e-Visa - How quick? Multiple Entries?

[mlondon]

About to apply for my first e-Visa. 

I have a US Passport, but want to stay longer than the 30 day Visa-On-Arrival, so will apply for the tourist visa. Hoping to fly end of next week, so need to get e-Visa (and Thailand Pass) ASAP. How long has it been taking to get the e-Visa from the Consulate in Los Angeles?

Also, there is an option on the application under "Number of Entries" for "Single" or "Multiple". Underneath is a note that says "If you are applying for Multiple Entries, you need to prove that you have a genuine reason to visit Thailand on a regular basis . The difference in fee will not be refunded, if the officer grants a Single Entry Visa instead of the Multiple Entries Visa you applied for".

I don't have an official reason to select "Multiple", other than I may want to return to Thailand during the validity of the visa (which I believe is 6 months). If I select Multiple, might this slow down my e-Visa application? Do they require documentation? My goal is to get the visa processed in as short a time as possible, so perhaps choosing the simpler "Single" is a better option and then just re-apply if I need it? Anyone have experience with this issue?

Thank you.

[Faz]

You could enter Visa exempt (30 days) and apply for a 30 day extension = 60 days.
Depends if you wish to stay longer than 60 days.

[mlondon]

5 minutes ago, Faz said:

You could enter Visa exempt (30 days) and apply for a 30 day extension = 60 days.
Depends if you wish to stay longer than 60 days.

Yes, wish to stay longer.

(Sorry, I wasn't explicit about this. I do understand that my passport gives me 30 days visa exempt + 30 day extension.)

[Faz]

Most Thai Embassies have 'suspended' the METV due to the fact local borders are closed, so to obtain further entries you need to depart by air to a destination (quarantine?), re-enter and quarantine. The US is an exception in still offering this Visa type. The METV is indeed valid for 6 months to enter Thailand.
https://thethaiger.com/talk/topic/1649-common-visa-types-explained/#comment-5560

The alternative for a prolong stay without the requirement to leave the Country is the STV (Special Tourist Visa) which was introduced as a temporary replacement for the almost unworkable METV.
This scheme has been extended until Sept 2022.
This grants a stay of 90 days on entry, with the option to extend twice by a further 90 days each time.
Total stay of up to 9 months. However the mandatory 400/40K Health Insurance is a requirement for this temporary Visa type.

Below the old Infographic posted by Thai Immigration, which is now outdated, but the Thai Embassy website USA confirms the period has now been extended to Sept 2022.

[mlondon]

I think my main question about got buried here. More important than the Multiple entry issues is how quick can I get the e-visa?

Quote

How long has it been taking to get the e-Visa from the Consulate in Los Angeles?

 

[mlondon]

1 hour ago, Faz said:

Most Thai Embassies have 'suspended' the METV due to the fact local borders are closed, so to obtain further entries you need to depart by air to a destination (quarantine?), re-enter and quarantine. The US is an exception in still offering this Visa type. The METV is indeed valid for 6 months to enter Thailand.

This is helpful. But to one of my original questions. If I select "Multiple" entries, do I need to provide any additional documentation? Might it slow down the application? (again, time is of the essence.)

Quote

The alternative for a prolong stay without the requirement to leave the Country is the STV (Special Tourist Visa) which was introduced as a temporary replacement for the almost unworkable METV.

This is also interesting, but would require I send in my passport which will take even longer!

[Faz]

5 minutes ago, mlondon said:

I think my main question about got buried here. More important than the Multiple entry issues is how quick can I get the e-visa?

It tells you on the website.

 

 Processing time : minimum 15 business days

Please note : Consular officers reserve the right to request additional documents
                                as deemed necessary and also reserve the right to reject any application
                                without having to provide reason.

Tourist visa - Royal Thai Consulate-General, Los Angeles (thaiconsulatela.org)

 

[Faz]

15 minutes ago, mlondon said:

This is helpful. But to one of my original questions. If I select "Multiple" entries, do I need to provide any additional documentation? Might it slow down the application? (again, time is of the essence.)

