lostpacket Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 (edited) I wanted to bounce an idea off you guys to see if it works. I was thinking about just express mailing my passport (with proper forms of course) to the Thai Consulate in the US. My reasoning for this is that I don't have to wait in line and stay somewhere for 2 days while it is processed. I would still need to make a border run, but I could simply just return, no waiting. 1. send passport to family in US via express mail (3-5 days) 2. family gets a post paid express envelope addressed to my Thai address 3. send everything to Thai consulate via express mail (1-2 day delivery + max 5 days process) 4. Thai consulate sends everything back to my address in Thai via express post paid envelope. (3-5 days) #2 is necessary as the US Post Office will not accept Thai postage from within the US, hence why I can't buy an express envelope here. The time frame seems very much within the 30 day period ( I will do this on the day of my 30 day extension) especially if I use express mail. Does anyone see a problem with this? I'm also a bit worried about this being my 3rd double entry visa. Do you think the Thai Consulate in Chicago would be a worse bet than say going to KL? However, I really like the idea of not having to fight with others at immigration and only needing to leave the country and return. Edited March 10, 2011 by lostpacket Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkkjames Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 how will you account for no exit and entry stamps? dont think this is legal - the approach you suggest? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopburi3 Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 1. You must have passport available when in Thailand. 2. No Consulate will issue a visa on a passport showing you in Thailand. 3. A visa issued in error would not be valid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 If you exit Thailand first into PDR Lao or Malaysia or Singapore, use your Passport ID to check into a hotel, exchange currency if no ATM card, etc. you could then attempt your scheme i.e. passport FedEx to family in USA having exited Thailand. You then would run the risk of not having your hard-copy passport on your person while in those countries but then not illegal as far as Thailand is concerned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostpacket Posted March 10, 2011 Author Share Posted March 10, 2011 (edited) A week ago I sent this email to the Thai consulate. I'm a US citizen staying in Bangkok. Would it be possible for me to express mail my US passport to the Thai Consulate in Chicago to obtain a double entry Thai Visa? I would provide a return envelope with postage as well as all the proper paper work and fees. If possible, do you accept Thai baht as a form of payment? They replied with: Hi,You may submit by mail + return envelope + pay in dollars only Sincerely, Songsak (Nick) Yamkleeb Royal Thai Consulate-Chicago Is it really a requirement to have an exit stamp for a visa? It seems that it wouldn't be any different than me applying for my first visa in the US. Edited March 10, 2011 by lostpacket Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopburi3 Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 It is not only required for the Consulate to issue the visa the visa would not be valid or accepted by immigration if issued. I would be very surprised if that Consulate would make such a mistake but if they did it is likely immigration would catch it either on your way out or on your return (when you try to use it). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostpacket Posted March 10, 2011 Author Share Posted March 10, 2011 (edited) It is not only required for the Consulate to issue the visa the visa would not be valid or accepted by immigration if issued. I would be very surprised if that Consulate would make such a mistake but if they did it is likely immigration would catch it either on your way out or on your return (when you try to use it). That's the part that confuses me. Wouldn't my current visa be the only factor? When leaving, would they not just mark it as used up and not worry about the other one until I come back? Don't get me wrong, I trust you guys more than most others, I'm just a bit confused. I think I will email them back with my concerns and see what they say. Edited March 10, 2011 by lostpacket Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 I'm a US citizen staying in Bangkok... You said in your letter that you are staying in Bangkok but I do not think you were making it clear to the Chicago Consulate official that you would be sending your passport et al while still in Thailand... maybe he thought you would be staying in Milwaukee or some place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 This one is simple. Don't be doing that! Next ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Langsuan