multiple entry Non-O-A retirement US LA consulate are at their "discretion"?

[chubby]

multiple entry Non-O-A retirement US LA consulate are at their "discretion"?

can't seem to get anyone on the phone at LA yet. curious if anyone has ever applied for a Multientry O-A retirement, and been given a single entry?

or are they just talking about other forms of Non-O (not retirement) when they repeat "multientrys are at their discretion" to issue each time ?

i'm not really wanting to pay the $200 and find out that because of the bombing or something wierd, that this happens.......

[ubonjoe]

There is no discretion for issuing a OA visa. Thy are only done as a multiple entry visa.

[TheAppletons]

As usual, ubonjoe is spot on.

[Langsuan Man]

They all ended single entry O-A visas (Embassy and regular Consulates) several years ago, if I am not mistaken , about the same time that they stopped letting Honorary Consulates issue O-A's

[chubby]

thanks, now I need to decide if I'm going to mail with the $6 tracking envelopes both ways, what USPS told me is that the $20 envelopes are "guaranteed" or your money back 2 days, whereas the $6 are "2-3 days" but no guaranteed.

2)

the LA consulate seems vague on how many passport photos they want too, the voicemail says 2 , but the webpage says 4 , hmmm

3)

and am not real clear on if any old notary designation will do or is there some special way of doing the notarizing as "certified copies" whatever that means;

not I "notarized" all 4 copies, or just 1 print out, then copy that 4 times ?

4)

do I have a copy of my passport page notarized ; etc

5)

funny there is NO mention of notarizing on their website I guess

http://www.thaiconsulatela.org/service_visa_detail.aspx?link_id=48#

6)

lastly they say no metered stamps on the SAE, and to apply stamps on the express mail envelope for some reason ........on their voicemail

[JDGRUEN]

They all ended single entry O-A visas (Embassy and regular Consulates) several years ago, if I am not mistaken , about the same time that they stopped letting Honorary Consulates issue O-A's

Not Correct.

[JDGRUEN]

thanks, now I need to decide if I'm going to mail with the $6 tracking envelopes both ways, what USPS told me is that the $20 envelopes are "guaranteed" or your money back 2 days, whereas the $6 are "2-3 days" but no guaranteed.

2)

the LA consulate seems vague on how many passport photos they want too, the voicemail says 2 , but the webpage says 4 , hmmm

3)

and am not real clear on if any old notary designation will do or is there some special way of doing the notarizing as "certified copies" whatever that means;

not I "notarized" all 4 copies, or just 1 print out, then copy that 4 times ?

4)

do I have a copy of my passport page notarized ; etc

5)

funny there is NO mention of notarizing on their website I guess

http://www.thaiconsulatela.org/service_visa_detail.aspx?link_id=48#

6)

lastly they say no metered stamps on the SAE, and to apply stamps on the express mail envelope for some reason ........on their voicemail

I take it you live far away from the LA Thai Consulate. Considering this transaction could take up a two year stay in Thailand by properly using the 'O-A' Visa to get the additional year by exiting just before the Expiry Date (Enter Before Date - at the end of the first year after issuance)... Then if it were me ... I would travel there -- stay a couple of days and get it done correctly. Many people do these things correctly by mail - but if you cannot understand what they want - then you could end up exchanging mail two or three times otherwise.

Do you have your documents proving the Financial Requirements of the 800,000 baht equivalent in an American Bank?

[MiclB]

thanks, now I need to decide if I'm going to mail with the $6 tracking envelopes both ways, what USPS told me is that the $20 envelopes are "guaranteed" or your money back 2 days, whereas the $6 are "2-3 days" but no guaranteed.

2)

the LA consulate seems vague on how many passport photos they want too, the voicemail says 2 , but the webpage says 4 , hmmm

3)

and am not real clear on if any old notary designation will do or is there some special way of doing the notarizing as "certified copies" whatever that means;

not I "notarized" all 4 copies, or just 1 print out, then copy that 4 times ?

