Non-O visas in Saigon and Savvanakhet....what's the future hold?

[bamboozled]

Forgive me if this has been mentioned recently... Any crystal ball vision out there about doing visa runs to the cities mentioned in the title like days of old? More precisely, I used to go and get a new Non-O visa based on marriage at these two places. I found it a good excuse for a trip and fairly easy re-paperwork was less onerous. All in all, I liked this method. With Covid restrictions hopefully lessening, do we know if travel to these two places will be open again and the visa offices offering the same services? Probably a known unknown but thought I'd ask and add a bit more "edu-tainment" to the mix.... Thanks!

[BritManToo]

Me too .........

But I've got to say with all the foreigners gone from Thailand, getting my extensions at local immigration is just as easy now. If the easy (and cheap) travel comes back, I might go to Saigon again, but I'd give Savanaakhet a miss ... far too dull!

Edited March 2, 2022 by BritManToo

[DrJack54]

9 minutes ago, bamboozled said:

More precisely, I used to go and get a new Non-O visa based on marriage at these two places. I found it a good excuse for a trip and fairly easy re-paperwork was less onerous

Don't get me wrong, if I was married I would use this visa option 100%. 

I would not be surprised if eventually they were not available.

The fall back option would be non O marriage with annual extensions along with reentry permit if required. 

[DrJack54]

7 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

If the easy (and cheap) travel comes back, I might go to Saigon again, but I'd give Savanaakhet a miss ... far too dull

Never understood why anyone would even bother with Savannakhet. 

Old days with cheap flights to Saigon and imm office so handy to Bui Vien st, the choice was obvious. 

[ubonjoe]

21 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Never understood why anyone would even bother with Savannakhet. 

Because they could travel overland to get there by crossing the bridge in Mukdahan.

For those in the northeast it was the easiest route.

[IgboChief]

40 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

But I've got to say with all the foreigners gone from Thailand, getting my extensions at local immigration is just as easy now. If the easy (and cheap) travel comes back, I might go to Saigon again, but I'd give Savanaakhet a miss ... far too dull!

Exactly my experience. I have been going to Savannakhet for years, but forced to do my Non-O Extension at the Local Immigration for 2 years.

 

Previous year was ok'ish and only mildly annoying (hand drawn map, same date account statement, wrong photos).

This year was almost too easy and I got in/out within 40 minutes. Not a single concern or objection.

 

Give it a try, their attitude has changed considerably.

[IgboChief]

34 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Never understood why anyone would even bother with Savannakhet. 

Old days with cheap flights to Saigon and imm office so handy to Bui Vien st, the choice was obvious. 

You get nice Thai hands easily, who help you with everything -- booking the hotel, drive you around, get you through the immigration fast, join you with food/drinks in the evening.

 

Big value for small money.

[DrJack54]

10 minutes ago, IgboChief said:

You get nice Thai hands easily, who help you with everything -- booking the hotel, drive you around, get you through the immigration fast, join you with food/drinks in the evening.

 

Big value for small money.

As ubonjoe pointed out above.

Lot depends on where you live.

In my case Bangkok.

Easy 30 baht trip to DMK.

On arrival Saigon airport jump on yellow bus 109 to Bui Vien district 1.

When their you won't need any tour guide. Ripper place.

A bonus is the very efficient helpful Thai consulate. Very short bike trip from Bui Vien.

I've been to Laos couple of times which is ok as long as you take some "no-doze tablets" 

BTW where do travel from to go to Savannakhet. 

Edited March 2, 2022 by DrJack54

[StayinThailand2much]

50 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Never understood why anyone would even bother with Savannakhet

It's not so bad for one trip, but boring for any consecutive trips.

 

I'm actually thankful to Thailand that they let me discover other corners of Asia, that I may otherwise not have ventured to, if it weren't for visa runs or 'time out of Thailand'.

Edited March 2, 2022 by StayinThailand2much

[DrJack54]

5 minutes ago, StayinThailand2much said:

I'm actually thankful to Thailand that they let me discover other corners of Asia that I may otherwise not have ventured to, if it weren't for visa runs or 'time out of Thailand'.

