gotten a multi-b from them using a just a letter from a US company. That was a few years ago though. My most recent experience has been with non-o's. They made a mistake on my last one and gave me a b instead of an o.

They are pretty good at responding to emails.

Info is on list I posted earlier.

[jfchandler]

I've had good experience with Houston last year and again this past July... all by express mail...back and forth. That was for a B visa... but I'd assume if you qualify, they'd be OK too for Os.... You can e-mail them to inquire, and they will respond promptly...

Does Houston grant 1 year multi-entry "B" visas?

Yes...they do... provided you have the correct supporting documents from a sponsor in Thailand.

[beechguy]

I've had good experience with Houston last year and again this past July... all by express mail...back and forth. That was for a B visa... but I'd assume if you qualify, they'd be OK too for Os.... You can e-mail them to inquire, and they will respond promptly...

Does Houston grant 1 year multi-entry "B" visas?

Yes...they do... provided you have the correct supporting documents from a sponsor in Thailand.

Thanks, I have a company in Thailand, so maybe I'll give them a try. I requested information from the office in Oklahoma and they were reluctant to offer a one year visa.

[steelepulse]

Sounds like Houston is the way to go.  I've been married for 7 years and have all supporting docs.  Usually I get the non O in Singapore, but this year the timing works out for my trip to Nevada.  jdinasia, I saw in anther thread via a google search that Denver stopped issuing via mail, but if you lived in state they still processed.  I can call Ringsby if I don't get anything from Houston.

[ubonjoe]

I can assure you Houston will do it. Copy of wifes passport photo page and marriage certificate. I used an english translation (MFA ceritified) for marriage proof with Thai version attached.

[jfchandler]

To the OP...in my experience.... trying to do this by mail in with Houston in ONLY one week is cutting it a bit thin in terms of timing... depending on when you arrive and where the weekends fall.

Last time, and I didn't know this before, I found out they apparently either aren't open or don't do visa work on Fridays....

So, in my case, I arrived back in the U.S. on a Weds afternoon, but the flight was late and by the time I cleared the airport...day was gone. Went Thursday to the bank to get the U.S. money order for the visa fee, and then to the P.O. to do overnight mail sending Thursday/arriving Friday.

Then, because they weren't working/open on Friday (though I didn't know that then, and they hadn't mentioned it previously when we were emailing back and forth) they didn't get my package from the P.O. delivery guy until early Mon afternoon. Apparently, then they worked it on Tuesday, mailed it on Wednesday, and then I received it at home in California on Thursday.

Fortunately, I had more time before my return flight....so I wasn't sweating... But I had been thinking I might get the package or Monday or Tuesday, and it became Thursday instead.

So... #1 if you mail to Houston, check with them about if they are closed on Friday. Or #2, I believe they will accept documents/applications in person.

[ubonjoe]

Must of been a holiday because it's a law office where consul is located. I always use Fedex or UPS I don't trust express mail. Plus from some addresses its a two day delivery not overnight.

Edited October 7, 2008 by ubonjoe

[jdinasia]

Some of the places will NOT accept anything other than US Mail (so express mail) I believe.

[steelepulse]

Thanks All.  I'll drop Houston a note before hand.  I'll be arriving on a Sunday, can fire off fedex or express Monday morning, then I don't leave until Saturday, so things should be fine.  ubonjoe, did they tell you they needed a translated copy of marriage cert?  Certainly someone there can read Thai can't they?

[jdinasia]

Nobody in Denver when I was there read Thai (they were rather impressed that I could

[jfchandler]

I don't believe the staff in the Houston office can read Thai... I think they require authenticated translations, when such is pertinent... You should check with them... None of the folks there I've ever dealt with were Thai...

And...my memory about the Houston honorary consulate being closed on Friday was correct. I went back to my past email, and found their reply to my message that I sent when it was taking longer than I expected. It is, after all, a private office.... not a real (Thai) government office.... So I assume they set their office hours as they see fit...

Email to me from the Houston honorary consulate last July (08):

"Good morning. We did receive your documents last Friday, but the Consulate operation hours are as follows:

Mon-Thurs 8:30-10:30 or 2:00-4:00"

[steelepulse]

OK, email heading their way.  Thanks All!

[ubonjoe]

Thanks All. I'll drop Houston a note before hand. I'll be arriving on a Sunday, can fire off fedex or express Monday morning, then I don't leave until Saturday, so things should be fine. ubonjoe, did they tell you they needed a translated copy of marriage cert? Certainly someone there can read Thai can't they?

No they didn't tell me. Just sent it because it was handy. I also did it because I felt it might not hurt just in case they had a problem with Thai. I am sure they can handle the Thai marriage certificate.

You will need to send them a return Fedex or whatever company you use for them to send passport back.

[Mario2008]

It is handy to have a letter from your wife asking you to be given a visa.

[steelepulse]

I received a prompt reply from them along with the forms.  They did ask for the marriage cert to be in English but as for the rest, sending fedex etc. they said no problem. 

[ubonjoe]

I received a prompt reply from them along with the forms. They did ask for the marriage cert to be in English but as for the rest, sending fedex etc. they said no problem.

Are you going to be able to get the translation handled before you leave? Do they require a MFA certified translation? Question is to help others.

They helped me out the first time I did an o. I didnt have the passport copy with me. They let me send every thing else and email a scan of the passport the next day to them. Was your reply from Ms. A?