Thai Tourist Visa - Manila

[fredovitch13]

I go to manila the end of next month, i would like to get there an tourist visa to stay 2 months in Thailand. Is it easy to get it. I'm aware about the new law for october but Someone got 2 entry already?

Thx

[Oleg_Rus]

I go to manila the end of next month, i would like to get there an tourist visa to stay 2 months in Thailand. Is it easy to get it. I'm aware about the new law for october but Someone got 2 entry already?

Thx

alrdy 2 mnth vsa can 2 manila doc no have

rtrds

[JonnieB]

Manila embassy has always had the rep as being tight-ass when it comes to visas. Tourist single entry should be fine but anything else, expect some hasstle.

[johnnynmonic]

Everything from the Philippines is hassle. Especially if they staff the Thai Consulate there with Philippine nationals. That country is a bureaucratic-everything submitted in triplicate-go two miles to get make some copies-sorry you forgot to dot an "i" do it all over again - mess.

[tim77]

I think the Thai Embassy in Manila is the most frustrating government office I have ever had the misfortune to deal with.

For starters, it is absolutely impossible to learn what documents they require before a tourist visa is issued. There is a list on the wall, but it is incomplete.

As example, I am a 60 year old USA professional. At the embassy in Manila, I presented my passport, my K-bank book showing a balance of THB 70,000, my Title Deed showing that I owned a condo in Thailand, another title deed showing that my wife and I owned property in the Philippines, a valid one year open ticket leaving Thailand, photographs, etc.

I was denied a tourist visa because: (1) " did not have a return ticket from Thailand to the Philippines (my year open ticket to leave Thailand was to Singapore); (2) I bought the one year ticket more that five months before I applied for my tourist visa (the fact that it was still valid for another seven months, meant nothing); and, (3) because although I had a valid 60 day ticket to travel from Manila to Bangkok, I could not prove I had a confirmed seat (even though I offered to place a call to the airline, book a seat, and ask the airline to fax a letter confirming that I had a seat on a specific flight).

My advice to you is not to even try.

[lapamita]

My advice to you is not to even try.

THEY REFUSED ME EVEN A VISA, WITH AN CONFIRMED ONWARD TICKET TO EUROPE

EXPLANATION

I LIBVE IN THAILAND MY PASSPORT IS ISSUED IN BANGKOK, AND MY LIVING ADRESS IS THAILAND

THEY ARE REALY REALY SUPER.M........................

THIS WAS EVEN BEFORE THE NEW RULES

NOW NO CHANCE SURE

[tropo]

I had the same negative attitude there. I went there with my Filipino GF to apply for a tourist visa.

For me, when they start asking Westerners (Australian) for proof of financial capacity when you're only applying for a 60 day tourist visa and need to know full employment details (for my GF too) it all becomes too much.

I didn't bother and decided we'd just enter on a 30-day stamp instead. I wasted an afternoon in Makati.

In Penang, I give an agent my passport and 2 photos, sign a form and the next day he drops off my passport with 3-entry tourist visa, while I go to the beach, or shopping and movies. That has since been downgraded to a single-entry tourist visa.

If you need to stay longer, take a trip to Malaysia, or you could even get a trip from Manila-KL-Bangkok on a budget airline and kill 2 birds with one stone.

[fredovitch13]

Thx to everydody, wow apprently so hard to get a tourist visa in manila, may be i will be more lucky if i apply a tourist visa in the consulate of cebu city. What about your experiences there? The same as Manila?

[tropo]

Thx to everydody, wow apprently so hard to get a tourist visa in manila, may be i will be more lucky if i apply a tourist visa in the consulate of cebu city. What about your experiences there? The same as Manila?

If you're only wanting to stay in Thailand for 2 months, why not just go without a visa and get a 30-day stamp on arrival. You can do one visa run to a bordering country. You can chose from Burma, Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia, depending which country you are nearest too when you need to extend.

You could also incorporate a visit to one of these countries for a pleasure trip. eg. Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Penang, KL...interesting places to vist.

I'm sure you can get a visa at the Manila office because they will issue single-entry visas if you have some proof of funds, return or onward tickets and they might even require proof of employment (they asked me for that).

[frenchFARANGbkk]

Thx to everydody, wow apprently so hard to get a tourist visa in manila, may be i will be more lucky if i apply a tourist visa in the consulate of cebu city. What about your experiences there? The same as Manila?

If you're only wanting to stay in Thailand for 2 months, why not just go without a visa and get a 30-day stamp on arrival. You can do one visa run to a bordering country. You can chose from Burma, Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia, depending which country you are nearest too when you need to extend.

You could also incorporate a visit to one of these countries for a pleasure trip. eg. Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Penang, KL...interesting places to vist.

I'm sure you can get a visa at the Manila office because they will issue single-entry visas if you have some proof of funds, return or onward tickets and they might even require proof of employment (they asked me for that).

I guess he wants to stay 2 months + 2 months + 2 months ...

Why are these people in Philippines consulate so stupid? Why aren't rules the same in all consulates all over the world?

So can somebody confirm that they might not give a visa in Cebu if you don't have proof of employment, etc.. ?

Edited October 9, 2006 by frenchFARANGbkk

[tropo]

Thx to everydody, wow apprently so hard to get a tourist visa in manila, may be i will be more lucky if i apply a tourist visa in the consulate of cebu city. What about your experiences there? The same as Manila?

