The services mentioned here are optional. To use them, you will need to pay an extra fee in addition to the visa application fee. You must pay this extra fee when you attend the visa application centre only.
The UK Border Agency in Thailand offers a priority visa service to certain categories of applicants who meet the set criteria and who pay an additional fee at the time they make their visa application. These applications will be processed ahead of other visa applications. Under normal circumstances a priority service visa application will be processed within 3 working days. The cost of this service will be 3,000 baht per applicant (incl sales tax).
Applicants who meet the following criteria will be eligible for the service:-
1)
Business visitors who have previously travelled in the last 5 years to: UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Schengen countries. Spouses and children accompanying the business visitor, regardless of previous travel, will also be accepted provided they also pay the appropriate priority service fee.
Applicants under this criterion must have complied with the terms of their entry conditions whilst travelling to the aforementioned countries. If an applicant has been refused by one of these countries following their most recent travel, they will not qualify for the priority service.
2)
Employees of companies who are members of the UK Border Agency’s Business Select Scheme in Thailand travelling on business regardless of previous travel history. Spouses and children accompanying the business visitor, regardless of previous travel, will also be accepted provided they also pay the appropriate priority service fee. The company should submit a standard letter of support with the application.
3)
A permanent resident of US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand or Schengen Countries applying for any category of visitor visa.
4)
Seafarers applying to join a ship in the UK, if they have previously travelled to the UK for the same reason in the last 3 years. Applicants must hold a Seafarers Identity Document (Seaman’s Book).
5)
Operational aircrew in Thailand (pilots/stewards/stewardesses) applying as visitors or business visitors. Evidence of their occupation should be provided with the application.
Important Notes
It is strongly recommended that applicants with any form of adverse immigration history do not use this service.
The service does not imply or guarantee in any way that applicants using the priority service will be successful in their visa application. All visa applicants must meet the requirements of the UK immigration rules. The amount paid for the priority service, as well as the visa application fee, is not refundable if the visa application is refused or in exceptional cases, takes longer than 3 working days to process.
Applicants using this service can have their photograph taken at the visa application centre. This will ensure that the photographs meet UK Border Agency requirements. This service can be used for an extra fee of 250 Baht for 6 passport size photographs.
There is a fax facility at the visa application centre for a fee of 25 Baht per sheet for both incoming and outgoing faxes (within Thailand only) and 60 baht per sheet for international country.
Applicants can choose to have their processed visa application, documents and passport couriered to the closest collection centre by paying a nominal additional charge.
Note:
1. All charges must be paid at the time of submission
2. You need to provide proof of identity of the applicant or the representative at the time of collecting the shipment through courier.
SMS and e-mail news updates will be sent to your mobile phone and your registered e-mail address provided in your application form, informing the status of your visa application. You will receive several automated messages to your mobile phone and e-mail informing you what stage your application is within the process. The service supports the transfer of SMS text into the language of your choice (Thai and English languages are available). At the end of the process you will receive an automated message informing you that UK Border Agency has made a decision on your visa application. You will not be informed on the outcome of the decision on your visa application.
You can buy this service for 75 Baht at the same time you submit your visa application form, supporting documents and biometric data at the visa application centre. The SMS service application form can be downloaded and completed before you visit the application centre by clicking here.
