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Will Tourist Visas Be Free Again After 1st April2010

visarunner
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blink Apprentice Member

blink

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The Thai consulate in Hull is back online but no mention of free tourist visas.

I actually emailed hull last week about the free tourist visa for my trip but they didnt know anything about it unfortunately. So Rang them today & still no news so looks like im not going to benefit as flying in just under 2 weeks & dont want to leave it much longer.

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loong Ruby Member

loong

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The Thai consulate in Hull is back online but no mention of free tourist visas.

I actually emailed hull last week about the free tourist visa for my trip but they didnt know anything about it unfortunately. So Rang them today & still no news so looks like im not going to benefit as flying in just under 2 weeks & dont want to leave it much longer.

If I remember correctly, Hull is an honorary consulate and actually rely on Visa fees to be able to continue running. I believe that they made a charge of approximately 17 pounds 50p for processing the free visas, so not much of a saving.

As someone else has already posted, no free visas in Vientiane may possibly be good news for those with back to back tourist visas. It is a possibility that they may be more lenient if they are receiving an income from processing the huge quantity of visas they they currently do.

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blink Apprentice Member

blink

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If I remember correctly, Hull is an honorary consulate and actually rely on Visa fees to be able to continue running. I believe that they made a charge of approximately 17 pounds 50p for processing the free visas, so not much of a saving.

As someone else has already posted, no free visas in Vientiane may possibly be good news for those with back to back tourist visas. It is a possibility that they may be more lenient if they are receiving an income from processing the huge quantity of visas they they currently do.

Thanks for the heads up on the admin charges for the free visa. Wonder if it is actually possible to get a free one in the UK from one of the other consulsates.Hull does seem to be the most popular.

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farangpattaya Advanced Member

farangpattaya

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Thai Consulate Amsterdam: I asked the lady behind the counter specifically for the tourist-visa, whether they are free or not: "The Thai Embassy in The Hague hasn't submitted any memo on an extension of the period, so the tourist visa aren't free as from the 25th of March 2010".

Same story was told at the Thai Embassy in Brussels.

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jonw8uk Advanced Member

jonw8uk

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Currently in phnom penh (19th)

my usual agent has confirmed that no free visas are being issued, and also that it will take 3 days processing, as opposed to the same day service I recieved 90 days ago.....

dam_n non-refundable flights!...... :)

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rroland Explorer Member

rroland

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Today, April 19th.

No Tourist Visas free. Paid 2,000 for a double TV.

Arrived Thai Consulate 6.50 am - 13 people already there.

15 minutes later over 50 ...

Which Thai Consulate?

Sorry I forgot to say: Vientiane

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lopburi3 Legendary Member

lopburi3

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Tourism stimulus measures extended

BANGKOK, 15 April 2010 (NNT) – The Ministry of Tourism and Sports has extended tourism stimulus measures for one year until 31 March 2011 to assist tourism related entrepreneurs who were affected from the demonstration of the United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD).

Tourism and Sports Minister Chumpol Silapa-archa announced on Thursday that the ministry has resolved to extend the assistance measures to help tourism related entrepreneurs while road show activities must be organized on a continuous basis to further stimulate tourism.

The stimulus measures include the exemption of visa fees for foreign tourists, travel insurance for foreign tourists of not more than 10,000 USD, low interest rate loans, and extension of loan payment periods. ((continued in link below))

http://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news.php?id=255304150019

nnt_head_en.jpg

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visarunner Gold Member

visarunner

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Tourism stimulus measures extended

BANGKOK, 15 April 2010 (NNT) – The Ministry of Tourism and Sports has extended tourism stimulus measures for one year until 31 March 2011 to assist tourism related entrepreneurs who were affected from the demonstration of the United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD).

Tourism and Sports Minister Chumpol Silapa-archa announced on Thursday that the ministry has resolved to extend the assistance measures to help tourism related entrepreneurs while road show activities must be organized on a continuous basis to further stimulate tourism.

The stimulus measures include the exemption of visa fees for foreign tourists, travel insurance for foreign tourists of not more than 10,000 USD, low interest rate loans, and extension of loan payment periods. ((continued in link below))

http://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news.php?id=255304150019

nnt_head_en.jpg

I think all of the forum reader readers appreciate the work, etc you provide for all of us.

