info needed for future stay

[sacretagent]

HI,

 

I was thinking to drive with my car from Korat to Nong Khai border and try to do a visa run there....

i have been in the country for about 9 years on a workpermit and visa but that visa will end 25th of april when my workpermit ends (visa is normally valid till 10 march 2019) but it is tied to my workpermit so i guess i better make sure to do a visa run....

 

now here are the questions

 

Is there any service that does these things in Korat?

if i do this by myself... aka drive myself... any problems to expect?

can i do a visa run ?

object is to get a new visa after this visa run, based on my marriage to my Thai wife (also married more than 10 years with her)

but the reason i can't get the marriage visa now is that i don't have the 400.000 bath on a bank book for more then 2 months....

i have more then that amount on a long term fund (provident fund) but i am not sure if they will accept this as proof??

 

also what do i need to say at the border... they will see this visa that show valid till 10 march 2019?

 

if really necessary i can fly out .... but i like to keep the costs down.... and this would also mean drive to BKK.. fly out... come back and drive back which will be at least a 2 days journey....

 

i rather drive to Vientiane and stay a day there then doing the flight thing....  like to see the sights :)

 

So what is my best way as a nearly 51 year old Belgian citizen to have this fixed in an easy, least expensive way?

 

Greetings

Peter

 

Edited March 23, 2018 by sacretagent
added age

[ubonjoe]

You can get a single entry non-o visa based upon marriage to a Thai at the embassy in Vientiane or the consulate in Savannakhet. You would apply the morning of one day and pick up your passport the next afternoon. Then during the last 30 days of the 90 day entry from the non-o visa apply for a one year extension of stay (it is not a visa) based upon marriage at immigration.

You could drive to  the bridge in Nong Khai and cross over to Vientiane or in Mukdahan for Savannakhet. You will not be able to drive into Laos unless you have a passport for your car. There is secure parking near both bridges.

I think you have an extension of stay (it is not a visa) based upon working issued by immigration that expires next March. You should cancel it prior making the trip for the visa or they will send you to the immigration office near the bridge. You could cancel your extension by showing a termination letter from your employer a few days before be the date on it and immigration would post date the cancellation to that date.

 

[BritTim]

If you do not want to drive from Korat to Nong Khai, bear in mind that there are, of course bus services, and also a train that terminates a couple of km from the Friendship Bridge. (You can even get the train into Laos, but the station is remote from pretty much anything except rapacious taxi drivers.)

[Hupaponics]

I guess that after nine years in Thailand and with a car you know how to drive here. 

No problem to go up there, it's not that far. I drive cross Thailand on regular basis. 

 

I can recommend to stay in Hop Inn. That also applys to Mukdahan if you choose to go there. 

http://www.hopinnhotel.com/hotel/nong-khai/

600B and the best beds I found in Thailand. Clean and new. 

To be honest I have not slept in Nong Khai. However, I have never been disappointed at any of their hotels. Great value for money. 

 

In Vientiane there is a hotel just opposite the embassy. Not been there for years therefore can not say anything regarding price and standard. Not so good location if you want to "do the city" but close to embassy. 

With this option you'll only need to take taxi two times. 

 

If you are lucky you will not need to pay for visa to Laos. I'm not sure if all EU countries are free from this or just Scandinavia. I went on a short day trip last month and only had to fill in a small card like thailands TM6. Easy. 

Some new thing they are testing this year to attract visitors, apparently. 

 

Maybe @ubonjoe knows if visa on arrival is needed for You to Lao. Don't forget pics just in case. 

[Hupaponics]

Forgot to say that in Sawannaketh they apparently issue 1 year spouse visa multiple entry valid 90days with every entry. 

A swedish friend of mine got one late last year. 

No money proof, nothing. An option if you want longer time before making extension. 

[sacretagent]

HI all,

 

Thanks for all the info...

is there some service bureau at the border that i reputable...

only reason i ask is that my wife and i get pretty irritated when doing things like this....

we have every year a fight when we need to do our taxes .... this visa thing was always done by the companies lawyer office so i was always painless....

but if we going to have to run for other things while there then i know already it is going to end up in a fight....

 

so to avoid that i would prefer somebody help us ... at least the first time...

 

 

[sacretagent]

HI all,

 

one more question...

can i do this earlier then my last working day ?

let's say i would annulate my current work permit visa here at the local immigration office in korat...

they will put last working day on there.... (25/04/2018)

can i go to mudhakan consulate right after songkran (20/04 or something like that) to do this new visa thing?

or would that cause issues with my work permit as i would need to work till 25/04