Thread: Savanak non immigrant type o mult

Sorry, my bad. It is 90 days and not 3 months.

I just got an email, yes an email, from the Los Angeles Thai Consulate telling me that they were unable to mail my passport with the new 1 year multiple enry O visa inside because I forgot to check the signature or no signature box on my self addressed return envelope via USPS. They asked if I wanted to require a signature or not and I emailed them back saying yes please.

Amazing the kind of customer service one receives from the Thai Consulate when it is more than a couple thousand miles outside Thailand. What would be the odds of Thai immigration treating you that way in country or in an adjoining country?

Since I live in Udon, I just drive up to Nong Khai with my wife every 90 days and have her wait for me while I walk over to Thai immigration, board the bus for 20 baht that crosses the friendship bridge and then fill out the paperwork for a Lao visa. When I get my Lao visa, I just enter Lao and circle around the immigration building, exit Lao and catch the bus back across the friendship bridge. Once back across the bridge, I fill out the Thai paperwork and re-enter Thailand with another 90 day stamp in my passport. The whole process takes about an hour, give or take.

I used to stay in Vientiane overnight, but not anymore.

Originally Posted by rickschoppers

I just got an email, yes an email, from the Los Angeles Thai Consulate telling me that they were unable to mail my passport with the new 1 year multiple enry O visa inside because I forgot to check the signature or no signature box on my self addressed return envelope via USPS. They asked if I wanted to require a signature or not and I emailed them back saying yes please.

Amazing the kind of customer service one receives from the Thai Consulate when it is more than a couple thousand miles outside Thailand. What would be the odds of Thai immigration treating you that way in country or in an adjoining country?

?? u send ur passport every year to the states to get a new visa BUT u dont leave Thailand to get it?

you do know thats illegal , right?

Why not just get an extension in country if ur married?

Did I say I did this from Thailand? I don't remember that.

I go back to the US every year to visit family and friends. Before heading back to Thailand, I apply for the visa by mailing in my passport and supporting documentation to the Royal Thai Consulate in Los Angeles.

While back in Thailand, I drive to Nong Khai from Udon, as described in my previous post, to obtain my 90 day stamp by going into Lao. Nothing illegal about it.

rickschoppers; Glad that year long multi-entry Non-O visa is still being issued by Los Angeles. Also glad to hear they are on top of customer service too. The customer service (IF you can get them to even answer the phone) at thai consulates/embassies in countries which border thailand are abysmal!

A LOT of the consulates/embassies have really tightened up about issuing a year long Non-O visa (UK especially!).

If you're close to a border and can bounce out/in, getting another 90 days permission to stay that's great.. Plus playing the dates on the visa right you can pull almost 15 months out of it.

Face it; with the visa you have, you have NO financial requirements, NEVER do a 90 day report and NEVER have to hoop jump like a trained monkey for any immigration officer or office. If you can get it, it's the way to go..

I do believe you could pull the same visa in Savannakhet by being married to a thai, with no financials, just the marriage certificates, her thai I/D and her house book.

I recently obtained a multi-entry Non-O visa, based on being married to a Thai. At Savannakhet and they were asking everyone for the financial statement. A few didn't have them and the application was refused.

Todd, thanks for that and I know I am preaching to the choir when it comes to customer service, or lack there of. I have learned that nothing is certain when dealing with visas and how the goal posts are always moved.

I will at some point have to file for an extension in country and I am dreading that moment. As long as I have the resources and physical capability of going back to the US every year, I will continue to do so for the reasons you stated above.

brissie; Not that I'm doubting you but I have read no reports on the inter-web of financial requirements from the Savannakhet thai consulate for the year long multi-entry Non-O visa based on marriage to a thai national.

You're sure it was Savannakhet and NOT at Vientiane, and was based on marriage to a thai national NOT because you're over 50?

Now I do seem to read about them asking people if they had a thai bank account, but it appeared they didn't care about the balance..

Asking if you have a bank account here in thailand isn't the same as making you show you have 400K baht in your name in a thai bank OR showing a notarized embassy letter that you make 40K baht a month.

Just a question (because I'm a nosy prick), what did you show for the financial statement and how much were you required to show?

Thanx

The documents I took were:
Marriage certificate (Australian)
Certified Thai translation of marriage certificate
House yellow book
Certified bank statement
2 photos
I just handed the lot over and paid the money.
They might just have been in a cranky mood, over 400 that day.
But a couple in front were asked for bank statement, I assumed they wanted the same type of visa. Mine was based on marriage not age. Last year did the same in Brisbane and they definitely wanted the statement.
Could be I'm wrong, but better to looking at it than for it.

Should be "Could be I'm wrong, but better to be looking at it than for it".
The financial statement was from our bank signed and stamped by a bank officer and a photocopy of my bankbook.
Last thing I needed was another trip there from Udon because of missing paperwork.
Didn't do Vientiane, heard some bad stuff on the forum about that embassy

Okay, now we're getting somewhere.. AND I am not tryin' to be a know-it-all visa guy with shit that don't stink (as Phuketrichard often asserts)

You handed over the certified bank statement without being asked. Period, end of story. Although in your defense, you did overhear a couple in front of you being asked for a bank statement. Remember though, sometimes in Savannakhet they have been asking (especially if you have a LOT of tourist visas from Lao back to back) that you show show you have funds in thailand to live on.