Man Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 Sorry this is a stupid idea on many levels Primarily because a visa only becomes valid when you use it to enter a country from a foreign destination How are you going to get it validated, think about it for a minute, do a border run and leave on one visa and then enter on a visa issued in Chicago, do you really think that the border guards are that clueless that they won't wonder how the hell you got from Chicago to whatever border crossing you use ? Don't try and game the system you might end up being blacklisted for visa fraud Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colabamumbai Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 Firts off all you should not be doing this,If you do this the passport should go back to the family address that the application was sent from in the U.S. and they should send it to you, not the Embassy. You are asking for trouble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostpacket Posted March 10, 2011 Author Share Posted March 10, 2011 Primarily because a visa only becomes valid when you use it to enter a country from a foreign destination How are you going to get it validated, think about it for a minute, do a border run and leave on one visa and then enter on a visa issued in Chicago, do you really think that the border guards are that clueless that they won't wonder how the hell you got from Chicago to whatever border crossing you use ? No, I don't think they are clueless. What I was thinking is that it is the same as what I do now. When I leave Thailand I'm on one visa, and when I return (if the end of that visa) I'm on another visa that I got from that country. It seemed pretty close to what I was doing, only that I had a visa in my possession before hand. I didn't think that I had to show that I went to X country and had a visa acquired from X country to return, just that I had a visa. When you mention that a visa is valid only when you enter from a foreign destination, I would still be doing that, I just would already have a visa. Sorry guys, I wasn't trying to fraud the system, I just thought it was a valid option, hence why I asked the Thai consulate before hand just to be sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dananderson Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 Do not even think about trying this. Before I came here I talked to Nick in Chicago's RTE about getting a visa while visiting family in Tennessee and he said no problem, 2/3 day turnaround, etc Before I put my passport in the mail, I double checked and called them again. This time I talked to a female who said I would have to send my application to the RTE in DC as Chicago does not process visa's from TN. . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostpacket Posted March 10, 2011 Author Share Posted March 10, 2011 (edited) Do not even think about trying this. Before I came here I talked to Nick in Chicago's RTE about getting a visa while visiting family in Tennessee and he said no problem, 2/3 day turnaround, etc Before I put my passport in the mail, I double checked and called them again. This time I talked to a female who said I would have to send my application to the RTE in DC as Chicago does not process visa's from TN. . . That makes no sense. I don't think there is any restrictions on the state you are from. I got my visa from Chicago and I was in Indiana at the time. However, I do agree with you about talking to various people. There were some that just gave me wrong info. One lady (maybe who you spoke with) really saved my butt and gave me the proper info without rushing me. If not, I wouldn't have sent in everything I needed (I forget what it was at the time). Edited March 10, 2011 by lostpacket Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dananderson Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 Do not even think about trying this. Before I came here I talked to Nick in Chicago's RTE about getting a visa while visiting family in Tennessee and he said no problem, 2/3 day turnaround, etc Before I put my passport in the mail, I double checked and called them again. This time I talked to a female who said I would have to send my application to the RTE in DC as Chicago does not process visa's from TN. . . That makes no sense. I don't think there is any restrictions on the state you are from. I got my visa from Chicago and I was in Indiana at the time. However, I do agree with you about talking to various people. There were some that just gave me wrong info. One lady (maybe who you spoke with) really saved my butt and gave me the proper info without rushing me. If not, I wouldn't have sent in everything I needed (I forget what it was at the time). Specifically she stated that the RTE/Chicago,"no longer processes visa application's from Tennessee and the RTE in DC now processes visa applications from TN." This was Jan of last year. She also said that all visa request's from TN were