Thailand alters visa processing times

IMPACT – MEDIUM

What is the change? The Thai Embassy in Singapore has said that that visa processing times will be left to the discretion of individual visa officers and that it will no longer abide by standard two-day processing times.

What does the change mean? Visa applicants should expect longer processing times and should submit applications no later than five to 10 business days before they plan to travel.

• Implementation time frame: Immediate and ongoing.
• Visas/permits affected: All Thai visas processed in Singapore.
• Who is affected: Foreign nationals applying for Thai visas in Singapore.
• Business impact: Business travelers may need to adjust their schedules to account for the possibility of longer processing times.

Background: The embassy says that, with the change, the minimum processing time will be three days (including the day of submission), but that applicants should leave five to 10 working days, particularly during busy holiday seasons.

BAL Analysis: Visa applicants should take note of the change and adjust their schedules if necessary.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group in Singapore. For additional information, please contact singapore@bal.com.