Report: Multi-Entry Non-Immigrant O Visa (Thai spouse) from HCMC

[poka513]

USA citizen (age 72), married to a Thai (age 52), living in Chiang Mai 5+ years on Retirement Extensions. Wife and I just spent 3 nights in Ho Chi Minh City (Aug 20-23, VietJet Air) so I could get a new Multi-Entry Non-Immigrant O Visa (Thai spouse). As a USA citizen, I needed to apply for an invitation letter prior to leaving Chiang Mai so I could get a Visa to enter Vietnam on arrival (VietJet checked my letter as part of check-in). Mine took half a day to get it back via the Internet, but could take 2+ working days depending. As a Thai, my wife just showed her passport to enter Vietnam (no visa or other paperwork needed), but VietJet did require a return air ticket for her which we had, duh.

 

Vietnam Visa on Arrival

http://www.vietnamvisapro.com/

 

Day 1 (Tuesday, Aug 20)

 

When you enter the HCMC airport passport control area, take an immediate left for the area to obtain the Vietnam visa before walking over to all the passport desks. Give them your passport, a completed visa form (save time by downloading form online prior), 2 passport photos, your invitation letter then wait. When your name is called, pay the visa stamp fee ($25 usd or same amount in VND) and proceed to the passport desks.

We were staying at the Bloom Saigon Hotel (excellent included breakfast) in District 1, so walked outside airport, turned right and found the bus number 109 ticket desk at column number 12 (20k VND per person). We got off the bus at Ben Thanh Market and walked 4 blocks to our hotel.

 

Day 2

 

Took a taxi to the Thai Consulate. Driver did not speak English and did not know where the Consulate was located, but our hotel looked up address on Internet and wrote down in Vietnamese for driver (I kept note for next day), taxi fare was 35k VND. The building compound is nondescript on corner of an intersection, but look for the large Thai flag flying overhead. They only take applicants in the morning, so arrive prior to 11:30am I believe.

 

Non-Immigrant O Visa (Thai spouse) - Required documents:

Passport (valid not less than 6 months)
Visa application form (download form online prior to save time)
$200 usd multi-entry visa fee
One recent passport photo of applicant
Guarantee letter hand written in Thai (and signed) by Thai spouse
Copy of marriage certificate (bring original also to show them, they return)
Copy of Thai spouse's ID card (front + back, signed by Thai spouse)
Copy of house registration book (signed by Thai spouse)
http://www.thaiembassy.org/hochiminh/en/services/2886/46902-Non-Immigrant-Visa-"O"---Accompanying-Th.html

 

It was not listed as required, but I included a copy of my passport photo page with above. Also the copy of our marriage certificate above included both front and back sides.

 

Guarantee letter written in Thai was something like:

Thai Consul in Ho Chi Minh City,

Please grant my husband (name)

a visa to visit me in Thailand.

(signed wife's name)

 

There was only a couple of other people in line, took about 10-15 minutes, easy.

 

We walked a few blocks up to where the city buses were running when I was looking online prior to our trip. I expected to find a bus stop sign or bench, but never did. However, as we walked along, I noticed the city buses all had a display sign on front above windshield saying destination and it's route number. Bus 04 and I think 152 went to Ben Thanh Market. Anyway, as we were walking along shopping and sightseeing, I pointed out a 3 wheeled cyclo bicycle to my wife and before we knew it, he was on us like stink on poo. First price quoted was 150k VND, then 80k, when I pointed out we had just paid 35k for a taxi, we settled on 40k. That ride in traffic was an experience not to be missed, ended up giving him 70k.

 

Day 3

 

Took a taxi from hotel to Thai Consulate to pickup my passport with new visa stamp, fare was 38k VND. They are open I think 1:30-3pm for this, no one in line, only took a few minutes. I did not think to have taxi wait, so we again walked a few blocks to try for a city bus again. Turns out that the bus stop is a cutout area in the sidewalk with white triangle lines painted on the pavement. When you see your bus number approaching, raise your hand for them to pull over and stop. We got bus number 04 to Ben Thanh Market, fare was 6k VND per person, pay the attendant on-board, seems to run every 10 minutes or so.

 

Day 4

 

Took hotel's car to airport, 200k VND. Suggest arriving at least 2 hours early to get thru check-in and security as there was a ton of people.

 

Arrived back in Chiang Mai, only a few other foreigners in line, did the finger print scan while the Immigration guy processed my passport, stamped 90 days, took photo, done. Asked no questions, easy. I was wearing shorts, gray T-shirt and fake crocs shoes.

 

Next stop was Immigration Office near airport to do TM-30. Only 2 guys in line, handed girl on third floor my passport and said I just returned to same Chiang Mai address from a trip to Vietnam, took a couple of minutes, done.

 

I now have a one year multi-entry visa based on marriage and except for TM-30s, do not have to deal with local Immigration, but do need to do a border run every 90 days. The family is already thinking about where we will go for future holidays every 3 months.

