Thread: Savannakhet Non O Marriage

Hello everyone, i am adding this post to help anyone who is doing there Non O Marriage visa in Savannakhet Laos, as i have just returned from there (01/11/16)

I am going to gather my thoughts and give you a run down on how did my 'run'

Firstly i will grab the relevant info and follow up on this post.

A couple of points i do want to make and one that so nearly caught me out, well both really, is that the consulate are no longer doing same day visa's, but you can pay 3000 baht and get it back next morning around 9.30 (estimated, sometimes a little later depending on the bosses mood, i was informed) and secondly always take your original marriage certificate as the consulate will ask to see it and remember if you copy it make sure you get both sides.

I live in Chiang Mai so i paid for a flight to Khon Kaen (Kan Airlines is a superb little airline and you get food), you could also fly to Ubon from CNX, i believe you can fly direct to Roi Et from Bangkok, which also near to the border town of Mukdahan.
From KK airport i hired a private taxi to take me to the bus station (200 baht, 150 by meter taxi and tuk tuk drivers were asking me for 150 baht, which made me chuckle) at the KK bus station i opted for the minibus to Mukdahan (240 baht) now remember i had no time restrictions and in an after thought i might of gone by normal bus, i believe they are quite regular (minibuses go every 40 minutes and stop every where, so your trip could take 5 hours instead of 4)

Mukdahan bus station i got a tuk tuk driver to take me to a hotel (charged me 100 baht but i know its normally 50 baht) plenty of okay hotels there, i stayed in the Udon Sap hotle 450 a night, big room, good internet, but most of the hotels are around the 400-900 baht a night.

Next morning around 8 got up and called my tuk tuk driver to take me to the border (cost 200 baht, although i suspect 100 or 150 is normal) Buy the ticket across the bridge before you go through Thai immigration (its a small booth on the left cost 40 baht)

Let me carry on this post later, as i need to find my paperwork and scan some cards.
see you later

^
Good info so far.

I usually get the Thai-Lao bus from the bus station in Mukdahan. Wait for everyone to board and claim a seat, then wait until it's standing room only. I then board the bus so that I'm standing at the front. So when the bus arrives at the Thai departure boothes I'm the first off the bus and to get stamped out, then I have 10-15 mins to smoke a ciggie while waiting for everyone else.

Then repeat the process for crossing the bridge. Last on, First off.
Same for the return leg.
It's pointless fighting for a seat each time for such short hops.

Originally Posted by Gazza

then I have 10-15 mins to smoke a ciggie

It must be a very long ciggie

^
Har friggin' Har.

^^ I think he means fag

Originally Posted by Soapy Kev

the consulate are no longer doing same day visa's

They werent doing it when I went last year, but...if you go on their last day before they close for holiday, they will give it you back the same day

If you're making the slog to Mukdahan from Bangkok. The Nok Air & Air Asia fly & ride programs have shit time points going there. You can't arrive in Mukdahan early enough to cross the border, get to the thai consulate & turn in your paperwork.

A better plan of attack is taking one of the MANY overnite big tour buses to the Mukdahan bus station, then catching the bus "Gazza" mentioned which lugs you to the border.

Now on the trip BACK to Bangkok from Mukdahan the fly-n-ride programs offered by both Nok & Air Asia have good time points. You can easily pick up your passport at the thai consulate, get to the border, cross into thailand & get to the pick up point for their mini-van to take you to the Nakhon Phanom Airport (Air Asia) or the Ubon Ratchathani Airport (Nok Air) in time for your flight back to Bangkok.

The Air Asia Mukdahan to Bangkok fly-n-ride does have a "tight" departure of 14:00 from the Indochine Market in Mukdahan, but it can be done if you have your wits about you. .

IF you book your flights out early enough you can get some pretty competitive fares from them..

