Visas and border crossings forum

Thai Tourist Visa Fees waived until March 2010

patlad

newbie
Posts: 4

I have just obtained my visa for Thailand from the Thai Consul in Liverpool. The fees are currently waived so all I had to pay was the admin fee of £10. I obtained 3 entries for £10. Definitely worth considering if you're heading to Thailand any time soon.

http://www.royalthaiconsul.com/

#1 Posted: 31/8/2009 - 03:11
mattd82

backpacker
Posts: 12

how long is this visa for? did it take much to pre-organise?
good news...

#2 Posted: 7/9/2009 - 15:31
patlad

newbie
Posts: 4

As the Visa is free at the moment I got the maximum 3 entries (usually theres a fee fore each entry). Each entry is 60 days so effectively I could have 6 months in Thailand, but would just have to leave and re-enter 3 times during that period.

You just have to ring the Consul on the number on the website and make an appointment. I rang on a Monday and managed to get an appointment for the Friday that week.

#3 Posted: 7/9/2009 - 15:43
SBE

mahout
Posts: 1661
Located in:

Private message

Is the Thai consulate in Bali issuing free multi-entrance visas Somtam?

#4 Posted: 7/9/2009 - 19:33
bronzedwarr-
ior

flashpacker
Posts: 39

I just contacted the Royal Thai Consulate in Birmingham, UK and guess what?

Their response to the above is in complete contradiction.

They were happy to report that the visa is indeed free ( Thanks for that groundbreaking news... ) but they want to charge £15 'admin' fee for the trouble of processing it! Oh and this only applied to the standard single entry one, multiple entries are exempt from this offer ( They are the standard price quoted on the website ).

Now I know that when I previously applied for a standard 60 day visa, the charge was £5 and that was only 18 months ago!

I informed the lady I spoke to of the Liverpool Consulates 'deal' and although I couldn't see it, I knew she was shrugging her shoulders!

Guess I'll be using the Liverpool office then...

#5 Posted: 8/9/2009 - 17:00
somtam2000

admin
mahout
Posts: 5862
Located in:

Private message

Quite a few of the honorary consulates have been moaning about the free visas as issuing them is one of their handy sources of cashola -- as you've found, it pays to ask around.

#6 Posted: 8/9/2009 - 18:17

------------------------------
iPhone Apps for Southeast Asia
SBE

mahout
Posts: 1661
Located in:

Private message

So does anyone know if the Thai consulate in Bali one of the more co-operative ones or not? I'd like to pick up my free visa there if possible.

#7 Posted: 8/9/2009 - 18:52
SBE

mahout
Posts: 1661
Located in:

Private message

Bronzedwarrior the Hull consulate is reputably the most accommodating one in the UK... try them.

#8 Posted: 8/9/2009 - 18:55
bronzedwarr-
ior

flashpacker
Posts: 39

Will do SBE, thanks.

Unfortunately, I have no idea about the Bali one so I can't reciprocate, sorry!

I recall when dealing with Birmingham the last time that the guy there was very abrupt, rude even. He huffed and sighed at literally every question fired at him, almost like he was annoyed that anyone was actually bothering him with requests for Visas.

Guess what mate, its your job, get on with it or look elsewhere for employment.

I've no idea if he's still there but if his aim is to try and deter people from going to Thailand, I imagine he's pretty successful.

Rant over, sorry...

#9 Posted: 8/9/2009 - 19:32
SBE

mahout
Posts: 1661
Located in:

Private message

I've been doing a bit of online searching and although I didn't find any reliable info that was any use to me, I did find out that Hull consulate is charging the same as Birmingham. Looks like Liverpool is indeed going to be your best bet this time Bronzewarrior.

This is C&P ed from the Hull Thai Consulate website. As you can see, they too are charging a 15 quid handling fee and they are NOT giving out any free two or three entry tourist visas!

The Thailand Ministry of Foreign Affairs has today decided to re-introduce the waiving of the £28 fee for the Tourist Visa with Single Entry for the period 25 June 2009 to 04 March 2010. This concession does not apply to any other visas. During this period of 25 June 2009 to 04 March 2010 there will be an administration charge of £15 for the issue of the Tourist Visa with Single Entry.

The Tourist Visa with Single Entry allows a single stay in Thailand for a maximum of 60 days or 30 days (see below) from date of entry. Please note that the day you enter is counted as day one. If you exit Thailand at any time during the 60 or 30 days you will loose all the remaining days and you may not be able to re-enter Thailand without another visa. If you think this may apply to you, you should consider applying for a Tourist Visa with Two Entries (fee £56) or a Tourist Visa with Three Entries (fee £84). If you wish to spend more time in Thailand or wish to have a visa without restriction on the number of entries you may be able to apply for the Non-Immigrant Visa with Multiple Entries (fee £100) which is valid for one year.

Passport holders of the following countries will be granted a stay of 60 days for each Tourist Visa entry:-

Argentina Australia Austria Belgium Canada Denmark Finland France Germany Greece Hong Kong Iceland Ireland Israel Italy Japan Luxembourg Netherlands New Zealand Norway Philippines Portugal Singapore South Africa Spain Sweden Switzerland Turkey United Kingdom United States

Passport holders of the following countries will be granted a stay of 30 days for each Tourist Visa entry:-

Azerbaijan Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Bhutan Botswana Brazil Bulgaria Cambodia China Colombia Congo Cote d’Ivoire Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Estonia Gambia Georgia Ghana Hungary India Jamaica Kazakhstan Kenya Kyrgyzstan Latvia Lithuania Macedonia Malta Mauritius Mexico Moldova Monaco Morocco Myanmar Nepal Pakistan Poland Romania Russia Serbia Sierra Leone Slovakia Slovenia Sri Lanka Tajikistan Tanzania Tunisia Turkmenistan Uganda Ukraine Uzbekistan Zambia Zimbabwe

NATIONALS OF COUNTRIES NOT LISTED ABOVE SHOULD CHECK WITH THIS OFFICE PRIOR TO
SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION FOR A SINGLE STAY TOURIST VISA

#10 Posted: 10/9/2009 - 03:37
patlad

newbie
Posts: 4

Just to add...

I found the staff at Liverpool very friendly and helpful... When I spoke to the girl on the phone she indicated that she does the visa while you wait (and she was true to her word, it was done in around 10 mins). She said that her colleague prefers you to go away for half an hour and return to pick up your visa.

I was also suprised that the Consul is basically just a little reception room off the main street - I imagined something more like an embassay.

#11 Posted: 10/9/2009 - 15:26