COE brick wall

[George36]

For information, this is the third email from LA Consulate with COE included:

“The Royal Thai Consulate-General, Los Angeles has issued you the Certificate of Entry as attached.

Please take a moment to review your documents and prepare to show required documents at the departure airport and upon entry to Thailand

 

The applicant, who wishes to change their travel plan, must upload air ticket + ASQ through personal link 5 working days before departure date. 
 

The applicant who fails to inform the embassy /Consulates-General in advanced will not be able to board the plane due to lack of permission from concerned authorities.

For more information please contact 
Royal Thai Consulate-General, Los Angeles

visa@thaiconsulatela.org”

 

 

 

Edited December 22, 2020 by George36

[Suphawk]

2 hours ago, George36 said:

“The Royal Thai Consulate-General, Los Angeles has issued you the Certificate of Entry as attached.

George36 you lucky devil! ????

[Mai mee]

So how long did the COE process take start to finish? Did the email you the certificate? and did you start the visa application at the same time, and what have you heard on that?

 

It looks like you're on a pretty good timeline to make all your dates, and I'll be curious what you work out for the Cvid test and FTF cert vis-a-vis the timing. I'm trying to fly out on the same EVA flight you're using on Wednesday the 20th, and still juggling the test/FTF/and 72hr thing... and how that lines up with days of the week, wondering if I'd be better off shooting for friday instead.

[George36]

1 minute ago, Mai mee said:

So how long did the COE process take start to finish? Did the email you the certificate? and did you start the visa application at the same time, and what have you heard on that?

 

It looks like you're on a pretty good timeline to make all your dates, and I'll be curious what you work out for the Cvid test and FTF cert vis-a-vis the timing. I'm trying to fly out on the same EVA flight you're using on Wednesday the 20th, and still juggling the test/FTF/and 72hr thing... and how that lines up with days of the week, wondering if I'd be better off shooting for friday instead.

Submitted Tourist Visa/COE on 14th of December.  Tourist Visa and COE was approved on the 21st.  The COE came in an email this morning.  My Passport and Visa will arrive Thursday as I forgot to send paid overnight envelope for them to be returned safely or I would have it already.

 

That last 72 hours will be stressful.  I believe that it is highly doable as the flight at 11:05 p.m. leaves the day of departure as a final get stuff in order.

 

On the positive side, you will get to see my failure or success as I am scheduled to fly out in the 13th of January.

 

Wish me luck?

[Mai mee]

41 minutes ago, George36 said:

Submitted Tourist Visa/COE on 14th of December.  Tourist Visa and COE was approved on the 21st.  The COE came in an email this morning.  My Passport and Visa will arrive Thursday as I forgot to send paid overnight envelope for them to be returned safely or I would have it already.

 

That last 72 hours will be stressful.  I believe that it is highly doable as the flight at 11:05 p.m. leaves the day of departure as a final get stuff in order.

 

On the positive side, you will get to see my failure or success as I am scheduled to fly out in the 13th of January.

 

Wish me luck?

Wishing you all the luck!

 

We can all use some of that. Looks like I'm going to be one week behind you on the 20th. Submitting my application tomorrow... In case you hadn't noticed I've been riding your coat tails through the whole process, using your progress reports as guideposts. I can't thank you enough for all the detailed realtime blow by blow updates as you've waded through the morass that is the entry process. It's been a huge help to me, and I'm sure many others as well.

 

Yeah, the last 72 is gonna be a biatch, and I'm still working out how to thread that needle.

[cjinchiangrai]

3 hours ago, Mai mee said:

Wishing you all the luck!

 

We can all use some of that. Looks like I'm going to be one week behind you on the 20th. Submitting my application tomorrow... In case you hadn't noticed I've been riding your coat tails through the whole process, using your progress reports as guideposts. I can't thank you enough for all the detailed real-time blow by blow updates as you've waded through the morass that is the entry process. It's been a huge help to me, and I'm sure many others as well.

