A kafkaesque Nightmare- The new E Visa System

[dannyh2000uk]

Over the years been to Thailand 21 times (I have counted)

I have a son there.

Have bought ticket for December 2019 for 35 days, so look into getting single entry Tourist visa as per normal.

OH no,  find out that since June 2019  need to join Thai E visa site and submit a whole load of info  before being considered  for an appointment ( or postal application ) to get said Visa.

How to complicate a relatively simple procedure into an absolute nightmare.

Beware,  the site will lock you out countless times, and every time to try and log back in to continue, you will have to fill in name/password and one of those infuriating CAPTCHA  type things.

The site requires bank statements, hotel bookings, proof of your residency in your home country, your passport, a photo as well.

Then you print out the declaration form, sign it scan it back into computer and send it back to site.

Now while all of this is going on, you will be suddenly locked out with “SITE ERROR”.

So you go back to start.

Also note, many of the mass of documents you scan will be rejected, for being wrong colour, too big, wrong extension etc., etc.

And all the while getting kicked from this badly programmed site, and beginning yet again.

Now how will it cope come Christmas.

I now face the reality that I may have to arrive in the simple visa on arrival, and then overstay for 5 days and pay a fine.

Even though I have spent 5-6 hours of my day off trying to solve this nightmare.

Also  demanding bank statements for a simple holiday, and  wanting hotel booking ( when most of us like to deal  on the day with hotel, and move around depending on the situation, weather,  etc. it is a holiday, not employment.

It just seems that at this early stage of Internet (relatively ) some people  talk others into  making complicated solutions to take care of simple problems, and failing miserably

If you are thinking of getting this, maybe better to use an agency, and keep sane.
If somebody doesn't have scanning facilities, I believe it would be impossible to continue in any form.

And certainly after this , if wasn't for Son, I wouldn't  put myself  through this hassle ever again.

Thailand, do you want decent spending tourists ( who have proven they always leave !!), well you sure got a funny way of showing it buddy.

Best Dan

[Denim]

4 minutes ago, dannyh2000uk said:

Even though I have spent 5-6 hours of my day off trying to solve this nightmare.

 

Yes .....but remember , it is being done for your safety , convenience and happiness !!!  Wonderful isn't it !

 

As you say , your option is the 5 day overstay or shorten your holiday. And to think that right now we are being told that the government is trying to find new ways to encourage more tourists !!

 

At least you still have a lot of time so just keep plugging away at it and you might eventually manage it. Apparently others have so it must be somehow possible.

 

Good luck 

 

 

[ezzra]

Sometimes i feel that the i'm living a in one of Franz Kafka stories, having to put up with and face surrealistic and bizarre predicaments and incomprehensible bureaucracies...

[dannyh2000uk]

HI Denim, thanks for reply, unfortunately ticket already bought,  and if it wasn't  the site requires the ticket, so almost have to get ticket before you apply.

I really don't want to have to do a run to Cambodia, to cover the overstay, I also don't want me to be logged  on some computer as an " overstayer" because these days, that sort of info  ( now computers are making the decisions more ) can mess things up in the future.

A Kafkaesque nightmare

[scubascuba3]

all to get a tourist visa? total PITA

[dannyh2000uk]

And it carries on and on, tried three different browsers, but always end up on this page at some point.

 

[scubascuba3]

Maybe they have a help line you can call 555

[blackcab]

Off topic posts have been removed. This topic is not about Brexit.

[andy72]

but you failed to say how many entries you had this year

and as you have a son thats non o

not elite

simple buy another ticket

go online buy a train ticket to pedang besar  buy a seat its really cheap

or buy sleeper once you arrive you can cancel

and yes its pb on malaysia side  https://www.thairailwayticket.com/eTSRT/

 

cheapest air asia krabi to kl 38usd

 

 

[andy72]

visa exempt

then go get extension simple easy 1900baht 

no overstay

 

it seems a lot of unknown for a well trodden visitor

[scubascuba3]

As you only need 35 days just do a visa exempt 30 days then do an extension 1900 baht. It avoids all the hassle you are going through. Better to not overstay even for 5-6 days

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

19 minutes ago, dannyh2000uk said:

And it carries on and on, tried three different browsers, but always end up on this page at some point.

 

 

Did you try scanning in and transmitting a 1000 baht note???  

[stevenl]

2 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

As you only need 35 days just do a visa exempt 30 days then do an extension 1900 baht. It avoids all the hassle you are going through. Better to not overstay even for 5-6 days

Agree, but can be problematic on check in, as officially a flight ticket out of Thailand within the 30 days window is required.

[scubascuba3]

Agree, but can be problematic on check in, as officially a flight ticket out of Thailand within the 30 days window is required.

He doesn't profile as a begpacker or potentially working so will be fine

[thaibeachlovers]

42 minutes ago, Denim said:

And to think that right now we are being told that the government is trying to find new ways to encourage more tourists !!

Apparently they only want short stay tourists, especially those that pay lots of money for branded tat.

