Arrived in BKK on July 8, 2020 with COE

[nkptai]

I arrived in Bangkok from China on repatriation flight CZ3081 on July 8, 2020.   Overall, while there were hoops to jump through, the entire process to obtain a non-O visa and Certificate of Entry (COE) took less than a month and was smooth and efficient.  Most people at the consulate were helpful and organized. Set out below is the timeline and process I followed.  I hope this will be helpful to others, although every location will have variations.

1.      June 11, 2020: Submitted non-O visa application based on marriage to Thai spouse in person at RTCG (Royal Thai Consulate Guangzhou) with the following:

a.      Visa application form with two passport photos

b.      Passport, copy of Canadian passport with China resident permit and birth certificate

c.      Invitation letter signed by Thai spouse

d.      Copy of Thai spouse’s ID card, passport and tabien ban

e.      Copy of marriage certificate and family registration in Thailand

f.       Negative COVID test result taken within 7 days (test is widely available with cost around Rmb85 and result available same day/next day)

g.      Medical certificate for general passenger (“fit-to-fly”) signed by MD stating free from Covid-19 based on item 1f (English template provided by RTCG)

h.      COI (certificate of insurance) showing health insurance coverage >US$100,000

i.       Recent 3 months’ bank statements in applicant’s sole name showing balance >Rmb50,000

j.       Flight reservation from Hong Kong to Bangkok (but no payment made and no ticket issued)

k.      Application fee of Rmb450 (cash)

 

2.      June 15, 2020: Collected passport with single-entry non-O visa valid for 90 days upon providing:

a.      Signed letter stating that I would not seek refund of Rmb450 application fee if flights could not be booked before visa expiry.

 

3.      June 19, 2020:  Called RTCG to find out COE (certificate of entry) application process/documents and was told there was the possibility of a repatriation flight to Bangkok on July 8, 2020.     

 

4.      June 22, 2020: Submitted the following documents to RTCG by email:

a.      Application letter stating reason for entering Thailand covering all persons applying to enter Thailand signed by myself and spouse.  Our reason was to relocate to Thailand so our son could attend the school which had accepted him

b.      Copy of marriage certificate and family registration in Thailand

c.      Canadian passport, China resident permit and non-O visa

d.      Spouse’s Thai passport, China resident permit and Tabien Ban

e.      Child’s Thai passport, Thai birth certificate, China resident permit and Tabien Ban

 

5.      June 23, 2020: Submitted additional documents requested by RTCG via email:

a.      Correspondence with school confirming school start date

b.      Completed Declaration Form for the non-Thai applicant including contact details, health status, intended flight details and agreement to comply with quarantine regulations of Thailand

c.      COI (certificate of insurance) showing health insurance coverage >US$100,000

 

6.      June 24, 2020: RTCG advised the application had been sent to MFA in Bangkok.  If approved, foreigners would need to stay in ASQ accommodation and provided a list of hotels to contact, while Thais could choose to stay in government quarantine (free) or ASQ. 

 

7.      June 26, 2020:  RTCG provided Intent to Return form for Thais and completed this online via wechat for both Thai spouse and child.

 

8.      June 29, 2020: Contacted ASQ providers to negotiate a rate for 3 persons.

 

9.      July 3, 2020: RTCG informed us that MFA in Bangkok approved COE application.  We were then given instructions to:

a.      Pay for and email repatriation flight booking confirmation

b.      Pay for Covid-19 RT-PCR test and Fit to Fly certificate at RTCG’s suggested hospital on July 6 (Rmb472/person of which Rmb300/person paid to hospital)

c.      Email ASQ booking confirmation letter (only issued by hotel after 30% advance deposit made)

 

10.   July 8, 2020:  RTCG instructed passengers to arrive at airport 4 hours ahead of departure time and foreigners to come with print-out of:

a.      Signed Declaration Form

b.      ASQ booking confirmation

c.      Proof of insurance coverage >100,000USD

At the airport, RTCG had set-up a “check-in counter” where passengers first completed AOT’s health questionnaire form for Suvarnabhumi.  Above three documents were then submitted and checked by RTCG and inserted into a file for each passenger containing the Certificate of Entry (with equivalent for Thais), Covid-19 RT-PCR negative result and Fit-to-Fly certificate.

Passengers then proceeded for normal airline check-in.  The airline did not check the passenger file received from RTCG, only normal passport/visa checks and baggage check-in.  After airline check-in, we were met again by RTCG who provided a packed lunch. This was appreciated as all stores/restaurants in the international terminal were closed due to few international flights.   