You need to give a reason for requesting the METV, not necessarily further documents.
Define time is of the essence - for what reason, your looking at 3 weeks minimum possibly for the Visa and Thailand Pass applications providing you supply all the correct documentation in the first instance.

 

15 minutes ago, mlondon said:

This is also interesting, but would require I send in my passport which will take even longer!

All Visa are now 'stickerless' meaning they send by email.
You don't send your Passport.

 

Visa application system is temporary unavailable due to system maintenance.
The system will resume on 18 November 2021 and the processing time might take
longer than usual. Sorry for any inconvenience.
Visa Information - Royal Thai Consulate-General, Los Angeles (thaiconsulatela.org)

 

[mlondon]

34 minutes ago, Faz said:

You need to give a reason for requesting the METV, not necessarily further documents.
Define time is of the essence - for what reason, your looking at 3 weeks minimum possibly for the Visa and Thailand Pass applications providing you supply all the correct documentation in the first instance.

All Visa are now 'stickerless' meaning they send by email.
You don't send your Passport.

Visa application system is temporary unavailable due to system maintenance.
The system will resume on 18 November 2021 and the processing time might take
longer than usual. Sorry for any inconvenience.
Visa Information - Royal Thai Consulate-General, Los Angeles (thaiconsulatela.org)

WTF !  
I was on their site the other day and it was saying to allow up to 7 days. The notice you pointed out was dated today. I checked on the Thai Embassy in Washington DC and they are saying this same.  This throws a wrench into my travel plans. Will have to get 30 day visa free on arrival, extend for 30 days, then leave the country and come back again. Anyway grateful you pointed this out.  

[Faz]

26 minutes ago, mlondon said:

WTF !  
I was on their site the other day and it was saying to allow up to 7 days. The notice you pointed out was dated today. I checked on the Thai Embassy in Washington DC and they are saying this same.  This throws a wrench into my travel plans. Will have to get 30 day visa free on arrival, extend for 30 days, then leave the country and come back again. Anyway grateful you pointed this out.  

A few of the Thai Embassy websites are updating information from the recent changes and making a complete cluster f*** of the information in certain cases.
Be thankful you don't reside in Australia, the Thai Embassy their has had a mental breakdown.

In these unprecedented times, even the best prepared and organised travel plans can be thrown in the air the following day. I cancelled all travel plans until 2023.

[BlueSphinx]

3 hours ago, mlondon said:

Yes, wish to stay longer.

(Sorry, I wasn't explicit about this. I do understand that my passport gives me 30 days visa exempt + 30 day extension.)

Using the option of entering Thailand Visa Exempt which will provide you with a 30 days permission to stay on entry and which can be extended one time for an additional 30 days at any Thai Immigration office, is currently actually the option with least admin hassle (and also the cheapest).  

When applying for the 1-year Non Imm O-A Visa, the 90-day Non Imm O Visa for reason of retirement or the STV, you would be confronted with the mandatory health-insurance requirement covering at least the period of your stay. 

But when opting for a Visa Exempt entry or a 60-day Tourist Visa (both of which can be extended easily for an additional 30 days once in Thailand), it also has the advantage that you only need the mandatory covid-19 coverage insurance (applicable for EVERYBODY entering Thailand) for the period for which you will be stamped in on entry.  So you would only need that one for a 30-day period when entering Visa Exempt.  Note: And be aware that when flying with Emirates, you will get FREE travel-insurance included in the flight-ticket price that is compliant with that covid-19 insurance requirement.  When flying one-way the free insurance will provide you with 31 days of coverage from moment of arrival (so it will cover a VisaExempt entry), and when booking a return-ticket it will cover the full period of your trip to max 1 year (and the return date can be changed anytime at NO cost).

