1 Year Multi-Entry Non-Immigrant 'O' Visa based on marriage/kids Current Options 2020

[codebunny]

Hello,

 

I guess this is a popular topic, however when I search I see a lot of O-A retirement and 1-year extension based on marriage questions, which is not what this question is about.

 

As an aside, I'm aware it's possible to apply for a 60-day extension, and I may well do that, as the Immi people at the town I usually go to are very amenable, but that doesn't alter the fact that my current visa will expire this year.

 

I am a UK passport holder, but I believe much of this applies to a large number of passport-holders of other countries.

 

From the various threads I've read over the past few months, it sounds like the current options include (please correct me if I'm wrong):

Laos: Savannakhet; Vientiane (...sounds affordable)

Vietnam: Saigon (...sounded like it was the best place to go)

Malaysia: Penang (...sounds a bit hit and miss with caps)

Burma: Rangoon (...sounds a bit expensive compared to the other options)

 

AFAIK, other ASEAN countries are not really amenable. My experience of the Thai embassy in Jakarta was that there didn't seem to be anyone Thai there to help, and info that sounded incorrect, and it seemed a bit of a wasted journey. It would be nice if Cambodia was an option, but it sounds like it's not.

 

Some people sound like they're muddling up different processes, and talking about showing 400,000THB in the bank or £5,000 in the bank.

I think the former is for the extension based on family, and the latter is for the new 6 month ME tourist visa.

 

I'm hoping that all the current state of play can be put on a single thread for reference.

My original Non-Imm-O-METV was from London, just before they reportedly stopped doing them last year. I don't have 400,000THB handy, and as we know the UK Embassy are incredibly unhelpful about supplying the 40,000THB/month info (unless someone knows a workaround for this?).

I had my Thai wife and some of our kids. It was surprisingly simple, just a glance at my bank statement, and a few smiles and chit chat in Thai.

I work offshore, and I just want to make sure I get to the right place to get a new one sorted out, and I may be able to get my employer to send me to the right place on the way to Thailand from wherever I finish working.

 

My eldest child is 16 and has a Thai ID card and a Thai passport and UK passport, and is usually in the UK.

I don't know whether they are able to travel with me and help me get a visa, by flashing their Thai ID or if it's not necessary.

 

It seems that trying to get another ME Non-Imm O Visa (Family) in the UK is not going to work (why this has changed, I don't know), so I'm hoping that I don't have to change to (and stump up yet more for) one of the various alternatives, such as SE Non-Imm O (Family), or some kind of Tourist visa.

 

If anyone has tried and tested any other countries' Thai embassies for these kinds of visas, please tell...

 

Thanks in advance, I know there are some knowledgeable people here who field the same kinds of questions routinely here, and their advice is valued.

[steve187]

you don't say if you are married, but if you are the best 2 places for a multi 'O' visa is HCMC or Savannakhet. no financials required

 

not sure about child visa's

Edited January 18, 2020 by steve187

[lopburi3]

If you do not have money to show there are only two local options for the one year ME non immigrant O visa - Savannakhet or HCMC.  

[codebunny]

46 minutes ago, codebunny said:

I had my Thai wife and some of our kids.

 

27 minutes ago, steve187 said:

you don't say if you are married, but if you are the best 2 places for a multi 'O' visa is HCMC or Savannakhet. no financials required

 

not sure about child visa's

Sounds good... which of those two is the "best", in terms of overall costs/time to get there from BKK and general user-friendliness? I've never been to either, but I might imagine that Savannakhet is sleepy, a long drive/bus ride from even a local airport, and Saigon is full of sharks, and maybe a quick flight and hotel/resto lottery.

[codebunny]

18 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

If you do not have money to show there are only two local options for the one year ME non immigrant O visa - Savannakhet or HCMC.  

but there are posts here that sound like people went to Burma and Vientiane and maybe Penang too... are they still options? I guess flights to Penang might be competitive with flights to Saigon.

