Bangkok, Thailand: The U.S. Embassy and Consulate General in Thailand will be implementing a new online support system for U.S. visa services starting September 28th, 2024.
As part of this transition, services including the online appointment system and call center will be unavailable on September 26th and September 27th, 2024. Fee payment services will also be temporarily unavailable from September 25th to September 27th, 2024.
Applicant services for appointment scheduling, fee payment, and the call center will resume via a new system on September 28th, 2024. Effective September 28th, 2024, DHL eCommerce will be the new document delivery services vendor for document submission, document pick-up, and document delivery. Documents sent through other service providers will not be accepted.
Applicants who have scheduled appointments from September 25th to September 27th, 2024 should attend their appointments at the scheduled appointment date and time. Applicants with interview appointments on September 26th and September 27th, 2024 will be given detailed instructions on how to receive their returned passports during this transition.
After September 28th, 2024, the login page, profile, and appointment scheduling system will have a new look. To log in to the new system, visit www.ustraveldocs.com/th/en after September 28, 2024. Applicants with visa appointments on or after September 28, 2024, that were scheduled before the transition will receive an email with detailed instructions on how to receive their returned passport after visa processing is complete. Any applicants who paid their visa fee before September 28th, 2024, in the old system but have not associated their payment receipt to their profile may also click on the “Sign up now” link at the bottom of the login page, log in to the new system, and proceed to claim their receipt by entering the payment receipt number and payment date into the new system.
Document pick-up and submission locations will change effective September 28th, 2024. Applicants selecting document delivery or a premium location for document pick-up or submission will be required to pay a premium charge. The premium charge per application will apply if their passport is released by the Embassy or Consulate General after September 27th, 2024, or if they submit their document at a premium location after September 27th, 2024.
Please continue to check www.ustraveldocs.com/th/en for more details and updates as the changes go into effect.
On September 20th, 2024, TPN News was invited to the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok for an exclusive interview with Vice-Consuls Amyre S. Brandom-Skinner and Samuel Tueller Dearden. The discussion focused on streamlining U.S. visa services and enhancing consular support for American citizens and expats in Thailand.
To improve efficiency, the embassy has implemented a color-coded system for different visa and consular services. The green line, marked with triangle icons, is designated for immigrant visa applications, while the red line with circle icons guides non-immigrant visa applicants. The blue line with square icons is for American Citizen Services (ACS).
These clear floor guidelines help reduce waiting times by separating queues and simplifying the process for all visitors. Additionally, the embassy provides an accessible path for disabled individuals and a dedicated waiting area for pregnant women, the elderly, and disabled individuals.
The embassy features 15 service booths, including interview stations for visa applications related to study, work, and other services for U.S. citizens. For applicants whose visa photos are outdated (over six months old), a photo booth is available on-site.
In the interview with Vice-Consul Amyre S. Brandom-Skinner, TPN News discussed the embassy’s outreach to older and disabled American expats, particularly those living outside Bangkok.
The Vice-Consul explained that the embassy offers special consular services for those unable to travel to Bangkok due to mobility issues.
Recently, on September 17th, 2024, the embassy provided outreach services in Pattaya. These services included passport renewals for adults with 10-year passports, passport renewals for minors, first-time adult passports (for those aged 16 and above), and notary services. However, these services were limited to U.S. citizens and expats.
Additionally, TPN News learned that the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok is currently constructing a new building that will integrate both Thai and U.S. officials. The project is expected to be completed within two years, further enhancing service delivery for both Thais and Americans.
This initiative reflects the embassy’s ongoing commitment to improving accessibility and efficiency in its consular services for both Thai nationals and American citizens.
