New Consulate / Embassy checks Hull / UK / Worldwide

[Korkenzieher]

Just today (18 July 2013) I called Hull to make an appointment for the 30 minute special. I was told that since the beginning of this week, they have to fax details to their Embassy for checking before issuing visa. The only ones for which this is NOT the case are the 60 day 3x re-entry tourist visa and the 90 day single entry non-imm "O" visa, and of course the 30 day waiver on landing at international airports.

The lady at Hull said that this applied to *ALL* consulates *WORLDWIDE* - though I cannot check that myself obviously.

Document checking for Hull applicants is currently taking up to 48 hours.

If this is going to be a new policy then the backlogs will be huge, and a few people will, I am certain, opt to go someplace slightly more welcoming.

Either way, if you are in the visa renewal process, it may be wise to be prepared for delays - don't rely on the 30 minute specials being available unless you have it confirmed by whichever consulate it is that you use.

[Somchai Turdsak]

Perhaps its in response to this from the foreign office:

Brits behaving badly abroad: Shocking map reveals how 5,400 UK tourists were arrested in a year - that's one every two hours

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... jails.html

[Korkenzieher]

Possibly, but I don't think that you have to tick a box saying "Brain Dead Wanker", that would make it so easy for them. I suspect this is yet another 'initiative', but I await with interest any reports from other embassies to see whether this is just what Hull has been told / is having to do - or whether it really IS worldwide, in which case Thailand can probably wave goodbye to another chunk of its tourist revenue as Europeans in particular opt for Vietnam, Philippines etc. instead.

[dtaai-maai]

Perhaps its in response to this from the foreign office:

Brits behaving badly abroad: Shocking map reveals how 5,400 UK tourists were arrested in a year - that's one every two hours

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... jails.html

I know the words 'perspective' and 'Daily Mail' are strange bedfellows, but what this article actually says is that somewhere in the world, 12 British tourists are arrested every day. Not even charged or convicted. I'd have thought there would be more than that in one evening in Torremolinos!

[caller]

I called Hull to make an appointment for the 30 minute special.

Sorry, but what's a '30 minute special'? This requires a trip to Hull?

[Korkenzieher]

Hull has a facility where for (an extra) £10 they will issue the visa within 30 minutes. You have to book an appointment and turn up with all the documents at the consulate. This is now effectively in suspension. Hull is sufficiently close to home, that I have always done that.

[usual suspect]

Could this have any relevance to the case of the two men that got refused a 1yr multi-entry visa in K.L. just over a month ago..??
The reason for the consulate not granting them a visa was I believe because they were unable to show
evidence supporting each man having something like 350,000B in a Thai bank account..!
For many of us coming to the L.O.S. for long-stay on a regular basis this ruling on having to have nigh-on
£8,000 tied up before been granted a visa could see an end to coming here..??
(I did hear tho' that this ruling has been in place for 3 yrs now..& could be wavered by the consular)
I'm getting quite worried, because as with many of you on here...I book/pay for my flight..to come stay another 9 months, THEN apply for my visa...??? Time will tell.

[Korkenzieher]

There has been a requirement for some time for someone over 64 to show 800k baht in a Thai account or an income of (I think) 1250 GBP/m for the retiree visa. For someone 50 to 64, the pension requirement isn't available as an option as such on the descriptions of the various visa classes - but the savings amount is the same. If it isn't in a Thai account, then you have to show £20,000 in a bank account. I had to discuss the finer points of this with the lady at the Hull consulate, as my funds are in Euro, and apparently the embassy has referred amounts back to Hull to see whether they qualify. As ever, it sounds like there is some confusion. London Thai Embassy can't even convert £ to € without guidance - but of course the problem with all of these revisions to visa policy is that they are looking for a 'one size fits all' solution, and it simply isn't possible.

[usual suspect]

Ah but K. This was for a regular Non Imm. 'O' visa...not the retirement one..which makes this issue just that bit 'close for comfort' for many.
I tell my friends & family that it will be a visa-ruling that one day will put an end to my life in Thailand..well before I'm to old, sick or infirm

[lomuamart]

We've had discussions about the Hull consulate on the forum before and it seems to me that yet again they've been ordered to toe the line.
Previously, non O visas, whether multiple or single entry, were only supposed to be for those wishing to retire in Thailand or for those married to a Thai. However, Hull would regularly grant the visa on the basis of visiting "friends".
The main reason that consulates and especially honoury consulates are generous in their interpretation of the rules is that they get to keep the income from visas. Embassies will tend to stick to the letter of the law because they are directly employed by their Foreign Office.
The OA, or retiree visa, has always had the same financial requirements as getting an extension based on retirement over here - income 65K a month or savings of 800K - both THB equivalent - and can only be issued by an Embassy not a consulate.
Multi-entry Non Os are generally not available in neighbouring countries to Thailand although KL were issuing them if you could prove you were married to a Thai and could show 100K in a Thai bank account. I don't know what's happening there now.
It's a shame about the fast track system at Hull but it may be a result of general checking out of people around the world. If it makes anyone feel better, which it probably won't, the British Embassy in BKK are saying that 15 working days (3 weeks) should be allowed for their visas. We're going through this at the moment. That does need some planning ahead.

[Korkenzieher]

I contacted them today (Tues) as I needed to change the arrangement about pick-up of my passport, and they told me that it was approved and I could pick it up anytime. So approval was given by the Embassy inside 48 hours. I put my intended stay down as 8 months and intent as golf, relaxation and tourism. I also submitted a bank statement to show funds (in Euro, with conversion hand written on the statement), which was comfortably in excess of their 20k figure.

Hull seems to be on a short leash - and other issuing consulates may also be - but the system worked pretty quickly and so far doesn't appear to have become more complicated. It may simply be that the 30 minute fast-track is a thing of the past.

[usual suspect]

Well that seemed to have all gone OK for you K. Worry over..till the next time..

[Korkenzieher]

It might also forewarn someone else going through the loop that they need to leave a little more time than might have been the case in the past.