FWIW: They stopped "same day service" a good while back, because the Laotians noticed no one was spending any time in Savannakhet. Instead foreigners were just picking up their passports at the thai consulate and heading right back to thailand.

Right now Savannakhet is still the ONLY consulate in S/E Asia that'll issue year-long, multi-entry Non-Immigrant Type O visas based on marriage to a thai national with NO proof of financials.

Anyway, that's all the info I got about doin' that "visa-run" from Bangkok to Savannakhet.
Good Luck

A Ferrari parked at the coffee shoppe in Savannakhet. Now who would have guessed.

Originally Posted by boloa

Passport.
Completed application form (with 2 passport photos attached)
1 copy of passport front page (photo page) signed by you.
Original marriage certificate (mine was Thai version).
1 copy of marriage certificate, front and back on single sheet of paper as it is on the original certificate, signed by wife.
Copy of wifes ID Card, front and back on single sheet of paper, signed by wife.
Copy of wifes house book (Tabien Bahn) signed by wife.
5,000 baht Non Immigrant ‘O’ Visa fee.

I applied for mine on Tues 6th. Only about 50 were applying at opening time. Probably quiet due to 5th Dec being a holiday.

I submitted the following;
2 photos
Copy of passport photo page
Copy of Marriage Certificate (front side only)
Copy of Wife's Thai I.D. (front side only)
Copies of first few pages of Tabien Baan showing my name.
(+ For me, a photocopy of Certificate of Wife's Name Change as my wife's old first name appears on Marriage Certificate only and not on the newer documents.)

None were signed and these are what I've been handing over for the best part of 25 years at various embassies and consulates around SE Asia. Not being picky or anything, just saying.

From BKK-Mukdahan I got an overnight VIP bus for 730 baht. The singled-rowed seat I had on the full bus was stuck in the upright position. Great!! What next I thought. Well, it didn't take long to find out as the air vents were blowing a blizzard onto my head and couldn't be closed or directed away and I had to stick tissues in them to block them. Next, the seat massager only massaged my left shoulder and right buttock. No problem, with a bit of contortional body squirming in the seat the actual problem was solved. No videos were shown on the tv screens, which I kind of expected as soon as I saw them. Couldn't quite see what was in the free box of snacks because the overhead reading lights didn't work. I felt around in the box to find that it contained the usual crap as on their 1st class buses anyway. I refuse to go into any detail about the state of the toilet the following morn. Only to say that it wasn't me that did it.



At the meal/rest stop in Khorat I was first off the bus, quickly ate my meal, had a slash and lit up a ciggie near the bus. Only to be told to get back on the bus. WTF!! I don't think 10 minutes had passed since pulling in. I told the limp-wristed male hostess/hostman, steward or whatever he was, ''I'll finish my ciggie first thanks.''

VIP-999....4Q you overpriced-crappy-service-providing KHUNTS.


Mukdahan-BKK. After arriving back into Mukky about 4pm from Laoland, I booked an overnight VIP bus with the Sahaphan Tour Co. Earliest bus was 7:30pm so I took a stroll to the newish Big C on the main road and killed time there rather than at the humid bus station, plus, I wanted to perform a certain toilet duty without having to take Wellington Bomber precision aim over a squat 'n' drop bog, or retrieve dropped personal belongings out of the bowl, etc., etc.

My single-rowed seat on the bus was at the very back. A little bit bumpy compared to where I normally like to sit which is near the stairs. Personal video screens with some Thai channels with variety shows and 3 movie channels showing movies back-to-back. Had to ask the hostess for the earphones. Nobody else did yet they watched their screens in silence for the first hour or two before sleeping. Me, I couldn't sleep so watched movies all the way to Bangers.

A few hours into the trip I had what looked like a massive tarantula climbing over my bag that was on the floor. I felt it briefly brush against my leg but I couldn't see it properly in the poor light. I flicked it off with my shoe...............in the direction of the underside of the seat in front of me. Big mistake I know, but anyway, the first couple of hours of sitting with my feet up on the seat or window ledge actually wasn't all that too uncomfortable. Later, I spotted it again slowly crawling in the aisle............side-ways. Who the fuck brought live crabs onto an overnight bus?


