Best locations for applying for Tourist Visas?

[Feel The Sun]

Before I apply for the Elite Visa I will be initially arriving on a TV from the UK. Once this expires, I will be going to another country for a few weeks to travel around but am flexible as to where. It's a big World. :) Is there anywhere far better or worse for combining this with applying for another TV?

 

Thanks. :)

[BritTim]

If you have never been to Hong Kong, it is an interesting place, and easy for tourist visa applications. My second choice would be Vietnam (Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City) but you will need to show onward flight tickets if applying there. Some like Phnom Penh. As long as you will be there for several days, it is reasonably easy to get a tourist visa using an agent.

[steve187]

why not get a multi entry tourist (METV) visa from the UK.

[blorg]

Laos (Vientiane) is generally considered the "easiest" to get another Thai tourist visa and it's certainly well worth a visit if you have not been there before, it's a very nice country and remarkably different to Thailand.

[Feel The Sun]

With the exception of Hong Kong (love to visit) we have travelled fairly extensively in the other places mentioned. All lovely and unique, although didn't think much of Vientiane tbh. :-/

 

We have leased a condo with an option to buy in Jomtien, but before I commit to an Elite Visa we want to be certain we have made the right choice. So it's more about 'living' there rather than holidaying. Hence a normal TV would be sufficient as we would not need to jump around except for visa needs.

 

It's all about simplicity at this stage. Cheers for the input. :)

 

So maybe HK or HCM... or Sydney?

Edited February 21, 2017 by Feel The Sun
Forgot Sydney!

[ubonjoe]

12 hours ago, Feel The Sun said:

So maybe HK or HCM... or Sydney?

How about Bali. There is a honorary Thai consulate there. Takes 2 days to get the visa. Ticket out, financial proof and proof of where you will be staying while here.

[Daryle]

Malaysia, Singapore & HK all work for me.

Sent from my SM-T530 using Tapatalk

[blorg]

With respect, this is a really badly posed question. You are asking where the "best" locations are to apply for a tourist visa. You give no information whatsoever as to your likes or dislikes as to tourism. You say you want to do it after having been in Thailand, so one would initially presume you were asking "where is easy in the nearby region?"

 

And then when people tell you the usual suspects of the easiest consulates in the region (which is pretty much Vientiane, Penang, Savannahket as the top three, followed by Phnom Penh, Vietnam, etc) you go, oh, I've been to all those places, and I didn't like Vientiane (which right now is the easiest as Penang and Savannahket have started asking for bank and flights) much. Well, THAT is the "easiest" if your aim is the visa.

Hong Kong is also certainly easy, I got my last one there and no questions and no additional documents like flights or bank required.

 

Yangon is meant to be easy, and Myanmar is a fascinating country, but who knows if it would be for you? I have visited it several times and loved it from the point of view of a less-developed destination that has not had so many tourists, but would you like the place? Who knows?

But then in your response you are now considering Sydney, so there seems to be no particular limitation?

 

I mean what are we meant to say? Why not go to Japan, I've never been but that would be top of my list of somewhere I think would be really interesting that I personally haven't been to. But you give no details of what you like or what your priorities are, so...

I'd also consider India, if you have never been, it is an absolutely amazing country and there are several Thai consulates there. Or why not go trekking in Nepal in the Himalayas, I spent three months there doing that and it was amazing. I also recently cycled around Sri Lanka (a short flight from Bangkok on Cathay Pacific or several other airlines) and there is an embassy in Colombo. Tehran? I've spent three months in Iran and it was amazing, the people are the most hospitable in the world. Air Asia flies via KL. Istanbul has a consulate and is one of the most amazing cities in the world, and isn't any further than Sydney. China? Amazing country, and full of Thai consulates.

 

But you give absolutely no indication as to your likes or dislikes or preferences so what are we meant to say?

Edited February 22, 2017 by blorg

[blorg]

2 hours ago, Daryle said:

Malaysia, Singapore & HK all work for me.

Sent from my SM-T530 using Tapatalk
 

I really think this is questionable advice if the question is "where can I easily get a tourist visa" as KL and Singapore are reputed to be very difficult if you do not have local residency there. Penang, Kota Bharu and Hong Kong are fine.