You would however when entering Thailand VisaExempt or on a 60-day Tourist Visa be required to show an out-bound flight ticket on a date prior to the expiry of the permission to stay you will receive by Thai border-immigration on entry.  The easy way to meet that requirement is to buy on-line a cheap one-way 'throw-away' ticket from BKK to HoChiMinh City or other close-by international destination, and such ticket did cost approx 1.200 THB prior to covid (probably will be a bit more expensive now).  Alternatively you could also make use of an 'onward flight booking' service which will provide you with a legit flight-ticket reservation that will be automatically cancelled after 24, 48 or 72 hours (depending on the agency you choose to buy it).  Cost is only approx 10 to 12 US $. 

= = = = =

When having entered Visa Exempt and extended your permission to stay with the additional 30 days, you would normally have to leave Thailand at the end of those 60 days.  However with current border restrictions Thai Immigration allows you to apply for a 60-day covid-extension to extend your stay.  These 60-day covid-extensions are expected to be provided as long as border-restrictions are still in place, and Thai Immigration would stop issuing them once land-borders are open again.  And in that case it would simply be a matter of doing a quick border-hop, which will provide you with a 30-day permission to stay which once again can be extended one-time for an additional 30 days.  And you can do that 2 times per calendar year, but you cannot do that indefinitely as Thai border-immigration can make use of its 'unofficial procedure' to deny you entry when staying longer than 180 days per calendar year on VE or Tourist Visa in the Kingdom. 

Note: And even if Thai Immigration would stop issuing these 60-day covid extensions (easy to apply for with no questions asked) and land-borders aren't open yet, flying out and back in to a near-by country remains an option (so no need to fly back to the US). 

[mlondon]

1 hour ago, BlueSphinx said:

When having entered Visa Exempt and extended your permission to stay with the additional 30 days, you would normally have to leave Thailand at the end of those 60 days.  However with current border restrictions Thai Immigration allows you to apply for a 60-day covid-extension to extend your stay.  These 60-day covid-extensions are expected to be provided as long as border-restrictions are still in place, and Thai Immigration would stop issuing them once land-borders are open again.

I thought I read somewhere on these forums that the 60 day COVID extension was set to end towards end of Sept. But if not, then that would solve my problems. 
 

What is the soonest after I arrive (in Ko Samui in this case), that I can go to immigration to apply for the 60 (or 30) day extension? I’d rather not leave it till a few days before my original 30 days are up as I will likely have gone on to Ko Phangan and would like to avoid additional back-and-forth.

thank you.

[BlueSphinx]

1 hour ago, mlondon said:

I thought I read somewhere on these forums that the 60 day COVID extension was set to end towards end of Sept. But if not, then that would solve my problems. 
What is the soonest after I arrive (in Ko Samui in this case), that I can go to immigration to apply for the 60 (or 30) day extension? I’d rather not leave it till a few days before my original 30 days are up as I will likely have gone on to Ko Phangan and would like to avoid additional back-and-forth.

It is as good as certain that Thai Immigration will keep on issuing these 60-day covid-extensions as long as border-restrictions make it difficult to exit/enter Thailand.  So in case they stop issuing them, that means you would have the option to either do a quick land-border border-hop or alternatively book a short-haul return-flight to a neighboring country.

RE the extension of your 30-day VisaExempt permission to stay: that can be done from 14 days before expiry of the permission to stay till very last day.  And there is no reason to wait till last days to apply for that extension, as it will be added to your current permission to stay.

[Faz]

4 hours ago, mlondon said:

Will have to get 30 day visa free on arrival, extend for 30 days, then leave the country and come back again.

You may be able to apply for a 60 day Covid extension to extend your stay.
Currently the expiry date for Covid extension applications is Nov 30th, but this could well be extended to the end of January.

[Faz]

2 hours ago, mlondon said:

What is the soonest after I arrive (in Ko Samui in this case), that I can go to immigration to apply for the 60 (or 30) day extension? I’d rather not leave it till a few days before my original 30 days are up as I will likely have gone on to Ko Phangan and would like to avoid additional back-and-forth.