ThaiVisa started the hype with the free visa in early March already and up to now this stimulus has not been implemented.

Ministry of Tourism and Sport is not in charge of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and despitye various request I have not heard anything from MFA or from the Embassies when they will implement this.

The article also does not include any date of when they will start . TIT

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Jimi007 Platinum Member

Jimi007

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Los Angeles consulate hasn't updated their website either. I emailed them some questions a couple of weeks ago, and the guy who replied was very nice and answered fully and clearly my other questions, but when I asked if the visas would be free after the first, and his answer basically amounted to "I can't comment on that right now" - he said to check the website as the latest information will be posted will be posted there. Meanwhile, it doesn't appear that the site has actually been updated since the *beginning* of the last free visa period.

If there's no word in the next few days, I'll contact the guy at the consulate to see if he knows anything. I'm not leaving for Thailand until early July so I've got some time, but I don't want to sit around on my hands worrying about getting my visa, and I know that if I go ahead and pay for it then the very next day the free visas will be announced :)

Well, it sounds like you've been there and done that. I always say; expect the unexpected in Thailand. The LA consulate isn't the best at responding at times. I used to use the Portland Oregon Consulate, but then the rules changed again. I could only get a visa from Los Angeles, for a single entry or The Royal Thai Embassy in Washington DC for a multi entry for my type of visa in the USA. So, I just get extensions here in Thailand.

Still no official announcement of a date the free tourist visa will be... But in the worst case you pay $34...

Good luck! And have fun!

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Maestro Star Member

Maestro

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...Ministry of Tourism and Sport is not in charge of Ministry of Foreign Affairs...

Precisely. This Minister may have the authority to approve a stimulus package for local players in the tourism industry, but he has no authority over visa fees. The news reports are either bad journalism or the Tourism and Sports Minister talked about something, ie free visas, that may be being mulled about without any decision having been made.

--

Maestro

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thaidiver Advanced Member

thaidiver

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I e-mailed the Los Angeles consulate last week, and here is there answer received 21-apr-2010:

"Thank you for your request for information regarding visas for Thailand. The Thai Government passed a proposal to waive the visa fee for Tourist Visas from April 1, 2010, through March 31, 2011. However, the proposal has not been signed into law and therefore we are required to receive the visa fee for processing Tourist Visa applications."

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IMA_FARANG Ruby Member

IMA_FARANG

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Posted (edited)

:)

I'm not sure if this visa announcement is required to havre it done, but you need to remember that cetain laws and decrees paased by the Thai Parliment need to be sent to His Majesty for signature and promulgation before they can be effective as law. As I say I don't know if this law requires that step or not.

At any rate, right now the Thai government is much more interested in the standoff with the Red Shirts...and although you may think a free visa is important, I expect they are more concerned with political survival and dealing with the Reds problem than your visa. Not to be rude, but I believe they are much more worried about that problem than your tourist visa. I would guess on a scale of 1 to 10 that runs a 9 at least, and I doubt tourist visas even rate a 5 on the same scale.

Maybe that now Sonkhran is behind them? We can only wait and see....and hope.

By the way, looking through the websites for both the Thai consulates in Los Angeles and New York, and trying to read "between the lines" of what they actually do say there; it does appear that at least in the U.S. both Los Angeles and New York will only issue non O or non OA visas for 60 days (with a 30 day extension possible in Thailand) for retirement puposes. It seems they feel that is long enough for you to go to Thailand and set up your bank account (800,000 Baht) before you apply for your one year retirement extension in Thailand. It seems they are offering a one entry only, with that 30 day extension. Fee is $65 for that single entry.

Also it seems that a U.S. police check and health check are required at least "at their request".

:D

Edited by IMA_FARANG
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Lee4Life Advanced Member

Lee4Life

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Still not free as of today in Vientiane. Other than the news article listed in one of the previous postings I am unable to find any official confirmation, the embassy staff said that while the proposal has been made they have not recieved official notice that it has been approved.

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thaidiver Advanced Member

thaidiver

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To whom it may concern, I just recieved another e-mail from the Los Angeles Thai Consulate 2 days ago stating:

"I just received an official communication that the fee for Tourist Visas will be waived starting May 11, 2010, and last through March 31, 2011."

Great news for me, and hopefully for you too.......

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