Tourist visa Savannakhet

[starship]

Hi,

 

Want to arrange my next visa trip. Planning on going to Savannakhet. Have been there many times in the past but not since the change in requirements. I understand that they are 20k in bank (does this have to be a Thai bank?) and flight out of Thailand. I have no tourist visa's from Savannakhet in my PP, but my last tourist visa was from Vientiane (my 3rd, not back to back) so I can't go there again as I understand it.

 

I always liked going to Savannakhet before the requirement changes, so was considering going back there again after this one, although flying there direct is a little expensive. I used to go by bus but I'm reluctant to do this now as I've had a few hair-raising trips on this route and heard of plenty of accidents. Alternatively, I could go to KL or Penang but I am a little concerned reading about recent reports of refusals at the airport as I have a long history of travelling to Thailand, although I have been back to my home country for long periods in between. Currently, about 7 months in LOS, visa from London, visa run Myanmar, visa Vientiane. 

 

What do you guys recommend?

 

Thanks

[marke985]

I was denied a tourist visa today at Savannakhet as was the guy from Singapore before me.  The individual from Singapore did admit to me he did not have a bank statement and has used Savannakhet several times.

 

I had all documents, flight out of Thailand and bank statement showing $2200 USD.  A younger lady told me too many tourist visas.  I currently have 3 tourist visas from Savannakhet issued starting back in early 2016.  

 

she also called over another employee and 'justified' her decision not to accept my documents with another worker who did not seem as interested as she.

 

the fact that my plane ticket out of country was to Phnom Penh was also discussed with her colleague, I believe since I have 4 visas from Phnom Penh in my current passport.

 

In my opinion, I felt the girl was probably new to her job and playing detective too much especially by the reaction by her older work colleague.  But I will admit, if they're trying to crack down on low income individual workers working illegally my passport absolutely mirrors that of someone working illegally.

 

At the end I showed her another statement on my phone showing my brokerage account with about 300,000 USD and asked her if I printed it out if that would change her mind, her expression at first seemed like it would, but she stuck to her guns and would not reverse her decision.

 

I'm back in Thailand now on a 30 day exempt stamp, which I will try to extend at immigration later this month, them fly to Phnom Penh in January since I already bought the tickets and hopefully get my 5th visa from Phnom Penh, if successful I will try Savannakhet again with the large bank statement and post back here if I don't forget.

 

i was a little surprised as I spent May - October 12 back in the USA and this was my first visa attempt since returning to SE Asia, but that point did not get me anywhere if the Consul workers.

Edited November 7, 2018 by marke985

[Pa John]

Dont go to Penang.

[ubonjoe]

2 hours ago, starship said:

 

I always liked going to Savannakhet before the requirement changes, so was considering going back there again after this one, although flying there direct is a little expensive. I used to go by bus but I'm reluctant to do this now as I've had a few hair-raising trips on this route and heard of plenty of accidents.

You can use a fly ride service to Mukdahan from Bangkok. Nok Air offers the service via 3 airports in region.

See: https://content.nokair.com/en/Booking/Where-we-fly/Flight-Service/Fly-n-Ride/Mukdahan

Air Asia also a has fly ride service but only offers it via one airport.

[starship]

46 minutes ago, marke985 said:

I was denied a tourist visa today at Savannakhet as was the guy from Singapore before me.  The individual from Singapore did admit to me he did not have a bank statement and has used Savannakhet several times.

 

I had all documents, flight out of Thailand and bank statement showing $2200 USD.  A younger lady told me too many tourist visas.  I currently have 3 tourist visas from Savannakhet issued starting back in early 2016.  

 

she also called over another employee and 'justified' her decision not to accept my documents with another worker who did not seem as interested as she.

 

the fact that my plane ticket out of country was to Phnom Penh was also discussed with her colleague, I believe since I have 4 visas from Phnom Penh in my current passport.

 

In my opinion, I felt the girl was probably new to her job and playing detective too much especially by the reaction by her older work colleague.  But I will admit, if they're trying to crack down on low income individual workers working illegally my passport absolutely mirrors that of someone working illegally.

 

At the end I showed her another statement on my phone showing my brokerage account with about 300,000 USD and asked her if I printed it out if that would change her mind, her expression at first seemed like it would, but she stuck to her guns and would not reverse her decision.