[calbts2]

With respect, this is a really badly posed question. You are asking where the "best" locations are to apply for a tourist visa. You give no


information whatsoever as to your likes or dislikes as to tourism. You say you want to do it after having been in Thailand, so one would initially presume you were asking "where is easy in the nearby region?"
 
And then when people tell you the usual suspects of the easiest consulates in the region (which is pretty much Vientiane, Penang, Savannahket as the top three, followed by Phnom Penh, Vietnam, etc) you go, oh, I've been to all those places, and I didn't like Vientiane (which right now is the easiest as Penang and Savannahket have started asking for bank and flights) much. Well, THAT is the "easiest" if your aim is the visa.

Hong Kong is also certainly easy, I got my last one there and no questions and no additional documents like flights or bank required.
 
Yangon is meant to be easy, and Myanmar is a fascinating country, but who knows if it would be for you? I have visited it several times and loved it from the point of view of a less-developed destination that has not had so many tourists, but would you like the place? Who knows?

But then in your response you are now considering Sydney, so there seems to be no particular limitation?
 
I mean what are we meant to say? Why not go to Japan, I've never been but that would be top of my list of somewhere I think would be really interesting that I personally haven't been to. But you give no details of what you like or what your priorities are, so...

I'd also consider India, if you have never been, it is an absolutely amazing country and there are several Thai consulates there. Or why not go trekking in Nepal in the Himalayas, I spent three months there doing that and it was amazing. I also recently cycled around Sri Lanka (a short flight from Bangkok on Cathay Pacific or several other airlines) and there is an embassy in Colombo. Tehran? I've spent three months in Iran and it was amazing, the people are the most hospitable in the world. Air Asia flies via KL. Istanbul has a consulate and is one of the most amazing cities in the world, and isn't any further than Sydney. China? Amazing country, and full of Thai consulates.
 
But you give absolutely no indication as to your likes or dislikes or preferences so what are we meant to say?

You can forget trying to apply for a SETV in Japan unless you live there. They require all kinds of documents too. I can tell you from experience as I used to live there and dealt with them often. It was a real nightmare and one of the men that worked in the Visa section was a real jerk. My friend who still lives in Japan and is a perm res. there would rather get Thai visas in Laos than deal with the Tokyo embassy.

On the other hand Yangon is in my opinion the easiest local embassy to deal with and SETV is next day.

[Essecola]

1 hour ago, blorg said:

With respect, this is a really badly posed question. You are asking where the "best" locations are to apply for a tourist visa. You give no information whatsoever as to your likes or dislikes as to tourism. You say you want to do it after having been in Thailand, so one would initially presume you were asking "where is easy in the nearby region?"

 

And then when people tell you the usual suspects of the easiest consulates in the region (which is pretty much Vientiane, Penang, Savannahket as the top three, followed by Phnom Penh, Vietnam, etc) you go, oh, I've been to all those places, and I didn't like Vientiane (which right now is the easiest as Penang and Savannahket have started asking for bank and flights) much. Well, THAT is the "easiest" if your aim is the visa.

Hong Kong is also certainly easy, I got my last one there and no questions and no additional documents like flights or bank required.

 

Yangon is meant to be easy, and Myanmar is a fascinating country, but who knows if it would be for you? I have visited it several times and loved it from the point of view of a less-developed destination that has not had so many tourists, but would you like the place? Who knows?

But then in your response you are now considering Sydney, so there seems to be no particular limitation?

 

I mean what are we meant to say? Why not go to Japan, I've never been but that would be top of my list of somewhere I think would be really interesting that I personally haven't been to. But you give no details of what you like or what your priorities are, so...

I'd also consider India, if you have never been, it is an absolutely amazing country and there are several Thai consulates there. Or why not go trekking in Nepal in the Himalayas, I spent three months there doing that and it was amazing. I also recently cycled around Sri Lanka (a short flight from Bangkok on Cathay Pacific or several other airlines) and there is an embassy in Colombo. Tehran? I've spent three months in Iran and it was amazing, the people are the most hospitable in the world. Air Asia flies via KL. Istanbul has a consulate and is one of the most amazing cities in the world, and isn't any further than Sydney. China? Amazing country, and full of Thai consulates.

 

But you give absolutely no indication as to your likes or dislikes or preferences so what are we meant to say?