Frankly, though I had been thinking I might go back for a few months next winter, if it's getting that hard I might give it a miss.

 

However, do consulates want all that info as well, or just the embassies?

[andy72]

20 minutes ago, stevenl said:

23 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

As you only need 35 days just do a visa exempt 30 days then do an extension 1900 baht. It avoids all the hassle you are going through. Better to not overstay even for 5-6 days

Agree, but can be problematic on check in, as officially a flight ticket out of Thailand within the 30 days window is required.

you guys need to check your oxygen tanks
bit of narcosis setting in
as opposed to my narcissism 
i already answered and gave solutions

[Denim]

12 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

 

However, do consulates want all that info as well, or just the embassies?

 

HCMC and Savannakhet don't but if you are coming for a month or two from anywhere else you have to do it online ( so far as I know )

 

They might just as well abolish the Tourist visa altogether if they are going to make it so difficult to apply and just have the visa exempt. 

 

The thing is that in the past it was so simple and easy. A single piece of A4 papar with essential information and you could do it by post. Now , without any transition it is very difficult and as many have noted , if you don't have your own scanner , nigh on impossible.

[stevenl]

24 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

25 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Agree, but can be problematic on check in, as officially a flight ticket out of Thailand within the 30 days window is required.

He doesn't profile as a begpacker or potentially working so will be fine

Doesn't matter, the check for proof of onward travel is point of origin, not Thailand immigration.

[scubascuba3]

you guys need to check your oxygen tanks
bit of narcosis setting in
as opposed to my narcissism 
i already answered and gave solutions

you don't like being ignored it seems

[scubascuba3]

if you don't have your own scanner , nigh on impossible.

apps are free on a smartphone

[isaanistical]

1 hour ago, dannyh2000uk said:

HI Denim, thanks for reply, unfortunately ticket already bought,  and if it wasn't  the site requires the ticket, so almost have to get ticket before you apply.

I really don't want to have to do a run to Cambodia, to cover the overstay, I also don't want me to be logged  on some computer as an " overstayer" because these days, that sort of info  ( now computers are making the decisions more ) can mess things up in the future.

A Kafkaesque nightmare

Ever actually read any Kafka? Toughen up. Do a day-trip to Singapore or somewhere during your trip.

[Isaan Alan]

1 hour ago, dannyh2000uk said:

And it carries on and on, tried three different browsers, but always end up on this page at some point.

 

But the Thai bureaucracy will deny (for years) that they have am IT problem. To get 90 day reports functioning correctly took then 2-3 years to get working. 

 

[andy72]

19 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

you don't like being ignored it seems

its ok i understand its all in the walking pace 

 

15 minutes ago, isaanistical said:

Ever actually read any Kafka? Toughen up. Do a day-trip to Singapore or somewhere during your trip.

if op can afford the bloody elite visa
he can certainly afford many differing options to throwing his cash away

 

[madmitch]

I have two friends, regular visitors, who made the decision after looking at what's requred that instead of spending £10,000 each in Thailand this year, they'd fly into Thailand for a short visit and spend the rest of their trip in neighbouring countries.

 

Now, as they fly in and out of BKK, they'll be counted as tourists twice; once on their initial arrival and once on their return!

 

So it's a win for the TAT arrivals figures, but a big loss to their expenditure numbers.

 

 

[mngmn]

Did you not get the message that the Thai Government is sending you? Go somewhere else!

[andy72]

there is a commonality in all government websites of many nations

 

they are <deleted> for some untold reason (yeah untold) they always over load or have a multitude of bugs

yet any commercial site never has the same amount of setbacks

 

if i could just draw your attention to the indian embassy website

look at the professionalism there of the ticker tape the flashing sign of yesteryear's website and they have toned it down considerably

 

So OP i had a small computer glitch a few years back something javascript perhaps

but every time i tried to upload a photo or scanned document i got a failure
something deep inside windows

try another computer it may actually be your fault

[holy cow cm]

1 hour ago, stevenl said:

Agree, but can be problematic on check in, as officially a flight ticket out of Thailand within the 30 days window is required.

change the flight ticket after arrival and passing the IO gates. 

[cnx355]

And it is not a real e-Visa like Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia....

Thise are simple and you just have to print the documents that you use to enter.

 

For Thailand eVisa ( sorry visa application Online ) you still have to send your passport to he Embassy or mail your passport to get the regular big sticker.

 

It is a visa application Online. How to make a simple process very very complicated.

[nahkit]

1 hour ago, andy72 said:

its ok i understand its all in the walking pace 

 

if op can afford the bloody elite visa
he can certainly afford many differing options to throwing his cash away

 

Where does the op say he wants to get an elite visa?

[HarrySeaman]

"I now face the reality that I may have to arrive in the simple visa on arrival, and then overstay for 5 days and pay a fine."

 

Once here you can simply go to the closest Thai Immigration Office and request an extension of stay.  Do it a few days before your visa on arrival expires, and be sure to take your return ticket and passport.

 

That way you won't have an overstay record to complicate your next trip.