 

Yeah, the last 72 is gonna be a biatch, and I'm still working out how to thread that needle.

The 11pm flight helps because you can get tested that day if needed. Get the testing center doctor to do the fit to fly document. I had the document ready with the letter head so they just needed to fill it in and stamp it.

 

The most important step is to find the testing center and confirm yourself what the turn-around time is. I used the hospital in my city that was the main covid center. They had the best and fastest testing setup. Sample in the morning, results that afternoon, ready to fly the next day. I was in Bangkok before the 72 hours was up.

 

Make sure that your tickets match if you have a layover. It must be on an approved carrier, going into Thailand. Connecting flights can stop the 72 hour clock as long as it is the same carrier and the same ticket. If you use a codeshare flight, it must use the approved carriers flight number. Be careful on this.

[Mai mee]

3 minutes ago, cjinchiangrai said:

The 11pm flight helps because you can get tested that day if needed. Get the testing center doctor to do the fit to fly document. I had the document ready with the letter head so they just needed to fill it in and stamp it.

 

The most important step is to find the testing center and confirm yourself what the turn-around time is. I used the hospital in my city that was the main covid center. They had the best and fastest testing setup. Sample in the morning, results that afternoon, ready to fly the next day. I was in Bangkok before the 72 hours was up.

 

Make sure that your tickets match if you have a layover. It must be on an approved carrier, going into Thailand. Connecting flights can stop the 72 hour clock as long as it is the same carrier and the same ticket. If you use a codeshare flight, it must use the approved carriers flight number. Be careful on this.

Got the flight bit ok... Flying EVA Air (approved semi-commercial carrier) from LAX to BKK on one ticket with a 2 hr layover in Taipei. The FTF i can get fine the big deal is getting a QUICK PCT test either in LA (seems doable in 24 hrs there) or back "home" in New Mexico (not so easy to get tested here, get results ,fly to LA, and board my Flight to BKK within the allowed 72 hrs.

[Suphawk]

Just an observation...

 

When I submitted my COE / Visa App online at https://thaiembdc.org/visas/ , when I got my first response it was not during US business hours. It appears maybe they have Thai people back home also working remotely to process the COE / Visa. I think this is great for all of us.

 

The email I received was addressed from a Thai consulate in the US, after 1AM.

Edited December 23, 2020 by Suphawk

[Mai mee]

Well, the COE package is submitted... Man what a chore. Airline booking , ASQ booking, Covid insurance, passport scan, Passport photo, application filled out including the names, addresses, passport numbers of everyone in the western hemisphere and half the people in Thailand. I couldn't count how many hours I've got into the project to do the research, procure the actual bookings, assemble all the materials and scans, just to be prepared to submit the actual application for COE. The actual application only took about a half hour on the computer once I had all the documents assembled.

 

WHEW!

 

So it's not an actual brick wall, it's really a convoluted obstacle course.

 

Special shout out of thanks to Ubonjoe for overall guidance and to George 36 and Suphawk for their trailblazing on this one. Now I just have to get fresh photos and mail out the application for the visa on Monday morning...

 

I've got my fingers crossed, but I can't think of anything the embassy staff will find or not find to gripe about.

[sudsy]

6 minutes ago, Mai mee said:

Now I just have to get fresh photos and mail out the application for the visa on Monday morning...

For your COE photo, does one just take a picture with their phone and make sure it's 2x2.  Then when you send your paperwork for the visa you get it done professionally and the photographer (USA CVS ) gives you an actual photo that you use for your Visa package.  That's what I'm thinking of doing.

[George36]

2 hours ago, sudsy said:

For your COE photo, does one just take a picture with their phone and make sure it's 2x2.  Then when you send your paperwork for the visa you get it done professionally and the photographer (USA CVS ) gives you an actual photo that you use for your Visa package.  That's what I'm thinking of doing.

I used CVS for the passport photos.  
 