Thought Penang only wants to see ticket out and hotel or accommodation booking.. never heard Penang wants to see proof of funds

[blorg]

20 minutes ago, Essecola said:

Thought Penang only wants to see ticket out and hotel or accommodation booking.. never heard Penang wants to see proof of funds

Well they used not need to see anything at all, I have around three visa from there, it is only recently there are reports that they need something, not sure exactly what that is. Point is they have gone from needing nothing to needing something.

 

My point is more that the answer to the question "where are the easiest consulates in the region" is pretty much "Vientiane, Penang and Savannakhet" but it appears now that OP is not actually interested in that and has been to all these places and finds them boring and so the question is more "where is an interesting country to visit anywhere in the world without me giving any details as to what I like or where I've been already"... which is a bit of a stupid question frankly.

[Feel The Sun]

On 22/02/2017 at 11:44 AM, blorg said:

Well they used not need to see anything at all, I have around three visa from there, it is only recently there are reports that they need something, not sure exactly what that is. Point is they have gone from needing nothing to needing something.

 

My point is more that the answer to the question "where are the easiest consulates in the region" is pretty much "Vientiane, Penang and Savannakhet" but it appears now that OP is not actually interested in that and has been to all these places and finds them boring and so the question is more "where is an interesting country to visit anywhere in the world without me giving any details as to what I like or where I've been already"... which is a bit of a stupid question frankly.

Did you get up on the wrong side of the bed? And please don't put words in my mouth.

 

However... thank you All for your helpful advice. Appreciated. :)

[notmyself]

On ‎22‎/‎02‎/‎2017 at 6:19 PM, Essecola said:

Thought Penang only wants to see ticket out and hotel or accommodation booking.. never heard Penang wants to see proof of funds

 

4 hours ago, Feel The Sun said:

 

Not sure why it also quoted Feel The Sun but anyway.  It would appear that some agents are asking for additional documents of various kinds but the actually embassy is not. It has all the attributes of a scam in my view.

[JB300]

With the exception of Hong Kong (love to visit) we have travelled fairly extensively in the other places mentioned. All lovely and unique, although didn't think much of Vientiane tbh. :-/
 
We have leased a condo with an option to buy in Jomtien, but before I commit to an Elite Visa we want to be certain we have made the right choice. So it's more about 'living' there rather than holidaying. Hence a normal TV would be sufficient as we would not need to jump around except for visa needs.
 
It's all about simplicity at this stage. Cheers for the input. :)
 
So maybe HK or HCM... or Sydney?

If you've never visited HK then just do it, it's a fascinating place to go for approx 5 days (though I've no experience of getting a Visa from there), not sure when you're making the move but if you time it right you can catch the HK rugby 7s, buzzing time to be there (or plan to avoid it if that's mm kit your bag).

Plenty of time to explore the other places once you're settled into Thailand with your TE Visa [emoji106]

Good luck [emoji106]

[jayci]

I've done Yangon, and it's easy for visa.
An interesting place that is developing rapidly. A lot of people in Yangon speak English, so that makes communication a little easier.

Sent from my Le X820 using Thaivisa Connect mobile app

[flyingdoc]

More detail needed in order to be able to give a sensible answer!

[TSF]

I think the best advice anyone could give you is to seriously rethink the whole idea of coming to live in Thailand and investing in property here. There are many indications that the Thai authorities no longer want foreigners living in the country. Immigration regulations have become much tougher recently, there are penalties for not reporting your movements within 24 hours. In all likelihood the long-term visas and extensions are going to become tougher to obtain and more expensive.

 

The best days of Thailand are over. If I were in your shoes I'd be considering other countries.

[BritTim]

43 minutes ago, TSF said:

I think the best advice anyone could give you is to seriously rethink the whole idea of coming to live in Thailand and investing in property here. There are many indications that the Thai authorities no longer want foreigners living in the country. Immigration regulations have become much tougher recently, there are penalties for not reporting your movements within 24 hours. In all likelihood the long-term visas and extensions are going to become tougher to obtain and more expensive.

 

The best days of Thailand are over. If I were in your shoes I'd be considering other countries.

