Thailand will change to e-visa system by 2014
After latest scandals of almost 3,000 “lost” visa stickers at the Thai embassies in Kuala Lumpur and The Hague, Netherlands, as well as at the consulate in Savannakhet, Laos, Thailand is now embarking on introducing an electronic visa system “in accordance with international standards.”
The scandal has made headlines over the past days as the visa stickers were allegedly stolen by embassy personnel or accomplices and sold to people who were not eligible for a legal visa otherwise, including individuals banned from entering Thailand because they were blacklisted or even on the terrorist list.
The official Thai News Agency reported on August 28 that the electronic visa system will be launched in late 2014. Visa labels on paper will no longer be issued by embassies then.
Electronic visa systems have been introduced by many Western countries in the past. The process requires online registration and identification by individuals applying for visas. However, it has not been made clear for which visa types (tourist, business, non-immigrant etc) the Thai e-visa system will come into effect.
After latest scandals of almost 3,000 "lost" visa stickers at the Thai embassies in Kuala Lumpur and The Hague, Netherlands, as well as at the consulate in Savannakhet, Laos, Thailand is now embarking on introducing an electronic visa system "in accordance with international standards." The scandal has made headlines over the past days as the visa stickers were allegedly stolen by embassy personnel or accomplices and sold to people who were not eligible for a legal visa otherwise, including individuals banned from entering Thailand because they were blacklisted or even on the terrorist list. The official Thai News Agency reported...
After latest scandals of almost 3,000 “lost” visa stickers at the Thai embassies in Kuala Lumpur and The Hague, Netherlands, as well as at the consulate in Savannakhet, Laos, Thailand is now embarking on introducing an electronic visa system “in accordance with international standards.”
The scandal has made headlines over the past days as the visa stickers were allegedly stolen by embassy personnel or accomplices and sold to people who were not eligible for a legal visa otherwise, including individuals banned from entering Thailand because they were blacklisted or even on the terrorist list.
The official Thai News Agency reported on August 28 that the electronic visa system will be launched in late 2014. Visa labels on paper will no longer be issued by embassies then.
Electronic visa systems have been introduced by many Western countries in the past. The process requires online registration and identification by individuals applying for visas. However, it has not been made clear for which visa types (tourist, business, non-immigrant etc) the Thai e-visa system will come into effect.
