Visa applications move to the Web

Chinese will soon become the first nationality able to apply and pay online for Thai visas, Chairi Archjananum, director-general of the Department of Consular Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said on Monday.

The service arranged through Kasikornbank (KBank) would be globally available within three years, he said.

The e-Visa system allows foreign nationals to apply online for visas, from completing the form to pay for the visa.

Starting on February 15, the service will be available in Beijing and on March 1 in other cities in China.

It will be available in Britain and France starting on April 1, and in all countries with Thai embassies and consulates within three years.

Chairi said more than eight million foreigners applied for Thai visas last year, of whom 85 per cent sought tourist visas, with Chinese travellers constituting the largest proportion.

Citing the submission address www.thaievisa.go.th, KBank president Predee Daochai said it met world-class security standards.

Fee payments will be supported by KBank’s electronic payment system to accommodate cross-border transactions in more than 126 currencies.

Payments can be made via including credit card, QR code and Internet banking. Payment via QR code will debut in China through WeChat Pay, AliPay and China Union Pay.

In the future, he said, KBank would jointly support the development of Robotic Process Automation for verifying applicants’ information.

The Nation 

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