There was a meal-rest stop somewhere in Khorat again, different place than on the first leg, but........all the food stalls were shut. Used the 7-11 next door to buy drinks and edibles. Got rid of the crab at this stop only to see another one in the aisle just before I got off in Rangsit.

Anyway, for 530 baht it was a much better, cheaper and pleasant service than the other twatstards. Well, apart from the near death run-in with a huge fire-breathing tarantula-saurus which I told my kids about.


But next time, Kuala Lumpur here I come!!

"Completed application form"

I presume that it is this?

http://www.thaiembassy.org/abudhabi/...020-288642.pdf

The Thai Immigration website don't seem to have one.

Immigration Bureau

Originally Posted by Auroria

"Completed application form"

I used this !!
http://www.thaisavannakhet.com/image...K-VisaForm.PDF

Originally Posted by boloa

Originally Posted by Auroria

"Completed application form"

I used this !!
http://www.thaisavannakhet.com/image...K-VisaForm.PDF

Thanks.


This is another one for Laos, from the Vientiane Embassy.

http://vientiane.thaiembassy.org/upl..._13_8_2558.pdf

Looks like each embassy/consulate has their own form.

Handy that they are all up online to be fair.

If by chance you find you've got the wrong application form the very helpful lady across the road from the consulate will give you the right one for free.

I'd downloaded one and went across to her shop to use some glue for the photos. she spotted the form was incorrect and gave me the right one.

Very helpful.

Downloading a Lao visa-on-arrival form makes things a little easier. Less chance of the bus pissing off without you while you're waiting to get stamped in.

Can also get a Lao immigration form from some Thai travel agents. These are handed in with your visa form.

This looks like the Laos Visa on Arrival Form.

http://www.laos-guide-999.com/suppor...rival-form.pdf

Someone left it in their pocket when their jeans went through the washing machine.

Originally Posted by Auroria

"Completed application form"

I presume that it is this?

http://www.thaiembassy.org/abudhabi/...020-288642.pdf

The Thai Immigration website don't seem to have one.

Immigration Bureau

Yeah that's NOT the correct form for applying for a thai visa at the consulate in Savannakhet.

The one boloa provided is what's being used up there.

Auroria; why would the thai immigration website have ANYTHING to do with visas for thailand being sold at the thai consulates scattered hither and yon around the world?

Thai Immigration Offices (and border checkpoints) are run and staffed by people from the Royal Thai Police. They sell visas and/or extensions of stay INSIDE the country.

That embassies and consulates are run and staffed by people from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.. They sell visas for thailand OUTSIDE the country.

They are whores from different go-go bars entirely.

Your grasp of English is really coming on great guns these days, Tod, but if I could just offer a little bit of advice. You used "scattered hither and yon ....." which is fine I suppose and certainly to be commended in the case of a septic but perhaps " hither and thither" might have been the more apposite expression.

Still, a fine effort. Carry on!

Hello, i found this thread really helpful.

I will apply for a visa non immigrant O based on marriage. I dont have the money required to ask it in thailand or in my home country, so i found Savannakhet Thai consulate who dont ask any bank statement (i just called them and they confirmed it).
I will come in thailand with a tourist visa 60days and in the last week for the second month take a bus from chiang mai to savannakhet.
But i've few things i didnt get well, to get a multiple entry visa they dont ask for a bank account there, but when i will do the 90 days border crossing, will they ask me anything ? And about thoses border crossing, i just have to cross the border and come back ? in the same time ? All the borders are allowed to cross for this ?

And my last questions is, if the thai goverment change this (because they will one day) would this make my visa valide ? I've overstayed in a tourist visa from 1 day they didnt ask me to pay anything but they writed on my passport, would this make any trouble to my visa application ?

