Thread: 2800bt for a letter from the British Embassy!!!?

A friend of mine is renewing his marriage visa at the moment and went to the British Embassy this morning to get his letter for proof of residency (or something). He said normally the charge for this letter is 2,200bt, which I think is a pretty disgusting price for a simple letter, but this morning they told him the price has now one up to 2,800bt!

I think that's friggin outrageous. He said that you have to fill all the forms in yourself, pay the money and then return later in the day, before 3pm to collect it. Plus the letter is only valid for 6 months.

He said also that for 2,200bt they used to give him 2 copies of the letter so that he could use one of them for his driving license but today they said he'd have to pay double for 2.

Is there a way around this?

For all the long time residence living out in the sticks, I can't imagine that your going to make a trip to Bangkok once a year to sort this out. What do you guys have to do?

US Embassy here now charges $50 to notarize a document. One stamp, one signature = $50. I think the goal of all Embassies now is to pay all of their operating costs out of revenue from services rendered - and tough shit to their citizens who elect to live abroad.

So much for the embassies being there to assist expatriates and at the expense of the taxpayer.

Thieving bastards and you can add the Australian Embassy to that group.

Wow them seppo passports are cheap, fooking Aussie ones are outrageously expensive.

AUD 340 (10 years/64 pages)
AUD 226 (10 years/32 pages)

TFP - yes mere notarization costs about THB 2000. A full letter probably cost more.

Someone I know complained bitterly about the price. (This was in Saudi Arabia about 20 years ago). The Ambassador (David Gore Booth) got pissed off about the complaint and forwarded his letter to his employer (BAe) and my friend got fired from his job.

There was actually a UK Parliamentary enquiry into his treatment by the Ambassador - who was reprimanded !

Originally Posted by Fondles

Wow them seppo passports are cheap, fooking Aussie ones are outrageously expensive. AUD 340 (10 years/64 pages) AUD 226 (10 years/32 pages)

That's even worse than a British Passport:

U.K 32 Page - GBP 131 or 6,476bt (AUD - 200)
U.K 48 Page - GBP 159 or 7,819bt (AUD - 242)

Originally Posted by The_Ghost_Of_The_Moog

TFP - yes mere notarization costs about THB 2000. A full letter probably cost more.

O.k, So does everyone on a marriage visa have to have one of these every year, or is there a work around?

How about a retirement visa? Do they need a letter?

A residency letter can be obtained from your local immigration office. The one I use used to provide it free a few years ago, but now charge 600 or 800 Baht.

Originally Posted by FailSafe

Additional Passport Pages: $82

This one is the pisser, until a few months ago it had always been free. But at least we as American citizens can walk right into the American Services part of the embassy with our wives and kids in tow and dont have to queue up outside and wait.

Originally Posted by aging one

Originally Posted by FailSafe

Additional Passport Pages: $82

This one is the pisser, until a few months ago it had always been free. But at least we as American citizens can walk right into the American Services part of the embassy with our wives and kids in tow and dont have to queue up outside and wait.

We can't even get additional pages anymore.

^^That has changed at the Embassy here as well. Now you have to go on line to make an appointment to avail yourself of American Citizen Services. Just one more way to let Americans who choose to live abroad know how totally meaningless they are to their government.

Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

^^That has changed at the Embassy here as well. Now you have to go on line to make an appointment to avail yourself of American Citizen Services. Just one more way to let Americans who choose to live abroad know how totally meaningless they are to their government.

DK, the appointment process works welll and is recommended but one can still get into the American Services to receive service without an appointment. It just might take a little longer to get to the window. I've done it both ways and use the appointment method if possible.

And people think western bureaucracy is somehow superior.

Originally Posted by The Fresh Prince

We can't even get additional pages anymore.

We never could, it was always a new passport I believe.

Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

^^That has changed at the Embassy here as well. Now you have to go on line to make an appointment to avail yourself of American Citizen Services. Just one more way to let Americans who choose to live abroad know how totally meaningless they are to their government.

Encouraged here but not mandatory yet. I just walked in a few months ago and got the power of attorney paper I needed notarized. But if doing a visa or something big I would probably want the appointment. Saves waiting.

