Hull Visa Delays ?

[thechairman18]

I have appied to the Thai Consulate at Hull for a Non Immigrant 'O' Visa.

I sent the documents

Tues 18th Sept.

They were 'Tracked', and delivered

Wed 19th Sept.

They collected the fee, via visa from by Bank,

Thurs 20th Set.

By Fri 28th Sept, I had not recieved my Pasport or Visa.

I e-mailed them, Fri 28th to ask why the delay, as on the Website they say they aim to process'within 24 hours'

I got a reply, 'What Visa did you apply for, and when do you travel to Thailnad'

I e-mail them the answers by return.

Today Wed 3rd Oct, I still have not recieved Passport or Visa.

I have e-mailed them to ask, why the delay, and they have replied,

'What visa did you apply for, and when do you travel to Thailand'

Unbelievable

[stoneyboy]

Very unfortunate,I have always found them very professional,prompt and accommodating,hopefully you will get sorted soon,good luck.

[thechairman18]

stoneboy

Just had a reply .

"Your Visa has been issed today, and you will get it by 1pm tomorrow"

No Explanation

No Sorry

No 'Losing face'

Made me think I was back in Thailand

[lopburi3]

And what were the travel dates you provided? Believe they try to avoid issuing too early as customers seem to get upset and not understand that validity starts on day of issue (not when they arrive in Thailand).

[Paul888]

Emailing is fine if you have only one question and don't need an answer in an instant, but in cases where you do need a quick answer and may have follow up questions, you can't beat the use of the good old telephone.

[jimmybkk]

I've not had to get a visa from there for 3 or 4 years but the last time I did, I sent it on a Monday afternoon and it was back in my letterbox on Wednesday. I was amazed.

I seem to remember hearing that the guy who was Consul there for ages had either retired or had got the boot for being a bit too free & easy with issuing visas.... Does anyone know anything about that?

[thechairman18]

lopburi

I go to Thailand 7th November, so well within the limits

paul888

Tried to telephone before, but it just rings out.

jimmybkk

always get my visa's via Hull, and always back in 3-4 days.

this time, and also last year, almost 2 weeks.

Though they do take the cash from my Visa, straight away.

[lopburi3]

My point was that most people departing next month would not want the visa issued until later this month so likely was the reason they were holding off on your application to give you more time to use it. This would be especially true of a multi entry when you want to use it for continued stay for the longest period (not sure if that was the case or not).

[SantiSuk]

Thanks for the post. I was about to send my application to Hull (with 10 days to go before flying back to Thailand). I'll play safe and drive the 60 miles over there now. Seems unlikely that they would do what Lopburi suggests unprompted and as a policy: how would they know that the applicant does not need their passport in the intervening period, for a weekend in Paris for instance?

Maybe I'll ask them and post here.

[thechairman18]

lopburi3

SantiSuk

Got my Visa yesterday.

Enclosed is the Visa reciept, and they took paymeny at 945 am, on the day they recieved my application, though it it took 2 e-mails, and 2 weeks for the visa to arrive. TITS.

Also when applying for a visa to have to state, When you are travelling to/from Thailand, so they are well aware of your travel dates.

SantiSuk

As you are fairly close to Hull, and you dont have much time, I would go direct to Hull, but,

1. You must make and appointment.

2. Make sure (Check by phone), you have ALL the documents they need,

[SantiSuk]

Ive done it 5 times before (in person), but thanks for the thoughtfulness TheChairman.

Just noticed as I went on the website to print off my application and get the number to make an appointment:

"Postal applications are usually processed within 24 hours of receipt although

this may take longer during the peak periods of September

to December."

Slightly curioous why September would be peak period.

[SantiSuk]

Just set up an appointment.

You can get too blase when youve done things many times before. I noticed on the website that to apply for a non-immigrant O on the grounds of marriage they now require to see a copy of the Thai ID card or passport. Luckily (as my wife stays behind in Thialand when I visit the UK) they accept a copy. They also confirmed that this requirement was relatively new.

I also enquired about the bank statement requirement, in case my wife's scan and send skills are over-challenging (comment on dickiness of printer not dick-headedness of wife ) and I have to manke an application on the basis of being over 50 years old and retired. They confirmed that an internet-printed bank statement will suffice, but it must show the name of the applicant on the internet statement. Apparently many banks do not show that.

[minotaur]

Can anyone confirm that no financial evidence is needed for getting a multi O based on marriage? Seems to be conflicting reports.

Thanks

[noob7]

lopburi3

SantiSuk

Got my Visa yesterday.

Enclosed is the Visa reciept, and they took paymeny at 945 am, on the day they recieved my application, though it it took 2 e-mails, and 2 weeks for the visa to arrive. TITS.

Also when applying for a visa to have to state, When you are travelling to/from Thailand, so they are well aware of your travel dates.