Agree 100%.

Got me bit hooked on Vietnam.

In those days you could obtain triple entry tourist visa in Saigon. 

Vientiane trip introduced me to Udon Thani and enjoy that joint.

Of course ME marriage not available Vientiane. 

Edited March 2, 2022 by DrJack54

[Denim]

1 hour ago, bamboozled said:

do we know if travel to these two places will be open again

 

Unfortunately nobody knows yet for certain. They will almost certainly re open at some undetermined time in the future but whether things will go back to exactly the way they were is anybody's guess. Bound to be a few changed and a bit more paperwork involved

 

Like you we used to enjoy visa runs and the excuse to travel even though more expensive than going the extension route. A nice break out of the country every 90 days.

 

I actually like Suvannakhet. True , no girly action or vast shopping malls but lots of great food and a really chill atmosphere with all the old colonial buildings in place.. Wouldn't mind living there in fact.

[bamboozled]

Yes, Savannakhet can be dull and not as easy to get to as Saigon. But if you lean into it, that can be part of the charm. Nice to drop out for a little while and slow things down. Like things used to be around CM not that long ago, too. So nobody has an answer to this question, I guess. That's what I thought. Only time will tell.

 

Probably getting it at Immigration here is not so bad now with less crowds but I'm always worried something won't be right, bank statement, witness, photos, etc.... My monthly transfers have been with Wise and who knows whether they will be accepted or not. If not.....that's a problem I don't want to confront. The witness thing is a PITA. And the home visit, which I was lucky not to get my first and only time going this route, just kind of freaks me out.

 

Might I add a question to this question? I got a new Non-O based on marriage while I was in the US (on advice of Ubon Joe and some others) and I just arrived back to Thailand. It was very easy and all done by email to the NY consulate (if I remember correctly). It is valid for 90 days after which I am again without a visa. Or can this visa  be extended at the 90 day mark just like the ones acquired at Immigration? Or do I have to go through the aforementioned new visa process? Thank you!

[BritManToo]

50 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Agree 100%.

Got me bit hooked on Vietnam.

In those days you could obtain triple entry tourist visa in Saigon. 

Vientiane trip introduced me to Udon Thani and enjoy that joint.

Of course ME marriage not available Vientiane. 

Yes, Vietnam is an amazing party/sightseeing trip.

Visa and party in Saigon, beach a ferry ride away at Vung Tau.

Beach holiday at Da Nang.

Sightseeing in Hanoi.

And I was paying around 1,000bht for the flight each way, and 2 weeks entry with no VISA required as a Brit. 

 

Edited March 2, 2022 by BritManToo

[DrJack54]

10 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Sightseeing in Hanoi

You may recall street vendors.

For those that are not aware 20k refers to dong. That being approx 1usd.

Second pic....Beer Corner Hanoi. 

Edited March 2, 2022 by DrJack54

[In the jungle]

I  know these days it is woke to condemn colonialism but Laos did learn to make decent coffee and baguette sandwiches from the French.

 

But it will cost you a quarter of a million or so for a coffee and a sandwich!

[In the jungle]

9 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

You may recall street vendors.

For those that are not aware 20k refers to dong. That being approx 1usd.

Second pic....Beer Corner Hanoi. 

8 Baht for a beer seems reasonable.

Edited March 2, 2022 by In the jungle

[Bangkok Barry]

6 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Never understood why anyone would even bother with Savannakhet. 

Old days with cheap flights to Saigon and imm office so handy to Bui Vien st, the choice was obvious. 

Well, it depends where you live. I can turn right outside my house, drive for 100 minutes and I'm at the border to cross to Laos. Quicker and cheaper than flying to Saigon. Perhaps you're under the illusion that everyone lives in Bangkok.

[KhaoYai]

7 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Because they could travel overland to get there by crossing the bridge in Mukdahan.

For those in the northeast it was the easiest route.

And possibly because of the fact that you get ripped of in Vietnam - Multi Non O $200 US (6500 baht) whereas it was 5000 baht at Savannakhet I believe.

