Ho Chi Minh City Multiple Entry Non-O Visa (Marriage) - Report

[elcaro]

Good day,

 

I recently got married to a Thai and it was now time to get a proper visa to match.

I had the option of Savannakhet, Laos or Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Vietnam. I chose Vietnam due to better plane connection and from memory Laos was terrible.

 

Paperwork that I provided:

1. Original and signed copy of marriage certificate (the fancy one คร.3)
2. Original and signed copy of the other certificate (with the witnesses คร.2) 
3. Signed copy of my wife's name change certificate
4. Signed copy of my wife's Tabien Bahn (Thai style copy of this takes the first page of the book on the top half and then her page at the bottom half, trust your wife in this)
5. Signed copy of front and back of my wife's ID card
6. Wife hand written letter in Thai asking them to give me a Visa
7. Filled out but unsigned application form
8. 1 Photograph 4cm x 6cm

 

On suggestion of @overherebc I merged point 5 and 6.

 

Quote

Scan a copy of her ID 2 sides on A4 and get her to write the letter on that page in addition to the required ID copies.

 

Which they did seem to appreciate.

 

I let my wife sign and date every copy of every paper I took with me.

 

Day 1

I took the last flight into HCMC through BKK and arrived around 9pm.

On the way to BKK I was the only one at immigration in Chiang Rai and had a pleasant conversation with the officer stamping me out of the country and he even gave me his phone number and said to call if I ever have questions, so the trip started well. I had no luggage to pick up so went straight to immigration. 

 

I had been drinking since earlier in the day so my mind was not working 100%. I saw a line of immigration with white people and I joined the queue for the visa. 

It took a couple of minutes until I realised I only hear american speaking and suddenly remembered as a British citizen I don't need a visa, I get a waiver.

So walked from that line and to the real immigration. The officer asked what I was doing here and when I was leaving. Then asked to show my ticket out.

I only showed him a screenshot of my itinerary as I did not have internet, but this was enough. Got a 15 day stamp into Vietnam.

 

I wont bother you with the search for my hotel, but I was given the wrong address and was not sent the right address until I connected to the internet,

which was after I had been searching for quite a long time.

But the beer was nice and the air clean(ish) so I was not complaining.

 

Day 2

Next morning got up before 8 to change dollars. Bank redirected me to a market, from the market to a currency exchange.

Had to then go to the ATM down the road and take out millions of dong to exchange for the 200 dollars that was needed. 

Still was at the Thai Consulate before 9, when I realise I did not take the photograph needed from my wife's purse.

 

At the consulate they have a piece of paper on the window for dumb people like me with the following information:

 

Money Exchange:

135 Dong Khoi Street, District 1, HCMC

Place for taking Photo:

148 Ly Chinh Thang Street, District 3, HCMC

Booking Travel Ticket:

63 Tran Quoc Thao Street, District 3, HCMC

 

There are always hundreds of taxis driving by, except when I need one, so ended up walking like 10 minutes to 148 Ly Chinh Thang Street,

I spend another 15 minutes finding the right place. As google maps put me in a side street instead of the main street where it was quite easily spotted. 

 

I was back at the embassy before 10am. There was no line to get in. Inside maybe 8 people filling out forms, rushed to the table which has a glue stick on it. Stuck my photograph on the form and signed it and went to the desk.

 

I stated I was here for Multiple Entry Non-O based on marriage. And put the originals of the marriage certificate in front of me.

I then gave them the bundle of copies and paperwork which they scanned through in a minute or two. They said everything looked ok and asked for the 200 dollar payment. 

 

I then asked if I could pick it up earlier as my flight would leave at 15:50 the next day so I was afraid there would not be enough time.

They said it would not be possible and asked me to wait for my receipt of the 200 dollar. After a minute or so they gestured me over and said I could come earlier. I confirmed it and thanked them graciously.

after another minute or so the second desk gestured me over and gave me my receipt. He underline 13.30 as the pick up time. I thanked him and went over to the first desk. 

Showed them the receipt and asked again if it was ok for me to come morning instead. They said yes no problem, we wai and I am on my way.

 

Day 3

Party in HCMC is fun. The drinks are cheap and venues are nice. Let's just say getting up at 8am to pick up the documents was not the highlight of the trip.

Anyway went over to the in the early morning with my receipt only to hear that i have to come back at 13.30. I kept calm and just thanked them and walked away.

At 13:30 there were lot's of people at the Consulate but I was one of the first to go in and I was out and in a taxi within 5 minutes.

Before 14:00 I was checked in and ready to go through immigration.

 

I flew from HCMC to BKK then from BKK to Chiang Rai. This means I did not have to go in the regular queue for immigration but you go into a sort of Fast Track Queue with nobody in line.

Only one officer who looked at my passport and without questions stamped me in for 90 days.