Thanks for your answer, and please forgive my bad english.

When you get your visa and enter Thailand you'll be stamped in for 90 days. Check the date and leave on that day or just before.

They won't ask you anything.

You can use most any border crossing. Get stamped out of Thailand. Get stamped into neighbouring country. Get stamped out. Then get stamped back into Thailand.

All the borders allow this, but for Laos and Cambodia, you can get a visa on arrival for those countries. A bit expensive and uses up a full page in your passport each time.

Burma (Mae Sot) you pay 500b. No visa stamp if you are just doing a border hop (quick in and out without sight-seeing around the Burmese town of Myawaddy). Not sure, but if actually entering Burma for one day only, they may put in a small visa stamp in your PP.

Originally Posted by Drdrum

when i will do the 90 days border crossing, will they ask me anything ?

nup

Originally Posted by Drdrum

i just have to cross the border and come back ?

yup

Originally Posted by Drdrum

in the same time ?

What time?

You can leave thailand as many times as you like but can only stay in thailand for a maximum of 90 days at any time..

When you get your visa, there is an expiry date on it, which will be a year later. Make sure you come back into thailand on that date or just before and you will get nearly 15 months use from your visa

Originally Posted by Drdrum

if the thai goverment change this (because they will one day) would this make my visa valide ?

nah

Originally Posted by Drdrum

I've overstayed in a tourist visa from 1 day they didnt ask me to pay anything but they writed on my passport, would this make any trouble to my visa application ?

oh shit







no you will be fine

Thanks for your answer, i'm feeling more clear about this situation now.
When i did ask "i can do it in the same time?" im meaning im crossing the border and imediatly going back ? I didnt actually crossed any border by land before in thoses area so i was wondering if i had to spent few hours or day before can go back to thailand but it seem not.
What do you mean by more expensive ? how much it would spend in laos cambodia?
So basically the faster to do a border crossing is in laos or cambodia but for save the blank page of the passport burma is better.

But do someone know why actually Savannakhet is like this ? I really hope they wont change it soon, i need that visa for few years before can save 400K.

^ In Laos you have to pay around 1500 baht on entry just for their visa on arrival.

you can fly to Kuala Lumpur and back for 2,000 baht

Originally Posted by Dillinger

^ In Laos you have to pay around 1500 baht on entry just for their visa on arrival.

you can fly to Kuala Lumpur and back for 2,000 baht

Okay so i think i will fly to kuala lumpur its seem much better. Thanks

What do you mean by more expensive ? how much it would spend in laos cambodia?

As Dilli said the visa for Laos is 1500b. Cambodian visa is now about 1300b. Plus sometimes the Cambo immigration will ask for 300b if you're doing a quick in-and-out.
Expensive? Depends where you'll be locating to and where you want to go for border runs/hops. If you're in the north then Burma is nearer, cheaper and quicker. The north-east? then Laos or Cambodia (but with the hidden cost of filling up your PP quicker with visas). The south, you can go to Malaysia (no visa necessary).

So basically the faster to do a border crossing is in laos or cambodia

Again, depends where you'll be starting from and how you'll be travelling there and back.
I'm in BKK. Cambo is nearer and quicker for me but I prefer going to Mae Sot.

Originally Posted by Drdrum

But do someone know why actually Savannakhet is like this ? I really hope they wont change it soon, i need that visa for few years before can save 400K.

If Savannakhet wasn't so easy to get a non-imm visa hardly anyone would go there. The town needs the tourists.
Maybe Kuala Lumpur is an option for you. They only want to see 100k in your bank (that was 4 years ago) but you can phone them to enquire.

Originally Posted by Gazza

Maybe Kuala Lumpur is an option for you. They only want to see 100k in your bank (that was 4 years ago) but you can phone them to enquire.

He's on about his 3 month excursions, I hope