New VFS centre, a few tips and be careful if with kids !

[longballlarry]

So we were there yesterday at the new VFS visa application centre, at the Trendy building, Sukhumvit Soi 13.

Our appointment online was for 2:30pm, we finally left at around 4:30pm. My wife goes to wait inside in the aircon waiting room, just about everybody else is huddled outside in the corridor outside the office, no aircon, 28th floor. I had our young son, who was running around free, and was following him. There are toilets in the centre of the corridor, right outside the exit doors of the waiting room. By these toilets is a window, which is about 3foot squared, with the bottom of it only about 2 1/2 feet up from the floor. Because it is so hot with everyone waiting there, they have it wide open. No locks or guards on the window, just a straight drop to the ground, from 28 floors up. So easy for a wandering kid to just pull them selves up and through. Our son was standing by the window when I walked after him. I pulled him away and pushed it shut, before telling a member of staff. They just looked at me with a vacant 'security guard, couldnt care less stare'. I told my wife when we left, and she also told the staff, but I doubt anything would change.

As we left downstairs out of the main exit of the building, turn right about 50 yards away, we went into a very good sports bar. It has really good pub grub, lots on the box, good pool tables, and very child friendly, we stayed there a couple of hrs, . I just looked online and here it is

http://www.sportsbarbangkok.com/

Just a heads up for anyone traveling there, especially with kids, or if just the 2 of you and dont want to wait for the mrs in the sauna corridor upstairs.

Cheers

LBL

[jacko45k]

Not sure whether to thank you or not..... if she is more than an hour in there I will be well oiled.

More seriously, thanks for the heads up!

[bangon04]

On the subject of tips, avoid the overpriced coffee bar in the ground floor atrium and go to the small coffee bar in the corner instead. At least the aircon works in the atrium. 28th floor corridor is depressing, and as unwelcoming as possible to be.

Have they put any chairs/benches in the waiting room yet, or are people still sitting on the floor while they wait to be interrogated?

Seems normal to have to pay 5000 baht extra for your documents NOT to be lost at the bottom of the pile.

Why offer a timed appointment if all it means is the time you join the queue of people who have not been seen yet?

[senor123]

I have always gone in with my missus at the old place. Never had to make an appointment, just show up and never had to wait more than about 20 mins max.. All they really do is check that you have all the correct documentation and then they forward it on to the Embassy. Maybe things have changed a bit since last October.

[SantiSuk]

The top floor of Trendy building now occupied by VFS Thailand is a zoo - if you choose to wait there. Best to arrange with your Thai partner that you will be in the coffee bar at the front on the ground floor. Aircon, free wi-fi and decent enough coffee plus cheap 20 baht fruit smoothis (edit: yes the one Bangon refers to in the front corner - they must by now realise they are sitting on a little goldmine - process will surely rise!). If she/he/3rd does need to get hold of you mobiles come in handy (signals are a little patchy but do work); you can come up or she/he/3rd can come down to see you - VFS staff have in the past allowed my wife time to come outside to get more info or documents from me.

Not surprisingly in this current economic cut-back climate the service to the public is deteriorating viz lack of adequately comfortable standing area and no seating within their zone or anywhere on that floor. You will find that you can no longer talk to VFS staff in Thailand if you have a query - you will have to phone the UK helpline and have your credit card ready to be charged £2 per minute or thereabouts. I have ceased to be shocked by this sort of bollux any more.