That's at the discretion of the Immigration office. 
7 days prior to the end of your permission of stay is normal from other reports.

[mlondon]

Thanks for replies.

I managed to get my E-Visa application in and helpful person at Thai Consulate in LA said they would try to expedite. If it doesnt show up by the time in land in Thailand, I'll just try for 60 day extension.

[Joeseph]

This new e-visa is a nightmare compared to previous mail-in application. Now you need to upload an insane amount of documents,  id's, bank statements,  house certificate and more... 

[Tanuki]

I applied for my visa in the UK on Nov 4th (that was when the fee left my bank).. Still no sign of my visa acceptance.. ? (Yes Joseseph.. I too had to submit sooo much evidence!)  I have 3+half weeks now till my flight, and I wanted my visa before applying for my T/P.... So have not yet bought insurance, or booked an AQ hotel... just in case (after 5 weeks!) I still cannot make the flight..?

[Joeseph]

1 hour ago, Tanuki said:

I applied for my visa in the UK on Nov 4th (that was when the fee left my bank).. Still no sign of my visa acceptance.. ? (Yes Joseseph.. I too had to submit sooo much evidence!)  I have 3+half weeks now till my flight, and I wanted my visa before applying for my T/P.... So have not yet bought insurance, or booked an AQ hotel... just in case (after 5 weeks!) I still cannot make the flight..?

I've held off booking flight and AQ hotel as well. Pretty certain the Thai pass application will be another exercise in frustration. 

[mlondon]

39 minutes ago, Joeseph said:

I've held off booking flight and AQ hotel as well.

I took a risk and booked my flight and hotel first.

My wife's pass got approved immediately, but mine did not. When I called the Thailand Pass help line, I gave them the "personal key code" I received by email, along with my name, email and passport number. I also told them I was flying to Thailand this Saturday. I received my pass within a few hours.

[Faz]

7 hours ago, Tanuki said:

So have not yet bought insurance, or booked an AQ hotel...

There is your problem with the Visa application.
It requires proof of accommodation booking for the Visa application.

14 days since application and you haven't contacted the Embassy?

 

• Travel booking confirmation
• Proof of accommodation in Thailand e.g. hotel booking, invitation letter from family or friend in Thailand
  https://london.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/84451-tourist-visa?page=5d6636cd15e39c3bd00072dd&menu=5f4b6eb3f6ae4b236972c562

When your application is approved they now send a 'stickerless visa' via email.

 

[Tanuki]

2 hours ago, Faz said:

There is your problem with the Visa application.
It requires proof of accommodation booking for the Visa application.

14 days since application and you haven't contacted the Embassy?

• Travel booking confirmation
• Proof of accommodation in Thailand e.g. hotel booking, invitation letter from family or friend in Thailand
  https://london.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/84451-tourist-visa?page=5d6636cd15e39c3bd00072dd&menu=5f4b6eb3f6ae4b236972c562

When your application is approved they now send a 'stickerless visa' via email.

Thanks Faz.. I submitted both main pages of my 'house book' as proof of accommodation.. maybe it needs confirmation from the local Amphur... Who knows..?

[Faz]

38 minutes ago, Tanuki said:

Thanks Faz.. I submitted both main pages of my 'house book' as proof of accommodation.. maybe it needs confirmation from the local Amphur... Who knows..?

You need to submit confirmation of the SHA+ or AQ booking where you'll stay initially and proof of booking and paying for the PCR test on arrival.
Such as;

 

You can't go from the airport to your home for isolation without spending at least one night in a hotel.

 

[highonthai]

E Visa not working for me.

Have been trying to get conformation email for about a week now. Cannot create an account. 

Tried with a couple different email address's , checked my spam folder, added their address to my contacts all to no avail.

Spoke to the LA consulate and they are truly clueless, even called the Bangkok number at the bottom of the E Visa web site and it's the wrong number!

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks

Edited November 18, 2021 by highonthai