 

Cost including flights, hotel, drinking, visa, less than 20k baht. about 6k for flight, 6k for visa, 8k for hotel drinking, transport.

 

I would not recommend doing it in 3 days because HCMC is fun. The only reason I did it was because of the pregnant wife. 

Next year we will go as a family for a week or something.

 

Things I would do different.

change the dollars in thailand

make sure I have the photographs with me

get a brand hotel

Take taxis everywhere, its super cheap

 

All in all great experience and no problems whatsoever. 

 

 

 

[BritManToo]

2. and 3. not required.

[BritManToo]

7 minutes ago, elcaro said:

So walked from that line and to the real immigration. The officer asked what I was doing here and when I was leaving. Then asked to show my ticket out.

They've never asked me to see a ticket out, only the check-in air crew want to see that.

(already been twice this year)

 

You should have stayed a week, it's a fun city.

I usually take Thai Baht, exchange rate is good, no need for Dollars

Put busapp on your smartphone, use the bus to get everywhere, very cheap.

Plenty of hotels and guesthouses (300bht/night and up) around September park (and the airport bus stops there $1 or 20kVND)

[elcaro]

1 minute ago, BritManToo said:

2. and 3. not required.

They may not be required but they were taken. While the other documents that I provided and were not needed, they gave back.

In my experience it's better take to many documents than to little.

 

1 minute ago, BritManToo said:

They've never asked me to see a ticket out, only the check-in air crew want to see that.

(already been twice this year)

They did ask me. My IO was a young man.

[elcaro]

3 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

They've never asked me to see a ticket out, only the check-in air crew want to see that.

(already been twice this year)

I do look young so maybe they only ask potential backpackers...

[Darkside Gray]

Did mine a month ago so easy a breeze.

[shadowmaster1971]

In point 6 about the wife letter - what is it exactly you need to have written & signed by the wife?

[BritManToo]

Just now, shadowmaster1971 said:

In point 6 about the wife letter - what is it exactly you need to have written & signed by the wife?

"Dear Sir, please give my husband a VISA so he can visit me for one year"

Written in Thai.

[shadowmaster1971]

20 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

"Dear Sir, please give my husband a VISA so he can visit me for one year"

Written in Thai.

Thanks Britman -   Is there a copy on the application form online anywhere for this.

 

 

Note for Aussie passport holders you will need a visa to visit Vietnam which can be partially done online!

[ubonjoe]

26 minutes ago, shadowmaster1971 said:

Thanks Britman -   Is there a copy on the application form online anywhere for this.

 

HCMC visa application form.pdf

[shadowmaster1971]

14 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

HCMC visa application form.pdf 282.55 kB · 15 downloads

Thanks Ubonjoe.

 

Looks like HCMC seems to be a good option to Savannakhet (which I've done many times) . A Lot less arduous  transport hassles compared to Savannakhet and more things to do in HCMC during your layover!

[UbonEagle]

Slightly off topic but for future reference, has anyone who's done a non O marriage multi entry from Australia know if it's mandatory for the invitation letter to be hand written ? Or can it be typed with a hand signed signature ? Cheers

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, UbonEagle said:

Slightly off topic but for future reference, has anyone who's done a non O marriage multi entry from Australia know if it's mandatory for the invitation letter to be hand written ? Or can it be typed with a hand signed signature ? Cheers

I don't think a handwritten letter is mandatory anywhere. It can be typed in Thai and signed by your wife.

[BoBoTheClown]

How long is the Visa good for? 

[ubonjoe]

1 minute ago, BoBoTheClown said:

How long is the Visa good for? 

A multiple entry non-o visa allows unlimited 90 day entries for a year from the date of issue.

[elcaro]

@ubonjoedid I see you mention in the past a way to get maximum out of the Visa. Was it go out when it nearly expires and it can be extended for 60 days at immigration?

[ubonjoe]

1 minute ago, elcaro said:

@ubonjoedid I see you mention in the past a way to get maximum out of the Visa. Was it go out when it nearly expires and it can be extended for 60 days at immigration?

Yes you can.

[ReinDeerMan]

I know this question is almost impossible to answer but I'll ask anyway. I'm now in HCMC and will be leaving tomorrow. Just wondering how likely they will check I'll have enough funds (20.000thb) at the airport (Don Mueng). I just got my visa multi non-o based on marriage. Passport is pretty empty and I'm from Scandinavia...

 

I just don't like to take out too much dongs with me...

 

[ubonjoe]

51 minutes ago, ReinDeerMan said:

Just wondering how likely they will check I'll have enough funds (20.000thb) at the airport (Don Mueng).

Not very likely at all. I do not recall any recent reports of them asking for it when a person had a non-o visa to use for entry.

[ReinDeerMan]

3 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Not very likely at all. I do not recall any recent reports of them asking for it when a person had a non-o visa to use for entry.

Thanks ubonjoe...