Now to have really found out IF in fact your certified bank statement was required you should have had it, but NOT handed it in with your paperwork UNTIL you were asked for it. They ain't gonna toss paperwork back to you sayin' you don't need it.These people in thai officialdom fuckin' LOVE paperwork, the more you give them the better they like it!

I just had a guy come back from Savannakhet a few weeks ago. He pull a year long multi-entry Non-O based on marriage to a thai and he'd only gotten married the week before he went for the visa! Talk about the ink not being dry on his marriage certificate!!

He gave copies of;
Both thai marriage documents (KR 2 & 3)
Wife's Thai I/D card front/back
Wife's listing on her house book
Copies of pertinent pages of his passport (don't forget to copy the Lao visa and entry stamp you just got when you entered the country!)
Application + 2 pictures
5000baht.
He wasn't asked word one about any finances. Although he did have his bank statement from his bank here he didn't give it to them and they didn't ask.

Don't confuse what the thai consulate wanted in Brisbane (which last time I checked was actually in a first world country) versus what is required at the thai consulate in Savannakhet Lao PDR (a third world back water). They are whores from a different go-go bar..

Anyway, again, I'm not tryin' to do anything but stop bad information from being out there on the inter-web.. Right now Savannakhet is the most user friendly go-to thai consulate in S/E asia to get certain visas. Who knows how long it'll last?

Thanx for weighing back in with what you did.. Glad you got it..

^This copy of passport... Is it every page ?

Originally Posted by toddaniels

Copies of pertinent pages of his passport (don't forget to copy the Lao visa and entry stamp you just got when you entered the country!)

All they wanted see of my PP was a copy of the photo page. (I applied in the first week of October.)

I would advise anyone applying for a visa here to check with the 'visa service' right next door for 60 baht.
They know what's needed for a non 'O' and they'll staple all the required documents and give you back anything not needed.

If you don't use the visa service then please just hand in what they require. Nothing more, nothing less. But just have any other documents with you just in case the requirements have suddenly changed while you were enroute to there. Hence also another good reason to check with the service.

A guy I crossed over the bridge with decided to use the service after me. He was still in the visa service shop after I left the embassy. I asked him whether he had a problem and he told me that he had to phone to someone to fax documents to him.
Could possibly be as Tod says, he was asked for proof of funds for a tourist visa.

I don't think he was applying for a non 'O' as he seemed to happy to be married.

Originally Posted by Dillinger

^This copy of passport... Is it every page ?

Just the photo page, I take everything, the form fillers beside fill it all out on computer and print out the application, any other copies needed, they will copy.
Embassy/consulate guy didn't even look at the originals, just took the money, passport and application, done.
Have to go again 2nd week of Nov. will post any changes then.

Side note, going to stay the night on the Thai side, long drive from here, any recommendations for a hotel near the bridge, have kids and a pool is a must.

Filtering for swimming pool and Mukdahan on Agoda brings only 2 James

Mukdahan Manor B and B looks the nicest with poolside bar 37usd a night

Mukdahan Manor B&B Mukdahan, Thailand: Agoda.com

toddaniels, agree with everything you say apart from Australia being a first world country.
I love the place but the last 2 governments have screwed it up, they are the reason I came to live here.

^The important thing is you got the visa you wanted!!

Originally Posted by Dillinger

Mukdahan Manor

Never have any rooms available and the food sucks. Shame. Was a great place til the divorce.
May have improved as last I was there was couple years ago.

I just received my passport back 5 minutes ago with a new one year, multiple entry O visa which is good until October 15, 2016. As Todd mentioned, if I work the dates right, it will hold me over until January of 2017. The process only took 3 weeks to the day, even though the website advertises 4-6 weeks to process.

Great customer service and I will continue this same process as long as I can. Too bad so many other Thai Consulates treat westerners like crap.

Not actually related to a year long multi entry Non-O BUT it is Savannakhet related..

Just posted somewhere else a little while ago..

FYI, i'm French with 3 Double entries tourist visa in row on my passport (2 from Savannakhet, 1 the latest from Vientiane). Just came back from Savannakhet where they gave me Single entry (reason : "too many double visa on my passport).

This is the second or third time I've seen something like this posted..

Vientiane will usually put some stamp in your passport that says you might have to show both and address in thailand and proof of financials before they'll issue you another double entry. Savannakhet appears to just giving you a single entry.

Just back last night from my visa run to Savanakhet, one year mutli O spouse.
Form fillers 80 Baht, computer print out of the application, 10 minutes in the line, form and cash handed over, he didn't look at the originals, just asked if I had them, done and dusted.

Tried a new hotel this time, the Avalon, not far from the consulate, 650 Baht, coffee shop that does food, part of the site.
Lao place across the road where you can drink, because that all there is to do.

Next day 2 pm pick up the pass port and back over the bridge.

Haven't read up on these new tourist visas, but they are not issuing double entry tourist visas anymore.

^
Good to know James. This would save me a trip to the States for another 1 year multiple entry O. I do have a trip planned next year to the US, but after that, who knows? I wonder what the regs will be two years from now?

Originally Posted by rickschoppers

^
Good to know James. This would save me a trip to the States for another 1 year multiple entry O. I do have a trip planned next year to the US, but after that, who knows? I wonder what the regs will be two years from now?

It's not the rules that change, but the local interpretations.
New boss in Savanhket this year, but he stuck with the system, hard to make it too strict, as many of the guys are offshore workers and bring in a lot of money.

No one wants to leave a wad of cash laying in a Thai bank, or fly home from the mid east to get a visa, but TIT you never know.