@Cliff ********

did you do it in-person in LA? I though all the US applications had to go through the Embassy (i.e. online visa) -- am I wrong?

@Duncanc *********

in this context -- US SMLLC -- actually they *are* my money in the same way. But I get that this requires some explanation, and it was my bad for thinking it would be OK and/or I would be able to explain it.

@Daisy ****

thanks for the kind words! The mistakes were all mine, and I hope I helped someone out there to not repeat them.

@Alfred **********

don't think so for US origin. ACH is supposed to be "instant" but that's very much not been my experience. Used to do Swift transfers all the time, they took days for mere civilians, sometimes weeks outside the West.

There's a reason Venmo is a massive juggernaut in the US.

@Rene *****

no, apparently it's due to legacy systems and maybe soon they will be upgraded. There is way more money moving instantly in any given second than what us plebs might want to transfer, and a lot of it is dodgy AF, but we have pleb rules.

@Pablo *******

fair questions. I have read in forums (sadly, the best source of info right now) that Vientiane wants to see six months. Based on the vibe of the interaction I strongly suspect that if I'd been able to transfer the money to my private account *in that moment* and then run across the street to photocopy my mobile phone screen -- saw a guy run to do just that -- then it would have worked. But that was not an option for me.

And based on the same, I strongly suspect that if I'd come back in five days she would have just jabbed her finger at the same line-item which doesn't say anything about personal account nor six months, and said "six months."

Some embassies are asking for three months, from what I've read, and others for six. IIRC somebody got accepted with zero months but I wouldn't take the chance. At least in Vientiane they sent me packing without first taking my money.

Good to know, thanks for adding this info! Chicago would be a consulate, same as Los Angeles. So I assume it gets processed in DC, or is that not the case?

Did they ask for tax returns?

@Samuel *******

dude, no way! Thailand offers many visa options and they all contain a little uncertainty, but having dealt with immigration in two different European countries, I'm still a fan. I thought I had the DTV sussed out and I was wrong and I ranted a little but if you follow this forum you'll see lots of success stories. I ended up with some hassle and some expense but in the end I'll still have a pretty good deal, compared to most countries.

@Ahmed ******

it's six months in Vientiane.

@Werner ***********

yes but that's not what the instructions say, it's what the lady at the counter said. See the "TikTok moment" in my description. :-)