4)

do I have a copy of my passport page notarized ; etc

5)

funny there is NO mention of notarizing on their website I guess

http://www.thaiconsulatela.org/service_visa_detail.aspx?link_id=48#

6)

lastly they say no metered stamps on the SAE, and to apply stamps on the express mail envelope for some reason ........on their voicemail

1. common man, you surely don't intend to risk loss of you invested work and docs for saving a few bucks. I have sent to those folks from USA address mult times and everything is usually late (going and or coming) or lost for a week. Plus if your pkg is even one day late, they refund.

2. with those guys in LA, always be conservative, i.e. extra "anything" if there is doubt. Their website is not their first priority, as is keeping down the stacks with reasonable accuracy my guess.

3. and 5. pass, but my guess is anyone with a notary stamp/certification will know and annotate correctly.

6. Just take it to the USPA and they will affix the correct postage with the correct process. Many of them have a special designation of 'passport center" or something like that. Even a small one in rural Texas I used once helped by reviewing my contents and sealing my package with return mailer enclosed for me with being asked.

btw, I could never get a telephonic answer from them but they do respond to email.

GLuck

Edited September 5, 2015 by MiclB

[Langsuan Man]

They all ended single entry O-A visas (Embassy and regular Consulates) several years ago, if I am not mistaken , about the same time that they stopped letting Honorary Consulates issue O-A's

Not Correct.

All right then when did they stop issuing single entry O-A 's ?

[Langsuan Man]

thanks, now I need to decide if I'm going to mail with the $6 tracking envelopes both ways, what USPS told me is that the $20 envelopes are "guaranteed" or your money back 2 days, whereas the $6 are "2-3 days" but no guaranteed.

2)

the LA consulate seems vague on how many passport photos they want too, the voicemail says 2 , but the webpage says 4 , hmmm

3)

and am not real clear on if any old notary designation will do or is there some special way of doing the notarizing as "certified copies" whatever that means;

not I "notarized" all 4 copies, or just 1 print out, then copy that 4 times ?

4)

do I have a copy of my passport page notarized ; etc

5)

funny there is NO mention of notarizing on their website I guess

http://www.thaiconsulatela.org/service_visa_detail.aspx?link_id=48#

6)

lastly they say no metered stamps on the SAE, and to apply stamps on the express mail envelope for some reason ........on their voicemail

I would not go by their voice mail but would follow the specific instruction that the LA Consulate issues here:

http://www.thaiconsulatela.org/service_visa_detail.aspx?link_id=48

Where they show in red:

Required documents (*** One original set and 3 sets of copies. Requested documentation 5–7 must be notarized.***)

And here is where they suggest USPS Express Mail :

Apply by mail Applications are usually processed approximately two weeks not including mailing time. However, lately we have received more applications than we normally receive at this time so processing time could take longer. When submitting an application by mail, a self-addressed stamped envelope with sufficient postage stamps is required. Metered stamps should not be used, please use a regular stamp only. ( Recommened using USPS $19.95 Express Mail Flat Rate/ NO FEDEX without a FedEx account, NO UPS without a UPS account ).

http://www.thaiconsulatela.org/service_visa_detail.aspx?link_id=26

[chubby]

hmm, OK helpful LangsuanMan, guess it might be anywhere up to 3 weeks+, depending on when the "lately" post was actually posted to the website, and I guess I'll have to fork over the $40 to mail the thing,

as I have a flight 3 weeks after I'm eligible to file..

unless I can file a few days before I'm actually 50 ....?

-----------

Apply in person at the consulate / walk-in visa

Applications are usually processed at least one business day provided all of the required documentation is complete. (Apply between 9.00 a.m. – 11.30 a.m. and pick up passport and visa the next business day between 10.30 a.m. – Noon) Same-day-service is not permitted. If the applicant wants to have their passport and visa mailed back, please include a self-addressed stamp envelope with regular stamp when submitting an application ( Recommend using USPS $19.95 Express mail / NO FEDEX , NO UPS ).