After de-boarding the flight at Suvarnabhumi, health questionnaires were checked and passengers without ASQ booking were allocated to free government quarantine. Entry at immigration proceeded efficiently after providing the file prepared by RTCG, especially because there were no line-ups.  Immigration retained the COEs. After collecting baggage, the designated ASQ transport vans were easy to find.

[HashBrownHarry]

Excellent info.

 

Not all doom and gloom as everyone says if you have a bit of patience.

 

 

[Calvin1976]

3 minutes ago, HashBrownHarry said:

Excellent info.

 

Not all doom and gloom as everyone says if you have a bit of patience.

 

 

Perhaps not only patience, $$ also... ????????????

[RangerP703]

A requirement for a repatriation flight is a non immigrant visa ?

[CLS]

Congratulations and thanks for sharing! Good to hear that someone actually made it.

[Berti]

Congrats.

 

Wow you even had to prove that you have a confirmation of the school? What if you did not have it?

It's easier to go to Fort Knox.

[ezzra]

Daunting just to read the post, what a hassle...

[sencelebi]

Again ! Most people are bitching as always. It's unbelievable.

[rvaviator]

Which Thai embassy did you go to?  Was it in HK? (just seen it was Guangzhou)

 

Which insurance company did you use for the required medical cover?

Edited July 11, 2020 by rvaviator
..

[Brunolem]

11 minutes ago, sencelebi said:

Again ! Most people are bitching as always. It's unbelievable.

What is unbelievable is to find normal this kind of obstacle course to enter a country.

 

It was easier to visit the Soviet Union during the cold war, and yet the would be visitors were rightly bitching about the paperwork.

 

And the worst is that there is no end in sight for this madness.

 

Meanwhile, European people, with far more dire covid 19 situations, are moving freely within most of the EU...without disastrous consequences...

[Letseng]

10 minutes ago, Brunolem said:

What is unbelievable is to find normal this kind of obstacle course to enter a country.

 

It was easier to visit the Soviet Union during the cold war, and yet the would be visitors were rightly bitching about the paperwork.

 

And the worst is that there is no end in sight for this madness.

 

Meanwhile, European people, with far more dire covid 19 situations, are moving freely within most of the EU...without disastrous consequences...

People in EU move sort of freely. Many are restricted were to and how they can move. Cov19 test is required for many holiday destinations in Europe. Most countries reintroduce prevention measures. Look at rising nos. in Europe and you will see the consequences of moving freely.

Repeat lockdowns in some cities.

[Chongalulu]

To clarify a couple of points. You had to do 2 Covid tests at different times and it appears from the price differential,2 different types -one with the initial application and the more expensive RT-PCR test just prior to leaving? 
I,m not clear if the flight you took was simply a confirmation of the unpaid for reservation you made yourself or one offered to you via the embassy? Most airlines ,say from UK are either booked and paid for (confirmed)flights  or nothing. I ask because I have a confirmed return BA flight on September 7th from uk based on a February outbound flight which I’d obviously like to use...if it even goes/not cancelled! 
Thanks for the clarity of your post and as you say ,although involved,it was a relative smooth process. Others are reporting more difficulties from other countries. Maybe China is a more favourable embarkation in many respects,especially the testing regime.

 

[Chongalulu]

36 minutes ago, sencelebi said:

Again ! Most people are bitching as always. It's unbelievable.

Well it was certainly a very involved process even though it went to plan. Other applications from different countries will be more difficult,especially in relation to getting tests on demand,and whose embassies will not be so efficient Or cooperative . For many I can envisage a single glitch expensively sabotaging the process.

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

44 minutes ago, Brunolem said:

What is unbelievable is to find normal this kind of obstacle course to enter a country.

 

It was easier to visit the Soviet Union during the cold war, and yet the would be visitors were rightly bitching about the paperwork.

 

And the worst is that there is no end in sight for this madness.

 

Meanwhile, European people, with far more dire covid 19 situations, are moving freely within most of the EU...without disastrous consequences...

 

Ha! No kidding. It was far easier to enter the USSR in 1981 as a tourist and travel to Moscow, Leningrad (St. Petersburg now) and Kiev (now Kyiv) and being led around by Intourist (KGB types).  

 

My sincere congratulations to NKPTAI for staying the course and juggling all those balls without dropping a single one. Respect, sir! 