You will find that you now have to pay online before registering your application. I like that, though those without a bank account or credit card are going to have go an extra mile

Other tips:

• No parking at Trendy I don't think. Nearest would be Times Square on the other side of Sukhumvit back towards Asoke I reckon. Best to go by BTS to Asoke or Nana, though it's a warm 10 minute walk from either at this time of year.
• You can still have the photos done in the VFS centre - cost 250 baht - kills any worries about whether your photographic shop has got the dimensions right
• You can still have the visa plus your documents sent back by EMS (an extra couple of days they say) for 250 baht. Worth it not to have to go back to Trendy unless you are desperate to get your hands on the visa
• The lifts at Trendy are now inadequate (staff in the offices there must really be cursing the arrival of hoards of visa seekers). Arrive at least 10 minutes before your appointment time
• If there was a next time for me I would go for a mid afternoon appointment - I think it would be a lot less crowded than the early 8:50 one we attended last Friday. At 8:30 to 10:00 you get all the people who are there queuing up to get an appointment and those there to pick-up as well as well as the smaller population of people that actually have appointments
• Do your application and get your documents all lined up a few days in advance of the interview. That way if you do run in the need to ask a question you can get help on ThaiV for free!
• It's not asked for in the guidance but useful to have a tabien baan + copy with you (if you have one). Have a funny feeling that guidance does not actually ask for your partner's ID card either (cos she/he has passport). Always take it + copy also. We have been asked for both of these and my wife comes to see me to get them and I go doolally ("why the <exp del> can't they mention the possibility in the guidance" and she gets annoyed with me etc etc). I always go to the UK visa centre and sit in the outside coffee bars with the big box folder called "All Important Documents" waiting for her upstairs to call!
• Translation services are on the ground floor - walk inside towards the end away from Tha Sukhumvit. Did not need them so can't comment on quality/price. They were open when I went exploring at 9:00 am - probably open 8:00am?
• The process is still a sod. I'm going for the 5 year visa this time to save me the annual pain. Nearly 600 quid - strewth - hope she don't ditch me or play up so that I ditch her. The idea that the UK could turn her down and I lose that money in one fell swoop .... don't go there, but I'm pretty confident she is a clear persona grata as a UK visitor by now.

This time was otherwise hassle free. VFS read the application form and my sponsor letter, flicked through the supporting documents and said "ok that's fine", took everything, took the money for the photos and the EMS and bid her farewell. No questions. Surreal.

Edited April 12, 2014 by SantiSuk

[longballlarry]

On the subject of tips, avoid the overpriced coffee bar in the ground floor atrium and go to the small coffee bar in the corner instead. At least the aircon works in the atrium. 28th floor corridor is depressing, and as unwelcoming as possible to be.

Have they put any chairs/benches in the waiting room yet, or are people still sitting on the floor while they wait to be interrogated?

Seems normal to have to pay 5000 baht extra for your documents NOT to be lost at the bottom of the pile.

Why offer a timed appointment if all it means is the time you join the queue of people who have not been seen yet?

Nope, no chairs, just a load of frustrated people sat on the floor in the corridor. My Mrs was asked by the woman there when flicking through her documents, to give her 6000 baht extra to make her application go faster !! This is after we had already paid 900 uk pound for the settlement application. We declined her offer of 6000bt. Sick of that &lt;deleted&gt; to be honest. Perhaps that is why you are not allowed phones, as you couldnt record this latest breed of shameless scammers. When she went back the next morning to submit one extra document, she asked another member of staff about the 6000bt. She was told that for settlement visas it makes no difference, so an extra payment would not speed it up..She did say that for holiday or tourist UK visas however, they could make sure it was processed faster. Hopefully that is one more rip off stick in the throat &lt;deleted&gt; hole I can cross off the list and never visit again.

[7by7]

Seems normal to have to pay 5000 baht extra for your documents NOT to be lost at the bottom of the pile.

My Mrs was asked by the woman there when flicking through her documents, to give her 6000 baht extra to make her application go faster !! This is after we had already paid 900 uk pound for the settlement application. We declined her offer of 6000bt. Sick of that &lt;deleted&gt; to be honest. Perhaps that is why you are not allowed phones, as you couldnt record this latest breed of shameless scammers. When she went back the next morning to submit one extra document, she asked another member of staff about the 6000bt. She was told that for settlement visas it makes no difference, so an extra payment would not speed it up..She did say that for holiday or tourist UK visas however, they could make sure it was processed faster. Hopefully that is one more rip off stick in the throat &lt;deleted&gt; hole I can cross off the list and never visit again.