If it has been at least 10 business days since we received your visa application and you would like to check the status, rather than calling please send an e-mail message to[email protected]. Thank you for your patience.

Apply by mail Applications are usually processed approximately two weeks not including mailing time. However, lately we have received more applications than we normally receive at this time so processing time could take longer. When submitting an application by mail, a self-addressed stamped envelope with sufficient postage stamps is required. Metered stamps should not be used, please use a regular stamp only. ( Recommened using USPS $19.95 Express Mail Flat Rate / NO FEDEX without a FedEx account, NO UPS without a UPS account ).

***The Consulate will not be responsible for lost, damaged, delay or misdirected mail.***

Edited September 5, 2015 by chubby

[Langsuan Man]

hmm, OK helpful LangsuanMan, guess it might be anywhere up to 3 weeks+, depending on when the "lately" post was actually posted to the website, and I guess I'll have to fork over the $40 to mail the thing,

as I have a flight 3 weeks after I'm eligible to file..

unless I can file a few days before I'm actually 50 ....?

To be perfectly honest with you I think the LA Consulate is going a little overboard on their mail and processing time estimates since no one has reported 3 weeks to get an O-A by mail out of them. The only complaint here at TV has been about their notary requirement, not their speed

I have never gotten a Visa from LA but after 5 by Express Mail from DC and NY, which have never taken more than 7 business days from start to finish, I doubt LA would be three times longer

In a answer to the age 50 question you must be 50 at the time of the application for the "retirement" visa and unfortunately they are not flexible on that

[JimGant]

They all ended single entry O-A visas (Embassy and regular Consulates) several years ago, if I am not mistaken , about the same time that they stopped letting Honorary Consulates issue O-A's

Correct. Certainly within the US, as of over three years ago.

Rationale for "no more single entry OA visas" doesn't quite resonate -- except maybe for the profit motive (multi entries cost significantly more), which also plays itself out with cutting the honorary consulates out of the profit pattern. And now, with the geographical restrictions, those more onerous consulates, because of their requirement for notarization, e.g. Chicago, have heard their voices heard because they've seen their share of the pie decrease. Whining, I guess, does win in the end.

[IMA_FARANG]

They all ended single entry O-A visas (Embassy and regular Consulates) several years ago, if I am not mistaken , about the same time that they stopped letting Honorary Consulates issue O-A's

Not Correct.

All right then when did they stop issuing single entry O-A 's ?

-------------------------------------------

I don't think there ever were single entry O-A retirement visas.

Perhaps what you are referring to is when many Honorary Consulates were instructed that a Non O multi entry visa on the basis of retirement could no be issued by them.

Instead the new standard "retirement" visa was to be the O-A "retirement" visa which was originally only issued in the U.S by the Washington D.C. Thai embassy,

The O-A retirement visa and a Non O multi entry visa based on retirement are two different things.

Two different visa classes with different requirements to be issued then and new things that happen on entry to Thailand for each visa type now,

[chubby]

ok, good to know, thx again .....

hmm, OK helpful LangsuanMan, guess it might be anywhere up to 3 weeks+, depending on when the "lately" post was actually posted to the website, and I guess I'll have to fork over the $40 to mail the thing,

as I have a flight 3 weeks after I'm eligible to file..


unless I can file a few days before I'm actually 50 ....?

To be perfectly honest with you I think the LA Consulate is going a little overboard on their mail and processing time estimates since no one has reported 3 weeks to get an O-A by mail out of them. The only complaint here at TV has been about their notary requirement, not their speed

I have never gotten a Visa from LA but after 5 by Express Mail from DC and NY, which have never taken more than 7 business days from start to finish, I doubt LA would be three times longer


In a answer to the age 50 question you must be 50 at the time of the application for the "retirement" visa and unfortunately they are not flexible on that