 

I'm back in Thailand now on a 30 day exempt stamp, which I will try to extend at immigration later this month, them fly to Phnom Penh in January since I already bought the tickets and hopefully get my 5th visa from Phnom Penh, if successful I will try Savannakhet again with the large bank statement and post back here if I don't forget.

 

i was a little surprised as I spent May - October 12 back in the USA and this was my first visa attempt since returning to SE Asia, but that point did not get me anywhere if the Consul workers.

Sorry to hear you were refused. Seems like you have a lot of tourist visa's - I do to, but have returned back to my country for long/extended periods in between - perhaps that might be the difference. I'm also approaching 50, not sure how old you are. I'm sure age makes a difference to their assumptions, especially if you're younger.

 

Interesting that you've managed to secure 4 visa's from Phnom Phen. Never been there - maybe I should try. Just figured on Savannakhet because it was always a breeze obtaining one from there before.

 

25 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You can use a fly ride service to Mukdahan from Bangkok. Nok Air offers the service via 3 airports in region.

See: https://content.nokair.com/en/Booking/Where-we-fly/Flight-Service/Fly-n-Ride/Mukdahan

Air Asia also a has fly ride service but only offers it via one airport.

I was aware of that service and was planning to use it if I definitely go to Savannakhet. Thanks

[JackThompson]

Phnom Penh is not a particularly good place to get Tourist Visas now.  It was different in the past.  The last report on this site indicates more than 2 Tourist Visas in your passport makes it very difficult - could get a "Void" stamp on the visa from them - so best to go there with a new passport, then move on to the easier consulates.

 

When Savannakhet says no, it's pretty much time for a new passport - but if one does not have a red-stamp on a Tourist Visa yet ("This person travels to Thailand frequently...."), Vientiane is a good bet for at least one more, first.

[JackThompson]

6 hours ago, marke985 said:

At the end I showed her another statement on my phone showing my brokerage account with about 300,000 USD and asked her if I printed it out if that would change her mind, her expression at first seemed like it would, but she stuck to her guns and would not reverse her decision.

 

6 hours ago, marke985 said:

if they're trying to crack down on low income individual workers working illegally my passport absolutely mirrors that of someone working illegally.

Very unlikely to have 300K USD if working an under-the-table job in Thailand to make ends meet. 

[dennis123]

I have 4 tourist visas from Vientiane in a row so I guess I won't have much luck in Savannakhet either? Maybe I should go for the visa exempt again (only have one) and after that an ED visa. I already have this frequent visit stamp and don't want a VOID with prejudice from Phnom Penh added to that.

Edited November 7, 2018 by dennis123

[SteveK]

If you've had that many tourist visas - you aren't a tourist. Expect to be refused.

 

Look at getting a real visa.

[dennis123]

17 minutes ago, pr9spk said:

If you've had that many tourist visas - you aren't a tourist. Expect to be refused.

 

Look at getting a real visa.

There is no real visa for freelancers.

ED visas are not unlimited and the elite visa costs too much, absurd to pay approx 250 euro/month purely to be able to live in a country where most people earn no more than that.

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, dennis123 said:

ED visas are not unlimited and the elite visa costs too much, absurd to pay approx 250 euro/month purely to be able to live in a country where most people earn no more than that.

If you get the 20-year option (which admittedly implies you are pretty sure you want to stay) at current exchange rates it works out at 111 euros/month. Even if 250 euros/month, some would consider that worth avoiding all the hassle if Thailand is where you want to spend your time. It is all a matter of alternatives and priorities.

[kanook]

14 hours ago, marke985 said:

I was denied a tourist visa today at Savannakhet as was the guy from Singapore before me.  The individual from Singapore did admit to me he did not have a bank statement and has used Savannakhet several times.

 

I had all documents, flight out of Thailand and bank statement showing $2200 USD.  A younger lady told me too many tourist visas.  I currently have 3 tourist visas from Savannakhet issued starting back in early 2016.  

 

At the end I showed her another statement on my phone showing my brokerage account with about 300,000 USD and asked her if I printed it out if that would change her mind, her expression at first seemed like it would, but she stuck to her guns and would not reverse her decision.

 

i was a little surprised as I spent May - October 12 back in the USA and this was my first visa attempt since returning to SE Asia, but that point did not get me anywhere if the Consul workers.

Surprising, especially since you were in the U.S for 5 months before returning.