Edited July 11, 2020 by Kaoboi Bebobp
Fix

[Calvin1976]

1 hour ago, nchuckle said:

Well it was certainly a very involved process even though it went to plan. Other applications from different countries will be more difficult,especially in relation to getting tests on demand,and whose embassies will not be so efficient Or cooperative . For many I can envisage a single glitch expensively sabotaging the process.

 

Agreed.

This successful case quite similar with another HK citizen case (with Thai family here) who arrived at BKK alone few days ago. Listened the interview in YouTube.

Beside the application requirements, $$ and local medical support, it might greatly depends on local embassy helpfulness and the numbers of citizen who waiting for the available repatriate flights. 

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, Brunolem said:

Meanwhile, European people, with far more dire covid 19 situations, are moving freely within most of the EU...without disastrous consequences...

Often, yes, though some end up dying, or suffering permanent organ/brain damage.

 

I personally think a virus elimination strategy has merit in the medium to long term. Normal economic activity is not going to return while people are frightened for the health of their parents and children.

[Brunolem]

1 hour ago, BritTim said:

Often, yes, though some end up dying, or suffering permanent organ/brain damage.

 

I personally think a virus elimination strategy has merit in the medium to long term. Normal economic activity is not going to return while people are frightened for the health of their parents and children.

Thailand strategy has its merit, as long as the country can afford it.

 

We don't really know what the real economic situation is in the country, so it is very difficult to judge.

 

I am all for keeping the borders closed, especially considering what is going on in most of the rest of the world... BUT...

 

let the foreigners with Thai families come back freely, as if they were Thai citizens!

 

Tons of paperwork won't do anything to keep the virus at bay!

 

The only thing that keeps the virus at bay, very efficiently, is the mandatory quarantine.

 

So, let's keep it at that and forget the ridiculous hassles!

Edited July 11, 2020 by Brunolem

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, Brunolem said:

The only thing that keeps the virus at bay, very efficiently, is the mandatory quarantine.

This. A Covid-19 test whenever someone develops symptom and, failing that, towards the end of the quarantine period is also probably prudent. Certainly, though, the 14-day quarantine is known to be the most important measure. The challenge here is that providing secure, safe quarantine facilities is nowhere near as easy as people imagine. Even New Zealand (which has handled the pandemic as well as any country) has struggled to provide enough quarantine places and keep them secure and safe. That is to manage hundreds of daily arrivals. If Thailand wants to allow thousands of people to enter Thailand daily, it will be a huge organisational challenge.

[DJ54]

OP Thanks for the detailed post it’ll be helpful for others trying to get back. 

[rvaviator]

What I find hard to understand is why a 'birth certificate' is needed ...  What is wrong with a passport ??  Is that not proof enough that you are born ? 

 

Why does it matter what your mother name is and if available .... what your fathers name is ?

 

Reminds me a bit about France actually ... They loved all sorts of strange paperwork ......

[Berti]

53 minutes ago, BritTim said:

This. A Covid-19 test whenever someone develops symptom and, failing that, towards the end of the quarantine period is also probably prudent. Certainly, though, the 14-day quarantine is known to be the most important measure. The challenge here is that providing secure, safe quarantine facilities is nowhere near as easy as people imagine. Even New Zealand (which has handled the pandemic as well as any country) has struggled to provide enough quarantine places and keep them secure and safe. That is to manage hundreds of daily arrivals. If Thailand wants to allow thousands of people to enter Thailand daily, it will be a huge organisational challenge.

It worked how Germany did it, repatriating 200,000 Germans in 2 months.

Home quarantine.

At the same time the numbers went down to acceptable levels.

But it requires a lot of testing, good organization and disciplined people.

[BritTim]

55 minutes ago, Berti said:

It worked how Germany did it, repatriating 200,000 Germans in 2 months.

Home quarantine.

At the same time the numbers went down to acceptable levels.

But it requires a lot of testing, good organization and disciplined people.

Home quarantine is sufficient when you are only trying to flatten the curve. It will not work for virus elimination, even with good testing and contact tracing. Unfortunately, there will be enough people who break the rules to seed constant outbreaks. The simple truth is that those most likely to break the rules are also those most likely to be infected. Germany is in a tough situation. I agree they have handled things well given the constraints they are under. It is very difficult to restrict travel within the EU, at least for any extended period, and all major EU countries are at the mercy of the countries that are most incompetent at managing the crisis.

