Just got back to my hotel in Savannakhet after returning from the Consulate.

Arrived at 8:30. Massive queue so I waited in the shade opposite the street and filled in my application form and got my Lao visa and passport copies. I asked the dude who is in charge of the photocopying machine how easy it is to get a non O and he said it depends how many I had had previously, which made me worry as I've had a few over the years. He mentioned bank statements, to which I replied I didn't bring one. He then went onto say that they won't ask for one in the Consulate but they will at Immigration when I do the 90 day reporting. I then told him I never do the 90 day reporting, I always do a border hop if I have a Multi Non-O. He THEN told me that immigration are cracking down on non O applicants and checking their financial statuses. Apparently a bunch of farangs had been arrested recently for failing to show they could support themselves. Supposedly Immigration officials went to their registered addresses.Then the guy said for an extra fee of 3000 baht his buddy in the Consulate would do something on the computer so I would never be hassled back in Thailand. Sounded a bit fishy of course. I didn't take him up on it but wondered if anyone had any feedback to what he said.

Anyway I then queued and successfully handed in my documents and applied for my non O multi entry. Provided a copy of marriage cert, tabian ban copy, missus's ID card copy, copy of Lao visa and photo page of passport. 5k fee, two photos and the original marriage cert which he gave back to me.

Back there tomorrow to pick up passport and visa at 2pm. 

Any feedback on the home visitations would be appreciated.

Thank you.

Consulates have no access to immigration computer systems. 

Ignore this dude.

 

Are you looking forward to your Monday night out in down town Savannakhet?

3 minutes ago, Pat in Pattaya said:

Ignore this dude.

 

Are you looking forward to your Monday night out in down town Savannakhet?

Sure am. Will put on my dancing shoes and have a ball.

2 hours ago, Scoobydoo1 said:

Sure am. Will put on my dancing shoes and have a ball.

Don't drink too much, or you might get two balls you weren't counting on ?

Plenty to do if make effort, got disco's and  open air live music with food etc . Just look at some of the suv's driving around, some money and life there if look for it .

8 hours ago, Scoobydoo1 said:

Sure am. Will put on my dancing shoes and have a ball.

Got your 60's flares as well??

Edited May 21, 20188 yr by overherebc

Proof of income/finances at 90 day reporting? Pretty sure that's only ever been asked for during the yearly extension process. Sounds like bull to me.

Why on earth would you pay heed to anything a hustler whose job is photocopy machine operator tells you? Jeez!

I got caught with a big queue on a Monday a few years ago.  Now I go mid week and there's minimum queuing. 

So ridiculous to even talk to these idiots scammers who know nothing and might not be able to write their own name...

 

 

The guy is full of BS in the photocopy shop. He was just looking to take you for a ride and fleece you of your money. I have been to Savannakhet four times now and ignore these guys in the copy shops as I have everything prepared before going. I have never has a problem and never get trouble from Immigration officers when leaving and re-entering at the land crossing into Myanmar. Glad that you stuck to your guns and did not give him any money, some people are more gullible if it is their first time.

On 5/21/2018 at 10:21 AM, Scoobydoo1 said:

I asked the dude who is in charge of the photocopying machine how easy it is to get a non O

He is a Laotion working in a photocopying shop and has probably never had to have a Thai Visa , why do you expect him to be an expert ?

  Hes probably just telling you , what other felangs have told him and theres the high probability of that info being inaccurate 

5 hours ago, eliotness said:

I got caught with a big queue on a Monday a few years ago.  Now I go mid week and there's minimum queuing. 

You can avoid a queue any day if you don't get there when the place opens. Get there an hour or more later and you'll not have to wait. It always amuses me how Thais get to, say, a hospital hours before the doctor is due there and then wait for ages, when they could just rock up three hours later and not have to wait.

Since when has a photocopy of the Laos visa been required?

50 minutes ago, SimonD said:

Since when has a photocopy of the Laos visa been required?

In my experience, the consulate usually wants a copy of the Laos entry stamp (not the visa). On one occasion, however, they did not ask for it. Most consulates seem to want the entry stamp copy. My best theory on why is so there is a permanent record on file that the passport's owner is really in Laos, and this was not someone getting a visa without traveling to Laos. Who knows?

2 hours ago, SimonD said:

Since when has a photocopy of the Laos visa been required?

I've never been asked for it, been there annually since 2009. The same with entry stamp.

Edited May 22, 20188 yr by drjden

1 hour ago, drjden said:

I've never been asked for it, been there annually since 2009. The same with entry stamp.

Yep, a friend went lask week and it was never asked for.

I was last there in Jan. 2017 and it wasn't asked for. Think I'll skip it and save a visit to the photocopy 'agent'...

 

Thanks for the replies.

1 hour ago, SimonD said:

I was last there in Jan. 2017 and it wasn't asked for. Think I'll skip it and save a visit to the photocopy 'agent'...

 

Thanks for the replies.

iI applied yesterday for Multi-Non O visa. No needed copy of Lao stamp. Business as usual. Only 20 people . All done in a couple of minutes. Pick up today 2 pm. 

Is that a requirement that you need a copy of your laos visa to get a thai visa? seems odd to me

8 minutes ago, sikishrory said:

Is that a requirement that you need a copy of your laos visa to get a thai visa? seems odd to me

Never a copy of the visa, but sometimes they seem to want a copy of the entry stamp (to confirm you entered the country using that passport).

Top tips: Always good practice to have a pic of your spouse and yourself in front of your house with the house number visible in the pic.

8 minutes ago, beechbum said:

Top tips: Always good practice to have a pic of your spouse and yourself in front of your house with the house number visible in the pic.

Why?

I have never heard of anybody being asked for it when applying for a non-o visa. It is certainly needed to apply for an extension of stay at immigration.

7 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Why?

I have never heard of anybody being asked for it when applying for a non-o visa. It is certainly needed to apply for an extension of stay at immigration.

I have, had them ask me at Savan 2 years ago, was just a tip and very easily done just in case.

Sorry for offtopic question!

 

Il go to savanakhet soon and i wonder what currency i can use over there for hotel etc?

1 minute ago, Woldenersen said:

 

Il go to savanakhet soon and i wonder what currency i can use over there for hotel etc?

Baht, US dollars or Kip.

41 minutes ago, Woldenersen said:

Sorry for offtopic question!

 

Il go to savanakhet soon and i wonder what currency i can use over there for hotel etc?

You need Thai baht to pay for the Thai visa. For the hotel and meals, you may be quoted a price in kip, US dollars or (less often) baht. You can almost always pay in any of these currencies (usually at a somewhat reasonable exchange rate). You will most likely get change in kip which I suggest you try to spend as you receive it.

51 minutes ago, Woldenersen said:

Sorry for offtopic question!

 

Il go to savanakhet soon and i wonder what currency i can use over there for hotel etc?

Change your money into Kip at a bank/kiosk .

You lose about 10-20 % when you pay in Baht

Banks gave 25 000 + Kip  for 100 Baht

Shops /hotels were giving 21 000 Kip

Just got my o non imm marriage. The queue before opening barely reached the road. Only ones having problems, were those on tourist visas. Those were asked to prove financial backup. As 18 months ago, I was asked to show my KR3.

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