Please remember to send prepaid overnight to Thai Consulate and include a self-addressed prepaid USPS overnight to return your stuff.  I forgot this and they called me and reminded me.  I overnighted the return envelope they requested.  Waiting for return envelope which I would expect to get early next week.

 

20 days 8 hrs 25 mins until liftoff.  Feeling good.

 

Thanks All

[Mai mee]

4 hours ago, sudsy said:

For your COE photo, does one just take a picture with their phone and make sure it's 2x2.  Then when you send your paperwork for the visa you get it done professionally and the photographer (USA CVS ) gives you an actual photo that you use for your Visa package.  That's what I'm thinking of doing.

What I did was take one of last years visa photos (I get them in larger batches because of frequent travel and had one left) and set up a well lighted stage and took a photo of the photo with my iPhone being careful to nearly fill the frame and get the focus perfect from about 6 inches away. I then emailed the high res photo to myself on the laptop, and opened it in my photo editing software. I then cropped out everything but the 2x2 photo and exported the image as a 1000x1000 pixel SQUARE image. The online COE application says the image must have a minimum resolution of 600x600 pixels (for clarity and sharp resolution). The actual size will be whatever whoever prints it (or attaches it) decides to make it. I imagine their software sizes the image automatically. Worked a treat!

 

When you send ACTUAL printed photos with the visa package then they want them to be sized 2x2 but in the past I've sent them the Asia standard 4x6cm images and they accepted them just fine.

 

Edited December 25, 2020 by Mai mee

[Mai mee]

Wow, only a few hours later, I get the next email to send the stuff my mail to the LA consulate for the visa... Somebody got right on it. It took a lot of effort to get the "pile of stuff" together but once assembled and submitted the Embassy staff got right on it... ON CHRISTMAS EVE!

 

It feels like, at least for the moment, The Thais actually want me back 55555.

 

 

 

 

Dear Mr. XXXXX  (Passport no. XXXXXXX ),

Your application is reviewed. In order to issue an appropriate visa and in compliance with relevant rules and regulations, please mail the original documents to the Royal Thai Consulate-General, Los Angeles 

Visa section
Royal Thai Consulate-General, Los Angeles
611 N.Larchmont Blvd., 2nd Floor 
Los Angeles , CA 90004

1. Passport

2. Two passport-size photographs (2″x 2″)

3. Visa application form (Download) or attached file with this email (if applicant doesn’t have a valid Thai visa)

4. Self-addressed return envelope and Money order for visa fee if the applicant doesn’t have a valid visa.

(The visa fee are as follows: 
Single entry 40 USD for Tourist Visa & 80 USD for other types / Multiple entries200 USD)

*Tourist Visa are permitted for single entry only at the moment

**Fee for retirement visa (O-A) is 200 USD since the validity of O-A visa is multiple entries only

***Fee is not required for Diplomat/Official/UNLP passport holders with visa "D" and Thailand Elite cardholders)

5. Other required documents that you submitted through online application.

*** Please check the list of documents from the Royal Thai Embassy’s website / Royal Thai Consulate-General in Chicago / Royal Thai Consulate-General in Los Angeles *** 

 

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Royal Thai Consulate-General, Los Angeles

[email protected]

 

[Suphawk]

On 12/22/2020 at 5:51 PM, Mai mee said:

Wishing you all the luck!

 

We can all use some of that. Looks like I'm going to be one week behind you on the 20th. Submitting my application tomorrow... In case you hadn't noticed I've been riding your coat tails through the whole process, using your progress reports as guideposts. I can't thank you enough for all the detailed realtime blow by blow updates as you've waded through the morass that is the entry process. It's been a huge help to me, and I'm sure many others as well.

 

Yeah, the last 72 is gonna be a biatch, and I'm still working out how to thread that needle.

Well, I'm worried now. You submitted after I did , but I have went and uploaded a changed insurance twice. So I can only hope that my application just fell to the bottom of the pile and it's not stuck in some limbo.

