It will be possible to obtain a visa to Thailand without leaving Tashkent — consulate commentary

It will be possible to obtain a visa to Thailand without leaving Tashkent — consulate commentary

Thailand is canceling the 60-day visa-free entry for citizens of Uzbekistan starting September 15.

This is due to the fact that visa applications are processed specifically by the embassy in Russia, whose jurisdiction also includes Uzbekistan.

They reported that several payment methods for the fee are provided for tourists, and a trip to Moscow is not mandatory.

In particular, in addition to applying in person at the embassy in Russia, the visa fee and additional services can be paid in Uzbekistan through the courier and consulting company Lilavadi Consult. Furthermore, this can be done through acquaintances in Moscow who can pay the fee in cash in US dollars.

It is expected that over time, the service will become fully available online.

As a reminder, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan told Gazeta that they are conducting negotiations with the Thai side to create more convenient conditions for the country's citizens.

For now, the website still indicates for citizens of Uzbekistan that a visa is not required.

The application form is filled out by the applicant themselves or their representative (for example, at a travel agency). It is necessary to specify the purpose and itinerary of the trip, contact details, as well as information about current employment. Copies of pages of a number of documents must be attached to the application, including a passport, an international passport (with at least two blank pages), round-trip airline tickets (or a booking document with the stamp of the ticket office and the original signature of the employee), and proof of accommodation in Thailand. A 4×6 cm photograph taken no more than six months ago will also be required.

Proof of financial funds is also required. An original bank statement in English (or a statement with a notarized translation) showing income and expenditures for the last three months and the account balance on the day of filling out the application will be needed. There must be at least 20,000 Thai baht per person (less than 700 dollars) on the card. Credit card statements are not accepted.

For a minor, it is permissible to provide an account statement of the applicant (parent) with a balance of at least 40,000 baht (about 1,400 dollars; with more children, there must be at least 20,000 baht for each child).

After submitting the application form, the system generates a confirmation document with a QR code and details for paying the consular fee — it must be printed out.

With the collected documents, one should contact the company that will act as an intermediary for paying the fee. The visa processing website currently does not accept cards from banks of Uzbekistan.

At the company, it will be necessary to sign an agreement and a power of attorney, and then make the payment (this can be done via a QR code). The entire process is expected to take no more than 5–10 minutes.

According to the Honorary Consulate of Thailand, the visa fee is 40 dollars (about 480,000 soums).

The tourist visa is issued in an online format and is not stamped in the passport. This means that there will be no need to send the passport to the embassy in Moscow for visa processing.

All documents not written in English must be accompanied by a notarized translation into English.

Consular officers of the embassy reserve the right to request additional documents or invite the applicant for an interview.

The visa received by email must be printed out to be presented to the border control officer upon entry into Thailand.

The visa is issued for three months. However, the duration of stay is determined by the border control officer in accordance with the type of visa.

A Telegram bot is expected to be created, where all the necessary information can be obtained and questions can be asked.

Gazeta was unable to find out how long the visa acquisition process will take in total.