 

As with all trips, some things worked, some did not. There was a lot of walking involved, but especially taxing were stairs, my legs and feet still hurt. Not sure how this will go if I am still needing to do trips like this in my 80s, but today, wife and I are wearing our new matching Good Morning Vietnam T-shirts.

 

Edited August 24, 2019 by poka513

[AgMech Cowboy]

20 hours ago, poka513 said:

Good Morning Vietnam T-shirts.

Adrian (who? *) and I are proud of you and Thank You much for the report.

 

* Adrian Cronauer (aka: Robin Williams)

[overherebc]

Ask the hotel to get you Grab taxi.

We always stay in district two on the riverside. Used a few places and normal taxi to the embassy, district 1, is around 180,000 - 200,000, each way.

Grab was 150,000 round trip.

Ok it's not a bank breaker in the first place but if you smoke and like a beer on your room balcony with cigs

( Marlboro Gold ) at 25,000 a pack, 240,000 a carton and Tiger/Heineken at roughly the same price it feels like freebies ????????

This time was the first I have seen ( at pick-up ) in the consulate a small pile 4 or 5 passports to one side and one person being told their application had been rejected, not sure what visa or nationality being denied but the person was told 'if you take your passport you will have to re-submit and it will take another two days or you can leave your passport, return tomorrow and talk with someone about it'.

[sandyf]

"I needed to apply for an invitation letter prior to leaving Chiang Mai so I could get a Visa to enter Vietnam on arrival"

 

Not strictly true, you can get an E-visa from the immigration website.

[shadowmaster1971]

Just picked up my Non-O (1 year multiple entry) this afternoon, fairly easy process as already outlined by OP poka513 but have a few points to add in.

 

* I stayed in district 1 on Ly Tu Trong street, situated between the old Presidential Palace of Sth Vietnam and Ben Thanh Market.

 

* From the main gate of the old Presidential Palace SVN in a North Westerly direction you find about 1km away the Thai Consulate, about 100m  before on the same road is the Japanese  Embassy. The area seems to be main diplomatic area and high end housing.  From where i was staying I walked to the Thai consulate, weather was fine, the streets are classic french bouluvard wide foot paths very green took about 20mins.

 

* When applying for Non-O my wife did the letter on basis of seeing/staying with her and the kids.  If you are going to indicate thai children ensure you take the kid's birth certificates & copies incase they want to see it.  In this case they did also ask to see the kids birth certificates and took the copies I had as well.  For further verification on the children the ask if I had their passports which i did, the embassy staff looked at the passports to  cross verify details with the children's  birth certificates.  Luckily I have been in the habit of taking all the kids docs with me when applying for Non-O - previously I had been going to Savannakhet.

 

*  I did also have the original & copy of the wife change name documents when we got married, just incase they did ask for it.

 

* I drop off my application on Thursday morning at around 9am no que walked straight , in the 10mins i was there about 6 people making applications of sorts.

 

* pickup today from 1.30pm - i arrive 5 mins beforehand and wait with about 12 people in/out 5 mins.

 

* 1 thing I noticed with the Non-O visa i received today  they indicated in hand-writing on the visa label in the "remarks" section  the visa is for staying with wife (loosely translated by my wife) and they wrote her name  - different to what they do  compared to Savannakhet which they never indicate anything in remarks.

 

 

All in all less stressful process here in HCMC - interesting city to visit relatively cheap, more scooters than thailand that's for sure!   Oh ATM's aren't abundant and not all accept foreign cards but it seems to be getting better for ATMs. Bring plenty of cash and get a mixture of Vietnamese Dong and US$ in small bills - US$ is widely accepted.

[regularguy]

Regarding Multi Entry O visa based on marriage, I understand you must leave Thailand every 90 days. How long do you need to be outside of Thailand before getting back in for an additional 90 days? Would you be able to leave for one night and re-enter and be good for another 90 days? 

[kelboy]

I go to mai sot,straight in and out.Not even time to get the seat warm,but you can stay all day if you want. 

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, regularguy said:

How long do you need to be outside of Thailand before getting back in for an additional 90 days?

Just long enough to be stamped in and out of another country before returning to Thailand.

[Mango Bob]

Thanks for the detailed information.  I will be doing this in July 20.  This will come in handy.

[pj123]

I was planning to do my Non O at Savannakhet as they do not ask for proof of income. So HCMC is also an option?

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, pj123 said:

So HCMC is also an option?

Yes

The only difference is you need a short letter from your wife requesting they issue you a visa and the $200 fee for the visa.

[pj123]

That’s good news. I would rather fly to HCMC than drive up to Mukhadan form Bangkok. 

