Successful Visa Trip to Savannakhet 7/11/2017

[PhuketAmerican]

Took the overnight bus from BKK to Mukdahan, I was on the first bus to go over the "Friendship Bridge II", paid 1500 for  Lao visa and then shared a tuk tuk 200 baht for 2 to the Thai Consulate.  After ignoring the aggressive touts trying to proofread my application for a fee, I waited at the gate with a few others, Vietnamese getting education visa, a rude Frenchman, and a Canadian teacher with his girfriend from Loei province.    

 

Paid 5,000 baht fee and presented my papers all signed and stamped, and the guys smile and told me to come back at 2pm next day.  I did see, if your papers weren't all correcet, the staff would get visibly irked and send people to the back of the line to deal with them,

 

Next day, I checked out after a morning museum trip and walked about 30 minutes to the consulate, ignored the touts, and picked up my passport.  Shared another tuk tuk back the bridge, and then went over to Mukdahan.

 

Be careful what you say at Mukdahan entry.  I saw one woman only get 15 days to her dismay and one guy told "I see you come many time many visa you tourist you not working? I give you 30 days only."  The guy got upset but the immigration police didnt care and waived him through.  I told him I was here for work and to be with my family (in Thai with a few Isam words I learned from my staff) and he said nothing and stamped me in til Feb. 5th

 

Customs agents were emptying out bags and suitcases seemingly at random for thorough searches, so dont do anything stupid like try to bring Buddha images, e cigarettes, controlled drugs, rare animals, or over 10 packs of cigarettes.

[Paul Laycock1]

Well done, why is it such a big deal for some of you guys to get a few stamps in your passport. Been doing it for years, yes it's a pain but you gotta do it.

Drugs and other illegal produce is a total no no unless your at complete moron.

[Enoon]

 

Glad you you had a nice couple of days in Laos.

 

Is this supposed to be of any help to someone who has not obtained a visa at Savannakhet before?

 

Are you saying that someone with a Tourist visa was given a 30 day visa exemption instead at the whim of the Thai official at the border?

 

Was the person who got 15 days from one of the countries that are only entitled to 15 day visa on arrival?

 

An Jonathan...........what's there to like?

 

PS Thanks for the tip about not smuggling rare animals.

 

 

[franck1972]

Next time pay your Lao Visa in USD
They request 1500 THB or 30 USD, not quite the same. Saves you 4-500 THB by paying in USD, depending on your nationality.

[patrick1968]

21 hours ago, PhuketAmerican said:

stamped me in til Feb. 5th

so on the 5th where do you do your 90 days,, a border run . our can do in country,,,,  thanks ,,

[BritTim]

14 minutes ago, patrick1968 said:

so on the 5th where do you do your 90 days,, a border run . our can do in country,,,,  thanks ,,

Border run for another 90-day entry; or (once only per entry) 60-day extension to visit his Thai wife.

[Paul Laycock1]

As far as I know unless someone tells me otherwise your next 90 day run will have to be Savannakhet again.

[ubonjoe]

13 minutes ago, Paul Laycock1 said:

As far as I know unless someone tells me otherwise your next 90 day run will have to be Savannakhet again.

Not if you have a multiple entry non-o visa. The entries can be done at any border crossing or by air.

[Paul Laycock1]

Thanks, doesn't really affect me as I live so close to Mukdahan.

[riclag]

15 hours ago, franck1972 said:

Next time pay your Lao Visa in USD
They request 1500 THB or 30 USD, not quite the same. Saves you 4-500 THB by paying in USD, depending on your nationality.

I don't understand ? 

[ubonjoe]

2 minutes ago, riclag said:

I don't understand ? 

Which part of the post.

Perhaps looking here will help. http://www.laos-guide-999.com/laos-visa-on-arrival.html

[sanemax]

1 hour ago, riclag said:

I don't understand ? 

