What are the challenges and requirements for applying for the new Thailand eVisa?

Advice for you on the new eVisa Thailand

Effective February 18, 2021 all US visa applications for Thailand must now be submitted on ThaieVisa.go.th. The support documents page is very difficult and I lost several days waiting for clarifications. I learned:

You can only upload documents in JPEG or PDF format not PNG or word .doc, docx. You can only upload single documents and not multiple pages. My flight confirmation and bank statement were printed as two pages but it would only save one page. I had to reformat and combine them so it was a single PDF document. Support document number three is to attach the “declaration”. There is now a link there to download the declaration.

It was not clear what the difference between "booking confirmation" and ASQ confirmation was but an official phone call revealed this was the flight confirmation, although another assistant said return flight. Some “required” documents do not apply to my TR single entry visa but the form could not be submitted without uploading something for all 10 support Documents. Document regarding a non-resident applying from the US did not apply to me so I just put in another copy of my passport to show I was a citizen and a resident of the US. A letter of invitation has not been a requirement of a TR Visa so I uploaded my ASQ again instead.

This may eventually be corrected so go ahead and try to submit, and you will be warned “unable to submit” so you then have to upload some inapplicable document to proceed. Once I advanced to the stage of ready to submit, the next step was proceed to payment. However there was a pop-up box that said “... by post“ I was leery this would cancel my E application and move everything to the Postal Service but a representative at the LA consulate explained that this was just in place of the usual appointment time that used to be given to appear in person. Once you click “next” it will connect you to the payment. Credit cards are allowed. ( Unfortunately, the week before I had purchased a money order to the consulate for payment as the original consulate instructions said no credit cards) The next step is to wait for your E notification "appointment" from the visa or consulate service with a barcode that you include with mailing in the passport. I waited for an email (which never arrived)and then after three days realized I should check the website and indeed it said I had an appointment time. If you go to the little tiny icons on the far right it will pop up the appointment page that needs to be printed to go with your passport. You must enclose a prepaid flat rate envelope so that your passport can we be returned to you. This cannot be metered postage but must be a stamp . For USPS priority mail express, which is overnight, it is $26.35 and amazingly there is a $26.35 postage stamp. Priority mail, not overnight, two – three day service it is $7.35 . Overnight express label includes tracking. Priority, not express, requires additional $.20 in stamps for a tracking number. I learned the reason for no metered stamp is that the tracking for a metered stamp applies only to that day which won’t work for an enclosed envelope when you don’t know when it will be returned.

They kept saying 15 business days even on the phone. I express mailed my passport Saturday morning. It arrived Monday, was back in the mail Tuesday and was delivered priority, but not express, on Thursday. Woo hoo!

Hopefully you will not lose over a week of application time as I did because I completed my online visa application from the consulate website “apply online” link on February 16 , and I was informed I needed to REapply on the new Evisa form on 18 th of February. Then It took another five days of seeking clarifications on the E visa process. Good luck!! I'm going to see my grandchild for the first time in 14 months!!!