Helpful Honorary Consulates In The Us

[ghiakarmann]

Hello all,

Already tried digging through the archives, I'm hoping to find a bit of current information. I'm a US citizen/passport holder, and I've been staying in Thailand for a while on 60 day tourist visas. I'm planning on returning to the States for a bit more than a month and while I'm there I'd like to get something a bit more stable, (and cost effective!) specifically some form of a One-year multi-entry visa.

I know various people here in Thailand from a variety of countries with either Non-imm B, Non-Imm O or Educational visas, and I've tried getting their stories to try to duplicate something for myself. At the moment it seems like the surest way (though expensive) is to pay a legal service to prep and process all of the paperwork through some consulate they use. Two of my friends here used their service and said it was absolutely painless, and handled fast, got their passports back in two days with non-Imm B's.

First off, I don't have a great feel for which type of Visa would be easier to get, I've heard that people apply for an Educational and get denied, but then apply for and receive a non-imm B. Another couple I know use Non-Imm O, just "visiting" friends here with just a Sponsor letter from a Thai resident. It seems that generally any of these Visa's would require border runs every 90 days, so from the perspective of the Visa holder they're effectively the same. I'm guessing the biggest difference is the amount and type of paperwork needed to push a particular Visa through.

I'm not wholly opposed to paying for a service to process it all for me, its not an absurd amount of money. However if its something I could do by myself I will. I'd asked about this early last year and there was some mention made of using Honorary Consulates back in the States that are helpful and perhaps more likely to provide a visa without a bunch of hassle as compared to an official Consulate office. Seems like I'll be mailing my passport to some form of a Thai Consulate anyways once I'm back in the States, and it might as well be a nice relaxed Honorary Consulate. I guess the first step for me is to find out which Consulate in the States is the most relaxed and contact them directly, find out what paperwork they'll need in advance, and the likely hood of receiving the requested Visa.

About my biggest fear is paying time and money sending off my passport in the hopes of receiving a multi-entry year visa and receiving it back with a single entry visa. Or, to a lesser extent, receiving a DENIED letter while they pocket my application fee. The former happened to a friend of mine last year, paid for a service to get a multi entry ED visa, for some reason they recommended applying for a Multi-entry Non-imm B, and receiving only a Single Entry B which was almost useless and certainly not worth the money spent.

As far as documentation for the ED visa, I've picked out a Scuba Dive shop to train to become a Dive Instructor, I can get a letter from the shop stating that intent to provide to the Consulate. I know people have received ED visas with just this documentation at the notoriously lax Honorary Consulate in Hull, England. I want to find Hull's counterpart in the USA!

Any help would be appreciated, I'll be heading back to the US in just a few short days. Any paperwork would need to be handled before I leave so there is a small time crunch.

Thanks in advance!

Ryan

[lopburi3]

Sending a passport from Thailand for a Thai visa is not only in violation of regulations on visa issue it would involve falsely obtained border crossing stamps if there was any expectation of using such a visa. That could result in jail and or deportation and black listing. Do not let your passport cross Thai borders without you.

[ghiakarmann]

Sending a passport from Thailand for a Thai visa is not only in violation of regulations on visa issue it would involve falsely obtained border crossing stamps if there was any expectation of using such a visa. That could result in jail and or deportation and black listing. Do not let your passport cross Thai borders without you.

Have no plan for doing any such thing. As per the first paragraph: ".....I've been staying in Thailand for a while on 60 day tourist visas. I'm planning on returning to the States for a bit more than a month and while I'm there I'd like to...."

I don't take it personally, I know I can be a bit verbose and people don't always read everything I write. No sweat. Any chance you have any info on helpful Honorary Consulates back in the States?

Thanks!

[Colabamumbai]

When you pay a school for classes they issue the paperwork that you take to your embassy if the course is six months the school gets the paperwork for you to get a 6 month Ed visa, if it is for one year the school sends you the paperwork for you to take your embassy to get a one year visa. Who can be denied an educational visa? The school will provide you with documentation here every 90 days that you take to immigration and pay Bhat 1,900 and you do not have to do a border run.