If you're only wanting to stay in Thailand for 2 months, why not just go without a visa and get a 30-day stamp on arrival. You can do one visa run to a bordering country. You can chose from Burma, Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia, depending which country you are nearest too when you need to extend.

You could also incorporate a visit to one of these countries for a pleasure trip. eg. Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Penang, KL...interesting places to vist.

I'm sure you can get a visa at the Manila office because they will issue single-entry visas if you have some proof of funds, return or onward tickets and they might even require proof of employment (they asked me for that).

I guess he wants to stay 2 months + 2 months + 2 months ...

Why are these people in Philippines consulate so stupid? Why aren't rules the same in all consulates all over the world?

So can somebody confirm that they might not give a visa in Cebu if you don't have proof of employment, etc.. ?

I'll be returning to the Philippines in February. When I need another tourist visa for Thailand, I'll fly into Malaysia and do it there. I just couldn't be bothered with their attitude in the Philippines.

You might be lucky in Cebu...maybe you'll get by with just a recent back statement.

I had the complication (in Manila) of trying to get a visa for my young Filipina girlfriend too. They couldn't understand that maybe I support her. She needed all the proof of employment too. We brought them a bank statement but it wasn't recent enough for them. I think it was about 2 weeks old.

[nonthaburial]

I too have had various problems with Manila office. There is a local Filipino in charge (or used to be) and he is the most arrogant bad mannered lout you would ever hope to bump into. On one attempt I demanded to see the Thai Consul. He refused point blank and totally ignored me from then on.

Steer clear of that Office, its a disgrace to the Thai Govt !

[lapamita]

[the phillipino guy,, he want to give me a meetingdate with the consul.,,,but realy only because of my documents i bring ( the documents they never returned to me !!! 3 original bankstatements,org.garanteedocument of a manager,chanotecopies,only returnticket they give me back)

he pointed out i could not receive T visa even i have returnticket,,because i am livbing in thailand.

he pointed as well out that the consul said i have to put my stay on legalbase ( sorry not possible

) and he refused a non o, because i had one prior 2003 in paasport),and they said prior i had oneyearvisa from immigration inside thaind ( based on old rules until 2003/4),in 2004 they changed it.

they said go back by enrystamp and make it legal hahaha......................

i refused to speak with the consul, because i had already bad experience with buerocratics in europe ( the only what they do, they not change their mind, they only want to explain you why, and at waht point they are,,,,,timewasting)

good luck in manila......................

[meadish_sweetball]

Why aren't rules the same in all consulates all over the world?

The billion baht question.

But the answer is not really important. What's important is that you find out which one is more likely to meet your needs, and make your plans accordingly.

[troy04]

I go to manila the end of next month, i would like to get there an tourist visa to stay 2 months in Thailand. Is it easy to get it. I'm aware about the new law for october but Someone got 2 entry already?

Thx

alrdy 2 mnth vsa can 2 manila doc no have

rtrds

what exactly you want to say?

[troy04]

I go to manila the end of next month, i would like to get there an tourist visa to stay 2 months in Thailand. Is it easy to get it. I'm aware about the new law for october but Someone got 2 entry already?

Thx

End March 2008:

I received a tourist visa from Manila TH Embassy 10 days ago!

First they wanted to refuse my application because of the '90 days within 180 day period' policy, even the 3 mths I stayed in TH previously were on a non-immi visa, not on a tourist or arrival visa for which this rule applies...

In my understanding that policy doesn't apply for non immi visas since (if they are multiple entry) they allow to stay several times up to 3 mths within one year. Wouldn’t make sense!

After letting me wait for 3 hours until all of the 33 people who came after me were finished, they reconsidered and decided to give me the tourist single entry visa. Therefore was no risk to loose the 1400 pesos fee through their no-refund policy.

They asked for and copied my credit card (had to fight not get number, code and expiry date of it copied) even I had over 50'000 baht worth cash foreign currency and TC. I also had written a letter with the reasons why I needed a tourist visa, for example a family visit to TH (which I was not able to proof).

On their pin board is a list of their visa requirements. I was not asked for and didn't need to show a hotel reservation (anyway I rent a condo in TH).

As required I had copies of Philippines visa and entry stamp. Printed schedule of electronic ticket for return and onward ticket. The onward ticket was a reservation only (the departure date from bkk was after desired tourist visa and extension of it would have expired). Both of it could be written by yourself, there was nothing official as a letter head or a bar code!

Didn't need a bank statement, didn't have my condo contract or my TH bank books with me but mentioned them in my letter. Didn't get a stamp in my passport that I could not apply there a second time.

Getting there isn't that difficult!

Taxi from Malate/Ermita near Robinsons was 85 pesos and took about half an hour at 9am.

2nd time I took LRT (sky train) to Gil Puyat station 15 pesos and from there aircon bus (Ayala sign) to Ayala area (Makati) get off at Erera stop 10 pesos and walk 5 minutes. Took 30 minutes at 3pm!

Since everybody speaks English and is quite educated and helpful all is very easy to find (imagine here in TH even you speak a little bit Thai...)!

Just copy everything you can imagine could be required and bring it with you!

Of course the handle you as if you would be a beggar, which you are in some kind, and you have to quite almost beg to get a visa to get permission to spend your money in their kingdom. For me it was worth it!

..and finally consider: I heard that the philippines visa you can extend up to 2 years without leaving their country! its a beautiful country with friendly English speaking people!