Us Embassy Appointment System - Update

[wayned]

It seems that the Embassy has now gotten serious about the appointment system which has been in place for years. I went yesterday to renew my passport and had an appointment for 0730. I arrived around 0700 and was told that I had to wait outside until 0715. They used to let you in so you could sit in the office an wait until it opened. The security guard then came out again an told me that I had to check in at the window in the guard shack to the right. I did and he told me the same thing - 0715. Then an Embassy employee came up to me ( the girl checking the Thai's for documentation) and told me that I had to go back to the guard shack window and get a pass. This time the guard took my passport and reservation slip and crossed my name off a list that he had and gave me a "shinny" new plastic card with ACS 001 printed on it. Back in line. The guard opened the door and asked for my and my wife's passes, but my wife did't have one so it was back to the window to get a pass for her ACS 002, and we were then let into security. The check-in system must have just started because everybody seemed confused. There is a sign next to the window in the guard shack that says "All US citizens must check in here first", but you can't understand what the guard is asking for though the shitty audio system, so just stuff everything in the box!

When we were waiting outside, someone came up without a reservation and tried to get in. When we entered he was arguing "loudly and profanely" with the guard and embassy girl outside and when we left he was gone and had not been let in. I guess that they are really serious but I do see a big problem with having to argue with a Thai security guard and a Thai national embassy employee to gain entrance . The moral is " make an appointment". It has reduced the crowd inside, my application was completed, paid for and approved in less than 20 minutes and would have been faster if the Vice Consul had been available earlier.

[happynthailand]

have a link for the appointment site??

[Thanyaburi Mac]

URL? Here:

http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/acsappointment.html

APPOINTMENTS

How to make appointment

In order to serve you efficiently, the American Citizen Services unit uses an appointment system for all non-emergency services to include notarials, passport services, and registering a child as an American citizen (Consular Report of Birth Abroad). We will continue to provide emergency services on an as needed basis.

PLEASE NOTE: You must have an appointment for non-emergency services. Appointments must be made on-line by using the ACS Appointment System Website.

We are not able to book appointments over the phone. You must use the online system to schedule an appointment with American Citizen Services.

When you arrive at our waiting room, please check-in at Window 3 and give our staff a copy of your appointment confirmation printout.

The appointment system cuts how long you will spend waiting in our office and allows us to provide you with better service.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Really screwed these days if you're not relatively PC literate.

Mac

[wayned]

Additional update about renewing your passport. There are two downloadable forms on there website. One for DS-11 and one for DS-82. The DS-82 form says for renewing by mail so I filled out the DS-11. The correct form is DS-82, not DS-11. I had to fill-in DS-82 at the embassy. When I asked them why since it says that it's for mail-ins, they said that it is really a mail-in because they send it to the Nat'l Passport Center, but since you are in a foreign country you have to appear in person. She said that almost everybody downloads and fills out the wrong form.

[lopburi3]

Actually I do recall having to think about it the first time many years ago but last time it was obvious. You are directly taken to the mail form page when you select Passport Renewal from the embassy web site. Only if selecting replace lost/damaged passport do you get the DS-11 page. As I recall you do have to know there is no extra charge payment due when filling out the on-line application form however when using overseas consulate.

Thanks for current report - in June they seemed to have two queue lines with no indication which was what so I went directly outside door and was ignored until she checked all in what must have been ACS line (none were Americans) then checked me - I was told to wait while she allowed 10 count from other line in and then allowed to enter. Then when getting to ACS instead of going to next officer free, as in previous years, you had to queue at specific window. Seems to change more often than governments.

[wayned]

There are now two que lines, one on the left with yellow lines and arrow one the pavement and one on the right with brown lines. The one on the right, brown, is for US citizens. The guard shack window is directly to the right of the que and you must go there first to get an "ACS" pass. The other one (yellow) is for non-US citizens and embassy staff are outside and issues them different passes after they review their paperwork. The Embassy security door is locked and is opened when the guard inside wants to admit additional people for screening. The guard only allows 8 - 10 people in at a time. If there are American Citizens in line, they have passes and ACS is open they take them first. At least that is the way it was yesterday but there is no provision that I saw for anyone coming to the embassy "uninformed" without a reservation.

