Tourist Visa Question

[nomad127]

I am an American that is applying for a simple 60 day single entry tourist visa (I will actually only be there 57 days). Since I am in the USA, I am applying to the closest Thai Consulate-General and it's the same one I got my last 60 day tourist visa from. I sent them all the required documentation as follows:

1. Visa Application

2. Passport

3. 2 Photos

4. Airline Booking showing full dates of my travel

5. Hotel Reservation

6. Current Bank Statement

Somehow the consulate demands that I give them a local and Thai guarantor, which they state is for emergency contact purposes. I have traveled numerous times to Thailand and Asia in the past and never had to fill these sections in or just wrote "Self" since I was always under the impression (and have read) that a guarantor is someone who would be financially responsible for you in case you got deported. I am registered in the US Dept of State Safe Traveler Program and have an Emergency Contact in my passport already. I really do not know if this is a new Thai visa law, they have become so xenophobic they don't want tourists anymore, the local Thai Consulate-General doesn't really know their job or I am creating a problem and am in the wrong.

Can anyone advise?

[Maestro]

My suggestion: email or fax them the information that you are registered in the US Dept of State Safe Traveler Program and thus your local contact in Thailand in case of an emergency is the consular section of the United States embassy in Bangkok or any US consulate in Thailand.

[ALFREDO]

nomad127

Never heared of that, is even impossible when you on your first trip and do not know anybody in TH.

If they insist and its not my first trip, I would give them the address of a GF there, possible fictional!

[gk10002000]

The same thing is asked on the Indian Visa application. The darn thing is good for either 5 or 10 years, you don't know which they will give you, but they ask where you are staying and a contact. Heck, I am just trying to get the thing for future trips not yet planned. I want the visa first then I can financially commit to buying a plane ticket. Indian embassy does not even respond any more. They contract it out. I have never used a Thai touris visa yet. The 30 day stamp on arrival has been enough for me, along with one or two extensions and visa runs I did on some past trips. I will query my friend that routinely did Thai Tourist Visas in advance. He lives in Los Angeles and it was very convenient for him to get to the embassy there.

[lopburi3]

It is always a normal question and I have always had "self" accepted but it appears they may want a contact address in case of injury (and have not bothered printing new forms) rather than the obvious so would provide next of kin family and still use your Embassy for contact in Thailand.