[sanook 1]

7 hours ago, dennis123 said:

I have 4 tourist visas from Vientiane in a row so I guess I won't have much luck in Savannakhet either? Maybe I should go for the visa exempt again (only have one) and after that an ED visa. I already have this frequent visit stamp and don't want a VOID with prejudice from Phnom Penh added to that.

Did you get the "frequent visit stamp" from vientiane after the 4 th tourist visa there? 

[freedomnow]

15 hours ago, marke985 said:

i was a little surprised as I spent May - October 12 back in the USA and this was my first visa attempt since returning to SE Asia, but that point did not get me anywhere if the Consul workers.

Your best bet was an METV visa at least from USA, with that amount of capital you could have shown supporting your application....wasted opportunity/trip IMHO would have got you nearly 9 months hassle-free with simpler out/in runs to keep your visa extensions going.....though with the coming new system tech upgrades at land borders, people with a long history of tourist visas may have as much hassle as BKK airports from some time next year.

Edited November 8, 2018 by freedomnow

[dennis123]

1 hour ago, sanook 1 said:

Did you get the "frequent visit stamp" from vientiane after the 4 th tourist visa there? 

Yeah, didn't even notice it at first, then when I saw it worked 4 times in a row I thought maybe the rules change, so I tried it a 5th time, then one of those ladies at the table in Vientiane, that check the papers, told me, no you can not have too many already, which I semi-expected, and then she pointed at that stamp, two small lines of text below the latest Thai visa.

[starship]

13 hours ago, JackThompson said:

Phnom Penh is not a particularly good place to get Tourist Visas now.  It was different in the past.  The last report on this site indicates more than 2 Tourist Visas in your passport makes it very difficult - could get a "Void" stamp on the visa from them - so best to go there with a new passport, then move on to the easier consulates.

 

When Savannakhet says no, it's pretty much time for a new passport - but if one does not have a red-stamp on a Tourist Visa yet ("This person travels to Thailand frequently...."), Vientiane is a good bet for at least one more, first.

Are you saying that I am more likely to be issued a tourist visa again at Vientiane (even though I have 3 in my passport already, not back to back and with returns to my home country in between) than be issued one from Savannakhet? I do not have any tourist visas from Savannakhet in my passport and can show the 20k and flight out. Are Savannakhet now stricter on your visa history than they were before, even with no visas from them previously?

 

I would prefer Vientiane again if there is a higher probability of issuance. I imagined though going a 4th time would likely lead to a refusal?

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, starship said:

Are you saying that I am more likely to be issued a tourist visa again at Vientiane (even though I have 3 in my passport already, not back to back and with returns to my home country in between) than be issued one from Savannakhet? I do not have any tourist visas from Savannakhet in my passport and can show the 20k and flight out. Are Savannakhet now stricter on your visa history than they were before, even with no visas from them previously?

 

I would prefer Vientiane again if there is a higher probability of issuance. I imagined though going a 4th time would likely lead to a refusal?

I would expect an application in Savannakhet to succeed. However, the climate there does seem to have changed, so no guarantees. In Vientiane, I expect you would get your visa, but with the dreaded "this person travels frequently to Thailand on tourist visas ..." stamp, which makes further visas very difficult until you get a new passport. I recommend Savannakhet or Yangon.

[dennis123]

8 minutes ago, BritTim said:

I would expect an application in Savannakhet to succeed. However, the climate there does seem to have changed, so no guarantees. In Vientiane, I expect you would get your visa, but with the dreaded "this person travels frequently to Thailand on tourist visas ..." stamp, which makes further visas very difficult until you get a new passport. I recommend Savannakhet or Yangon.

Knowing what a pain in the arse IO's at the airport can be Yangon would also be risky, even if having the 20k baht right? Because I do have this stamp.

 

Would it be wise in my case to travel to the Myanmar border by car instead, and from there take a taxi or bus to Yangon, and back?

 

Edit: Just see it's 8 hour by bus ????

Edited November 8, 2018 by dennis123

[BritTim]

9 hours ago, dennis123 said:

Knowing what a pain in the arse IO's at the airport can be Yangon would also be risky, even if having the 20k baht right? Because I do have this stamp.

  

 Would it be wise in my case to travel to the Myanmar border by car instead, and from there take a taxi or bus to Yangon, and back?

If you want to use Yangon, but avoid entering Thailand by air, I would suggest:

• fly to Yangon as there is no issue with immigration when leaving Thailand;
• return by bus (overnight) entering Thailand at Maesot and then by air (frequent flights to Don Muang) from Maesot airport which is near the border.

