Options for Tourist visa's seem to be diminishing.

[BritTim]

8 hours ago, Maestro said:

 

3. NON-IMMIGRANT VISA     
     1. REQUIREMENT
     This type of visa is issued to applicants who wish to enter the Kingdom for the following purposes:
     ...

     - other activities (Category "O") as follows:
    to stay with the family...

 

8 hours ago, Maestro said:

 

Interpreting the requirements listed on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs narrowly, strictly the way they are written, any consulate should issue the non-O visa to a parent for visiting his or her child of any nationality in Thailand.

 

Source: http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/4908/15398-Issuance-of-Visa.html

 

In the requirements quoted above, there is no limitation whatsoever regarding the nationality of the child or spouse being visited in Thailand.

 

This refers to the old "social" visa (to stay with family or friends). Consulates have been instructed not to issue Non Imm O visas on that basis. At one time, friendly consulates in the UK would give you a on-year multiple entry visa based just on you saying you had friends in Thailand.

 

I am aware that the MFA website still lists that category, but they have also given instructions that severely limit the conditions under which such visas are allowed to be issued.

[ubonjoe]

4 minutes ago, BritTim said:

This refers to the old "social" visa (to stay with family or friends).

I see no where on the MFA website where it includes friends in the non-o category. Only family is mentioned.

 

[buick]

On 11/18/2016 at 7:05 AM, BritTim said:

Penang or Hong Kong

 

my experience (and a friend of mine as well) is that HK is one of the more strict thai consulates in southeast asia.  however, this is not recent experience.  i might be wrong, but almost every positive comment i've read on TV about the consulate in HK is coming from someone with an HK resident card.  are you aware of anyone who received a tourist visa in HK when they have multiple tourist visas and/or visa exempt entries in the last 12-18 months ?  (and does not hold a resident card).  not trying to dispute your recommendation but would like some evidence/confirmation if at all possible.  always appreciate your contributions (i've read many of them since i joined).

[notmyself]

4 hours ago, buick said:

 

my experience (and a friend of mine as well) is that HK is one of the more strict thai consulates in southeast asia.  however, this is not recent experience.  i might be wrong, but almost every positive comment i've read on TV about the consulate in HK is coming from someone with an HK resident card.  are you aware of anyone who received a tourist visa in HK when they have multiple tourist visas and/or visa exempt entries in the last 12-18 months ?  (and does not hold a resident card).  not trying to dispute your recommendation but would like some evidence/confirmation if at all possible.  always appreciate your contributions (i've read many of them since i joined).

 

PofP if you hold a British passport but otherwise no idea.

[LongTimeLurker]

13 hours ago, Maestro said:

 

Interpreting the requirements listed on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs narrowly, strictly the way they are written, any consulate should issue the non-O visa to a parent for visiting his or her child of any nationality in Thailand.

 

Source: http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/4908/15398-Issuance-of-Visa.html

 

In the requirements quoted above, there is no limitation whatsoever regarding the nationality of the child or spouse being visited in Thailand.

 

Both HCMC and Liverpool have told me the non-O is only available if you have a Thai wife or Thai child you are visiting.

 

So BritTim may well be right that this has been an instruction from above.

[LongTimeLurker]

12 hours ago, Maestro said:

In the case of LongTimeLurker, the basic question is whether immigration is correct in limiting the extension under clause 2.11 to only one parent of a child that is attending school.

 

I'm not trying to get an extension at immigration, I'm trying to get a non-O at a consulate.

[BritTim]

5 hours ago, buick said:

 

my experience (and a friend of mine as well) is that HK is one of the more strict thai consulates in southeast asia.  however, this is not recent experience.  i might be wrong, but almost every positive comment i've read on TV about the consulate in HK is coming from someone with an HK resident card.  are you aware of anyone who received a tourist visa in HK when they have multiple tourist visas and/or visa exempt entries in the last 12-18 months ?  (and does not hold a resident card).  not trying to dispute your recommendation but would like some evidence/confirmation if at all possible.  always appreciate your contributions (i've read many of them since i joined).

 

Yes, I am aware of a UK passport holder, with many previous tourist visas in his passport (none from Hong Kong) who received a single entry tourist visa from Hong Kong in September with no flight tickets or financial proof.