Hopefully the VFS staff were talking about the UKVI's Priority Visa Service; which is only available to certain categories; of which settlement is not one.

If VFS staff are offering this to applicant's who don't qualify for it then they should not be. VFS need to be told that they are so doing.

Don't just shrug your shoulders and say "T.I.T."

Make a complaint!

Also complain about the lack of seating etc.

VFS are a Swiss company operating visa application centres worldwide for many countries. Your complaints will be taken seriously.

[Showbags]

Is this for Oz or UK visas ?

[7by7]

Unless the Australian on is at the same address; UK.

[NumbNut]

Is this for Oz or UK visas ?

Looks like it is for Oz visas too, from the 21st April.

See link

[longballlarry]

Seems normal to have to pay 5000 baht extra for your documents NOT to be lost at the bottom of the pile.

My Mrs was asked by the woman there when flicking through her documents, to give her 6000 baht extra to make her application go faster !! This is after we had already paid 900 uk pound for the settlement application. We declined her offer of 6000bt. Sick of that &lt;deleted&gt; to be honest. Perhaps that is why you are not allowed phones, as you couldnt record this latest breed of shameless scammers. When she went back the next morning to submit one extra document, she asked another member of staff about the 6000bt. She was told that for settlement visas it makes no difference, so an extra payment would not speed it up..She did say that for holiday or tourist UK visas however, they could make sure it was processed faster. Hopefully that is one more rip off stick in the throat &lt;deleted&gt; hole I can cross off the list and never visit again.

Hopefully the VFS staff were talking about the UKVI's Priority Visa Service; which is only available to certain categories; of which settlement is not one.

If VFS staff are offering this to applicant's who don't qualify for it then they should not be. VFS need to be told that they are so doing.

Don't just shrug your shoulders and say "T.I.T."

Make a complaint!

Also complain about the lack of seating etc.

VFS are a Swiss company operating visa application centres worldwide for many countries. Your complaints will be taken seriously.

If they are a Swiss operating company, perhaps they should have a representative make a visit to their new centres before opening the doors ?

For making a complaint, they state

In all cases please provide:

• your name;
• address;
• telephone number;

Perhaps they would take a complaint seriously but after paying $1400, I'll leave the complaint to be made by someone else, who wants to give their full details and (perhaps ? ) jeopardize their partner/wife's application, let alone give the disgruntled staff member possible access to the complainants details if she was disciplined or lost her job. This was just a heads up for people visiting. Thanks anyway.

[7by7]

VFS are a paperwork processing centre and their staff play no part in the decision making process. All decisions on UK visas are made by UKVI staff. Complaints about VFS staff will not have any effect on the decision. But if you are worried that it might, wait until the visa has been issued and then complain.

Moaning on an internet forum is very easy and, having vent your spleen, probably makes you feel better; but will achieve nothing.

If enough people complain to VFS about their staff giving incorrect information and the facilities at the Bangkok UK visa application centre then maybe something will be done.

When the UK visa application centre first opened in Regent's House staff there were giving incorrect information to applicants. People complained and VFS took appropriate action; which was further training, not the sack.

Edited April 12, 2014 by 7by7

[tonyk]

Visa Facilitation Services

[longballlarry]

VFS are a paperwork processing centre and their staff play no part in the decision making process. All decisions on UK visas are made by UKVI staff. Complaints about VFS staff will not have any effect on the decision. But if you are worried that it might, wait until the visa has been issued and then complain.

Moaning on an internet forum is very easy and, having vent your spleen, probably makes you feel better; but will achieve nothing.

If enough people complain to VFS about their staff giving incorrect information and the facilities at the Bangkok UK visa application centre then maybe something will be done.

When the UK visa application centre first opened in Regent's House staff there were giving incorrect information to applicants. People complained and VFS took appropriate action; which was further training, not the sack.

