Tourist Visa by Postal Application from London Embassy. How long does it take?

[thaitanic]

Does anyone have experience of how long it takes the Thai embassy in London to process and return multi-entry tourist visas? I cannot find information about this on their website and their phoneline is just a series of recorded messages that don't mention timescale.

Thanks!

[ubonjoe]

This page on embassy we site states 3 to 5 days. http://www.thaiembassyuk.org.uk/?q=node/401

A recent post by a member said it took 3 days for his.

[baboon]

This page on embassy we site states 3 to 5 days. http://www.thaiembassyuk.org.uk/?q=node/401

A recent post by a member said it took 3 days for his.

That was me. Still, I would allow a good week just in case your application is not to their liking for any reason.

[MikeandDow]

There is no such thing as a multi-entry tourist visas

[thaitanic]

Thanks! My eyes had skipped the bold sentence on that page.

MikeandDow, so what is the official name for a tourist visa with multiple entries on it?

[wayned]

Tourist visas are issued for either 1 entry , single, 2 entries, double or 3 entries, triple. When you apply for your 30 day extension near the end of the initial 60 days permission to stay, you are extending your "permissssion to stay" not your visa. You cannot extend a visa, only your permission to stay. The visa is only a ticket to enter Thailand -a bus ticket - and allows you to enter the number of times stamped on it. When you enter the immigration officer - bus driver - stamps your passport with the date that you must leave, permisssion to stay. But you must make all entries on or before the "must enter by" date on the visa as this is the day that the ticket expires! Hope this makes sense and makes the "Nomenclature Brigade" happy!

[thaitanic]

Thank you wayned. I actually knew all that as I have been travelling to and from Thailand for many years on various types of visa.

Anything more than single is multiple, unless someone changed the dictionary while I wasn't looking. Anyway I'm sure the number of entries doesn't make any difference to the timing of the issue of the visa, so I shouldn't have mentioned "multi-entry".

Thanks again!

[wayned]

If you are going to get a triple entry visa, the "timing" of the issuance of the visa is critical inorder to get the maximum number of days. Triple entry visas are normally valid for 6 months from the date of issue so all three entries must be made in six months from the day that it is issued, the six months does not start on your first entry. If you get it just before your departure you can get the maximum number of days, (with 2 border runs and three 30 day extensions) if you get it 1 month before, you will loose that time.

Some visa are issued with M in the number of entries, not 1, 2 or 3. These visas are truly multiple entry visas as you can enter and leave as many times as you want during the validity period. The most common are Non-O, B and sometimes ED, but not Tourist.

[sotsira]

I'm not sure, but i've read that some posters on TV that have been issued tourist visas by the

Thai Embassy in London, irrelevant of how many entries, only have a 3 month validity period and not a

6 month as has been mentioned.

If that is the case, then a triple entry may not be utilised to it's full potential.

May need to be checked before applying.

[thaitanic]

I'm not sure, but i've read that some posters on TV that have been issued tourist visas by the

Thai Embassy in London, irrelevant of how many entries, only have a 3 month validity period and not a

6 month as has been mentioned....

Thanks. It looks like you may be right, but there is contradiction on the embassy's website.

This page states:

- Single entry: 3 months (you must enter Thailand within the validity of visa from the date of issue)

- Two of Three entry: 6 months (you must enter Thailand on your final visit before expiry of the visa from the date of issue. All entry MUST be used all up)

But this page states:

1.3. Visas which are issued by The Embassy or Consulates must be used within 3 months from the date of application.

Does anyone know what the London embassy's current policy is? If it's only 3 months then I'll only apply for 1 or 2 entries, or write a covering letter begging for 6 months, with a travel plan, and hope for the best.

Also, anyone know an embassy/consulate in S.E. Asia (Laos?) that definitely does issue 2 or 3-entry tourist visas with 6-month validity?

[sotsira]

I believe the Birmingham Consulate issues triple entry tourist visas with a

6 month validity.

Only issue though, is that you can't apply by post anymore, but need to apply

in person, the process to issue the visa though only takes 15mins while you wait.

Here's their website link:http://www.thailand-visa.com/ContactUs-for-a-thai-visa

Obviously call them first to check everything beforehand.

The neighbouring consulates to Thailand offer max 2 entry tourist visas, but not 3 entry,

apart from Bali Indonesia,they offer 3 entry but they want proof of onward flight ticket.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/571035-thai-consulate-in-denpasar-bali-offers-triple-entry-tourist-visa/

[Maestro]

Thanks! My eyes had skipped the bold sentence on that page.

MikeandDow, so what is the official name for a tourist visa with multiple entries on it?

I'd call it a "tourist visa valid for more than one entry" if you don't know the number of entries being talked about. Since you are the applicant for the visa, you probably know how many entries you are applying for and if it is three entries you have in mind you can call it a "triple-entry tourist visa"

[Maestro]

...