I can understand why you would hold this viewpoint. My own is more nuanced:

• With the increase in the cost of living and of wages, the Thai authorities have become more concerned about illegal workers. In the past, Thailand was an easier place to live on very low incomes, and there was less incentive to work under-the-table for low pay.
• Requirements for legal working are arguably easier than they have ever been.
• The crackdown on illegal working has deliberately ignored digital nomads, as they have an, on balance, positive effect on the economy without competing with Thais for employment.
• The visa and visa exempt crackdowns are an attempt to rid Thailand of those staying here with limited financial resources. (I am not saying I agree with that objective.) Those with money who are unmarried (or have same sex partners) and are under 50 have the most trouble dealing with this
  • they can pay for a Thailand Elite type visa, in which case life is very easy
  • they can jump through the hoops of traveling the region, seeking friendly consulates every 60-90 days for fresh tourist visas

This is irritating, but not a show stopper for those who really want to stay and have enough money. Those with compelling reasons to stay (children, for instance) but very limited financial resources are in a difficult situation, and I sympathize with them.

 

Thailand is less attractive today for those seeking young women to settle down with, or a very low cost place to live. For married retired people, it is a better place than ever to settle.

[JB300]

I can understand why you would hold this viewpoint. My own is more nuanced:

This is irritating, but not a show stopper for those who really want to stay and have enough money. Those with compelling reasons to stay (children, for instance) but very limited financial resources are in a difficult situation, and I sympathize with them.  

Thailand is less attractive today for those seeking young women to settle down with, or a very low cost place to live. For married retired people, it is a better place than ever to settle.

So as somebody who doesn't want to move to Thailand for young women to settle down with (I.e. bringing Sand to the Beach) what are the benefits/advantages of moving to Thailand?

[Edit: Let's assume Budget isn't the problem]

[BritTim]

34 minutes ago, JB300 said:

So as somebody who doesn't want to move to Thailand for young women to settle down with (I.e. bringing Sand to the Beach) what are the benefits/advantages of moving to Thailand?

[Edit: Let's assume Budget isn't the problem]

I restrict my comments to considerations of most interest to retirees. (For younger people, I do not think Thailand is now a great place to settle long term.)  Away from the tourist ghettos, most areas of Thailand are safe and friendly. Goof healthcare is available. Food of all kinds is available, good and relatively cheap. General living costs, while not the lowest in the world, are affordable, and the overall infrastructure pretty good in most of the country.

[JB300]

I restrict my comments to considerations of most interest to retirees. (For younger people, I do not think Thailand is now a great place to settle long term.)  Away from the tourist ghettos, most areas of Thailand are safe and friendly. Goof healthcare is available. Food of all kinds is available, good and relatively cheap. General living costs, while not the lowest in the world, are affordable, and the overall infrastructure pretty good in most of the country.

As a "Retiree" (albeit "only 51), I agree with you.

Spent the past 7-8 years planning to move to Thailand, now I'm not so sure...

Course not being budget or "Pussy" restricted gives a different perspective... But to repeat the question... Why retire to Thailand when (nowadays) there are far better places to retire for less money, with "hotter" (to each his own) women & less drama

[blorg]

37 minutes ago, JB300 said:

Why retire to Thailand when (nowadays) there are far better places to retire for less money

Such as?

[ubonjoe]

A inflammatory post has been removed.

[PaPiPuPePo]

BritTim could you expand on/give specifics about this:

 

• The crackdown on illegal working has deliberately ignored digital nomads.......

 

Thanks.

[JB300]

Such as?

It was a question... Not a statement

But FWIW, I'm rapidly coming around to...

- Vietnam

- Southern Europe

- South America

- Hybrid (3-6 months per place)

Or just give up & live in my (gf's) very nice house in Davos, kick back, lots of very cheap SMLs (that's San Miguel Lights in case you're wondering)

[blorg]

@JB300 - the thing is, Thailand has a combination of factors that make it very pleasant, particularly for retirement. And one key one is the price, so if you are comparing with Switzerland as a possible retirement destination then you probably aren't very price concious, but many people here are.

 

Thailand is very cheap, I don't think you will really get much cheaper. It's a peculiarity, but neighbouring countries like Myanmar or Laos are not actually any cheaper to live in for a foreigner. I don't think anywhere is, in any appreciable amount, that "for X amount of money" you will have a much better lifestyle somewhere other than Thailand. Unless X amount of money is some enormous figure, say in the tens or thousands of dollars per month. For any sum between (say) $200 and $10,000 your money is probably going to go further in Thailand.

