Embassy Letter Authorisation

[andywadsworth]

I have a letter from the UK varifying my income that I need to get authorised by the Embassy in Bangkok.

Does anyone have any experience of how long this takes if I take the letter myself to the Embassy.

Can it be done the same day - I am running out of time.

thanks

Andrew

[eyebee]

I would go to Key Visa in soi LK Metro. They will tell you exactly what you need, and will take your letter to the Embassy and return it for around 300 baht. Far cheaper than going to BKK yourself.

[andywadsworth]

thanks eyebee will try that

[LeCharivari]

Key Visa will probably explain it to you, but you'll probably need rather more than a "letter" that you could have produced yourself (not that I am suggesting that you or anyone else would do such a thing), although the Embassy website is now rather vague about the exact requirements ( http://ukinthailand.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for-british-nationals/living-in-thailand/notarial-services/letter-pension-income/ ). Previously they have required at least three months worth of bank statements showing your income, as a minimum.

Key Visa take the applications on a Wednesday (presumably you need to see them on the Tuesday, or before) and have them ready for collection the following Friday afternoon so if you are "running out of time" you may need to take them yourself (the earliest you would get your letter back and be able to apply to Immigration would probably be Monday 28 January). The Embassy have said that they are "aiming" for a same day service (apply in the morning, collect in the afternoon), but how true that is is not clear. If you go yourself, maybe you could post what happened.

The bus and train fares Pattaya-Bangkok-Embassy, return, will cost you the same as Key Visa's charge (300 baht), so unless you need the letter the same week then its hardly worth wasting the whole day doing it yourself.