However, if you already have the "travels frequently on tourist visas" stamp, I am unsure if Yangon is still recommended. They do not seem to use that stamp themselves, but I do not know how they react to the stamp from elsewhere.

[asdfrules]

On 11/8/2018 at 3:13 PM, BritTim said:

I would expect an application in Savannakhet to succeed. However, the climate there does seem to have changed, so no guarantees.

Can you expand on this, BritTim or anyone?  How was the visa climate changed in Savannakhet recently?  And implications are there for multi visa runners?

[ubonjoe]

9 hours ago, asdfrules said:

Can you expand on this, BritTim or anyone?  How was the visa climate changed in Savannakhet recently?  And implications are there for multi visa runners?

I assume due to post #2 in this topic.

On 11/7/2018 at 5:47 PM, marke985 said:

I was denied a tourist visa today at Savannakhet as was the guy from Singapore before me.  The individual from Singapore did admit to me he did not have a bank statement and has used Savannakhet several times.

Go back and read the rest of the post.

[starship]

Hey guys,

 

following on from my original post, I'm still planning on going to Savannakhet. However, with the recent news about a temporary change to Tourist visas seeming to allow a single to be extended to a double, I was interested if anyone has got a Tourist visa from Savannakhet recently and the latest requirements/experience. I was going to get a flight out, but is this still asked for? Reason being, is that if it will be possible to extend the single to a double visa, then the flight out date will need to be changed later which costs as much as the ticket, so effectively money in the bin.

 

Secondly, is it possible to make the last flight back from Nakhon Phanom at 8p.m when you collect your visa the same day. Collection is from 2p.m that day so it seems pretty tight to me. Has anyone made this flight before?

 

Thanks

[JackThompson]

No further news on changing TR singles to doubles.  It may never happen, given we are already into December.

 

It seems they decided that maximizing zero-baht tourists with "Free VOA" was good enough, and best not to encourage extended-stays of those pesky other foreigners, who have more money to spend.

[sanook 1]

 

Secondly, is it possible to make the last flight back from Nakhon Phanom at 8p.m when you collect your visa the same day. Collection is from 2p.m that day so it seems pretty tight to me. Has anyone made this flight before?

  

 

Im intrested in this also if anyone can advice? Thanks

Edited December 3, 2018 by sanook 1

[mobako]

Is it ok to have bank statement from kasikorn bank or that could  be additional red flag for them?

[starship]

13 minutes ago, mobako said:

Is it ok to have bank statement from kasikorn bank or that could  be additional red flag for them?

I took a photocopy of my Thai bank book with me showing balance, which is what I had heard they ask for. The guy at the counter asked to see my real bank book though, which I had with me. Once i showed him it he was was o.k and said come back tomorrow to collect. I would suggest to take both with you just in case, as I did.

[starship]

On 12/3/2018 at 1:24 PM, sanook 1 said:

Im intrested in this also if anyone can advice? Thanks

Hey, sorry for belated reply, I hadn't kept up with this thread. 

 

You can make the last Air Asia flight from Nakhon Phanom to Bangkok with time to spare. Once you've collected your passport you can either get a Tuk Tuk to the border or Tuk-Tuk/walk to the bus station as I did and get the International bus back to Mukdahan bus station (around 50B from memory).

 

Once at bus station you can get a minivan to Nakhon Phanom. People told me it was about an hour journey but it's nearer two. The minivan is 80B for the journey. I asked about going to the airport and they wanted 400B which I refused as I thought maybe there would be some form of public transport at Nakhon Phanom to the airport - there is not.

However, once I arrived at Nakhom Phanom bus station I asked at one of the counters about getting to the airport and they called over a local guy who was waiting around. He took me by pick up truck to the airport and was very friendly. I think he asked for and i paid him 250B as people I asked in Mukdahan said it would be around 300B for a taxi to go there. It's quite a way outside the city around 20km or more I'd say. Got there in plenty of time, about an hour and a half before flight. The airport is very basic - there's not even a proper restaurant, just a couple of basic coffee counters who sell microwave food and snacks.

[BritTim]

If planning to fly back after getting a visa in Savannakhet, it is easiest to use the fly-ride service of Nok Air or Air Asia. This combines the transport from Mukdahan to an airport like Nakhon Phanom with the actual flight.