[steve187]

3 minutes ago, codebunny said:

 

Sounds good... which of those two is the "best", in terms of overall costs/time to get there from BKK and general user-friendliness? I've never been to either, but I might imagine that Savannakhet is sleepy, a long drive/bus ride from even a local airport, and Saigon is full of sharks, and maybe a quick flight and hotel/resto lottery.

hcmc has flights from u tapao airport, from reports i have read, they seem to be good, i have been to Savannakhet, very good, but can be busy, i treat the journey as a break and stay a few days either way at hotels

[lopburi3]

8 minutes ago, codebunny said:

but there are posts here that sound like people went to Burma and Vientiane and maybe Penang too... are they still options? I guess flights to Penang might be competitive with flights to Saigon.

Believe the other Consulates will require a show of financials and am sure Penang requires.  Flights to HCMC are very cheap if you select airline - that Consulate will require payment in USD and an extra note from spouse requesting that the visa be issued (not required at Savannakhet and payment there in Baht but flight access very bad).

[codebunny]

Gotcha... sounds like Savannakhet is the easiest once you're there, but Saigon is the easiest overall.

[codebunny]

2 hours ago, steve187 said:

hcmc has flights from u tapao airport, from reports i have read, they seem to be good, i have been to Savannakhet, very good, but can be busy, i treat the journey as a break and stay a few days either way at hotels

DMK or Swampy too, I guess? I saw that Nakhon Phanom and Sakhon Nakhon have airports near (60mi) to Mukdahan, I never knew... I haven't been up that way in years. 'Twas a long bus ride. My memories of Laos is there ain't much there, but the lingo is easier. Saigon could be interesting, both are visa free or eVisa for most developed countries, including the UK, but maybe Laoland is a bit more easy going, cheaper?

Edited January 18, 2020 by codebunny

[gisjames]

10 hours ago, steve187 said:

you don't say if you are married, but if you are the best 2 places for a multi 'O' visa is HCMC or Savannakhet. no financials required

 

not sure about child visa's

How about the Thai embassy in Singapore, is this an option for a Non Imm O?

[ubonjoe]

9 hours ago, codebunny said:

DMK or Swampy too, I guess? I saw that Nakhon Phanom and Sakhon Nakhon have airports near (60mi) to Mukdahan, I never knew... I haven't been up that way in years. 'Twas a long bus ride.

Nok Air and Air Asia have a fly/ride service to Mukahan.

Nok Air does them via Nakhon Phanom, Sakon Nakhon and Ubon. See: https://content.nokair.com/zh/Booking/Where-we-fly/Flight-Service/Fly-n-Ride/846.aspx

Air Asia only via Nakhon Phanom.

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, gisjames said:

How about the Thai embassy in Singapore, is this an option for a Non Imm O?

It may be possible if you have 400k baht to show.

[lopburi3]

36 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Nok Air and Air Asia have a fly/ride service to Mukahan.

Nok Air does them via Nakhon Phanom, Sakon Nakhon and Ubon. See: https://content.nokair.com/zh/Booking/Where-we-fly/Flight-Service/Fly-n-Ride/846.aspx

Air Asia only via Nakhon Phanom.

For travel to Savannakhet from Bangkok reports I have read suggest it may be both cost effective and easier to just take the VIP type bus service directly to Mukdahan bus station (where the cross border bus starts) rather than travel airport/wait at airline/fly/wait/van

[ubonjoe]

39 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

For travel to Savannakhet from Bangkok reports I have read suggest it may be both cost effective and easier to just take the VIP type bus service directly to Mukdahan bus station (where the cross border bus starts) rather than travel airport/wait at airline/fly/wait/van

That is OK if you don't mind sitting on a bus all night before getting there.

From here in Ubon it would not be hard to do the fly/ride yourself. Lots of buses from the bus station to Mukdahan and there is a shuttle bus from the airport to the bus station.

Another option is a overnight train to here and then a bus to Mukdahan.

