Thai eVisa system

[JamesE]

Having been able to use the old-fashioned paper-based system previously, the eVisa system came as something of a surprise. But then I realized how bad it really was and my surprise left.

And was replaced with confusion.

I'm applying for a Non-immigrant O (Retirement) and when I get to the supporting document upload part of the tour there are two uploads required which are not described on the site, mentioned in the "documentation", or with a description found anywhere on the Interweb (and I've been looking). One, I think, is pretty straightforward. Item #5 on the list is "Financial Evidence" and goes on to list three documents to prove you won't be a burden post-arrival. Item #6, merely says: "Financial Evidence" with no further indication of what's needed. My guess is that #6 wants to have one of the three documents specified in #5 but not the one used in #5?

The second problematic upload is #4 which asks for "Proof of residence in the country you are applying from". With no further description. This is confusing as 1) I'm applying from my home country, through my home country's Thai consulate, using my passport, and 2) It almost seems like the system thinks I'm not applying from my home country for some reason. (Note to self: I have turned off the VPN, just to be sure...)

Any answers, ideas, or thoughts and prayers will be most welcome.

 

[Faz]

Hi James,

According to the documents download questions, the example page: 

4. Travel booking
5. Proof of accommodation
6 Financial evidence
7 Confirmation of legal residence. 

Is the page you have different from the above?

What browser are you using?
Google Chrome or Firefox recommended.

Confirmation of legal residence is a copy of your Passport photo/ID page.
It's a Universal smart system used for applications from France, UK, China, Canada and US application.

[JamesE]

Thanks! Yes, it's different. (I tried to get a screenshot but the eVisa system is down for maintenance right now). On the page I get, 1. is Passport, 2. is Supporting photo, 3. is Declaration, 4. is Proof of residence, 5. is Financial Evidence, 6. is Financial Evidence, 7. 8. 9. are travel and insurance don't remember the order, it was late last night when I was last able to visit. I'll put up a screenshot when (if) it comes back up. The sample pages used in the user manual are from the TV track in the website. The manual is out of date compared to what they show on their YouTube channel right now also. Hopefully the "maintenance" will get everything at least agreeing internally.

Using Firefox, fully updated.

I used to develop software so I know what idiots users are and ultimately expect to be proven correct in this case, but it's just weird that I'm seeing something that doesn't seem to appear anywhere else.

Edited August 28, 2021 by JamesE
Correction.

[JamesE]

2 hours ago, Faz said:

Confirmation of legal residence is a copy of your Passport photo/ID page.

Ah... I went into the User Manual (I couldn't read the entry in the shot you posted) and it's a bit different. On the screen I saw last night the bit about "in case you are not a national of the country in which you are applying for visa" your example showed, is conveniently omitted. So now, as it's a required field, the second passport upload almost makes sense.

[JamesE]

2 hours ago, Faz said:

Is the page you have different from the above?

System's back up. This is the screen I get:

 

[AussieBob]

Proof of residence (when I was doing this stuff before) that was accepted, was 'official' documents detailing your address (Passports dont give address).  Driving Licence, Council Rates, Government Letters, that sort of thing.

[Faz]

@JamesE

I assume your using a 3 months bank statement?
I'd drag and drop the same financial evidence in 5 and 6.

[Faz]

4 hours ago, AussieBob said:

Proof of residence (when I was doing this stuff before) that was accepted, was 'official' documents detailing your address (Passports dont give address).  Driving Licence, Council Rates, Government Letters, that sort of thing.

Address is given elsewhere.
This is proof of residential status. Passport, PR status, Visa. Your right to be in the Country where your applying.

 

[JamesE]

8 minutes ago, Faz said:

@JamesE

I assume your using a 3 months bank statement?
I'd drag and drop the same financial evidence in 5 and 6.

The three options were: A proof of pension letter, a one-month bank statement showing the receipt of pension, or a 3-months bank statement showing a minimum of GBP10K. I was going to go with one and two as the numbers agree with each other. I did send an email to the consulate for clarifi..... (sorry, I started laughing and had to take a break)- ahem - clarification, so hopefully I'll hear back on Monday.

[Faz]

2 boxes for financial evidence, but only one source of proof required for the Non O.

These application forms are standardised and the only reason I can think why they provide 2 boxes to submit financial evidence would be in the case where you were using a combination of funds and income to meet the financial criteria. The Non O-A Visa being such a case.

[AussieBob]

37 minutes ago, Faz said:

Address is given elsewhere.
This is proof of residential status. Passport, PR status, Visa. Your right to be in the Country where your applying.

I hear what you are saying but it could be both - the documentation doesnt clarify the term 'residence' and eVisa is new so unless someone has been accepted/rejected for that one then who knows.  I have a driver's licence and it is official proof of my residence - where I live.  The Passport is already provided elsewhere and that is clearly 'proof of being a legal resident'. But I know Thai bureaucracy having dealt with if for the wife and myself when applying from here in Aust - it could be either - and probably best thing is to try and ask someone at the Embassy (and good luck with that). 