Thanks again, we will just agree to disagree I think. Primarily I was just giving info about the centre, not venting anger or moaning as you put it. As in, be careful if you take your kid, and somewhere else to wait. As for making a complaint, thanks but no thanks, as for my reasons stated above, which I will stick to cheers. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

[7by7]

VFS are a paperwork processing centre and their staff play no part in the decision making process. All decisions on UK visas are made by UKVI staff. Complaints about VFS staff will not have any effect on the decision. But if you are worried that it might, wait until the visa has been issued and then complain.

Moaning on an internet forum is very easy and, having vent your spleen, probably makes you feel better; but will achieve nothing.

If enough people complain to VFS about their staff giving incorrect information and the facilities at the Bangkok UK visa application centre then maybe something will be done.

When the UK visa application centre first opened in Regent's House staff there were giving incorrect information to applicants. People complained and VFS took appropriate action; which was further training, not the sack.

Thanks again, we will just agree to disagree I think. Primarily I was just giving info about the centre, not venting anger or moaning as you put it. As in, be careful if you take your kid, and somewhere else to wait. As for making a complaint, thanks but no thanks, as for my reasons stated above, which I will stick to cheers. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

My point being that VFS staff are not, as was implied, seeking some sort of 'tea money' to expedite applications, but offering the priority service run by UKVI (that's United Kingdom Visas and Immigration, ChoakMyDee!).

This is a fairly new service from UKVI, and that VFS staff are offering it to applicants who don't qualify for it shows a lack of proper training by their employer.

Unless VFS are informed of this then their staff members will continue to confuse, and anger, applicants and sponsors by offering this service to those who don't qualify.

But you don't want to help rectify this error or improve the facilities at the office by telling VFS about them then that is up to you.

[SantiSuk]

If I can interrupt your spat for a few moments, here's a bit more info about making contact under the regime and location changes that happened around 1 April:

• I've had another shot at searching for a local Thai contact number. There is one - after all 0018 001 5620 78469 open form 7:00am to 3:00pm. I'll post whether it works or not when and if I need to try it after Songkran
• There seems to be an encouragement to go through the global "International enquiry service", based in the UK and operated by Hinduja Global Solutions.
• The boss of the UK visa service waxes lyrical about how this will improve service to customers. Yeah right - it's really going to be so much easier to deal with a UK employee of Hindustan whatsit rather than talk to an English speaking Thai person in Bangkok about my wifes application in Thailand (where's the sardonic icon when you need it).
• Three options are offered under the new "International enquiry service" - a phone call at £1.37 a minute (please have a credit card ready); a web chat online at a rate of £4 each enquiry and a 24 hour response e-mail enquiry service, which latter appears to be free.

Not withstanding my sarcasm, let's see. It is possible the multi-options do allow you to get to an answer quicker. It seems to operate round the clock or at least differently form Bangkok. It appears that you can use the enquiry service to find out your processing time (VFS issued my wife with a gwh number at interview and a website address, which proved to be a bust link! - gee thanks). So - I have emailed the UK to find out the status of our submitted application and to find out how to change our instruction for delivery of the visa back from EMS to collection.

I'll report back. It does not fill me with confidence that every UK Gov webpage I look at stresses it is in Beta testing.

Yours 'test rat'

Edited April 13, 2014 by SantiSuk

[CeeGee]

Maybe VFS are learning

Recently my partner went to the VFS to submit her paperwork for a UK VV.Following on from comments here, I told her that if they tried to remove anything to stop them.

As she submitted the folder, the girl asked "Do you want to send everything?" without any prompting.It looks like the staff have been told about removing papers.Good.

[David48]

Well ... now I understand why ...

From their website ...

The Australian Visa Application Centre is moving

on the 21 April 2014

to

The Trendy Office building

28^th floor

Sukhumvit Soi 13

Ignore the boat building reference on the Map

was the best image I could nick from the web.

From my OP ... http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/711245-australia-important-vfs-is-moving/

.

