Vientiane/Savannakhet open for border runs?

[PiMi]

I scanned through the topics and didn't see this precise question (I am a lil blind), but does anyone know if we can cross at NongKhai or Mukdahan toprocess a tourist or non-O visa application? If so, what are the requirements to get into Laos for these purposes?

Thanks in advance. 

[ubonjoe]

I is not clear info yet about entering Laos at this time other than with a tour group.

They have announced a Test and Go for entering Thailand at the bridge in Nong Khai. later this month.

No info about Savannakhet yet.

[DrJack54]

OP, how did you last enter Thailand. 

What type of non O can you obtain.

[PiMi]

8 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

OP, how did you last enter Thailand. 

What type of non O can you obtain.

I returned from Laos (Savannakhet in March 2020 cross the friendship bridge. I had a 1 year spousal visa (leave every 90-days requirement) then took a job as a teacher and am on a non-B for teaching. That ends this month, so I'm trying to find my options. I don't find any information that answers my specific questions, so I reached out here. I am married, but I'm not comfortable dropping 400k baht in a Thai bank for 90 days to get the Non-O marriage visa from Chaeng Wattana. Can't convert the current non-B to an ed visa, so... not sure at all what to do. 

[Caldera]

As of now, you'd need to book a "tour" in Laos with an approved travel agency. They would provide you with paperwork to obtain a Lao visa at their embassy in Bangkok, which would allow you to fly from Bangkok to Vientiane. There's a Lao equivalent to Thailand's SHA hotels where you'd stay (booked as part of the tour), and you could visit the Thai embassy in Vientiane to apply for a Thai visa. Once you're done with your tour and visa, Thailand Pass should be ready for overland arrivals in Nong Khai, or you could fly back to Bangkok again.

 

Definitely a lot more work than a pre-Covid visa run, and also a lot more expensive!

[DrJack54]

17 minutes ago, PiMi said:

I am married, but I'm not comfortable dropping 400k baht in a Thai bank for 90 days to get the Non-O marriage visa from Chaeng Wattana

That's why I asked. 

As that's the path I had in mind.

Have you used the 60 day extension to visit Thai wife.

Just buying time to have land borders an option.

Assume your over 50. You could consider extension based on retirement with use of agent. 

You could consider Phnom Penh for a non O marriage.

Here is thread of someone recently doing that.

 

 

 

Edited March 4, 2022 by DrJack54

[JeffersLos]

I would be a lot more comfortable sorting it out in country. 

[Moonlover]

14 minutes ago, PiMi said:

but I'm not comfortable dropping 400k baht in a Thai bank for 90 days to get the Non-O marriage visa from Chaeng Wattana.

OK, come on. Is that 'can't' or 'won't?' If the honest answer is 'I don't have 400K, then say so and we can move on to alternatives. But if you do have 400k knocking around, then it really is your simplest answer. There's nothing difficult about a marriage extension and once done you can relax.

[PiMi]

4 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

OK, come on. Is that 'can't' or 'won't?' If the honest answer is 'I don't have 400K, then say so and we can move on to alternatives. But if you do have 400k knocking around, then it really is your simplest answer. There's nothing difficult about a marriage extension and once done you can relax.

I have it, but this visa ends at the end of this month, and as I read, the money must be in the account for at least 60 days before you submit the application anyway, so as far as I'm aware, its not a viable option.
 

[PiMi]

18 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

That's why I asked. 

As that's the path I had in mind.

Have you used the 60 day extension to visit Thai wife.

Just buying time to have land borders an option.

Assume your over 50. You could consider extension based on retirement with use of agent. 

You could consider Phnom Penh for a non O marriage.

Here is thread of someone recently doing that.

 

 

 

Thanks for the tip on Phnom Penh. I'll look into that. I have not done a 60-day extension for visiting my wife, but we will ask about it. Wife is working today but will contact Immigration on Monday to try and sort this out. Thanks again for the tip. 

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, PiMi said:

Thanks for the tip on Phnom Penh. I'll look into that. I have not done a 60-day extension for visiting my wife, but we will ask about it. Wife is working today but will contact Immigration on Monday to try and sort this out. Thanks again for the tip. 

Since you have not used the 60 to visit wife you can obtain that and hopefully have time to season the funds to obtain extension.

You do realize that after under consideration period you can withdraw the money.

Simple option. 

I just assumed that you didn't have the funds. 

Should have done it already. 

Edited March 4, 2022 by DrJack54

[PiMi]

13 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Since you have not used the 60 to visit wife you can obtain that and hopefully have time to season the funds to obtain extension.