Laos Visa is US$35 or 1500 Baht , you can pay in either currency

US $ 35 is 1150 Baht

Buy US$ 35 for 1150 Baht and pay with those $ and save yourself 350 Baht

 

[Briggsy]

2 minutes ago, sanemax said:

Laos Visa is US$35 or 1500 Baht , you can pay in either currency

US $ 35 is 1150 Baht

Buy US$ 35 for 1150 Baht and pay with those $ and save yourself 350 Baht

 

Indeed.

 

I would add some Laos border crossings have insisted upon $36 for quite some time now.

[sanemax]

2 minutes ago, Briggsy said:

Indeed.

 

I would add some Laos border crossings have insisted upon $36 for quite some time now.

Is that solely for the Visa , because they do charge an overtime fee , photo fee , border crossing fee.

 

[Briggsy]

4 minutes ago, sanemax said:

Is that solely for the Visa , because they do charge an overtime fee , photo fee , border crossing fee.

 

Not overtime fee. This is paid at a separate desk and at specific times.

Not a photo fee. I always bring my own photos.

Not a border crossing fee. This is paid at a separate desk and always receipted.

 

The extra dollar is paid at the visa on arrival counter. I heard it described on another forum as a provincial culture tax! If so, I have no confirmation. When I have paid it, it has been simply demanded (rudely) and that was that.

[JaiLai]

Nice report from OP, what day of the week did you go, was it busy?

 

Thanks.

[franck1972]

49 minutes ago, JaiLai said:

Nice report from OP, what day of the week did you go, was it busy?

 

Thanks.

Was there on a thursday last month, was quiet, wednesday even better.
Avoid applying monday for sure.

[EcigAmateur]

hello, do you know what is the time limit to get a Lao visa at Savanhaket border ?

They close the office at 6pm or 8pm ?

 

Thank you.

[ubonjoe]

2 minutes ago, EcigAmateur said:

hello, do you know what is the time limit to get a Lao visa at Savanhaket border ?

They close the office at 6pm or 8pm ?

 

The official closing time for the Lao visa on arrival office is 6pm but they are sometimes open later if they are busy.

If they are closed when you get to Thai immigration they will not let you depart the country.

[halloween]

On 11/11/2017 at 6:55 PM, JaiLai said:

Nice report from OP, what day of the week did you go, was it busy?

 

Thanks.

Always check your calendar for Thai public holidays. thought I was being clever going on a Tuesday until I found out it was another long weekend.

[Chicagoan]

For the bank statement, how much needs to be in the bank account (USD)? Do I need to show 3 months in statements or is the past month sufficient?

[ubonjoe]

7 minutes ago, Chicagoan said:

For the bank statement, how much needs to be in the bank account (USD)? Do I need to show 3 months in statements or is the past month sufficient?

You don't need financial proof to apply for a non-o visa based upon marriage at Savannakhet.

[Chicagoan]

I need a 60 day Tourist Visa.

[ubonjoe]

5 minutes ago, Chicagoan said:

I need a 60 day Tourist Visa.

You posted in a topic about non-o visas.

Money only has to be in the bank on the date you apply for a visa.

[BuckBee]

Best not using flights for savanakhet as wastes lot of time and money in most scenarios as logistic times don't work good, buses arriving mukdahan early morning by 7:30am latest work best, get straight on border bus and go to bus station .

Don't be in big hurry or you stand in a queue for 2hrs, turn up 1hr after opening and it vip service lol .

Going back mukdahan the bus from bus station works perfect, only reason go tuktuk is if in real rush catch earliest transport option.

pay anymore than 50baht on tuktuk fares and you being stung, 100baht tops if in a rush or just want save some sort of hassle but 200 and up fees are total scams .

It costs me 50baht to savanakhet and 50baht back mukdahan, generally bus as fast as tuktuk as all those that rush normally not pre filled arrival card and got wait for bus anyway .

You will also find if arrive later for thai re-entry you may get slightly less hassle when you the only westerner around as not in the pack with all the regular border drifters that irk the IO's into a bad mood .