[David48]

^^ How long has the UK version been there?

So ... if you thought it was crowded before ...

[xen]

One question ! Will the UK and Oz VFS be sharing the same office space as well as the corridor waiting room .

If so it makes sense from the government's point of view - share the cost of the rental and other overheads like photocopiers and office staff (that will need to know two sets of regulations ). And as we are not important like the big boys in multi-national companies and we have Asian partners then , like the disabled and the pensioners , who in the Australian government really gives a stuff.

[laolover88]

I believe, heaven help us, a number of countries are moving their Schengen Visa application process to VfS. Same building; but same office? Can someone confirm?

[David48]

One question ! Will the UK and Oz VFS be sharing the same office space as well as the corridor waiting room .

If so it makes sense from the government's point of view - share the cost of the rental and other overheads like photocopiers and office staff (that will need to know two sets of regulations ). And as we are not important like the big boys in multi-national companies and we have Asian partners then , like the disabled and the pensioners , who in the Australian government really gives a stuff.

But that's the rub ... VFS is a private organisation ... private document organisers ... nothing more.

No government cost savings there!

[David48]

BTW longballlarry ... great OP ... thanks for the heads up ...

[David48]

Oh ... at the old Australian only VFS office, I was told directly that I had to use their recommended courier service.

Cost, from memory was Bt 200 - 300.

I declined and was told no, must use.

I declined further and the Manager was called.

Then I strongly but politely told her that this was a VFS requirement ... not an Australian Government requirement.

The Manager then made me write, on a post-it note, on the stamped return envelope that it was fine to use that.

Then she produced the stamp ... for no courier ...

[NumbNut]

BTW longballlarry ... great OP ... thanks for the heads up ...

I'd like to second that, thanks very much longballlarry for the heads up. I will shortly be needing their services too, and after reading everything here I reckon I might just post the wife's application in for her next Aussie visa. Why go through all the blood, sweat and tears eh?

Love your sig too Dave... so tell me, how do you 'play' this new-fangled thai visa game? Don't tell me, let me guess... very discreetly?

[7by7]

after reading everything here I reckon I might just post the wife's application in for her next Aussie visa. Why go through all the blood, sweat and tears eh?

This topic is mainly about the UK visa application centre; and unfortunately UK applicants don't have the option of submitting their applications by post. They have to attend in person so their biometrics can be taken.

Even if it's not their first application. Biometrics are taken every time; one reason being to ensure it's the same person applying as the last time.

[NumbNut]

after reading everything here I reckon I might just post the wife's application in for her next Aussie visa. Why go through all the blood, sweat and tears eh?

This topic is mainly about the UK visa application centre; and unfortunately UK applicants don't have the option of submitting their applications by post. They have to attend in person so their biometrics can be taken.

Even if it's not their first application. Biometrics are taken every time; one reason being to ensure it's the same person applying as the last time.

Biometrics, strewth! We (as in Aussie) can't be too far away from that extra procedure either I wouldn't reckon.

Apologies mate for sidetracking the conversation onto the Aussie application process, I wasn't trying to hijack the debate. Surely though, seeing as we are both going to be lodging our applications at the same location pretty soon, this is relevant to the original post?

[7by7]

Same building? Yes.

Same office? I hope not!

Not that I've anything against Aussies (even when you whitewash us in the Ashes!); but as the UKVAC already deals with UK visa applicants and British passport applicants, adding Aussie visa applicants as well means even more overcrowding!

[longballlarry]

As per initial post and the Sports Bar, I have just noticed this on their site for anyone thinking of driving. Could be an option for you. Thanks

Free Parking
Our customers enjoy free car parking in the Trendy Condo for up to 3 hours on every visit. Just ask one of our staff to stamp your ticket

[longballlarry]

Ah, and this also.

New Opening Time
To complement the arrival of the UK Visa Application Centre (VFS Global) to Trendy in Sukhumvit Soi 13, we are now serving breakfast from 9.00am every morning at The Sportsman.