 

The main difference is that you and George seem to be dealing with the LA consulate and I'm dealing with Chicago in my area.

And now it's Christmas, so delay for that. Here's hoping I don't have to rebook again. At least it wasn't a huge fee last time, just a slight bump in the airfare. My ASQ is booked through agoda so they had free cancelation and pay nothing until 2 days before departure.

Edited December 25, 2020 by Suphawk

[Mai mee]

7 hours ago, Suphawk said:

Well, I'm worried now. You submitted after I did , but I have went and uploaded a changed insurance twice. So I can only hope that my application just fell to the bottom of the pile and it's not stuck in some limbo.

 

The main difference is that you and George seem to be dealing with the LA consulate and I'm dealing with Chicago in my area.

And now it's Christmas, so delay for that. Here's hoping I don't have to rebook again. At least it wasn't a huge fee last time, just a slight bump in the airfare. My ASQ is booked through agoda so they had free cancelation and pay nothing until 2 days before departure.

Yeah, I don't know what's up with that... What I do know is that I was careful to deal directly with THAI sources wherever possible and avoided agents or intermediaries on the required bits. I booked the flights directly with the airline, EVA Air, rather than book through Kayak.com or other booking companies like Cheapo-air etc. That way if there's any hangups I'm dealing directly with the Airline rather than a booking agency. I booked my ASQ hotel directly with the hotel rather than using Agoda, Hotels.com, or one of the other agencies, and they provided a confirmation specifically designed to pass Thai Immigration muster. I bought a covid policy from AXA, specifically designed to comply with the COE requirements even though I could have saved a few thousand baht going elsewhere. In short I paid up a bit in an effort to buy products or services SPECIFICALLY designed to meet the COE requirements and of course to put money in Thai pockets.

 

It may also be that the Chicago Consulate just rolls at a slower pace than the LA consulate, and it was just the luck of the draw for me based on geography which placed me within the LA office's sphere of influence. I haven't a clue, but have noticed the Thai Embassy in DC and the regional Consulates all seem to operate just a little bit differently from each other regarding emails, sequencing and notifications. Hopefully you'll hear from them quickly.

 

Godspeed and may the winds blow favorably for you...

 

Gordo

Edited December 26, 2020 by Mai mee

[Suphawk]

Well it's the start of a new week and now past a "deadline" stated on the email reply I got from them "*** If the application is not completed within 7 days, it will be deleted automatically from the database ***"

 

No updates or further email after I first uploaded new insurance docs. I can only assume my application fell through the cracks. No luck calling or emailing them at the listed contacts.

 

Back to the drawing board, I'll start fresh with just a tourist visa application and see if I can get anywhere. This is not going the way I wanted, but I'll get there someday. ????

[Mai mee]

5 hours ago, Suphawk said:

Well it's the start of a new week and now past a "deadline" stated on the email reply I got from them "*** If the application is not completed within 7 days, it will be deleted automatically from the database ***"

 

No updates or further email after I first uploaded new insurance docs. I can only assume my application fell through the cracks. No luck calling or emailing them at the listed contacts.

 

Back to the drawing board, I'll start fresh with just a tourist visa application and see if I can get anywhere. This is not going the way I wanted, but I'll get there someday. ????

Sorry to hear that... It seems unclear whether your application was actually "submitted" or whether it was deemed incomplete, and considered "expired". I know the frustration of having legitimate questions about an unclear process, and having no-one in any position of authority on the matter to be able to ask.

 

Maybe try applying again?

Godspeed and good luck,

Gordo

 

Edit to add: I'd try to find every number associated in any way with the Chicago Consulate, and call all of them until somebody answered. I would also try calling and emailing the Thai embassy in DC, and see if maybe they can kick somebody into gear.

Edited December 28, 2020 by Mai mee

[Suphawk]

32 minutes ago, Mai mee said:

I'd try to find every number associated in any way with the Chicago Consulate, and call all of them until somebody answered.

