I tried to search for this but never seemed to find a specific answer.

What is the average turn around time for a walk-in tourist visa application in USA ( or similar country )? Do you have to wait three days like in SE-Asia after dropping off your passport, or is it same day generally? I have all the required documents and my passport is blank.

In New York most consulates provide one to three day service. Thai consulate one day. Schengen countries consulates usually up to 5 days (however it can take longer). Same day service is available only case by case basis based on the willingness of the consul. (We had a passing in my family and the Thai consulate issued a visa on the same day in 2008).

With some passports (USA, EU, Australia, Canada, New Zealand etc) it's very easy to get a visa to most countries.

With other passports you may need additional proof and may need an interview too (former Yugoslavia, Soviet Union, Africa etc)

In SE-Asia the norm is next day exempt phom phen.

Last time I got one in the USA it was same day. Go to a consulate and not an embassy.

Last time I got one in the USA it was same day. Go to a consulate and not an embassy.

That would of been an honorary consulate. There is one embassy and 3 official consulates (NY, LA and Chicago) in the US.

List of honorary consulates is here. http://www.thaiembassydc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/HCG_Jan15.pdf

The OP does not state his nationality or that of his passport or where he is domiciled.

Last time I used the Honorary Thai Consulate in Houston as a non-resident alien (UK), it was next-day service. A fellow consultant got his while he waited at the Honorary Consulate in Denver as it was an urgent travel job. However, he had contacted them beforehand as their published turnaround was the same as for Houston. Also note that some Honorary Thai Consulates in the US may only cover certain jurisdictions. The guy that got the fast service was asked if he lived in Colorado when he called about the fast-track. I was advised that I could only apply in Houston as I was residing in Texas at the time.

There is no global average and as for a US citizen applying in Honorary Consulates in the EU, I think I am right is saying that those doors have been closing quite rapidly these past few years.

The OP needs to pick an embassy, consulate or honorary consulate, inquire directly and proceed accordingly.

I guess i left out some critical info in my post.

I am a US citizen.

I will be going to an official embasy/consulates. I am on vacation in Virginia right now and will probably use the DC embasy.

It will take 2x days. I just got my Tourist Visa (2x entry's)from the Royal Thai embassy in Washington DC. I dropped it off Tuesday 23 Jun at 1130am and picked it up Thursday 25 Jun at 1100am. It is the same with the Thai consulate in LA. The only issue I had, was that I had to write a short letter (Itinerary) to the Thai Visa officer, explaining why I needed 2x entry's i.e visiting another country in the region with the approx date of travel during my stay in Thailand. They gave a me a piece of paper and I hand written out at the embassy visa window and they showed it to the Visa officer (who was standing near the visa window)for approval.

Make sure you follow all the Visa instructions. They were turning people away, who did not have all the required paperwork.