Uk Visas; Important.

[GU22]

From the British embassy website.

Change to visa service from 21 April

On 21 April 2006 there will be a change to the procedure for accessing UK visa services in Thailand. Since 2000 we have seen a significant growth in the demand for UK visas. This increased demand has placed pressures both on office space and supporting resources. We are keen to provide our customers with the best visa service possible and to achieve this we have engaged a visa-outsourcing partner. On 21 April 2006 a visa-outsourcing centre opens in the Rajadamri area (close to BTS Rajadamri). Further details will be provided shortly.

[Rj 81]

Will this have any affect on our application which will be made within a week or so?

Also does anybody know who the out-sourcing partner is?

[the scouser]

Your fiancée should make her application as normal, Rj. Whether to grant or refuse the visa will still be decided by the embassy staff, even after 21 April. I don't know which organisation won the contract, but I'm sure it'll become clear in due course.

Scouse.

[GU22]

Will this have any affect on our application which will be made within a week or so?

I'd advise getting it in before the 21st April. Although the visa fee will remain the same it is probable that the outsourcing centre will make a handling charge. I believe they do in India, where a similar system already operates. It's only about the equivalent of a fiver, but why pay more than you have to?

[Rj 81]

Thanks chaps. It should be in before 21st April as I sent it off today

Thanks for all the help with it aswell

Rj

[gburns57au]

As you guys may know Oz has already done this...so I will make a couple of points here.

Our Office do charge a handling fee of 428 baht so you guys can expect the same.

The Oz office received a lot of bad criticism initially, but it has proven to be a very good service, becoming a virtual one stop application centre...The service is for the most part quick and efficient and being next to a BTS station is also handy. Just a tip...get your pics done before you go...I cant recall who handles our out-sourcing centre but a search of posts here could provide the answer...I would say it could possibly be the same mob...

I hope you guys give your place a chance to establish and I hope it works as well as ours does.