I did that today, every extension rang and then it went to a recording "this mailbox is full" ????

[Mai mee]

27 minutes ago, Suphawk said:

I did that today, every extension rang and then it went to a recording "this mailbox is full" ????

I'd try calling DC tomorrow...and emailing them (DC) as well.

[Suphawk]

Try try again, still no answer at DC or Chicago. No answer at the email addresses provided either. I can only hope my application is still in process , maybe the 15 working days period. Another long weekend where they're off Thursday , Friday , Saturday and Sunday. ????

[George36]

1 hour ago, Suphawk said:

Try try again, still no answer at DC or Chicago. No answer at the email addresses provided either. I can only hope my application is still in process , maybe the 15 working days period. Another long weekend where they're off Thursday , Friday , Saturday and Sunday. ????

Fwiw, La Consulate just got back to me about overnighting my Passport and Tourist Visa to me.  Was apologetic and advised that they were of office rom last Tuesday through today.  They will get in mail to me today.

[Suphawk]

48 minutes ago, George36 said:

La Consulate just got back to me

I wish I could deal with someone who would get back to me, or at the very least provide a way to check your status online

 

[Mai mee]

33 minutes ago, Suphawk said:

I wish I could deal with someone who would get back to me, or at the very least provide a way to check your status online

 

Maybe try emailing LA, explain your situation  and ask for information regarding operations at Chicago and DC, or perhaps if they have another email address or phone number for a contact there? It's just an idea, I feel your pain brother, to go to all that effort and then to be left hanging by the side of the road.... very frustrating.

[KwaiMaiSabai]

Good luck Suphawk. I had success after I started trying random extensions for the NYC consulate because no one was answering after 2 days of trying... it may have been I accidentally got the "thai national in distress" line since they answered in Thai but I started with a "kotod puut pasa engrit dai mai" and they were very helpful. Issued COE was quick after that and all online/via email.

[Mai mee]

Suphawk, try this:

 

[email protected]

 

I know they're not your "official provider" but they are alive and answering their emails, and could maybe offer a contact person or a path forward. At least you'd be able to communicate with a real person.

[Suphawk]

32 minutes ago, Mai mee said:

[email protected]

Thanks Mai Mee, what info would you provide in the email so they could identify you? I'll try forwarding the one email I got initially requesting the insurance upload.

 

Update: email sent, lets see what they say ????

Edited December 30, 2020 by Suphawk

[Mai mee]

16 minutes ago, Suphawk said:

Thanks Mai Mee, what info would you provide in the email so they could identify you? I'll try forwarding the one email I got initially requesting the insurance upload.

 

Update: email sent, lets see what they say ????

If it were me, I'd include my name, passport number, the date I submitted the application, and any correspondence received from whoever you submitted it to. I would also include a short description of your situation, your concerns about your application (Is in the pile? Is it expired? should I re-submit?) and explain the fact that you could not contact anybody at the Chicago Consulate or get an email replied to.

 

I would phrase it in terms like " I'm having a problem I can't seem to solve, and I'm reaching out to you to see if you can help me, because I've tried everything else I could think of". Phrase it as if you're making a Wai as you speak. You get the idea.

 

Mind you I'm no expert, that's just the way I would approach them. There are no sure things, but they are alive and they might be able to help.

[George36]

I included pictures of my application in my email to La Consulate and they solved my problem almost immediately.

 

Good Hunting.  5555

[Suphawk]

I'd be curious to know if anyone has gotten a Visa or COE from the Thailand Chicago consulate that covers the middle of the USA.

 

I still have zero response to my emails, phone calls, nothing. Maybe they have taken it upon themselves to limit the number of Visas and stop us covid ridden Americans from entering Thailand. That would be funny since CA is one of the worst states if you look at the stats, but LA is full steam ahead.

[Suphawk]

Today I got  my step 2/3 email!! Now I can move ahead into the great unknown of lockdowns and restrictions, I hope it's all worth it ????