Savannakhet Multi Entry Non-O Visa having Thai wife, the facts..

[transam]

I went to Savannakhet on Monday 20th, here are the facts, as has been some nonsense floating about..

 

I have been to Sav. Consulate probably 10/12 times over the years, (both venues), below is what "I" always take for a hassle free one minute with the officer, NOTHING HAS CHANGED for me. 

 

I can tell you that every time I have been to Sav. Consulate, nothing has ever been said to me except "Five Thousand Baht", because I have everything perfect and more.

They always give me back one copy of marriage certificate and Kor Ror 2, they keep my pink ID card and yellow book copies.

 

What I take....

 

1. Completed form in block capitals, with 2 resent photos glued to the form.

 

 

 

 

2. Applicant's Passport, plus copy of main page.

3. Wife I.D. card copy. (front and back on one page).

4. Wife Blue house book, copy of 2 main pages (on one sheet).

5. Original marriage certificates (must have), for inspection, one copy of marriage certificate. 

6. Kor Ror 2 , (one)

7. My Yellow house book copy of main pages. (If you haven't got one, it doesn't matter, I include it for that positive 'feel').????

Copy of my pink I.D. card. (Same as above).

 

Everything above signed by whom it concerns.

I take all the books and cards in my bag, just in case, I have seen folk turned away in the past, on Monday some were.

(There is a print shop opposite the Consulate).

 

No copy of wife's passport needed or asked for.

No copy of Laos Visa or my eVisa needed or asked for.

No financials asked for, the original marriage certificates are the key.

 

I usually go there on a Wednesday, the best day, but this time I had to go on Monday, it was a nightmare, they were queueing out in the street and beyond, I got to see the immigration officer after 2.5 hours standing out in the sun, lucky I took an umbrella, the place was full of Russians buying Tourist visas.....

 

We had a chat with the tuk tuk driver, he said the best days are Tuesday and Wednesday...So be warned, the Russians are coming...............????

 

If I have to go again, I will stay in Sav. the night before and get to the Consulate gate around 8/8.30, it opens at 9am and closes sharp at 11am, if you are late, or went for a quick beer, you will be told, tomorrow, I heard and saw that on Monday....The delay getting to Laos immigration is waiting for the bus to take you over the bridge, I got to the Thai Consulate at 9.30. ????

 

[Will B Good]

26 minutes ago, transam said:

No financials asked for,

Got thrown out by Chaiyaphum IO........applied for extension 29 days after the 400k went into my account.......then was grilled.....father's middle name, sister's age, mother's maiden name etc......and we see the same officer every year????

[NanLaew]

43 minutes ago, transam said:

If I have to go again, I will stay in Sav. the night before and get to the Consulate gate around 8/8.30, it opens at 9am and closes sharp at 11am, if you are late, or went for a quick beer, you will be told, tomorrow, I heard and saw that on Monday....The delay getting to Laos immigration is waiting for the bus to take you over the bridge, I got to the Thai Consulate at 9.30. 

That's my plan: after breakfast next Monday, a leisurely drive to Mukdahan and a no-pressure, early afternoon entry. A good night's sleep and a brisk walk to the Consulate on Tuesday morning. Another quite night before check-out, collect passport/visa and re-enter Thailand. If all things go to plan, I will be having dinner with the family by song thoom on Wednesday.

[khunjake]

No issues for me last month as well and in prior years pre-covid, a total breeze. 2 years of annual visa extensions recently went fine and without a hitch until we relocated to a new province and found the Immigration officers to be very rude, argumentative, demanding and disrespectful just for following the law and submitting TM30. More then glad to make the jump to Savan every year again to avoid dealing with these a$$holes. 

[Celsius]

After all these years why are you still slumming it with visas? 

 

 

 

 

[Adumbration]

29 minutes ago, Celsius said:

After all these years why are you still slumming it with visas? 

 

 

 

 

Because he does not have 400K THB?

[NanLaew]

1 hour ago, Celsius said:

After all these years why are you still slumming it with visas?

 

For me personally, it's because of all the years of "slumming it" with the petty IO jobsworths that pollute most of Thailand's immigration offices.

 

Just think of it, the only IO I'll be seeing for the next 12 months is the jobsworth that stamps me in/out at the airport.

[transam]

1 hour ago, Celsius said:

After all these years why are you still slumming it with visas? 

 

 

 

 

A visa is a visa, what have you got...?  

[transam]

22 hours ago, Celsius said:

After all these years why are you still slumming it with visas? 

 

 

 

 

Are you one of those illegal no visa people.........?   

[Woof999]

On 3/22/2023 at 12:31 PM, transam said:

I went to Savannakhet on Monday 20th

Just out of interest, why do you do it this way rather than the local extension?

 

I totally get that the local extensions can be a right royal PITA, but after a few of them I've found them relatively pain free.

[transam]

1 minute ago, Woof999 said:

Just out of interest, why do you do it this way rather than the local extension?

 

I totally get that the local extensions can be a right royal PITA, but after a few of them I've found them relatively pain free.

Mainly financial, you cannot get an extension wiv 399,999bht in the bank...????

 

I can get 15/17 months out of a proper Visa, with no hassle or interrogation from immigration. I get my 15/17 month Visa, being face to face with a Consulate officer for ONE minute and not a word spoken........

[Woof999]

Just now, transam said:

Mainly financial, you cannot get an extension wiv 399,999bht in the bank...????

 

I can get 15/17 months out of a proper Visa, with no hassle or interrogation from immigration. I get my 15/17 month Visa, being face to face with a Consulate officer for ONE minute and not a word spoken........

Should have said. I'd have lent you the 1 baht ????

 

All good, thanks.

