Visa run to Vientiane 2 times in a row possible?

[asdfrules]

I got a Thai tourist visa in Vientiane about 3 months ago.
Can I do it there again now?  Or should I go to a different city/country?

Does it make a difference if I fly or bus back to Thailand?

 

Canadian
38 years old
July 2017 - flew in for Visa Exempt entry
Sept 2017 - Visa run to Vientiane. Got SETV and flew back to Thailand.

 

Thanks!

[ubonjoe]

No problem to get another single entry tourist visa in Vientiane.

[asdfrules]

Thanks Ubon Joe!

 

[JackThompson]

3 hours ago, asdfrules said:

Does it make a difference if I fly or bus back to Thailand?

I would cross the bridge and enter by land with your new Tourist Visa, then bus to UT and take a plane from there to your final destination.  There are "fly ride" services from some airlines for this. 

 

As to getting the visa - you can do this until they put a "red stamp" on one of their visas, at which point you can enter on that visa, but have to get a new passport from your embassy to continue obtaining Tourist Visas in the region (consulate personnel will tell you this). 

 

They usually "red-stamp" on the 3rd or 4th visa from them, and are known to count visas from previous years which they find in your passport, even if you are gone from Thailand for months in between.  Visas in old passports are not counted - just what is visible in the one you submit.

 

Savanakhet is not known to red-stamp, but you must have proof of funds (bank-statement), plus flight, plus proof of where you will stay, to apply there.

[Bill Miller]

20 hours ago, JackThompson said:

I would cross the bridge and enter by land with your new Tourist Visa, then bus to UT and take a plane from there to your final destination.  There are "fly ride" services from some airlines for this. 

 

As to getting the visa - you can do this until they put a "red stamp" on one of their visas, at which point you can enter on that visa, but have to get a new passport from your embassy to continue obtaining Tourist Visas in the region (consulate personnel will tell you this). 

 

They usually "red-stamp" on the 3rd or 4th visa from them, and are known to count visas from previous years which they find in your passport, even if you are gone from Thailand for months in between.  Visas in old passports are not counted - just what is visible in the one you submit.

 

Savanakhet is not known to red-stamp, but you must have proof of funds (bank-statement), plus flight, plus proof of where you will stay, to apply there.

Really? I had my income stuff, including the Embassy letter and copies of verification from bank, Social Security, etc. 
The guy at the window asked me "What this?"
Nothing about flights of proof of residence.
Maybe an existing "Retirement Visa" in my passport was enough.

 

[JackThompson]

20 hours ago, Bill Miller said:

Really? I had my income stuff, including the Embassy letter and copies of verification from bank, Social Security, etc. 
The guy at the window asked me "What this?"
Nothing about flights of proof of residence.
Maybe an existing "Retirement Visa" in my passport was enough.

 

This was for a Tourist Visa?  They don't want "income docs" - just "money in the bank" proof (copy of bank-statement).  Maybe they don't ask for the whole-shebang if you have a retirement visa in your passport - but would be a new scenario I haven't seen reported here when applying for a Tourist Visa.

 

When I obtained a Tourist Visa there, after they started asking for many docs (new rules, a year or so ago), they turned away anyone without the paperwork.  Many were surprised, and others were back on their 2nd attempt, after obtaining the required docs.  I was successful with a bank-statement (20K Baht min - I used my Bangkok Bank account book copy of first and most-recent page), a flight (or bus) ticket out of Thailand within 90-days of entry-date, and a hotel-booking or rental-contract (I used my 1-year condo-rental contract).

[Bill Miller]

2 hours ago, JackThompson said:

This was for a Tourist Visa?  They don't want "income docs" - just "money in the bank" proof (copy of bank-statement).  Maybe they don't ask for the whole-shebang if you have a retirement visa in your passport - but would be a new scenario I haven't seen reported here when applying for a Tourist Visa.

 

When I obtained a Tourist Visa there, after they started asking for many docs (new rules, a year or so ago), they turned away anyone without the paperwork.  Many were surprised, and others were back on their 2nd attempt, after obtaining the required docs.  I was successful with a bank-statement (20K Baht min - I used my Bangkok Bank account book copy of first and most-recent page), a flight (or bus) ticket out of Thailand within 90-days of entry-date, and a hotel-booking or rental-contract (I used my 1-year condo-rental contract).

No, Jack. Right you are.
I got a multi entry non immigrant "O" visa.
I do insist on confusing the various types. 

[BritTim]

18 minutes ago, Bill Miller said:

No, Jack. Right you are.
I got a multi entry non immigrant "O" visa.
I do insist on confusing the various types. 

Just further clarification if you do not mind. Did you actually go to the Royal Thai Consulate in Savannakhet at all? Or, were you simply doing a border hop to get a new 90-day entry on your existing multiple entry Non O visa?

[Bill Miller]

8 minutes ago, BritTim said:

Just further clarification if you do not mind. Did you actually go to the Royal Thai Consulate in Savannakhet at all? Or, were you simply doing a border hop to get a new 90-day entry on your existing multiple entry Non O visa?

I went to the consulate in Laos to get my visa after an attempt at Bt. 16,000 extortion on the part of an IO when I went to renew my one year retirement visa.

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, Bill Miller said:

I went to the consulate in Laos to get my visa after an attempt at Bt. 16,000 extortion on the part of an IO when I went to renew my one year retirement visa.

Thanks. So, again to clarify, the consulate in Savannakhet granted you a multiple entry Non O visa on the basis of being over 50, right?

[Bill Miller]

5 hours ago, BritTim said:

Thanks. So, again to clarify, the consulate in Savannakhet granted you a multiple entry Non O visa on the basis of being over 50, right?

Yes, that is correct.

Don't know why I did not tumble to the OP vistor's visa specification. Retirement status thing, perhaps. 

[BritTim]

4 hours ago, Bill Miller said:

9 hours ago, BritTim said:

Thanks. So, again to clarify, the consulate in Savannakhet granted you a multiple entry Non O visa on the basis of being over 50, right?

Yes, that is correct.

This is interesting news. I have heard of people getting a single entry Non O (over 50) in Savannakhet, intending to do retirement extensions in Thailand. It is the first time I heard a multiple entry was possible. For those who travel a fair bit anyway, and who want to use overseas bank account balances for financial proof, this could be a good option.