You do realize that after under consideration period you can withdraw the money.

Simple option. 

I just assumed that you didn't have the funds. 

Should have done it already. 

We will ask about that when my wife calls Immigration on Monday. If that's an option and I can do it at CW, then it definitely makes things a lot easier and opens up some additional options. Thank you for the information. I appreciate it. 

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, PiMi said:

We will ask about that when my wife calls Immigration on Monday. If that's an option and I can do it at CW, then it definitely makes things a lot easier and opens up some additional options. Thank you for the information. I appreciate it. 

Perhaps you have been using a ME marriage in the past allowing 90 day stays.

In any event you need to have a Thai bank account in your name only and (as you mentioned) 400k in the account for 2 months on the day you apply.

You will then be on an "under consideration period" to return for final stamp. 

After that you can use the money. 

You would need to place funds into the account asap as you apply for the extension with couple of weeks left on your permit.

Step 1 obtain 60 day extension to visit wife. 1900 baht. 

[NanLaew]

2 hours ago, PiMi said:

I returned from Laos (Savannakhet in March 2020 cross the friendship bridge. I had a 1 year spousal visa (leave every 90-days requirement) then took a job as a teacher and am on a non-B for teaching. That ends this month, so I'm trying to find my options. I don't find any information that answers my specific questions, so I reached out here. I am married, but I'm not comfortable dropping 400k baht in a Thai bank for 90 days to get the Non-O marriage visa from Chaeng Wattana. Can't convert the current non-B to an ed visa, so... not sure at all what to do. 

Looking at the Thai Consular pages for Vientiane & Savanaket, the one-year multi-entry Non-O for marriage to a Thai with no proof of financials  is no longer offered. Only the 90-day version that has to be supported by income proof and then 'converted' once back in Thailand.

 

The same applies to their consulates in Hanoi and Saigon which before Covid, were just about the last places in the region where the handy one-year multi Non-O without proof of funds/income was available.

[ubonjoe]

52 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Looking at the Thai Consular pages for Vientiane & Savanaket, the one-year multi-entry Non-O for marriage to a Thai with no proof of financials  is no longer offered.

Vientiane only issued single entry non-o visas in the past. Even a single entry would give a person a 5 months stay by extending the 90 days it allows for 60 days to visit their wife or child.

Savannakhet did not mention a multiple entry non-o visa before but did issue them. 

[PiMi]

3 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Vientiane only issued single entry non-o visas in the past. Even a single entry would give a person a 5 months stay by extending the 90 days it allows for 60 days to visit their wife or child.

Savannakhet did not mention a multiple entry non-o visa before but did issue them. 

I got one of those at Savannakhet on my last trip there (March 2020), then converted to 1-year non-O for marriage in October 2020. At the one year mark, I converted to the non-B because I was already working with a WP. 

Thanks to everyone for responding. I really appreciate it. 

[gunnerterry]

18 hours ago, PiMi said:

I returned from Laos (Savannakhet in March 2020 cross the friendship bridge. I had a 1 year spousal visa (leave every 90-days requirement) then took a job as a teacher and am on a non-B for teaching. That ends this month, so I'm trying to find my options. I don't find any information that answers my specific questions, so I reached out here. I am married, but I'm not comfortable dropping 400k baht in a Thai bank for 90 days to get the Non-O marriage visa from Chaeng Wattana. Can't convert the current non-B to an ed visa, so... not sure at all what to do. 

If you are on a NON B visa already and you want to continue teaching then the school/company can extend the visa in their/your local immigration every year if you are working/teaching with them. However if your contract ends this month and you are not renewing then the Non B extension is not an option unless you find new employment before the end of the month.

 

[zyphodb]

18 hours ago, PiMi said:

I have it, but this visa ends at the end of this month, and as I read, the money must be in the account for at least 60 days before you submit the application anyway, so as far as I'm aware, its not a viable option.
 

I'm in the same position, I've bitten the bullet on the 400k and am going for the 60 day visiting Thai wife ext. to give it long enough in the bank. Really frustrating as I'm actually teaching in Mukdahan so I look at Savannakhet every day but can't go there... 

[NoshowJones]

23 hours ago, PiMi said:

I returned from Laos (Savannakhet in March 2020 cross the friendship bridge. I had a 1 year spousal visa (leave every 90-days requirement) then took a job as a teacher and am on a non-B for teaching. That ends this month, so I'm trying to find my options. I don't find any information that answers my specific questions, so I reached out here. I am married, but I'm not comfortable dropping 400k baht in a Thai bank for 90 days to get the Non-O marriage visa from Chaeng Wattana. Can't convert the current non-B to an ed visa, so... not sure at all what to do. 