[Colabamumbai]

Hello all,

Already tried digging through the archives, I'm hoping to find a bit of current information. I'm a US citizen/passport holder, and I've been staying in Thailand for a while on 60 day tourist visas. I'm planning on returning to the States for a bit more than a month and while I'm there I'd like to get something a bit more stable, (and cost effective!) specifically some form of a One-year multi-entry visa.

I know various people here in Thailand from a variety of countries with either Non-imm B, Non-Imm O or Educational visas, and I've tried getting their stories to try to duplicate something for myself. At the moment it seems like the surest way (though expensive) is to pay a legal service to prep and process all of the paperwork through some consulate they use. Two of my friends here used their service and said it was absolutely painless, and handled fast, got their passports back in two days with non-Imm B's.

First off, I don't have a great feel for which type of Visa would be easier to get, I've heard that people apply for an Educational and get denied, but then apply for and receive a non-imm B. Another couple I know use Non-Imm O, just "visiting" friends here with just a Sponsor letter from a Thai resident. It seems that generally any of these Visa's would require border runs every 90 days, so from the perspective of the Visa holder they're effectively the same. I'm guessing the biggest difference is the amount and type of paperwork needed to push a particular Visa through.

I'm not wholly opposed to paying for a service to process it all for me, its not an absurd amount of money. However if its something I could do by myself I will. I'd asked about this early last year and there was some mention made of using Honorary Consulates back in the States that are helpful and perhaps more likely to provide a visa without a bunch of hassle as compared to an official Consulate office. Seems like I'll be mailing my passport to some form of a Thai Consulate anyways once I'm back in the States, and it might as well be a nice relaxed Honorary Consulate. I guess the first step for me is to find out which Consulate in the States is the most relaxed and contact them directly, find out what paperwork they'll need in advance, and the likely hood of receiving the requested Visa.

About my biggest fear is paying time and money sending off my passport in the hopes of receiving a multi-entry year visa and receiving it back with a single entry visa. Or, to a lesser extent, receiving a DENIED letter while they pocket my application fee. The former happened to a friend of mine last year, paid for a service to get a multi entry ED visa, for some reason they recommended applying for a Multi-entry Non-imm B, and receiving only a Single Entry B which was almost useless and certainly not worth the money spent.

As far as documentation for the ED visa, I've picked out a Scuba Dive shop to train to become a Dive Instructor, I can get a letter from the shop stating that intent to provide to the Consulate. I know people have received ED visas with just this documentation at the notoriously lax Honorary Consulate in Hull, England. I want to find Hull's counterpart in the USA!

Any help would be appreciated, I'll be heading back to the US in just a few short days. Any paperwork would need to be handled before I leave so there is a small time crunch.

Thanks in advance!

Ryan

Then I would suggest that you start contacting Thai embassies in the U.S. and asking them what are their requirements to see if they vary from state to state.

I think that you will find that they are pretty standard and have a protocol to follow. I received the paperwork for a 6 month Ed Visa in Canada from a Thai school. I explained to the Thai Consulate that I had spent a lot of time in Thailand years ago and would like to spend more time here now, thinking to retire here. They said they would issue me a one year visa as long as I did not paying the slightly higher price. I thought that it was a bargain. Thai Consulate in Toronto. Finished school in 3 months, they gave me the paperwork to take to immigration after 90 days, paid the fee and yes now I will have to do a border run when the current 90 days is up but my visa is good for one year. Non O Ed Visa.

[ghiakarmann]

I've heard that language schools do issue paperwork to bring to the Consulates, but most dive shops don't really provide anything other than a letter stating that the person in question is planning on learning to be a dive professional at their shop in Thailand. According to the rulebooks its probably insufficient, yet it has worked at places like Hull. I'll be taking your advice on contacting the consulates directly, I'm just hoping to find which places to make my priority. Along with that, is there anything in particular that I should or should not mention when talking to these people? Obviously I won't be working illegally, and will steer clear such topics.

Thoughts?