[biervoormij]

23 hours ago, khunjake said:

No issues for me last month as well and in prior years pre-covid, a total breeze. 2 years of annual visa extensions recently went fine and without a hitch until we relocated to a new province and found the Immigration officers to be very rude, argumentative, demanding and disrespectful just for following the law and submitting TM30. More then glad to make the jump to Savan every year again to avoid dealing with these a$$holes. 

Which immigration office did you find rude? Good to know which one to avoid.

[ndreamer]

I want to add some facts.

I have been going to Savanakhet for the last 7 years.

 

1800baht entry, I paid 1400baht not so long ago. I'm Australian it use to be 32-33usd.

 

Immigration didn't stamp my wife's passport, despite giving it to them. This is partly my fault but they also normally check before exit as well. 

 

I showed up at 10am gates were closed, immigration requested a bribe 200baht, happy with that considering how long the line was.

 

I was 198, the line was huge.

 

Going back to Thailand we were dragged to the head honcho office for no stamp. 3,000 baht, I talked him down. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[transam]

22 minutes ago, ndreamer said:

I want to add some facts.

I have been going to Savanakhet for the last 7 years.

 

1800baht entry, I paid 1400baht not so long ago. I'm Australian it use to be 32-33usd.

 

Immigration didn't stamp my wife's passport, despite giving it to them. This is partly my fault but they also normally check before exit as well. 

 

I showed up at 10am gates were closed, immigration requested a bribe 200baht, happy with that considering how long the line was.

 

I was 198, the line was huge.

 

Going back to Thailand we were dragged to the head honcho office for no stamp. 3,000 baht, I talked him down. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Should just pay the 20 bht for a Thai pass for wife, it is painless, my wife has a passport, but it is pointless using it.

The minimum Laos visa on entry now is 2000bht, or $40 US, which works out 1,365 baht.

The Consulate gates are locked for business at 11am, before that they let in about 20 at a time, locking the gate each time.

 

[patman30]

1 hour ago, ndreamer said:

I want to add some facts.

I have been going to Savanakhet for the last 7 years.

stopped reading here where you lost all your credibility LOL

[transam]

On 3/23/2023 at 12:49 PM, biervoormij said:

Which immigration office did you find rude? Good to know which one to avoid.

You cannot choose an immigration officer you like the look of at any immigration office......

[PJ71]

I did not need #6 mid december.

[biervoormij]

1 minute ago, transam said:

You cannot choose an immigration officer you like the look of at any immigration office......

I can choose where in Thailand I live. If one office is seen as very rude I would prefer to avoid it.

[transam]

1 minute ago, PJ71 said:

I did not need #6 mid december.

The thread is what "I" take for a trouble free, no worry visit to Laos, and as I stated, they kept the KR2, they always do, and at 20 bht is a no-brainer to get there and find they now need it...........????

[transam]

4 minutes ago, biervoormij said:

I can choose where in Thailand I live. If one office is seen as very rude I would prefer to avoid it.

So you will move house to avoid a grumpy immigration officer............????

[PJ71]

1 minute ago, transam said:

The thread is what "I" take for a trouble free, no worry visit to Laos, and as I stated, they kept the KR2, they always do, and at 20 bht is a no-brainer to get there and find they now need it...........????

No, the thread is blah blah blah "the facts"

 

As i stated KR2 is not a requirement. It's a no brainer coz it's not required along with a lot of other items you mention - yellow book and pink card copies.

[transam]

6 minutes ago, PJ71 said:

No, the thread is blah blah blah "the facts"

 

As i stated KR2 is not a requirement. It's a no brainer coz it's not required along with a lot of other items you mention - yellow book and pink card copies.

Then read my opening post again.....................????.......................????

 

Do you take a copy of your Laos visa, or your wife's passport, as has been mentioned here.............????

[biervoormij]

6 minutes ago, transam said:

So you will move house to avoid a grumpy immigration officer............????

I am retired and have nothing holding me in one places so yes I might move to avoid a pain in the butt immigration office. I am planning on moving when my lease is up for renewal and if someone would rather go to Laos than deal with their local immigration office I would like to know which office that is.

[PJ71]

4 minutes ago, transam said:

Then read my opening post again.....................????.......................????

 

Do you take a copy of your Laos visa, or your wife's passport, as has been mentioned here.............????

I took a copy of Laos visa to prove i'd entered the country legally but did not take the wifes passport as it's not required.

[transam]

Just now, PJ71 said:

I took a copy of Laos visa to prove i'd entered the country legally but did not take the wifes passport as it's not required.

So you took a copy of your Laos Visa when the officer can see it in your passport...................????.........................????

[patman30]

5 minutes ago, transam said:

So you took a copy of your Laos Visa when the officer can see it in your passport...................????.........................????

you take a copy of Pink ID when the officer has your passport
you take a copy of your yellow book, when the officer has a copy of your wife's blue book

same energy
Just saying ????

[PJ71]

3 minutes ago, transam said:

So you took a copy of your Laos Visa when the officer can see it in your passport...................????.........................????

Congratulations you have the ability to read ( and understand ) - impressive.

 

So you took a copy of your pink card and yellow book when not required.......is that right ???? ( and a brolly ).

 

btw - the new hotel across from the embassy has a camera set up out the front so that you can start to see the queue forming in the morning and dash accross the road, very handy. Comfy beds too.

 

 

[transam]

Just now, patman30 said:

you take a copy of Pink ID when the officer has your passport
you take a copy of your yellow book, when the officer has a copy of your wife's blue book

same energy
Just saying ????

Another that needs to read my OP for a second time regarding my 10/12 years of trouble free Laos visits.....????

[patman30]

1 minute ago, transam said:

Another that needs to read my OP for a second time regarding my 10/12 years of trouble free Laos visits.....????

i read the OP, and thank you for it, it was informative.

i was not replying to your OP, but the quoted comment.