Originally Posted by The Fresh Prince

I think that's friggin outrageous.

I had some court papers for which I had to use the notary's service at the British Embassy. It cost me a couple of thousand baht.

The court back in the U.K. sent the papers back with a note that the notary had signed in the wrong places on some of the documents.

Back to the embassy to get them to do the job properly. No problem, but that will be another couple of thousand baht please. I complained loudly at the rip off but was told to take it or leave it....up to me.

They should change the name of this service by calling it ' notorious ' rather than notary.

Originally Posted by Bangyai

Encouraged here but not mandatory yet.

Get there early at opening time. I never have a problem with no appointment.

Another good reason to go early is never have to worry having some idiot in front of you explaining for an hour how he was beaten, had all his money and his passport stolen by 3 lady boys in the Nana parking lot. After being told he would have to get a police report another hour explaining this would be impossible as his wife would find out he was a nasty bugger and could the Embassy overlook the police report. Answer, no. Idiot then goes into a tirade about being an American citizen while insisting he meet with the US Ambassador. Girl at the window calls security. He is dragged away kicking and screaming.

All entertaining but very time consuming.

Originally Posted by Norton

Another good reason to go early is never have to worry having some idiot in front of you explaining for an hour how he was beaten, had all his money and his passport stolen by 3 lady boys in the Nana parking lot. After being told he would have to get a police report another hour explaining this would be impossible as his wife would find out he was a nasty bugger and could the Embassy overlook the police report. Answer, no. Idiot then goes into a tirade about being an American citizen while insisting he meet with the US Ambassador. Girl at the window calls security. He is dragged away kicking and screaming. All entertaining but very time consuming.

Great Norton!! 13 years ago we being the wife and I and two 4 month old kids were sitting in the waiting area of America services. It was time to get the passports for the girls. Next to us were guys and their ladies of the night. All the while going over the scripts for the interview. In Thinglish. It was just awful to hear the lies trying to be hatched.

Indeed when they got to the window they were told to leave. No interview no nothing. We were next and went inside. So its goo goo and gaa gaa time with two cute baby twin girls. All the work is done quickly and the kids get the receipt for the new passport.

Then I asked why did you just refuse service to those couples? The answer was too simple, " The room is miked, we record all conversations". They had been listening the whole time. " There are just too many people applying".

Felt pretty good about that situation. Still dont even know if it was an invasion of privacy. Worked very well in this case.

The last time I went to the British Embassy was a few years ago but my experience was similar to yours AO.

I can't remember why I was there but I was queuing up for something and we'd been funneled into one of those "snake" style queues like at a theme park.

There were quite a few guys in there with their bar ladies, all trying to get visas. Some of them had tried so many times (but failed) that the guys in the queue actually knew each other. The conversations they were having were along the lines of,

"Hey John! hows it going? You back in here again? Ha ha"
"Yes Mate! gotta give it another go aint ya! How many times is this for you then?"
"Fourth time mate. Who's you little lady friend?"
"Who 'er? Little beauty int she. She's 'the one' I reckon, well, if everything goes off ok today init! ha ha"

Etc etc.

Originally Posted by aging one

The room is miked

Smart move! What they should do though, is have spring loaded pop up dancing poles and disco music that can be activated at the touch of a button.

All the girls who don't grab a pole and start gyrating with a bored look on their face can stay. The rest...On your way love!

Originally Posted by The Fresh Prince

How about a retirement visa? Do they need a letter?

Need to have a letter for retirment visa if you are getting one based on monthly income.

Originally Posted by The Fresh Prince

We can't even get additional pages anymore.

We havn't been able to get extra pages for over 30 years

shit cant green ya fp, but the commentary was superb. Now just change the accent. Cant ya?

Originally Posted by Airportwo

Need to have a letter for retirment visa if you are getting one based on monthly income.

Sorry, I meant do you need one every year?

Originally Posted by Airportwo

We havn't been able to get extra pages for over 30 years

It can be that long ago, I remember going with my dad once so that he could get extra pages. Either way, we should be able to get extra pages put in, it would make things a lot simpler.