Edited March 2, 2022 by KhaoYai

[KhaoYai]

Interestingly, I note Savannakhet are not listing a 12 Month Multi Entry Non O based on marriage now - only a 3 month single entry.

[CartagenaWarlock]

MY guess is this one day quarantine is not going to go away in the near future. 

[BritManToo]

31 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

And possibly because of the fact that you get ripped of in Vietnam - Multi Non O $200 US (6500 baht) whereas it was 5000 baht at Savannakhet I believe.

If you add the price of the Laos VISA it's near enough the same price.

Brits get free entry to Vietnam, no queuing in Saigon either.

Edited March 2, 2022 by BritManToo

[Adumbration]

8 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Never understood why anyone would even bother with Savannakhet. 

Old days with cheap flights to Saigon and imm office so handy to Bui Vien st, the choice was obvious. 

Wasn't the big attraction for Savannakhet no 400K in the bank required?

[Adumbration]

8 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I'd give Savanaakhet a miss ... far too dull!

What he said.  The fact you can get a decent bread roll only counts for so much.

 

There used to be a naughty area south along the riverside in Mukdahan though.  Is it still there?

[KhaoYai]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

If you add the price of the Laos VISA it's near enough the same price.

Brits get free entry to Vietnam, no queuing in Saigon either.

I hadn't considered that - I went to Ho Chi Minh in any case but that was because I wanted to visit the country. From what I saw I'll be back too.  I went to Laos 15 - 20 years ago, I wasn't impressed.  I just have a bee in my bonnet at being charged £35 more than the official price.

[KhaoYai]

1 hour ago, Adumbration said:

Wasn't the big attraction for Savannakhet no 400K in the bank required?

You don't need 400k in the bank anywhere that I know of for a Multi Non O. But you do have to leave every 90 days - longer with extensions.

Edited March 2, 2022 by KhaoYai

[PJ71]

22 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

You don't need 400k in the bank anywhere that I know of for a Multi Non O. But you do have to leave every 90 days - longer with extensions.

With extensions you never need to leave thailand if you do not wish.

 

With a ME non O yes, ever 90 days you must leave, or that's how it used to be.

[Mitkof Island]

9 hours ago, IgboChief said:

Exactly my experience. I have been going to Savannakhet for years, but forced to do my Non-O Extension at the Local Immigration for 2 years.

 

Previous year was ok'ish and only mildly annoying (hand drawn map, same date account statement, wrong photos).

This year was almost too easy and I got in/out within 40 minutes. Not a single concern or objection.

 

Give it a try, their attitude has changed considerably.

No 5000 baht bribes?

[BritTim]

3 hours ago, KhaoYai said:

Interestingly, I note Savannakhet are not listing a 12 Month Multi Entry Non O based on marriage now - only a 3 month single entry.

The web pages of the Svannakhet consulate on visa types has not been updated since 2019 (when multiple entry Non O to visit Thai spouse) was definitely still available. I think the page on Non O does not mention the multiple entry version as it was only available for Thai spouse and not other Thai family members.

[grubman]

I have always got my Non O one year multi entry based on marriage from Savannakhet, Since i live in khon Kaen it was a much easier option and normally it required an over night stay in Savannakhet and pick up the visa the following day, however on the last 2 visas i have been able to pay 1000 baht to one of the guys outside the consulate and i would get me visa on the same day and back home with out an overnight stay, which suited me just fine, i am hoping the land boards will reopen as my current visa will expire in July which i was lucky to get in LA

[problemfarang]

13 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Never understood why anyone would even bother with Savannakhet. 

Old days with cheap flights to Saigon and imm office so handy to Bui Vien st, the choice was obvious. 

savanakhet is one of the best place to get your non-o visa. For many reasons. the best reason is its really easy to get it, also its almost walking distance from esan area... im sorry i dont know what you are talking about cheap flights but its so easy for the people living in or around esan. I dont know Saigon but it takes a night stay to get your visa in savanakhet (1 day application, next day take your visa). you are still in a known atmosphere, laos and thailand is almost same. Thai embassy there is really friendly... like i said many reasons... my home is in Khon kaen and lived there 10 years but now also bought another house in BKK and still do my visa non-o at savanakhet.