[pj123]

I note that the OP did the process in two days. Submitted Thursday, collected Friday. However, the website for the consulate advises two working days. So not sure if I should plan to stay for two nights. I was planning to fly TG arrive 9.15 am on a Tuesday, go straight to the consulate to submit papers, then collect the visa next day after lunch. Then return to BKK on the 8.10 pm flight on the Wednesday

[ubonjoe]

7 hours ago, pj123 said:

However, the website for the consulate advises two working days.

The 2 days is the day you apply and the next afternoon when you pick it up.

[Tanoshi]

On 8/24/2019 at 3:30 PM, poka513 said:

I now have a one year multi-entry visa based on marriage and except for TM-30s, do not have to deal with local Immigration, but do need to do a border run every 90 days. The family is already thinking about where we will go for future holidays every 3 months.

Not strictly correct.

You can obtain a 60 day extension to each 90 day entry, making a border run after 150 days.

If used to it's maximum potential you can stay in Thailand for almost 17 months before applying for a new Visa, with only 3 border runs and 3 x 60 day extensions.

[pj123]

5 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

The 2 days is the day you apply and the next afternoon when you pick it up.

Great thanks!

[4evermaat]

On 8/24/2019 at 3:30 PM, poka513 said:

now have a one year multi-entry visa based on marriage and except for TM-30s, do not have to deal with local Immigration, but do need to do a border run every 90 days. The family is already thinking about where we will go for future holidays every 3 months.

 

5 hours ago, Tanoshi said:

Not strictly correct.

You can obtain a 60 day extension to each 90 day entry, making a border run after 150 days.

If used to it's maximum potential you can stay in Thailand for almost 17 months before applying for a new Visa, with only 3 border runs and 3 x 60 day extensions.

 

Actually, to get the extension, would require trips to the local immigration office.   So if the office staff aren't friendly or are too far away, the border run might be preferred.

 

Granted, the 60 day extension is much easier to obtain than the 1 year extension for visiting Thai family.

[JimGant]

Just to give this thread a slight bump...

 

For those of us married to Thais, but having been here for years on extensions for retirement, sourced from original Non Imm O-A visa -- we're now faced with switching to a married extension or getting a Non Imm O visa, from which to continue our retirement extensions (to avoid Thai health insurance). For me, switching to the married extension, with the Kor Ror 22 goatroap (with trips to US Consulate, translator, MFA interface, then Amphur), followed by trip to Immigration, then again in 30 days, photographs of couple in bed (whatever), visit by the gendarme  to our house, witnesses, wife needed at Immigration, blah blah.  -- is NOT superior to getting a Non Imm O visa.

 

And, by all reports, a small vacation to Saigon (which would be interesting after 40 years) to get a Non Imm O visa, based on being married to a Thai, would seem stress-free (easy air connections, nice hotels, efficient consular operations, etc). Then, no multi visits to Immigration -- just apply (after 60 days back in country) -- with a one time visit, for a retirement extension (being optimistic the health insurance lunacy hasn't spread to Non Imm O visas). Oh, and no worry about what to do in later years, should I become a widower, with no more married extension option, and with physical restraints on travel....

 

Anyway, just want to keep the Saigon option front and center. So, any new speed bumps since this thread was previously updated? Or (hopefully), more kudos?

[pj123]

Just did my first one year multiple Non O at HCMC last week. I normally do this in the UK but no longer available. Everything went OK apart from a minor issue. My current Non O expires 29 March and they initially said they could not issue a new Non O while the old Non O was still valid. Then then asked me to write a letter asking them to cancel the old Non O and explaining why I was applying for a new Non O in HCMC. I just wrote that I was on business in HCMC and was taking the opportunity to update my visa while I was there.

 

One piece of advice. While sitting in the waiting area I overheard a conversation between a very frustrated visa applicant and the officers. He was complaining that he could find no where with free wifi and the photocopy shops they recommend are no longer in business. If you go to HCMC for a Non O, get a data bundle and stay at a hotel nearby where you can get any copying done.  And a Grab account. Very cheap and plenty of cars available. 

 

 

Edited February 25, 2020 by pj123

[JimGant]

2 hours ago, pj123 said:

they initially said they could not issue a new Non O while the old Non O was still valid. Then then asked me to write a letter asking them to cancel the old Non O and explaining why I was applying for a new Non O in HCMC

Hmmm.  I wonder if that would work for applying for a Non O with a couple of weeks left on my extension of stay, still alive because of a valid re-entry permit?   Did you really have to push the issue -- or were they accommodating? Thanx.

Quote

stay at a hotel nearby where you can get any copying done.

Any recommendations?

 

 

 

 

[pj123]

They initially said it was a problem but I asked them nicely if they could help. She spoke to someone in the back office and then returned to advise if I could write a letter explaining the circumstances that should be OK. They gave me a sheet of paper and a scribbled a quick Dear Sir ...... 

 

I stayed at the Sila Urban Living. https://www.silaliving.com/

10 minutes walk to the consulate. 4,000 THB with breakfast.