Is Savannakhet requiring proof of 400k for 2 months?

[chakeeoyen]

Seeing conflicting information.

 

For a multi-O based on marriage, do I need to show proof of 400k held in my bank for 2 months or will a current statement do?

[Tod Daniels]

There are recent reports (just before that consulate went to mandatory online appt booking to get in the gate) that they were still asking for proof of 400K baht in a thai bank account in your name only for 2 months before they'll let you apply for a year-long, multi-entry Non-O visa based on marriage to a thai. 

I had a report of someone who showed the 400K baht only on the day they applied and were told they could get a 90 day single entry Non-O only .

The BIG thing is that there are no openings in the online appt system. They only open up 14 days ahead and open an additional day when the system resets each night. Those appts are booked up in minutes, the agencies that take burmese there have teams that just sit on computers refreshing the screen until the appt bookings open up, then book them as fast as they can. In fact it's almost ONLY burmese that are using that consulate right now 

[DrJack54]

OP, if you cannot obtain the visa at Savannakhet due to appointment or funds.....you could consider a border bounce and with the visa exempt entry you could obtain a non O based on marriage at your local immigration office and the subsequent 12 month extension.

 

Process outlined in attached thread and links to other similar threads.

https://aseannow.com/topic/1315828-visa-exempt-to-90-day-non-o-spouse-visa-conversion-in-thailand/

 

[chakeeoyen]

Are they by chance accepting proof of income? I have a work permit and make over 50k a month. 

[Denim]

1 hour ago, Tod Daniels said:

There are recent reports (just before that consulate went to mandatory online appt booking to get in the gate) that they were still asking for proof of 400K baht in a thai bank account in your name only for 2 months before they'll let you apply for a year-long, multi-entry Non-O visa based on marriage to a thai. 

I had a report of someone who showed the 400K baht only on the day they applied and were told they could get a 90 day single entry Non-O only .

The BIG thing is that there are no openings in the online appt system. They only open up 14 days ahead and open an additional day when the system resets each night. Those appts are booked up in minutes, the agencies that take burmese there have teams that just sit on computers refreshing the screen until the appt bookings open up, then book them as fast as they can. In fact it's almost ONLY burmese that are using that consulate right now 

 

Interesting. Thanks for the info. Guess there is absolutely no advantage in going there any more. If your one year non O is based on marriage might as well just get extensions at your local immigration office.  There must be quite a few hotels there that will be feeling the pinch now that their customer base has evaporated.  Shame , I liked the place but sounds like a lot of hassle now.

[Will B Good]

I know rules vary, but I have to have 400k in the bank for 60 days before making my application, then I get my 30 days consideration.

 

[Tod Daniels]

7 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

I know rules vary, but I have to have 400k in the bank for 60 days before making my application, then I get my 30 days consideration.

 

I believe you are confusing two completely different things
applying for a year extension based on marriage INSIDE the country at the immigration office where you live (which cost 1900baht) and which you get a 30 day under consideration stamp when you apply and then go back to get the year inked in when that runs down
AND
Applying for a year-long, multi-entry Non-O VISA based on marriage to a thai at a thai consulate in Savannakhet Lao where you pay 5000baht and get the visa sticker stuck in your passport

 

[Tod Daniels]

13 minutes ago, Denim said:

 

 There must be quite a few hotels there that will be feeling the pinch now that their customer base has evaporated.

The "pinch" those hotels are feeling are not from the foreigners who aren't slogging there to get year-long, multi-entry Non-O visas based on marriage

It's from the consulate going to limited online only appointments to get in the gate and cutting down the 300+ people a day standing out in front of the consulate to get visas 😮 

The year-multi-Non-O's they issued to foreigners married to thaiz was just a tiny drop of the overall number of visas they cranked out (mostly to burmese and chinese)

[AgMech Cowboy]

On 6/19/2024 at 2:11 PM, chakeeoyen said:

Are they by chance accepting proof of income? I have a work permit and make over 50k a month. 

No, I tried that back in January this year. I had Kasikornbank print a years worth of bank transactions, highlighted the deposits, copied one year of Chase Bank statements from the US showing the transfers and corresponding receipt in Kasikorn bank and prepared a summary of the transfers of the past year. It was almost THB 700,000. The man at the window who reviews the documents was polite and told me all they want to see was a deposit of THB 400,000 (and I think he said something about a bank letter).  At that time, in late January, there was no requirement to season the funds, but this is also prior to their new appointment requirements.

 

As a side comment to the appointment system, hopefully the local trade people (hotels, restaurants, taxi & tuktuk drivers) will complain to their leaders to put pressure on the Consulate to open things up a little bit. Their businesses have got to be suffering.

 

As things have changed at the Consulate and with my age...  I just finished this week obtaining a one years extension based on RETIREMENT. (I even realized I'm creeping around, shuffling sometimes, like P. J. Biden.)  That's scary because I'm fully aware (and I'm a decade younger than he is).