 

And then besides the cost, you have things like (1) weather, (2) infrastructure- the roads are pretty good, the electricity works most of the time, cell service is ubiquitous and cheap, internet is readily available, etc, (3) really beautiful scenery, (4) genuinely friendly people, (5) great food, (6) very good healthcare for a developing country, (7) very low crime rates- petty crime is almost non-existent here.

 

Cambodia for example has poor, dusty roads, is much less beautiful geographically than Thailand and has absolutely TERRIBLE healthcare- if you get sick there, they will probably kill you. A concern for many retirees. Crime is much higher- people will steal stuff. Good internet though. I actually like Cambodia and have spent a lot of time there, but on balance, Thailand probably has more positives.

 

Laos has terrible infrastructure, getting from one part to another takes forever. I'd also suspect the medical system there is terrible although I don't have direct experience of it like I do in Cambodia, Thailand and Malaysia, I was fortunate enough not to need it while there.

 

Vietnam I like a lot and is probably where I will go next. It is also a very beautiful country and inexpensive. But there are downsides such as the constant grind of having to negotiate the price of absolutely everything, everywhere, every day, all the time. If you think double pricing is a problem in Thailand, if that annoys you even in the slightest, Vietnam will drive you mad in that regard.

 

Southern Europe is much more expensive. There is the obvious benefit for Europeans that they can stay there indefinitely by right. Maybe not for British citizens. Eastern Europe is cheaper but doesn't have the year-round nice weather you get here.

 

South America has much higher crime rates, is in general more expensive and is both more difficult to get to (unless American) and to get around.

 

So sure, Thailand is not the only option, but it does have a pretty good mix of positive factors for someone looking to retire and I'm just not sure that there are really "(nowadays) there are far better places to retire for less money"... if there are, I'd be very interested in where you are thinking of.

[BritTim]

58 minutes ago, PaPiPuPePo said:

BritTim could you expand on/give specifics about this:

 

• The crackdown on illegal working has deliberately ignored digital nomads.......

 

Thanks.

The Thai authorities are well aware of the significant numbers of digital nomads in the country, and of the co-working spaces they typically use. In Bangkok and other areas of the country, these have been sprouting like mushrooms. A couple of years ago, one of them (up in Chiang Mai) was raided. However, this was an isolated event, and no one eventually was charged, although several people were found to be (technically) working illegally. It is widely assumed the raid was a mistake, and there have been no others anywhere. If the authorities were not turning a blind eye, it would be the easiest thing in the world for them to launch a series of raids and pick up hundreds, probably thousands, of digital nomads in a matter of hours.

[rott]

1 hour ago, JB300 said:

It was a question... Not a statement

But FWIW, I'm rapidly coming around to...

- Vietnam

- Southern Europe

- South America

- Hybrid (3-6 months per place)

Or just give up & live in my (gf's) very nice house in Davos, kick back, lots of very cheap SMLs (that's San Miguel Lights in case you're wondering)

No the first line is untrue. "Why retire to Thailand" was a question "other places are cheaper and have hotter women" was a statement. But if you are in a relationship and considering an Elite Visa why would those points concern you at all. 

 

I broadly agree with blorg, having experience of neighbouring states and Southern Europe. I was thinking of giving South America a try at one time but reports of the high crime rate brought me here instead. Beer here is not the best but I doubt that it is the worst and it is certainly not the most expensive. Presumably these SML's are cheap from a retailer not a bar, so how much for a bottle of 250ml or 330ml? And how much from an "average" bar. Compared with say 70 baht in a Pattaya bar and 100/120 in downtown Bangkok.

 

Like others on TVF I have been here on and off for pushing 20 years and have always kept an eye out for somewhere better/cheaper but not found a place suitable. Vietnam does come very close though.

 

[SiSePuede419]

"With respect, this is a really badly posed question. You are asking where the "best" locations are to apply for a tourist visa. "

 

That made me suspicious also.  Talks about Elite Visa, renting a condo in Pattaya, "We" and then turns around and asks "where's the best place to get a tourist visa?".

 

Hmmm.  In your home country, from the Thai embassy?

 

They issue 6 month multiple entry visas.

 

Far cheaper than going anywhere to apply for another tourist visa.

 

Why can't this person do it the easiest and cheapest way?  

 

Well, because they can't.

 

There's some reasons why they can't we are not being told, 555 ?

Edited February 25, 2017 by SiSePuede419