Visa Service

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Allan
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Visa Service

Post by Allan »

I need to apply for Tourist Visas for an extended stay in Thailand next year. Has anyone used any of the agencies that offer visa services. I'm loathe to hand our passports to a third party but short of a trip to Paris, I can't think of an alternative.

Anyone any experience of this
martyn94
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Post by martyn94 »

I used one for a Russian visa a few years ago. It worked OK, apart from the exorbitant cost (mostly down to Russia rather than the visa agents). A bit of googling might show whether your prospective agent is notoriously dishonest or incompetent. But at a certain point, I guess you just have to decide whether the risk (of what, exactly?) outweighs the aggravation of going to Paris. I was fortunate that I could deal with the visa agents in person, but as I recall, it was obvious enough from the initial research, on line, that they were serious and competent.
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Gus Morris
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Post by Gus Morris »

Same procedure for India. Cost an arm and a leg just for a two week stay. The Thai Embassy website might be a good starting point.

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Sus
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Re: Visa Service

Post by Sus »

Allan wrote:I need to apply for Tourist Visas for an extended stay in Thailand next year. Has anyone used any of the agencies that offer visa services. I'm loathe to hand our passports to a third party but short of a trip to Paris, I can't think of an alternative.

Anyone any experience of this
I assume you know that you can already stay 90 days within a period of 6 months? Not sure for what duration you are looking for.

There is also an Thai consulate in Lyon with a visa section, a bit closer than Paris. I have not used an agent here for a long time and would personally go to the Embassy every time, not worth the hazzle of dealing with an agent that you dont know.
Allan
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Re: Visa Service

Post by Allan »

Sus wrote:
Allan wrote:I need to apply for Tourist Visas for an extended stay in Thailand next year. Has anyone used any of the agencies that offer visa services. I'm loathe to hand our passports to a third party but short of a trip to Paris, I can't think of an alternative.

Anyone any experience of this
I assume you know that you can already stay 90 days within a period of 6 months? Not sure for what duration you are looking for.

There is also an Thai consulate in Lyon with a visa section, a bit closer than Paris. I have not used an agent here for a long time and would personally go to the Embassy every time, not worth the hazzle of dealing with an agent that you dont know.
Thank you for your input but I think your information is out of date. The maximum stay in Thailand without a visa is 30 days, hence the need for a visa.

I'm aware of the consulate in Lyon but I don't believe they offer a visa service
Sus
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Re: Visa Service

Post by Sus »

Allan wrote:
Sus wrote:
Allan wrote:I need to apply for Tourist Visas for an extended stay in Thailand next year. Has anyone used any of the agencies that offer visa services. I'm loathe to hand our passports to a third party but short of a trip to Paris, I can't think of an alternative.

Anyone any experience of this
I assume you know that you can already stay 90 days within a period of 6 months? Not sure for what duration you are looking for.

There is also an Thai consulate in Lyon with a visa section, a bit closer than Paris. I have not used an agent here for a long time and would personally go to the Embassy every time, not worth the hazzle of dealing with an agent that you dont know.
Thank you for your input but I think your information is out of date. The maximum stay in Thailand without a visa is 30 days, hence the need for a visa.

I'm aware of the consulate in Lyon but I don't believe they offer a visa service
Sorry I actually missed that you are looking for a tourist visa, I have a biz visa and the period seems to be longer.
martyn94
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Post by martyn94 »

I imagine it's far too late to say so, but you can get a 30 day extension to a tourist visa-on-entry if you apply once in Thailand: you do need to have access to an immigration office, and patience, and 1900 baht.

I found out the hard way a few years ago when I arrived on the train from Butterworth in Malaysia. When I planned the trip you got a 30 day visa on entry (as you mostly still do) but they changed the rules - with no notice, while I was on the train - so that you now only get 15 days for landward crossings (to discourage "visa runs" by dodgy expats). Fortunately I was staying somewhere big enough to have an immigration office.

That aside, I recommend the train ride if you can enjoy taking a day or so to do something which would take an hour or so on a plane.
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