returned to the sender and notified to submit their request to the RTE in DC. Did not make any sense to me either but I am glad that I checked before putting my passport in the mail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maestro Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 No, I don't think they are clueless... If you really want to email the Thai consulate in Chicago again be sure to make it clear that you propose to send your passport to them from Thailand and want them to mail it back to you in Thailand with the visa. Anyway, as has already been said, if they were to give you a visa this way the Thai immigration would not accept it as valid when you try to use it for entry into Thailand and give you a visa-exempt arrival stamp only. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostpacket Posted March 10, 2011 Author Share Posted March 10, 2011 (edited) The exact same guy wrote back saying it was indeed illegal. Hi,If you are currently in Thailand, I strongly recommend you to : 1. extend your visa at the Immigration in Thailand (with out leaving the country) 2. you may apply for the new Visa at the neighbor country nearby Thailand; such as, Malaysia, Lao, Burma etc. we have a Thai Embassy their to provide you a new visa. In order to get a "Visa" it must be done out side of Thailand, likewise Visa can be extend inside the country. mailing personal passport crossing the country is illegal. <br style=""> <br style=""> thanks guys, you saved my bacon now to decide where to go since Vientiane is being strange. I guess Malaysia it is.....how hard are they on paper work? Edited March 10, 2011 by lostpacket Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Langsuan Man Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 I don't think there is any restrictions on the state you are from. I got my visa from Chicago and I was in Indiana at the time. Royal Thai Consulate-General 700 North Rush Street Chicago, Illinois 60611-2504 Consular Jurisdiction 1. Illinois. 2. Indiana. 3. Iowa. 4. Kansas. 5. Kentucky. 6. Michigan. 7. Minnesota. 8. Missouri. 9. Nebraska. 10. North Dakota. 11. South Dakota. 12. Wisconsin. Royal Thai Consulate-General 611 North Larchmont Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90004 Consular Jurisdiction 1. Alaska 2. Arizona 3. California 4. Idaho 5. Nevada 6. Oregon 7. Utah 8. Washington Royal Thai Consulate-General 351 East 52nd Street New York, NY 10022 Consular Jurisdiction 1. Connecticut 2. Maine 3. Massachusetts 4. New Hampshire 5. New Jersey 6. New York 7. Ohio 8. Pennsylvania 9. Rhode Island 10. Vermont Royal Thai Embassy 1024 Wisconsin Ave. N.W. Washington, D.C. 20007 Consular Jurisdiction 1. Alabama 2. Arkansas 3. Colorado 4. Delaware 5. Florida 6. Georgia 7. Hawaii 8. Louisiana 9. Maryland 10. Mississippi 11. Montana 12. New Mexico 13. North Carolina 14. Oklahoma 15. South Carolina 16. Tennessee 17. Texas 18. Virginia 19. West Virginia 20. Wyoming Including:Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Jamaica. Source: http://www.lawanwadee.com/index.php?lay=show&ac=article&Id=538877106&Ntype=9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostpacket Posted March 11, 2011 Author Share Posted March 11, 2011 Wow, you guys are good! Learn something new each day. Thanks for the post Lansuan Man, very informative. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopburi3 Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 Be aware that is old information and current Embassy website seems to change it - stating that any Consulate may be used. Thai diplomatic representative offices location local timeRoyal Thai Embassy Washington D.C. 10:34:23 PM Thurs Royal Thai Consulate-General New York 10:34:23 PM Thurs Royal Thai Consulate-General Chicago 9:34:23 PM Thurs Royal Thai Consulate-General Los Angeles 7:34:23 PM Thurs For your convenience, you may contact any of the 4 Thai diplomatic offices for all consular services. http://www.thaiembdc.org/consular/default.aspx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dananderson Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 Be aware that is old information and current Embassy website seems to change it - stating that any Consulate may be used. Thai diplomatic representative offices location local timeRoyal Thai Embassy Washington D.C. 10:34:23 PM Thurs Royal Thai Consulate-General New York 10:34:23 PM Thurs Royal Thai Consulate-General Chicago 9:34:23 PM Thurs Royal Thai Consulate-General Los Angeles 7:34:23 PM Thurs For your convenience, you may contact any of the 4 Thai diplomatic offices for all consular services. http://www.thaiembdc...ar/default.aspx "seems to change it" would be key....I tried calling the DC RTE no less than a dozen times and never was able to speak to anyone. Always put on perpetual hold. I interpet this to mean you can call any embassy for information.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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