"but I'm not comfortable dropping 400k in a Thai bank."

I wouldn't be either, but hope everything works out for you.

[PiMi]

For anyone interested, I called CW and the immigration officer I spoke with said in order to convert the Non-B I'm currently on to any other type of visa, or apply for an extension of any kind, I need a letter from my consulate explaining or justifying the need for the conversion/extension. Naturally, and in line with the end of income verification letters, the embassy does not/will not provide any such letter. Looks like I'm heading out of Thailand for at least a little while. The odd/sad thing is, I'm retired from the military and have official government documents to prove this and prove my monthly salary (well in excess of the 40k monthly requirement). These aren't good enough. I need a letter from the embassy that won't provide it verifying my income. They won't verify the income even though that pension is paid from the same government that pays them. The actually could verify this, but won't. Grr... No quarantine requirements in Malaysia, so I'm thinking about heading there. Wish me luck, and thanks again for all the responses and information.  

[audaciousnomad]

1 hour ago, PiMi said:

For anyone interested, I called CW and the immigration officer I spoke with said in order to convert the Non-B I'm currently on to any other type of visa, or apply for an extension of any kind, I need a letter from my consulate explaining or justifying the need for the conversion/extension. Naturally, and in line with the end of income verification letters, the embassy does not/will not provide any such letter. Looks like I'm heading out of Thailand for at least a little while. The odd/sad thing is, I'm retired from the military and have official government documents to prove this and prove my monthly salary (well in excess of the 40k monthly requirement). These aren't good enough. I need a letter from the embassy that won't provide it verifying my income. They won't verify the income even though that pension is paid from the same government that pays them. The actually could verify this, but won't. Grr... No quarantine requirements in Malaysia, so I'm thinking about heading there. Wish me luck, and thanks again for all the responses and information.  

Is Malaysia now open? I heard it was proposed, but not yet. If it is indeed open, that's excellent news!
For sure Cambodia, Singapore and Philippines are open with no quarantine for fully vaxed people. Of the three, only Philippines has no test-on-arrival policy.

[PiMi]

3 minutes ago, audaciousnomad said:

Is Malaysia now open? I heard it was proposed, but not yet. If it is indeed open, that's excellent news!
For sure Cambodia, Singapore and Philippines are open with no quarantine for fully vaxed people. Of the three, only Philippines has no test-on-arrival policy.

They open on April 1st, with some stips of course for the Covid thing. Not an option for me, as I need to leave 31 March. >.<

[BritTim]

3 hours ago, PiMi said:

For anyone interested, I called CW and the immigration officer I spoke with said in order to convert the Non-B I'm currently on to any other type of visa, or apply for an extension of any kind, I need a letter from my consulate explaining or justifying the need for the conversion/extension.

That is a new one, and seems like complete BS.

 

If you are currently here on a tourist entry (TR visa or standard visa exempt) there are various Non Immigrant visas you can apply for an Immigration. In no case is an embassy letter the only way of qualifying for them.

 

If you are already on a Non Immigrant entry, there are many possible extensions you may qualify for, as listed in https://aseannow.com/applications/core/interface/file/attachment.php?id=804079. Again, an embassy letter is never a 100% requirement, though it can be useful as proof of income.

 

Only if you are in Thailand on a Special Tourist Visa, Visa On Arrival, Transit Visa or pursuant to some bilateral agreements, could an embassy letter be  100% required as part of an application at an immigration office for a new visa or extension.

[PiMi]

22 hours ago, BritTim said:

That is a new one, and seems like complete BS.

 

If you are currently here on a tourist entry (TR visa or standard visa exempt) there are various Non Immigrant visas you can apply for an Immigration. In no case is an embassy letter the only way of qualifying for them.

 

If you are already on a Non Immigrant entry, there are many possible extensions you may qualify for, as listed in https://aseannow.com/applications/core/interface/file/attachment.php?id=804079. Again, an embassy letter is never a 100% requirement, though it can be useful as proof of income.

 

Only if you are in Thailand on a Special Tourist Visa, Visa On Arrival, Transit Visa or pursuant to some bilateral agreements, could an embassy letter be  100% required as part of an application at an immigration office for a new visa or extension.

Thank you for this. I appreciate it. Odd thing was, she said a lot of things were necessary, but also added that the decision is up to the individual agent I dealt with. Nothing like clear standards!

[FruitPudding]

Finger crossed Laos opens up soon.