[steve187]

55 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

For travel to Savannakhet from Bangkok reports I have read suggest it may be both cost effective and easier to just take the VIP type bus service directly to Mukdahan bus station (where the cross border bus starts) rather than travel airport/wait at airline/fly/wait/van

i think going by road public transport would be the last and then if it was the only route, i would use

[codebunny]

I went on the train to Aran from Bangkok... it costs 40THB an adult, 20THB a child, and takes the same length of time as the bus from Ekkamai, but without the added travel to Ekkamai, and it's arguably safe and more comfortable. I appreciate the train from BKK to Ubon is a bit of an epic ordeal though, not really comfortable like to ChiangMai.

 

Flying should always account for all the faff and extra time around flying... it doesn't take 1 hour to do a domestic flight, because you should add at least an hour or two either side of the flight itself for the whole event. A bus from the nearest airports to Mukdahan I guess would take over an hour too. Early morning flights you could sleep.

 

Bus from Vientiane to Savannakhet would probably take ages, like the bus from BKK.

Edited January 19, 2020 by codebunny

[lopburi3]

55 minutes ago, steve187 said:

i think going by road public transport would be the last and then if it was the only route, i would use

I am talking VIP point to point bus service which has rest stops and is very comfortable.  The roads in Thailand are not bad and seating on such bus service is like an airline - it is not a pick up on very city/stand in isle type public bus.

[steve187]

23 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

I am talking VIP point to point bus service which has rest stops and is very comfortable.  The roads in Thailand are not bad and seating on such bus service is like an airline - it is not a pick up on very city/stand in isle type public bus.

still a Thai driver on a Thai road with other Thai drivers, everyone chooses their own travel arrangement, just not my cup of tea, seen plenty of bad collisions, just don't want to one of the involved

[codebunny]

15 hours ago, codebunny said:

From the various threads I've read over the past few months, it sounds like the current options include (please correct me if I'm wrong):

Laos: Savannakhet; Vientiane (...sounds affordable)

Vietnam: Saigon (...sounded like it was the best place to go)

Malaysia: Penang (...sounds a bit hit and miss with caps)

Burma: Rangoon (...sounds a bit expensive compared to the other options)

I forgot to add Singapore.

 

Has anyone tried any other ASEAN countries for this?

[BritTim]

4 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

For travel to Savannakhet from Bangkok reports I have read suggest it may be both cost effective and easier to just take the VIP type bus service directly to Mukdahan bus station (where the cross border bus starts) rather than travel airport/wait at airline/fly/wait/van

The big advantage of the VIP bus from Bangkok is timing. It arrives early morning which means that you are guaranteed to arrive at the Savannakhet consulate to make your application the same day. For the return, the fly-ride service from Nok Air is definitely preferable.

[codebunny]

Do you have a link to that bus company website? Departure and arrival times?

[lopburi3]

13 minutes ago, codebunny said:

Do you have a link to that bus company website? Departure and arrival times?

There are 3 or more choices for VIP bus travel.  This link will provide times/prices and you can use the names to directly access websites for more information.

https://12go.asia/en/travel/bangkok/mukdahan

 

This appeared to be a good choice with nice waiting facilities (have never used).

From Sombat Tour Viphavadee 13 to Mukdahan by bus

 

Sombat Tour

20:30

Sombat Tour Viphavadee 13, Bangkok

06:30

Mukdahan

10h

eTicket 

Rating: 4

    
1 review

Express 42

 

$22

2 Adults: $44

Only 6 seats left!

Book now

  Edited January 19, 2020 by lopburi3

[codebunny]

That's pretty tempting... 500-700THB and 8-9pm from Morchit to arrive at Mukdahan at 6-7am.

 

When you think about the cost and faff of flying and driving, or of flying to Saigon and back and paying for hotels and extras. Savannakhet starts to look like a simpler solution.

[codebunny]

1 minute ago, BritManToo said:

HCMC is the place for you, direct flight from BK airport for under 2,000bht each was.

14 VISA waiver at HCMC for someone with a Brit passport.

$200 for the multi entry marriage non-o, don't forget a hand written letter in Thai from your wife asking them to give you the 1 year VISA.

Bus from the airport to September park 20kvnd ($1), 1.5Km from the Thai consulate, AirBnB at 500bht/night all around.