[warcy]

All these hassles just to go to Thailand? I think most people will avoid coming.

[SiSePuede419]

On 7/10/2020 at 7:59 AM, nkptai said:

arrived in Bangkok from China on repatriation flight CZ3081 on July 8, 2020.  

Repatriation? You're a Thai citizen? Or just don't know what that word means. ????

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, SiSePuede419 said:

Repatriation? You're a Thai citizen? Or just don't know what that word means. ????

I believe it was a flight primarily arranged specially to assist Thai citizens wishing to return to Thailand. Insofar as space allowed, foreigners with COE were also allowed to join the flight. What would you call the flight?

[mjakob007]

6 hours ago, Calvin1976 said:

 

Agreed.

This successful case quite similar with another HK citizen case (with Thai family here) who arrived at BKK alone few days ago. Listened the interview in YouTube.

Beside the application requirements, $$ and local medical support, it might greatly depends on local embassy helpfulness and the numbers of citizen who waiting for the available repatriate flights. 

very valid point.

 

Even with all the docs and $$, if there are not sufficient critical mass of Thai's wanting to evacuate, i am afraid our effort will be in vain.

[nkptai]

9 hours ago, nchuckle said:

To clarify a couple of points. You had to do 2 Covid tests at different times and it appears from the price differential,2 different types -one with the initial application and the more expensive RT-PCR test just prior to leaving? 

I did 2 Covid tests, one for the O-visa and one for the COE.  O-visa Covid test method at a hospital of my choice only said "PCR", rather than "RT-PCR" and I did not want to risk getting it wrong for the COE.  Cost differential was mainly due to RTCG using a VIP service at their preferred hospital and the convenience of having the result delivered at the airport. 

Quote

I,m not clear if the flight you took was simply a confirmation of the unpaid for reservation you made yourself or one offered to you via the embassy? Most airlines ,say from UK are either booked and paid for (confirmed)flights  or nothing. I ask because I have a confirmed return BA flight on September 7th from uk based on a February outbound flight which I’d obviously like to use...if it even goes/not cancelled! 

The first flight I booked (but did not pay for) was only for purposes of the O-Visa. The actual flight I booked and paid for was different as it was a repatriation flight.  RTCG instructed all possible passengers not to book or pay for any repatriation flight or to pay for an ASQ hotel until the COE was approved.  

 

Even though airline sites and travel agencies are allowing people to book/pay for flights, the only flights carrying passengers into Thailand from China are the repatriation flights where the passengers are strictly controlled by the Consulate at the point of embarkation. 

Edited July 11, 2020 by nkptai

[uhuh]

4 hours ago, BritTim said:

This. A Covid-19 test whenever someone develops symptom and, failing that, towards the end of the quarantine period is also probably prudent. Certainly, though, the 14-day quarantine is known to be the most important measure. The challenge here is that providing secure, safe quarantine facilities is nowhere near as easy as people imagine. Even New Zealand (which has handled the pandemic as well as any country) has struggled to provide enough quarantine places and keep them secure and safe. That is to manage hundreds of daily arrivals. If Thailand wants to allow thousands of people to enter Thailand daily, it will be a huge organisational challenge.

Taiwan handled about 200000 quarantines of incoming persons, just as Germany did (as Berti mentioned).

The virus has been eliminated in Taiwan,  not just flattened the curve (contrary to what Tim writes in another post).

Everyone who stayed in home quarantine in Taiwan got 1000 TWD per day from the government,  that's about 1000 baht - even foreigners got it (can you smell a difference to Thai's attitude?). Fine for breaking quarantine up to 1000,000 TWD - and your neighbors would watch. 

It's doable. 

[uffe123]

I'am confused. I have booking to retun to bangkok on the 2nd of August. NKptai stated that the quarantine was free. I ad been told by the thai embassy I had to pay for it. can anyone shed light on this?

[unheard]

8 minutes ago, uffe123 said:

I'am confused. I have booking to retun to bangkok on the 2nd of August. NKptai stated that the quarantine was free. I ad been told by the thai embassy I had to pay for it. can anyone shed light on this?

The quarantine facilities are free for Thai nationals but must be paid by foreigners.

Thai nationals can upgrade to the self-paid option if desired.

Is your booking on a repatriation flight?

If not then it will probably be cancelled - only the repatriation flights are allowed to fly in the passengers for now.

Edited July 11, 2020 by unheard