When does the Thai consulate in Taipei transition to the online e-visa system?

@Eric ******

this post is about Taipei going to eVisa on the 19th of Nov (which is a Tuesday) AND I was just saying the consulates that went live today on eVisa (also a Tuesday) stopped selling visas walk up on the friday BEFORE 🙂

@Andi **********

Ok, strange. In an indirect way, the e-visa system can be used to check, but consulates are generally publishing this information on their Facebook page / consular website first. Malaysia, Ho Chi Minh and Phnom Penh did this. Hanoi also published it somewhere, though as of yesterday, they hadn't yet updated their website.

@Andi **********

Their communication is much better than most others. I just messaged Vientiane and they told me, there's no date yet, but they will post information on their website and Facebook pages once they know.

Thanks AT thats actually very reassuring and appreciated for as I am sure you know you worry about the slightest details to the point of being sick when putting together these applications - but basically if I dont get it in Laos then I will really have no idea why as I have included all sorts of things not requested eg Condo blue Book / and have the ability to login on to the internet to show my monies and also my work is genuine, in an effort to leave no possible avenue for rejection. So appreciated all the best.

Thanks. And so it starts....

@James *****

I submitted Monday morning and had to go back to check in the afternoon. Was told I can pickup passport Tuesday 4 pm. It was stressful as the person who previewed my application didn't seem to understand what he was looking at.Best reason to come to Taipei would be in person they don't accept payment until it's been reviewed and approved. Not sure why the 24 hr delay to retrieve the passport and sticker.

@Chris ********

Seems to be the norm now. All recent reviews have mentioned how they submitted in the morning before 1130, came back to make payment around 4pm then they could only pick up their passports at 4pm the following day.

@James *****

No, they won't. You can apply from wherever you want (except for a small number of missions that require you to be a resident). However, I agree with you that they may make the process more cumbersome.

@Paul ******

wish I shared your confidence 🙂 Guess we will see in a couple of days from some embassy's system that go online and or if its the same generic template London for example uses. FYI - I supposedly qualified to apply to Mexico on the online test but on further research as I did not have a FM was advised to apply to London and this is the type of thing I fear.

@James *****

Essentially, from what I've experienced first hand and from various accounts people have shared over the years, the consulates that accepted applications from foreigners not resident in the application country prior to the e-visa system, continue to do so under the current e-visa system for the most part.

Meanwhile, those which didn't accept applications from non-residents in the past are either continuing this policy under the e-visa system or may be more flexible now. China is one such country. One guy here said he applied from China using the e-visa system despite not being resident there.

Yet back in 2012, when I applied for a Thai visa in Kunming I had to prove I was a student, or on a working visa, which I was. Without one of those, they wouldn't have accepted my application. I only needed a tourist visa to cover my holidays (I didn't seek an in country extension as I only spent like 50 days in the country) then returned to China.

@James *****

You won't have any problems applying as a non-resident foreigner in Australia using the e-visa system. Or at any of the nearby SE Asian consulates.

You're worrying about something that isn't a requirement.

The e-visa system requirements in terms of what documents they will want to sight is more of a concern.

I wonder how consulates such as Vientiane and Savannakhet, which currently require you to login to your e-banking application at the time you submit your application, will handle this once they transition to the e-visa system.

They won't be able to sight your current balance on the day of application, unless they email, text or call you and demand you send them a screenshot taken that day (which I don't think they'll do, though you never know).

AT I don't doubt YOU and thank you again. Taipei is currently my plan B at the moment as I already have a appointment in Laos next week. But if something goes wrong (and I have dotted every 'I' and crossed very 'T') I am just going to immediately fly to Taipei and do it in person. Cheers