 

No queues, no waiting, no finances, no fuss.

Yeah, but look at Savannakhet... 

a few baht to MoChit if you're in the middle of BKK, then 500 on the sleeper bus and you're at the border first thing, no financials, no handwritten letter in Thai from wife, no accommodation, maybe a cheap vehicle across the Mekong, cheap food, and they all understand Thai/Isan, no need to change money, maybe you can even use a TransferWise card? and the same fee for the actual visa.

 

One question is that... it's not a "marriage visa" per se, it's a extension of a family visit visa, so I guess it doesn't have to be your wife, it could be your son or daughter, and if they can't read or write Thai, maybe you have to pay someone to write in Thai for them, and get them to sign it, and have copies of their ID card and Tabian Barn etc... Has anyone tried that? Did someone do that at Penang on here?

[codebunny]

4 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Suvannakhet has been ruined by the VISA run vans, I used to do it but now I mainly use HCMC, no queues like Suvannakhet. You've gotta stay overnight, wherever you choose.

HCMC is much quicker, doesn't cost any more, and a much nicer place to visit.

I don't mind trying it out and then trying Saigon the next time. I enjoy the challenge of being a cheapskate. It also depends on where I am. If I'm far away from Asia, and getting offered a flight back, I might be able to get it to Saigon, and then make my own way back to Thailand, maybe via Cambodia. My last experience of Vietnam was almost being mugged the moment I arrived (at least that's what it looked like to me), I only know a few words of Vietnamese, so I could have misinterpreted the situation.

Edited January 19, 2020 by codebunny

[lopburi3]

You do understand visa is issued next day at both locations so a one night overstay is required.  Visa runs are much less to Savannakhet now but still best to arrive on Tuesday to avoid the Monday rush.  You take a bus across border which starts at the Mukdahan Bus Station your arrive at.  On the Laos side people often get shared private transport to Consulate and from there walk to get transport to hotel for the overnight (pick up next afternoon).

[codebunny]

Just now, BritManToo said:

I have no idea what you're talking about now.

Can your wife not write in Thai? (Hi, please give my husband a 1 year VISA to say with me, signed his wife)

Suvannakhet don't return your VISA the same day, you have to stay somewhere overnight.

8hrs bus Vs 2hour flight, no contest.

Everyone I encounter in HCMC speaks English, but you're right only the consulate staff speak Thai (and English)

VISA is from outside Thailand, extension is inside Thailand.

You won't be getting a multi entry 'family visit VISA' from Suvannakhert or HCMC, single entry only, multi is for marriage.

Yes, she can, but the kids... maybe not... and I'm just querying whether it has to be done by the wife, because it's a family visit visa extension, not a spouse visa per se, isn't it?

 

8 hour bus when you're asleep, and 2hr flight+2hr before flying+time to hotel, but I take your point.

 

1 minute ago, lopburi3 said:

You do understand visa is issued next day at both locations so a one night overstay is required.  Visa runs are much less to Savannakhet now but still best to arrive on Tuesday to avoid the Monday rush.  You take a bus across border which starts at the Mukdahan Bus Station your arrive at.  On the Laos side people often get shared private transport to Consulate and from there walk to get transport to hotel for the overnight (pick up next afternoon).

Yes, I got that, thanks.

[BritManToo]

sorry, I have limited patience, deleted my posts.

 

Edited January 19, 2020 by BritManToo

[lopburi3]

6 minutes ago, codebunny said:

Yes, she can, but the kids... maybe not... and I'm just querying whether it has to be done by the wife, because it's a family visit visa extension, not a spouse visa per se, isn't it?

Only wife needs to sign - it is a visa to visit her (no children required).  It is a multi entry non immigrant O visa (not an extension) and be sure to write "multi" on the application.  You get up to 90 day stay on any entry so should fit overseas employment well as if travel often will never have to just cross border after a 90 or 90+60 extension stay to get a new 90 day stay.  

[codebunny]

5 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

sorry, I have limited patience, deleted my posts.

 

?!