US Embassy treats Thai visa applicants like crime suspects
Thailand and the US have been allies since 1818. But US people in Thailand are treated much better by the Thai government than Thai people are treated by the US Embassy.
I have never had a problem with getting a visa to visit or work in Thailand, but my Thai friends tell me the same isn’t true of them getting visas for the US. In the Thai system, there are concrete steps to be taken and, if they are followed and passed, the visa will be issued. I wish the same were true of the US visa system.
The guidance given on the Internet to apply for a US visa is not only unhelpful, but is outright misleading as it gives the impression that, to receive a visa, all a person needs is a current passport, a government form, some photos and money. If you read the instructions carefully, you see that unlike the US legal system, there is NO appeal if you are refused a visa and they keep your money. You MAY be able to reapply, but it means more money and carries no guarantee of success the second time around. And if you don’t know why you were refused the first time, how do you make any correction?
There seems to be a culture within the US Embassy, especially those who deal with visa interviews, that Thai people are dishonest and only trying to get tourist or business visas so they can stay in the US illegally and not return to Thailand. They seem to regard anyone who’s not a US citizen or not working in the embassy as some sort of a criminal suspect, except for the real convicted felons such as Thaksin Shinawatra and others like him who want to escape Thailand. That makes it very unfair for anyone working for a small company, like a family-run one, or who doesn’t have a very deep bank account. I’ve been told the interviewers are arrogant and unfriendly, and often refuse to give any reason if a visa isn’t given.
With the long history of friendship between the two countries, why is Thailand not included in the visa waiver programme like Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Brunei and Singapore? US citizens are allowed to get a 30-day visa on arrival at the airport. Thai citizens are allowed to travel to 77 countries with no visa, visa on arrival or an e-visa. Why can’t they do the same in the US?
Mark Harris