[dddave]

In years past, when going to the US Embassy I would bring a book and get several chapters read while waiting. The last 2 times I went to ACS with an appointment, I was in and out within 20 minutes. No more book.

[asiaexpat]

I recently got additional pages for my passport and found that one must read the instructions on the consulate page closely so as to fill out the correct form. I questioned the use of the mail in form and read the instructions several times to be sure I had the correct form. Also, I was surprised by the new access process at the consulate. I stood in line awaiting the door to open and tried to get in but security turned me back. A citizen in line told me that I had to report to the window on right side (where Thais used to report for access.) There were two citizens in line at the window and it took about 15 minutes to get approval to go to the entry line. I waited another 5 minutes for security to allow me in the door. Once inside the ACS area (which was full of people) I sat to wait for someone to call me since the old signs that instructed citizens to get a number was no longer there and I assumed that since it took so long to gain acces I would be called at my appointment time. I was wrong and sveral minutes past my appoint time, I appraoched a window and asked what to do. The clerk provided instructions and I had my passport back in about 30 minutes. This new appointment system still needs work.

[wayned]

They now have a sign up in the ACS waiting room to "report to window 3" when you enter no matter what your appointment time is. It doesn't seen to matter what time your appointment is, they process you in the order that best fits their processing procedures once you report to window 3 but you now need an appointment to get in the front door of the Embassy, no longer just a US passport as in the past.

[kurtmartens]

I recently got additional pages for my passport and found that one must read the instructions on the consulate page closely so as to fill out the correct form. I questioned the use of the mail in form and read the instructions several times to be sure I had the correct form. Also, I was surprised by the new access process at the consulate. I stood in line awaiting the door to open and tried to get in but security turned me back. A citizen in line told me that I had to report to the window on right side (where Thais used to report for access.) There were two citizens in line at the window and it took about 15 minutes to get approval to go to the entry line. I waited another 5 minutes for security to allow me in the door. Once inside the ACS area (which was full of people) I sat to wait for someone to call me since the old signs that instructed citizens to get a number was no longer there and I assumed that since it took so long to gain acces I would be called at my appointment time. I was wrong and sveral minutes past my appoint time, I appraoched a window and asked what to do. The clerk provided instructions and I had my passport back in about 30 minutes. This new appointment system still needs work.

Its not a new system .... it has been in place for several years in every American embassy and consulate. It is new that BKK is enforcing it for non emergency appointments though. Most of the other US embassies I do business with already have been enforcing this system. Its a good thing and cuts down on the wait time for those of us who plan ahead.

[asiaexpat]

Kurtmartens,

The new entry process I referred to was the security to get into the Consulate, not the appointment process which I have used before myself. The new part is having to que up at the outside window and get an approval notice before queing again to get into the security area. This is a change since my last visit several months ago when a copy of the appointment from the web site was used to gain access directly with security. My point was that one should consider the outside waiting time when going for an appointment so as to not be late. Also, one must notify the clerks in the ACS room of their appointment since they no longer have que tickets. My previous visits were much more time efficient than the recent visit and the crowd was as large inside. Plan ahead is exactly what I was suggesting since it may take longer than before.

Edited September 26, 2012 by asiaexpat

[puyaidon]

I am glad the appointment system has been employed with earnest. In April 2010, I had an appointment for 7:30 and when the lady in the window called for those who had appointments, two people ran to the window before me and they did not have their appointments.

I would imagine the security is more now as there have been reports of a gun found in a young man's knapsack placed there by the father or someone. Then again, maybe a test as someone commented in another post. Or could it have been for another purpose? Who knows?