Hey folks,

I am wanting to obtain a 1 year Non-Immigrant O visa on basis of visiting friends in Thailand, from the honorary consulate in Houston, Texas (U.S.).

I gotta get off of these tourist visas/visa runs!

I have just obtained the forms from them, via email, and it states in bold and underlined letters that I must be in the U.S. at the time of applying for the visa.

Ummm…..needless to say I will not be flying back home (Houston) to get a visa.

I can however leave Thailand and got to Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, etc. and FedEx my passport to the States.

If I need to send it to an individual stateside first and have them forward it to the honorary consulate, that is no problem.

Not sure if they would have a problem while looking thru my passport and say for example “Oh look, he left Thailand, entered Singapore, but does not show having left Singapore…….SOL”.

I know someone is going to chime in and say “Call them”.

I will, but wanted to see if anyone on the forum had any firsthand, recent knowledge/info of this, any other ideas, etc.

P.S., me: American, under 50, not married, no children, self-employed (internet based, stocks/forex), plenty of money in the bank, have Thai GF, no business in Thailand, not interested in taking time out of my day(s) to learn a language that I can only use in 1 out of 190+ countries in the world (I have more than enough to keep me busy without taking that on).

Thanks!

Hey folks,

I am wanting to obtain a 1 year Non-Immigrant O visa on basis of visiting friends in Thailand, from the honorary consulate in Houston, Texas (U.S.).

I gotta get off of these tourist visas/visa runs!

I have just obtained the forms from them, via email, and it states in bold and underlined letters that I must be in the U.S. at the time of applying for the visa.

Ummm…..needless to say I will not be flying back home (Houston) to get a visa.

I can however leave Thailand and got to Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, etc. and FedEx my passport to the States.

If I need to send it to an individual stateside first and have them forward it to the honorary consulate, that is no problem.

Not sure if they would have a problem while looking thru my passport and say for example "Oh look, he left Thailand, entered Singapore, but does not show having left Singapore…….SOL".

I know someone is going to chime in and say "Call them".

I will, but wanted to see if anyone on the forum had any firsthand, recent knowledge/info of this, any other ideas, etc.

P.S., me: American, under 50, not married, no children, self-employed (internet based, stocks/forex), plenty of money in the bank, have Thai GF, no business in Thailand, not interested in taking time out of my day(s) to learn a language that I can only use in 1 out of 190+ countries in the world (I have more than enough to keep me busy without taking that on).

Thanks!

hi i think you cant send your passport in USA By Fedex maybe im wrong buth im sure at 99% you cant

I just called Fedex.

Their response...."Sure we can take care of that for you, no problem".

Regardless of what FedEx says it's agent's international law you are sending your pass port on a holiday and you are in a forging country with no documentation. Yes of know of companies in BK that still do this but it's illegal. The authorities had a big crack down here a few years back. For you I thank Perth Austral is the closes or Honolulu Hawaii has a counsel.

As far as the Thai authorities are concerned, you departed Thailand and obtained the new visa while out of Thailand. No way they can verify if your US passport was couriered for a visa or was personally handed in.

It is NOT against any international law to send your passport via courier to obtain a visa; I do it frequently when it is permitted by the authority issuing the visa.

However, it's easy for the Honorary RTC in Houston to verify if you are actually in the US once they have your passport so if they make a point of stating that you need to actually be in the country, why are you going to lie and risk not getting your passport back?

I have used them for Non-B visas and never had a problem APPLYING IN PERSON and I am not even a US citizen or resident. When people start getting smart and f*cking with the system, formerly 'friendly' Honorary RTC's may start being unfriendly.

Edited October 14, 200916 yr by NanLaew

... and it states in bold and underlined letters that I must be in the U.S. at the time of applying for the visa.

Maybe Charlie Foster gets a bonus for turning in guys like you to the MFA... you could become persona non grata and have learn a language for one of the other 189 countries.

I am wanting to obtain a 1 year Non-Immigrant O visa on basis of visiting friends in Thailand, from the honorary consulate in Houston, Texas (U.S.).

Save yourself the time and effort of the end-run. Houston ain't Hull -- and doesn't give Non Imm O visas for the purpose of visiting friends in Thailand (unless that Thai friend has a marriage license attached).

Thanks all for the reply's.

Look's like a little vacation down to Perth is in order.

Cheers!

is Perth the only place in Australia that delivers this non-immigrant o visa? I saw promotions on flights for Sydney for example, do they deliver this visa there?

Thank you!

Sydney has a reputation for being difficult. Perth and Brisbane are reported as being the easiest places to apply. If applying for Non-O visa on basis of 'visiting friends', recent reports indicate now need to take with you signed copy of Thai gf ID card/passport.

If just for general visiting friends rather than Thai marriage/child suspect so. And believe documentation is now being required for visiting.

I gotta get off of these tourist visas/visa runs!

If you have a Non-Immigrant-Type-O based on visiting friends/relatives - you STILL have to do visa runs every 90 days.

so basically what is the advantage of non immigrant O visa compared to tourist visa? (especially they are free right now)

Ability to extend for valid reasons along with a 90 day stay.