SantiSuk

As you are fairly close to Hull, and you dont have much time, I would go direct to Hull, but,

1. You must make and appointment.

2. Make sure (Check by phone), you have ALL the documents they need,

Just curious: What date is the visa stamp, in your passport?

The day, they got the passport, I guess.

[thechairman18]

Just curious: What date is the visa stamp, in your passport?

The day, they got the passport, I guess

Wrong.

My visa was issued 3 Oct 2012.

Which is the day/date they said they had issued it and fully 2 weeks AFTER they took the Visa Debit card payment.

[seasia]

Post appreciated, have used Hull a few times before without problem.

[noob7]

Just curious: What date is the visa stamp, in your passport?

The day, they got the passport, I guess

Wrong.

My visa was issued 3 Oct 2012.

Which is the day/date they said they had issued it and fully 2 weeks AFTER they took the Visa Debit card payment.

In this case: My 'wrong', your 'good': 2 more weeks of usage.

Looks a bit like they decided on their own, you don't need the visa/passport back, immediately.

No bad aim, me think. (in case, they didn't mislaid it)

Only bad communication skills!

[smedly]

stoneboy

Just had a reply .

"Your Visa has been issed today, and you will get it by 1pm tomorrow"

No Explanation

No Sorry

No 'Losing face'

Made me think I was back in Thailand

They are now issued on a priority basis, I went through the same process last year, I used to get my visa within days of sending regardless of travel date - not the case any more

My experience last year was similar to yours - emails then I eventually called them and was told I'd get my passport back a few days before my departure date, there are 2x problems with this, the first being visa refusal which I suspect is the main reason they have adopted this process - their overhead providing type O visa's I would imagine has increased dramatically having to go over all the docs and bank statements checking to make sure they comply - further to that they probably have to manage those that are refused a type O, can you imagine the workload increase when the new rules were implemented - I'd guess 50% of applicants are refused a visa for one reason or another, those that are approved are largely kept in the dark for weeks not knowing if their application was approved or not resulting in more overhead as they email and call to find out . The problem that worries me the most is if my visa is approved but only posted 3 days before my departure and fails to arrive - I will have no time at all to sort it out and would be extremely inconvienient and expensive to have to change my booked flights and reservations - absolute nightmare. I am heading home in two weeks time for two weeks and will need my visa renewed - I'll be calling them to make sure that there won't be an issue before I put it in the post

[thechairman18]

smedly

Thanks for your very lucid reply.

I can appreciate, they do not want to issue Visa's to any Tom, Dick or Harry.

But I would have thought anyone with a previous history, ( I have spent the last 4 or 5 Winters in Thailand, and using Multiple 'O's),would be fairly straight forward to process.

If that is now not the case, they should remove the "We aim to process Visa's within 24 hours" from the website.

So, as not to inconvienience the Postman (I now get my delivery between 1-2 pm) or my self, I sat at home and waited for 2 weeks.

[notmyself]

And what were the travel dates you provided? Believe they try to avoid issuing too early as customers seem to get upset and not understand that validity starts on day of issue (not when they arrive in Thailand).

I always send a copy of my flight details with the application and a letter asking for the validity to start on the day I fly, sometime they do, sometimes they don't.

[Upnotover]

Can anyone confirm that no financial evidence is needed for getting a multi O based on marriage? Seems to be conflicting reports.

Thanks

I got one in March, not needed then, and from the current (4/9/12) evidence document on the Hull website;

1. Married to a Thai national.
   

Evidence required:

• If married in Thailand:
  

Copies of Original Thai Marriage Certificate and Thai ID Card or Thai Passport.

• If married in UK:
  

Copies of Original UK Marriage Certificate and Thai ID Card or Thai Passport.

Either a single or multiple entry visa can be granted in these circumstances.

[OJAS]

I always send a copy of my flight details with the application and a letter asking for the validity to start on the day I fly, sometime they do, sometimes they don't.

Do Hull actually require specific evidence of a flight booking as a prerequisite to any visa application? In other words, could an applicant simply not inform them that he/she was planning to fly out on, say, 1 November and hold off making any firm flight booking until he/she had safely received his/her passport back with visa hopefully affixed on, say, 28 October (which would, of course, almost certainly rule out a 1 November departure date in practice)?

[smedly]

I always send a copy of my flight details with the application and a letter asking for the validity to start on the day I fly, sometime they do, sometimes they don't.

Do Hull actually require specific evidence of a flight booking as a prerequisite to any visa application? In other words, could an applicant simply not inform them that he/she was planning to fly out on, say, 1 November and hold off making any firm flight booking until he/she had safely received his/her passport back with visa hopefully affixed on, say, 28 October (which would, of course, almost certainly rule out a 1 November departure date in practice)?

no evidence of flights required it is simply an entry on the form, I fly home twice a year and book my flights way in advance taking advantage of special offers etc, booking a flight a few days ahead of your travel times would be very expensive plus I have to book joining flights from my home base to Heathrow - all very complicated my return flights to Thailand total around 600GBP including the local flight, if I book a few days in advance it could be as much as 1000GBP.

