Visa Trip Report: Day 2, Part 2 (31 OCT 2019)
tl;dr DENIED
So this is what happened on Thursday but I’m only posting it now.
Arrived at Thai Consulate in Vientiane about 1:15pm.
Small cluster of people stood near the gate. Promptly at 1:30, the guard opened the gate and let everyone in.
We began to form a line at a window. Some of us thinking first come first serve and others of us using our queue number from yesterday to move back or forward.
This was all for nothing. A worker from the consulate came out and announced clearly, in English, what numbers to queue up for at window 3. Maybe about 25 numbers?
The majority of us were not called. The thought being: good to be in the majority and not the minority.
This moment was interrupted by another announcement of approximately a dozen numbers and were told to go to window 2.
This included me. Here I came face to face with the young man who took my visa application the day before. Well-dressed but not in uniform. He is a competent English speaker. His attitude hasn’t changed, which I perceived to be slightly impatient, not overly polite but not rude either.
“I’m sorry. We did not make a visa for you.”
Why not?
“I think because you study a long time already. How long did you study before?”
One year.
“Yes, that’s a long time for a beginner.”
Now I want to study at an intermediate level. I can speak, read, write, and type Thai. I have the bank statements you asked for yesterday.
“I don’t need them. Anyway, it’s not up to me, it’s up to my boss. He did not approve it.”
He gave me back my passport and all of the paperwork minus the application form. I did not pay any application fee.
What if I were to apply for studying Chinese?
“I wouldn’t know. That’s up to my boss to decide.”
Can I use this paperwork to apply in another country?
“You would need to have the letter addressed to the consulate you apply at.”
Whew. That’s not what I thought would happen. But it’s been the moment I’ve been fearing since August. Trying not to let it bother me too much. But preparing myself for the answer.
Worth stating, I never talked to an immigration officer. I was expecting a man (or woman) in his 50s, gold-rimmed glasses, in a uniform with badges and a name tag.
I never got to state my case. I was prepared to be interviewed.
Why do you want to stay in Thailand?
Why do you want to study Thai language?
What do you do for work?
How do you support yourself?
And expected to be quizzed in Thai. Maybe asked to write my name or something. I don't know.
At my request, my school prepared me another cover letter addressed to the Thai Consulate in HCMC Vietnam.
They had doubted I would receive my paperwork if denied but they’ve been wrong before and it’s small effort to print out another page.
Let me explain: Language schools, at least mine, are not visa authorities. They are a rumor mill. Some of the directors talk to each other and say where students were accepted and denied. But there is no rhyme and reason to this and the info is incomplete.
It’s the number one headache of my director. We don’t know. The government is doing their own thing.
For example: I was connected to a student who “had been denied in Vientiane but got a visa somehow”.
Turns out he wasn’t denied. He showed up without an appointment. He was denied from entering the Consulate. The how is another story and is subject to scrutiny at the present time.
I spoke to two other people who were denied after me. Both going for a tourist visa. One man, an Israeli, was told he had too many entries. That’s all I know.
Another man first came to Thailand in April this year on a Tourist Visa. Extended it. Bounced out at Mae Sai twice and extended those for his two visa exempt by land entries.
So he’s applying for his second SETV and he gets denied.
His plan was to fly to Luang Prabang and then onto Chiang Mai where the Airport Immigration has a friendly and accepting invitation.
Part 3: “So now what?” will come later today.
