Proof of leaving Thailand required for tourist visa at Thai embassy Berlin

[ChristianPFC]

Proof of leaving Thailand required for tourist visa at Thai embassy Berlin

I am just back (in my hometown in Germany) from applying for a triple entry tourist visa at the Thai embassy in Berlin, and they asked me for proof of leaving Thailand. This caused some minor inconvenience (I combined the trip to Berlin with a visit to a friend, so I could book a flight out of Thailand from my friend's home and go to the embassy again on the following day with the ticket).

This is new to me, all previous visa (tourist in Vientiane Feb 2010 and Feb 2014 and Non-Imm in Berlin Dec 2012) did not require proof of leaving Thailand.

This (proof of leaving Thailand, bus or train ticket is sufficient*) is stated in the list of documents required for a tourist visa, but I disregarded this (same for address of guarantor in Germany and in Thailand in the visa application form, I didn't fill in and still got visas).

But it could have been worse, they sent me away to come back the following day with proof of leaving Thailand; if I had sent the application by post it would have taken more time and cost more money.

I prefer some flexibility, usually I started planning my visa runs (date and destination) two weeks before expiry; now I have a flight ticket out of Thailand and haven't even entered Thailand.

Any similar experiences?

*The embassy's website says that bus or train ticket is sufficient, but I am in Germany now, and had only one day, so a flight ticket (airasia, Don Muang to Phnom Penh, 1580 Baht) was the best option. Anyway, the ticket would be more than 60 days in advance. And to be pedantic, a bus or train ticket to Nong Khai or Aranyaprathet is still in Thailand.

http://www.thaiembassy.de/de/menu-consular/how-to-apply-for-a-visa (in German)

Edited April 10, 2014 by ChristianPFC

[thepool]

Seems that the Embassy are asking for proof of a flight out of Thailand within the period of the visa applied for.

Bus, Boat or Train departures will not satisfy the Embassy as you will not be able to provide the evidence of such departures.

A cheap flight on Air Asia or another low cost airline out of Thailand will meet the Embassy's requirement.

Across the world Thai Embassy's are gradually tightening visa requirements .

Ask yourself why a Thai person has huge difficulty in gaining entry to Germany .

Edited April 10, 2014 by thepool

[wayned]

There have been reports the some embassys require proof for each entry on double and triple entry visas. It's not a new requirement it 's just that some are enforcing it.

[swampdonkey]

Got my passport back from embassy

In London today.

Double entry,no proof of leaving asked for, nothing about it on the form either.

Was thinking of booking a nok air flight to Myanmar just Incase

Get hassle from airline

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[ChristianPFC]

There have been reports the some embassys require proof for each entry on double and triple entry visas. It's not a new requirement it 's just that some are enforcing it.

Which embassies? I will avoid these.

After leaving the embassy (with all my documents to submit again with proof of leaving), I was wondering if they mean proof of leaving after the first 60 days or after the last entry, but for all, it didn't occur to me.

But another thought occured: I now have a flight to Cambodia, but I don't have a visa yet (will read requirements in detail a few weeks before), fortunately the Thai embasssy didn't ask for a visa for Cambodia.

[ubonjoe]

They will not ask for a visa for Cambodia because you can get a visa on arrival for there.

Your best choice to get the visa would be from one of the 4 honorary Thai consulates in Germany. Contact info can be found here: http://www.guidetothailand.com/thailand-travel-information/honcon-europe.php

[ChristianPFC]

Another note on double entry tourist visa in Vientiane and triple entry tourist visa in Berlin:

the form asks for 3.5 x 4.5 cm pictures, but 3.0 x 4.0 cm is accepted.

I found this out by chance. I got pictures in front of the embassy in Vientiane, and they must know what they do, so I didn't check the size of the pictures. I got 8 pictures (still cheaper than in some places in Thailand, and definitely cheaper then in Germany), so I had some left and checked size to see if I can use them in Berlin. Then I noticed they are 0.5 cm too small on each side, but fit on the form so I submitted them, and got my visa.

(A risky business, could have lost 90 Euro and hours traveling for visa application due to wrong size of pictures, and not taken within the last 30 or whatever days, just to save a few Euros on taking recent and correct size passport pictures.)

[ChristianPFC]

Now I'm in the same situation again (in Germany, going to apply for triple entry tourist visa in Berlin), and find that they require proof of entry and leaving for every entry.

http://thaiembassy.de/site/index.php/konsularwesen-visa-beglaubigungen/wie-man-ein-visum-beantragt

(flight, train or bus accepted, however train or bus ticket is difficult to get from Germany, and even in Thailand only up to 60 days in advance; train or bus leaves the question if a train to e.g. Nong Khai counts as proof of leaving Thailand)

That means I have to plan the entire trip and book two return flights and one single flight out of Thailand (planning to go to Indonesia and Burma for border run, afaik they require proof of leaving anyway)

There are several Honorary Thai Consulates in Germany, however you can't apply by post for a visa. Only Berlin offers this, but then time for processing can be up to 4 weeks. Fortunately, I'm going to see friends in Berlin anyway, so it costs me only several hours to apply for visa in person.

Just checked for Munich: only proof of entry to Thailand is required (do they think people apply for a visa for fun, without intention to go to Thailand?).

[ubonjoe]

Normally they only want proof of travel out of the country. Many embassies and consulates will accept a one way ticket out of the country. Perhaps look for low cost one way tickets to a nearby country.

[paz]

Now I'm in the same situation again (in Germany, going to apply for triple entry tourist visa in Berlin), and find that they require proof of entry and leaving for every entry.

You can use fully refundable tickets, for example most tickets bought on Expedia US can be refunded until midnight PST of the following day.

[ChristianPFC]

Just got my passport with triple entry tourist visa back (by post, just 2 days after handing it in!).

That means Berlin issues triple entry tourist visas on consecutive years (first April 2014, second April 2015), but want proof of onward travel for all entries (I did indeed book five flights - out,in,out,in,out with 89 day, 50 days, 88 days stay in Thailand).