Next US Embassy Visit for Udon?

Post by **FrazeeDK** » September 17, 2013, 7:18 pm

well, they're pushing nearly 700 million a year back to the Treasury and keeping roughly 2.4 billion that covers all the consular operations, salaries, IT gear, plus give money to the construction, security, and IT weenies in the Department to share the wealth... How they rationalize increasing the fees yearly is mystical...

Post by **parrot** » September 17, 2013, 8:04 pm

Cheer up......anyone using the services tomorrow saves an easy 2000++ Baht by not having to go to Bangkok to do what most every other expat has to do.

Post by **FrazeeDK** » September 17, 2013, 8:25 pm

yes that is something I suppose.. But, paying $50 for stamp stamp, see ya later, is a bit much considering the billions they take in..

Post by **Jed** » September 17, 2013, 8:45 pm

Agree with that. Need 2 stamps to say I am who I am tomorrow: $100.

Love that they come here to Udon, but they used to provide more in the line of "services," not simply sales.

Still ... could be worse, and is for most non-US expats, for sure, as you note.

Post by **fdimike** » September 17, 2013, 10:16 pm

Their Notary Fee ($50) is absolutely ridiculous and as close to highway robbery as I could imagine. The same applies to the fee for new pages. I'd rather go to BKK and a have more rationale fee schedule in return. At least my wife and I could take care of some shopping at the same time.

Post by **FrazeeDK** » September 18, 2013, 4:51 pm

wooooof! whadda crowd today! Got there around 0815 and was number 52 on the list.. One consular officer shepherding sign-ins and calling "next", one American Consular officer doing the work assisted by two Locally Employed Staff.. It took us nearly two hours to get our 1 minute of time for our income affadavits... I figure they probably had at least 100+ folks there today...

Post by **papaguido** » September 18, 2013, 5:11 pm

I arrived about 7:20 and the sign up sheet already had 20 signatures. Apparently, someone took the initiative using hotel paper to start a roster. By the time consular staff put up their sign up sheet there must have been 40+ signatures.

I was done and out before 8:30. I would like to thank the ACS staff for their speedy and efficient work and hope the service continues =D>

Post by **Jed** » September 18, 2013, 5:19 pm

I was second from last, officially #72, but he told me to add 40 from the rogue sheet, so that's 113.

He also said Udon had about the most expats using their services, with Samui the least the time they went there.

Phuket and Pattaya (yes) also have a ton of users, with Ubon trailing sleepily behind apparently.

Excellent service - shame about the prices - but still, very nice service.

Post by **LoveDaBlues** » September 18, 2013, 5:36 pm

fdimike wrote:Their Notary Fee ($50) is absolutely ridiculous and as close to highway robbery as I could imagine. The same applies to the fee for new pages. I'd rather go to BKK and a have more rationale fee schedule in return. At least my wife and I could take care of some shopping at the same time.

Aren't the Consular fees the same in Bangkok as in Udon Thani? http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/schedule_fees.html

Post by **LoveDaBlues** » September 18, 2013, 5:50 pm

papaguido wrote:I arrived about 7:20 and the sign up sheet already had 20 signatures. Apparently, someone took the initiative using hotel paper to start a roster. By the time consular staff put up their sign up sheet there must have been 40+ signatures.

I was done and out before 8:30. I would like to thank the ACS staff for their speedy and efficient work and hope the service continues =D>

I second this thanks to the ACS. I had no business today but signed in just to pump the numbers up. I've used them many times over the years and have been grateful for NOT having to make the trip to Bangkok.

quick tip: In the past I've gone to the USA embassy in Vientiane for statements needed by Thai Immigration in Udon rather than make the longer trip to Bangkok. Immigration has accepted my 'Income Statement' from Laos with no problem. I'd ask first though; things to tend to change here on a daily basis.

Post by **mak** » September 18, 2013, 5:59 pm

Thanks ACS. Another successfull Outreach visit.

Post by **FrazeeDK** » September 18, 2013, 7:33 pm

hmm.. that nugget about getting the income statement from Vientiane makes sense.. Print off Bangkok's form and merely do your swearing and get it notarized at the embassy in Vientiane.... Of course, it's $35 for the visa on arrival at the bridge and 1000 THB for the re-entry stamp if you don't have one already...

Post by **jackspratt** » September 18, 2013, 8:07 pm

I asked a similar question (income statement from Oz Embassy in Vientiane) a couple of years ago.

It wasn't going to fly, but I am not sure if it was the Embassy saying no, or Immigration in Udon saying no.

Perhaps time to revisit in 2014, when my extension is next due. As we don't enjoy Oz Embassy outreach visits like the lucky Yanks, a visit to Vientiane will always be cheaper than scooting down to Bangkok.

Post by **leterry60614** » September 18, 2013, 10:55 pm

Thanks to the ACS staff for their patience. We arrived a little bit late and received no 42. We'll come later next time... Did everyone got processed? What time did it end, noon or 2pm?

Post by **Jed** » September 19, 2013, 6:07 am

Yes sure they always take care of everyone.

They were wrapping up just before noon.

About 28 people/hour, or roughly 2 minutes/person - not bad, all things considered.

Post by **jimboLV** » September 20, 2013, 1:19 pm

I arrived at about 10:30 and was number 67. They were servicing in the 40's at that time.There didn't seem to be many more later than me, but can't swear to it. I was serviced about 11:45, and they seemed about ready to wrap it up.

I went to the outreach in Ubon in January, as I live near Ubon. Then I found out that the letter cannot be more than six months old and I renew in November, so had to do it all over again. There were a lot of people, I would say more than 100. I suggested that they do two a year in Ubon, especially since they are now enforcing the six month rule. That would save me a long five hour trip and hotel stay. But can't complain, as we always enjoy a trip to Udon. It's just that this trip was a little dicey since my wife is seven months pregnant, and I don't drive. But she came through without incident.

So many thanks to the Embassy staff. I always compliment them, and was told that the outreaches would continue "as long as we have the budget".

Post by **parrot** » September 20, 2013, 2:21 pm

jimbo, ACS has a strange way of signing in.......when I arrived at 9:15, I was #43...and they were servicing #31. But I came to find out that #31 was on page #1 and I was #43 on page 5. I waited about 2 hours before I was done. No problem......got to talk with some folks I haven't seen for a while.

Post by **mak** » September 21, 2013, 7:01 am

I believe the confusion lay in the early start before ACS arrived. The early arrivals made their own sign up sheet. They had 20 or 30 names. When ACS arrived they collected those names and started their official sign up sheet. Consequently the early numbers (1-34?) were duplicated. Colin, from the embassy, was calling the customers in order. Everyone was served in the correct order, but it was a little confusing for some of us. Colin had the situation well in hand.