[AussieBob]

However all this goes @JamesE could you provide a summary of the outcomes in completing the eVisa application - I will be doing one myself soon (I hope).

[Faz]

9 minutes ago, AussieBob said:

I hear what you are saying but it could be both - the documentation doesnt clarify the term 'residence' and eVisa is new so unless someone has been accepted/rejected for that one then who knows.  I have a driver's licence and it is official proof of my residence - where I live.  The Passport is already provided elsewhere and that is clearly 'proof of being a legal resident'. But I know Thai bureaucracy having dealt with if for the wife and myself when applying from here in Aust - it could be either - and probably best thing is to try and ask someone at the Embassy (and good luck with that). 

The question in 4 is; Proof of the permanent residence in the Country where the application is submitted.

A Driving licence is not official proof of your residence. It's good for photo ID only.
You can move to a new permanent place of residence and not change the address on your driving licence, which is especially common in Thailand to avoid driving offence tickets, as a friend of mine is only to well aware of.

[AussieBob]

13 minutes ago, Faz said:

The question in 4 is; Proof of the permanent residence in the Country where the application is submitted.

A Driving licence is not official proof of your residence. It's good for photo ID only.
You can move to a new permanent place of residence and not change the address on your driving licence, which is especially common in Thailand to avoid driving offence tickets, as a friend of mine is only to well aware of.

He is in Australia as far as I recall - so the driving licence is proof of where he is residing and it is accepted here for that purpose.  But did I get that wrong - is he in Thailand and applying from there ??

[Faz]

32 minutes ago, AussieBob said:

However all this goes @JamesE could you provide a summary of the outcomes in completing the eVisa application - I will be doing one myself soon (I hope).

Australia doesn't as yet use the E-Visa application system Bob - be grateful. 

[Faz]

9 minutes ago, AussieBob said:

He is in Australia as far as I recall - so the driving licence is proof of where he is residing and it is accepted here for that purpose.  But did I get that wrong - is he in Thailand and applying from there ??

@JamesE is applying from the USA.

[AussieBob]

15 minutes ago, Faz said:

Australia doesn't as yet use the E-Visa application system Bob - be grateful. 

Yippee - I hope it remains that way.

[AussieBob]

11 minutes ago, Faz said:

@JamesE is applying from the USA.

Thanks.  Got that wrong then - somehow I thought he was in Aust and applying - my bad. 

[JamesE]

Well... That was fun. The eVisa system is now even further away from the documentation and example videos (updated within the past week) than I thought. I had to upload my Passport page, and "Proof of residence" in the US - again the passport page image. Additionally, I had to upload my hotel booking confirmation and proof of "ASQ" (in my case SHABA) payment, and also had to upload my "Travel booking" and "Confirmation of airline reservation", again both the same document. None of this stuff is explained anywhere. So I guessed. I'll see what happens as I submitted everything yesterday.

One good thing is that there was no paperwork besides the curiously named "Appointment Receipt" to send in along with my passport.

A heads up to people trying this from the US: The transaction with the Thai Embassy/Consulates is processed through K-Bank's Hong Kong branch. My bank's (Chase) fraud detection system did not like that at all so I had to have them turn off fraud protection, submit the transaction, and then turn fraud protection back on. A complete PITA.

[JamesR]

On 8/28/2021 at 5:29 PM, JamesE said:

Having been able to use the old-fashioned paper-based system previously, the eVisa system came as something of a surprise. But then I realized how bad it really was and my surprise left.

And was replaced with confusion.

I'm applying for a Non-immigrant O (Retirement) and when I get to the supporting document upload part of the tour there are two uploads required which are not described on the site, mentioned in the "documentation", or with a description found anywhere on the Interweb (and I've been looking). One, I think, is pretty straightforward. Item #5 on the list is "Financial Evidence" and goes on to list three documents to prove you won't be a burden post-arrival. Item #6, merely says: "Financial Evidence" with no further indication of what's needed. My guess is that #6 wants to have one of the three documents specified in #5 but not the one used in #5?

The second problematic upload is #4 which asks for "Proof of residence in the country you are applying from". With no further description. This is confusing as 1) I'm applying from my home country, through my home country's Thai consulate, using my passport, and 2) It almost seems like the system thinks I'm not applying from my home country for some reason. (Note to self: I have turned off the VPN, just to be sure...)

Any answers, ideas, or thoughts and prayers will be most welcome.

I used the system in 2019 to apply for a 90 day visa from the UK, I came across the same overlapping questions re proof of income or money etc deposited in a bank account so I just sent whatever I thought might prove things two or three times over.

I remember thinking to myself I could have designed a much better web site for them at the time. 

Edited September 1, 2021 by JamesR
typo