Anything more than single is multiple, unless someone changed the dictionary while I wasn't looking...

Some of the English terminology used by the Consular Section of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are used differently from what you find in your dictionary, and their "multiple" means "unlimited".

[thaitanic]

Thanks again.

...The neighbouring consulates to Thailand offer max 2 entry tourist visas, but not 3 entry...

With 3-month or 6-month validity?

The Liverpool consulate's website (local to me) also says "you have a 6-month period to use this visa". But their phone number is currently dead and no email address provided.

Edit: Also, anyone have a way to talk to a human being by telephone at the London embassy?

[sotsira]

3 month validity is normally issued with single or double entry tourist visas at

consulates in nieghbouring countries to Thailand.

I would suggest your best option would be to apply in person at the Liverpool

or Birmingham consulates as they would tell you the validity before you applied.

Trying to deal with the London Embassy is always difficult from my experience.

[ubonjoe]

I'm not sure, but i've read that some posters on TV that have been issued tourist visas by the

Thai Embassy in London, irrelevant of how many entries, only have a 3 month validity period and not a

6 month as has been mentioned....

Thanks. It looks like you may be right, but there is contradiction on the embassy's website.

This page states:

- Single entry: 3 months (you must enter Thailand within the validity of visa from the date of issue)

- Two of Three entry: 6 months (you must enter Thailand on your final visit before expiry of the visa from the date of issue. All entry MUST be used all up)

But this page states:

1.3. Visas which are issued by The Embassy or Consulates must be used within 3 months from the date of application.

Does anyone know what the London embassy's current policy is? If it's only 3 months then I'll only apply for 1 or 2 entries, or write a covering letter begging for 6 months, with a travel plan, and hope for the best.

Also, anyone know an embassy/consulate in S.E. Asia (Laos?) that definitely does issue 2 or 3-entry tourist visas with 6-month validity?

I think the 2nd one that says 3 months is just a generic statement that is not correct for all visas. A multiple entry non immigrant visa would be good for a year.

The first one is specifically for tourist visas.

The locations in Laos issue 2 entry visas with 90 day validity and is the only nearby place to get them.

Bali will do a 3 entry with 6 months validity. But they want a ticket out of the country for each entry but they can be 90 days apart so you can get the 30 day extension.

[thaitanic]

Thank you sotsira and ubonjoe.

I have emailed the London embassy to get clarification over the validity period of 2 and 3 entry tourist visas.

I have also just spoken to the Liverpool consulate. The lady confirmed that they still issue 3-entry tourist visas with 6-month validity. If you want them to issue the visa on the same day you have to call 01512550504 and make an appointment, and they charge an extra £10 for that. Or you can drop off the passport and application any day 9am-5pm and collect it at a later date without an appointment or extra charge.

[thaitanic]

I just received my email reply from the Thai embassy in London, confirming that 2 or 3-entry tourist visas they issue should have 6 months' validity. Still, I will apply in person at Liverpool.

"Dear Sir/Madam,

For a British passport. If you have booked a trip to Thailand and your return date from Thailand is more than 30 days after your arrival then you must apply for a 'tourist ' visa before you travel: unless you can prove (confirmed air ticket) at the airline counter in the UK that you will not be staying in Thailand more than 30 days before leaving for another country. This will allow you to get visa exemption '' when you land at Bangkok airport, which is valid for 30 days.

Please note if you re-enter Thailand via a land crossing then you will only be entitled to a 15 day visa exemption. However arriving by air you will get a 30 day 'exemption'.

If you wish to apply for a tourist visa (60 day visa) this must be done at the Thai embassy in London or approved consulates around the country (check website for details), a visa will be inserted into your passport on a blank page, this visa/s will be valid for 3 months (single entry) or 6 months (double/triple entry) meaning that 1 entry will entitle you to stay in Thailand for a maximum of 60 days( 2 x 60 days for double entry and 3 x 60 days for triple entry)( including the day you arrive in Thailand). At the end of the 60 day period you must exit and re-enter Thailand using a second tourist entry (for double entry) and then leave again after 60 days and re-enter using your last tourist visa entry (for triple entry). If you leave Thailand during the 60 day period that visa will become invalid and if you re-enter Thailand you must use a new visa (2nd or third entry).

For information on how to apply for a tourist visa please visit: http://thaiembassyuk.org.uk/?q=node/60

Royal Thai Embassy"

[ubonjoe]

They are outdated on their info about the border crossing being only 15 days. Since the 1st of November last year a person holding a UK passport gets 30 days at a border crossing.

They also fail to mention that you can get a 30 day extension of each entry..

[fishism]

I have just received my passport back from the Embassy in London. Posted 9am Monday and returned 11am Friday. Both ways special delivery with a cost of £6.22 but that could have been each way. The cost of the Postal order for £75 was just over £9.

I received a triple entry tourist visa valid for 6 months