I'll be calling Hull before I post my application to make sure they will have it back to me in time, they haven't failed yet and are generally very good but leave no room for error

[notmyself]

I always send a copy of my flight details with the application and a letter asking for the validity to start on the day I fly, sometime they do, sometimes they don't.

Do Hull actually require specific evidence of a flight booking as a prerequisite to any visa application? In other words, could an applicant simply not inform them that he/she was planning to fly out on, say, 1 November and hold off making any firm flight booking until he/she had safely received his/her passport back with visa hopefully affixed on, say, 28 October (which would, of course, almost certainly rule out a 1 November departure date in practice)?

I figure that since I have it I may as well send it. Don't forget I always ask for my visa to start on the day of departure, don't know if the flight details help but I get my request 2 out of 3 times I guess.

I should also mention that I sent my application late Thursday September 20th and it was returned Saturday 22nd

[OJAS]

no evidence of flights required it is simply an entry on the form, I fly home twice a year and book my flights way in advance taking advantage of special offers etc, booking a flight a few days ahead of your travel times would be very expensive plus I have to book joining flights from my home base to Heathrow - all very complicated my return flights to Thailand total around 600GBP including the local flight, if I book a few days in advance it could be as much as 1000GBP.

I'll be calling Hull before I post my application to make sure they will have it back to me in time, they haven't failed yet and are generally very good but leave no room for error

I figure that since I have it I may as well send it. Don't forget I always ask for my visa to start on the day of departure, don't know if the flight details help but I get my request 2 out of 3 times I guess.

I should also mention that I sent my application late Thursday September 20th and it was returned Saturday 22nd

Fine where, as is seemingly the case with both smedly and notmyself, there is a proven track record of successful visa applications to Hull. But a first-timer would IMHO be strongly advised to refrain from making any flight booking until receiving his/her passport back with visa affixed, even if, on paper, he/she met all the eligibility criteria.

[notmyself]

no evidence of flights required it is simply an entry on the form, I fly home twice a year and book my flights way in advance taking advantage of special offers etc, booking a flight a few days ahead of your travel times would be very expensive plus I have to book joining flights from my home base to Heathrow - all very complicated my return flights to Thailand total around 600GBP including the local flight, if I book a few days in advance it could be as much as 1000GBP.

I'll be calling Hull before I post my application to make sure they will have it back to me in time, they haven't failed yet and are generally very good but leave no room for error

I figure that since I have it I may as well send it. Don't forget I always ask for my visa to start on the day of departure, don't know if the flight details help but I get my request 2 out of 3 times I guess.

I should also mention that I sent my application late Thursday September 20th and it was returned Saturday 22nd

Fine where, as is seemingly the case with both smedly and notmyself, there is a proven track record of successful visa applications to Hull. But a first-timer would IMHO be strongly advised to refrain from making any flight booking until receiving his/her passport back with visa affixed, even if, on paper, he/she met all the eligibility criteria.

Sound advice

[BuckBee]

Try using Birmingham or Liverpool consulates. Service is good & does not have the usual backlog of penniless sex junkies & goby boiler room workers clogging the application process with poorly completed paperwork/evidence.

Hull ruined itself with its homemade type O visa rules & lapse attitude at supporting docs, result was virtually all farang caught on overstay, working illegally or pulled in for some offence had a current or originated on a Hull visa that had no real valid issue ...

I use Birmingham as closest to me should the need for personal visit arise & postal service is 48hrs max if forms & paperwork are up to scratch ...

[thechairman18]

Hi BuckBee,

I have always used the Hull Consulate, but the last 2 times have had problems.

To be honest never realised they had a Lliverpool office, so being from Manchester, it may be worth going personaly to Liverpool.

[smedly]

Hi BuckBee,

I have always used the Hull Consulate, but the last 2 times have had problems.

To be honest never realised they had a Lliverpool office, so being from Manchester, it may be worth going personaly to Liverpool.

can I ask what sort of problems as information like that is valuable to those that use or are considering using Hull, all the consulates now have roughly the same rules and Hull have never let me down as such after 8 years of use although as stated above the do cut things rather close to the wire for my likeing

[thechairman18]

My 'problems' have been, on both occasions a 2 week delay, in issuing the Visa, despite their claim to process them in 24 hours.

I am a Horse racing fan, and have been to the Prix de L'arc de Triomphe in Paris, which is this weekend.

Having my Passport 'tied' up in the Hull Consulate for 2 weeks, is unacceptable, if I had wanted to go to Paris.