Travel from US, selected Airline Flights

[husky]

There is a web portal to apply for a emergency travel visa for travel from the USA to Thailand during the pandemic.

Here is a link to the info page https://thaiembdc.org/visas/

There are only certain 'repatriation' flights on the official list.  One of the flights on the list must be booked.  Right now on the list there are flights through September 30th, 2020.  I have been informed that the October flights will be released later in the month of September, towards the end of the month.  The embassy says they need 15 business days to produce and give a visa and before you can apply for the visa you need to purchase a non refundable airline ticket and also the 15 day quarantine hotel reservation.

 

I am basically just wondering at this juncture how the math works out.  I mean 15 business days are almost a calendar month.  So like if I started buying everything today I could get everything but the visa would come in after the ticket departure date.  

 

Anyone with experience on receiving a visa from the USA?  How long did it actually take once all the forms were submitted (to get the travel visa)?

Edited September 11, 2020 by husky
clarification

[unheard]

"So like if I started buying everything today I could get everything but the visa would come in after the ticket departure date. "

 

You need to do a basic planning.

Decide on your traveling date well in advance.

e.g. at this point it would be wise to select a departure date in the second half of October.

Then wait for the October repat flight schedule to be announced in the 3-4th week of this month.

Then you will select the flight date you like, obtain the flight pre-booking info, book an ASQ hotel room for the arrival date (most allow check-in date changes and also booking cancellations).

Then you'll submit the completed online application.

It normally takes just a few days for the consulate to acknowledge the receipt.

If they need a revision of something or require some additional info they'll let you know.

If they're satisfied they will tell what to do next.

Yes it might take 15 business days for them to issue a visa.

Not because it takes them that long to process your info, but because your application is not complete or they need a different version of something.

It might take a few back and forth to get to the approved status.

In the very end they'll tell to mail in your passport.

Even the overnight option will take at least 3-4 days from the mailing date to receive your stamped passport back.

15 business days for processing is a very reasonable advice.

 

Edited September 11, 2020 by unheard

[mtls2005]

There are quite a few seats ex-USA this month. I think I counted 2,250 across all the flights.

 

In addition to CX, OZ, KE, AA(JL), BR note that Qatar is now on the list, via many cities to Doha then QR 830 DOH-BKK (Sep 5, 26, 29 - 500 seats in total).

 

QR has one of the best refund, reschedule, voucher programs. Forced to buy a refundable ticket I'd go with them. They also ticket stubs on American Airlines and JetBlue. Buy direct from Qatar Airways website using a credit card.

 

You should be able to find repatriation experiences for Thais from the U.S. Search Facebook. I've seen a few trip reports, many posted here, but don't recall any originating in the U.S.

 

 

 

[woodyleonhard]

Where can I find the definitive list of flights? I see the list at thaiembdc.org, but there's an official list (in Thai) from the government. Anybody know where to find it?

 

Because of the delay in visa application processing in the States, it looks like I need to travel in early October - but, as noted above, there's no list of available October flights. 

Edited September 12, 2020 by woodyleonhard

[ubonjoe]

30 minutes ago, woodyleonhard said:

Where can I find the definitive list of flights? I see the list at thaiembdc.org, but there's an official list (in Thai) from the government.

Searching on the Thai version of the website but only found info for September on it.

This is the page in Thai (Google translate works good on it). https://thaiembdc.org/infoforthaisflyinghome/

[Sheryl]

Search this forum, there have been a number of first hand reports of people returning from US.

[mtls2005]

From the ThaiEmbDC website...

 

 

 

 

Details-Repat-Flight-ALL-SEP-flights-Approved.pdf

[woodyleonhard]

6 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

From the ThaiEmbDC website...

Yes. That's the list. Thank you!

 

Wonder when we'll see the October list. It's a real chicken-and-egg situation...

[unheard]

11 hours ago, woodyleonhard said:

Where can I find the definitive list of flights?

The schedule for October will be published at the end of this month

 

https://thaiembdc.org/visas/

[CANSIAM]

I assume there are thousands of foreigners world wide that meet the 'listed categories' still trying to enter. When this depletes, will the Non O retirees be listed for entry ? Surely before the 7, 30, 60 day tourists ? 

[ubonjoe]

15 minutes ago, CANSIAM said:

I assume there are thousands of foreigners world wide that meet the 'listed categories' still trying to enter. When this depletes, will the Non O retirees be listed for entry ? Surely before the 7, 30, 60 day tourists ? 

They might do that for those on non-o, OA, OX visas and those on valid extension of stay based upon retirement.

[CANSIAM]

6 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

They might do that for those on non-o, OA, OX visas and those on valid extension of stay based upon retirement.

Thanks ubonjoe, when my extension of stay expires and if still abroad, I guess obtaining another Non O here would be best option ? 

[husky]

If I were to suggest some possible improvements in the process here is what they would be:

>>Put flights out there on the list further into the future, as of September 13th there are only flights listed through the end of September, which doesn't do any good since it takes almost a calendar month to get the visa.

>>Allow the applicant 'conditional approval' prior to purchase of air ticket and quarantine accomodations.

 

 

Quote

QR has one of the best refund, reschedule, voucher programs.

I will look at QR.

 

Any recommendations on quarantine accomodations, I see quite a few on the list?

Edited September 13, 2020 by husky
grammar

[unheard]

1 hour ago, husky said:

If I were to suggest some possible improvements in the process here is what they would be:

>>Put flights out there on the list further into the future, as of September 13th there are only flights listed through the end of September, which doesn't do any good since it takes almost a calendar month to get the visa.

>>Allow the applicant 'conditional approval' prior to purchase of air ticket and quarantine accomodations.

Yeah that would be nice but we must confirm to their requirements, not the other way around.

The current booking process is flexible enough

>>The next month flight schedule is unknown until approved by the embassy.

And the embassy doesn't approve flights well in advance. I suspect the approval comes from Department of foreign affairs in Bangkok and is based on the next month quotas assigned to each country.

>>Ihanatour will issue a flight booking confirmation - no immediate payment necessary. That confirmation will be accepted by the embassy/consulate. You will make the actual payment later on when the application is approved.

Hotel bookings check in dates are changeable and bookings are refundable (most hotels).

[ubonjoe]

5 hours ago, CANSIAM said:

Thanks ubonjoe, when my extension of stay expires and if still abroad, I guess obtaining another Non O here would be best option ? 

Yes it would be the best and probably your only choice to get a certificate of entry.

The problem is that many embassies and official consulates will not issue a non-o visa for being 50 or over. They might be flexible if you showed proof you had already been on a extension of stay here and cannot qualify for a OA visa.

[CANSIAM]

44 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Yes it would be the best and probably your only choice to get a certificate of entry.

The problem is that many embassies and official consulates will not issue a non-o visa for being 50 or over. They might be flexible if you showed proof you had already been on a extension of stay here and cannot qualify for a OA visa.

Well I hope if needed, the Consolate may be flexible, hate the thought of waiting for a CV19 vaccine to return.     

[husky]

Quote

Well I hope if needed, the Consolate may be flexible, hate the thought of waiting for a CV19 vaccine to return.

tourist visa amid coronavirus

 

Probably on separate thread, but just thought I would jot this down that there are apparently plans to open up to long term tourists.

[ubonjoe]

27 minutes ago, husky said:

Probably on separate thread, but just thought I would jot this down that there are apparently plans to open up to long term tourists.

It has been discussed before on this forum and the news as well. There is some incorrect into in the articles mentioned in that article and at this time all the details are not available.

Until the US reduces the number of active covid 19 cases there it will not be on the list of countries whose citizens can enter the country.