End of Consular Outreach for Americans in Thailand

[newnative]

10 hours ago, Boon Mee said:

ACS at the Embassy in Bangkok is a very unpleasant experience. Overcrowded little room and staffed with the most rude consular officials I have ever dealt with in any country. 

Totally agree.  Horrible.

[Pib]

I've probably went to the ACS around 5 times over 11 years like for passport renewal, notary, etc.  Yes, the ACS area is small and always plenty of customers, but I've never experienced rude staff.  All my visits were pleasant...staff were professional and polite....got what I needed in a quick manner....never took longer than 30 minutes between entering and exiting ACS.  

[theboogeyman]

I've probably went to the ACS around 5 times over 11 years like for passport renewal, notary, etc.  Yes, the ACS area is small and always plenty of customers, but I've never experienced rude staff.  All my visits were pleasant...staff were professional and polite....got what I needed in a quick manner....never took longer than 30 minutes between entering and exiting ACS.  

That’s true they’re very polite and provide good service but try asking them a question you can’t call them unless someone is dead, in the hospital, arrested, or assaulted and when you email them getting a straight answer is like pulling teeth. I have no use for them except for renewing my passport once a decade.


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[StevieAus]

On 5/18/2019 at 1:11 PM, wwest5829 said:

While not a conspiracy type, I do wonder if these countries are collectively beginning to turn attention to the number of their own citizens from the working middle class, out priced in their own countries who flee for retirement in lower cost countries. Australia and British retirees have already experienced some negative steps dissuading them for spending their retirement incomes offshore. I have no doubts that if the American Republicans seize on this, they too would try to penalize offshore retirees. I had already had a FB commentator refer to me as not having an equal citizen voice in US political opinions as I had "defected" by living in another country.

What negative steps have Australian retirees experienced to dissuade them from spending their retirement incomes offshore?

I am not aware of any.

[ilms]

My experience renewing a US passport by mail was great. I live about 800km from BKK so going there in person is time consuming and expensive. I got the new one 12 days after I sent the application in. It would have taken 4-6 weeks to do it in the US, according to the US gov. website.

 

I've never used the notary services or other stuff so I imagine that having to go to BKK to do so is going to be a real burden for many.

 

 

[mooping20Baht]

And yet they still  need the bulletproof glass ,  sort of like   some  dodgy money lender outfit  downtown  ????

[JimGant]

On 5/22/2019 at 1:04 AM, mooping20Baht said:

And yet they still  need the bulletproof glass ,  sort of like   some  dodgy money lender outfit  downtown  ????

No, there are enough crazies out there to take down any symbol of America. Can't do it with any airliner? Well, how about a suicide vest.

 

We live in sad times.

[JimGant]

On 5/18/2019 at 5:41 PM, Pib said:

I see the Australian Embassy, which also stopped issue of income letters, is still doing outreach visits.  Focusing on notarial and passport services.  Next one in Jun 2019 in Chiang Mai.

 

https://thailand.embassy.gov.au/bkok/Consular_Outreach.html

 

Yeah, but since they've decided they can't verify income, they've also decided they can't verify your residence:

 

Quote

Notarial Services we are unable to provide include:

• Witnessing statutory declarations or providing a letter which declares your address in Thailand, including to open a Thai bank account, obtain a Thai drivers license or transfer motor vehicle registration.
• Witnessing statutory declarations which declare your income or bank balances for Thai immigration purposes.

Not sure how many took advantage of the embassy/outreach residence certificate? At least in Chiang Mai, where you can pay a fee for a one day turnaround (or no fee for a one month turnaround) -- at the goat rope airport immigration parking zoo -- which still says a two day journey -- a trip to the outreach program would give you a same-day residence certificate. No longer.

 

At least the US still has its Chiang Mia consulate to do residence certificate affidavits, same day. Sorry for those folks that had relied on the US outreach program for same. But, probably easier at their local immigration than what's it's been at CMM Immigration-- thus the nice fallback of the US Consulate Chiang Mai -- for those of us who live here and don't need to rely on the now-defunct outreach program.

 

[mooping20Baht]

so does this mean that   Americans can no longer apply for   Thai DL  if   land transport office  says they still want them ?

 

same for new bank accounts,   sorry in advance if this is on some other thread

[david555]

On 5/16/2019 at 8:26 PM, Pib said:

Less and less support from the American Citizens Services (ACS).  But I'm sure they will say it will allow them to provide better support "at" the embassy. 

Could their local C.I.A. agents not replace the service 

[skatewash]

5 hours ago, mooping20Baht said:

so does this mean that   Americans can no longer apply for   Thai DL  if   land transport office  says they still want them ?

 

same for new bank accounts,   sorry in advance if this is on some other thread

Residence certificates obtained at Thai Immigration can be used for the same purpose and can be cheaper and easier to obtain.  The residence letter from the American Embassy is still an alternative, just no longer obtainable from the American Embassy outreach efforts which have been discontinued.