Into Laos From Nakorn Phanom

[TexasRanger]

I will be spending some time in the Sakorn Nakorn / Nakorn Phanom areas soon and at some point may need to croos into Laos for a visa run as my Non O has will expire on this trip. The wife said we could cross at Nakorn Phanom via the river or Nong Kai or Mukhadan. I have never done this before as last time to Laos I flew, has anyone got any first hand experience of crossing and doing a visa run at any of these places?

[tubber]

I will be spending some time in the Sakorn Nakorn / Nakorn Phanom areas soon and at some point may need to croos into Laos for a visa run as my Non O has will expire on this trip. The wife said we could cross at Nakorn Phanom via the river or Nong Kai or Mukhadan. I have never done this before as last time to Laos I flew, has anyone got any first hand experience of crossing and doing a visa run at any of these places?

I get a yearly extension every year at Nakon Phanom immigration so you could try there. Haven't done the border hop at Nong Khai but have heard it is OK. I live in Sakon Nakhon and if you go Udon to Nong Khai it is about 200km. I have tried to get to Laos by the small boats but they say no Falangs only Thais as there is no proper check point. My wifes step-brothers girlfriend (Loas national) goes to Mukdahan to renew her visa with no problems but I think there may be some monkey business going on.

[TexasRanger]

I will be spending some time in the Sakorn Nakorn / Nakorn Phanom areas soon and at some point may need to croos into Laos for a visa run as my Non O has will expire on this trip. The wife said we could cross at Nakorn Phanom via the river or Nong Kai or Mukhadan. I have never done this before as last time to Laos I flew, has anyone got any first hand experience of crossing and doing a visa run at any of these places?

I get a yearly extension every year at Nakon Phanom immigration so you could try there. Haven't done the border hop at Nong Khai but have heard it is OK. I live in Sakon Nakhon and if you go Udon to Nong Khai it is about 200km. I have tried to get to Laos by the small boats but they say no Falangs only Thais as there is no proper check point. My wifes step-brothers girlfriend (Loas national) goes to Mukdahan to renew her visa with no problems but I think there may be some monkey business going on.

I don't mind monkey business But seriously, we will be closer to Sakorn and I would like to do a normal visa run cos my NON O was from UK and the way they do extensions on marriage here is no good to me because I travel so much. I think you can only apply so many months or weeks before it expires here and I can't do that. I guess Nong Khai might be best, but still open to ideas. Cheers.

[tubber]

I don't mind monkey business But seriously, we will be closer to Sakorn and I would like to do a normal visa run cos my NON O was from UK and the way they do extensions on marriage here is no good to me because I travel so much. I think you can only apply so many months or weeks before it expires here and I can't do that. I guess Nong Khai might be best, but still open to ideas. Cheers.

   Guess Nong Khai will be the easiest, if you can't wait one month for the extension. Why not hire a car in Sakon Nakhon and drive to Nong Khai via Nakon Phanom and go up the road that follows the Mekong. Very nice country side

[TexasRanger]

Guess Nong Khai will be the easiest, if you can't wait one month for the extension. Why not hire a car in Sakon Nakhon and drive to Nong Khai via Nakon Phanom and go up the road that follows the Mekong. Very nice country side

We have a truck anyway so no need to rent and we drove up that way a few weeks ago to go to the Tat Pho waterfall so it shouldn't take too long. I heard that if you have a non O based on marriage you can't renew or extend until a month or so before it expires, no good for me cos I can't garuntee I'll be here. I guess the visa run will be best but I want the easiest option, I don't care about the price, it is the time I don't want to waste. Should be a nice drive whatever though.

[tubber]

Sorry can't be anymore help. I can't see any quicker or easier way than going to Nong Khai? Might cut an hour or 2 off the travelling time if you sit on the back of my bike though.

[TexasRanger]

Sorry can't be anymore help. I can't see any quicker or easier way than going to Nong Khai? Might cut an hour or 2 off the travelling time if you sit on the back of my bike though.

Nong Khai sounds good, as for the bike, I appreciate the offer Bro but I think I'll stick to the truck, bit of a puusy when it comes to "riding bitch".

[ubonjoe]

I will be spending some time in the Sakorn Nakorn / Nakorn Phanom areas soon and at some point may need to croos into Laos for a visa run as my Non O has will expire on this trip. The wife said we could cross at Nakorn Phanom via the river or Nong Kai or Mukhadan. I have never done this before as last time to Laos I flew, has anyone got any first hand experience of crossing and doing a visa run at any of these places?

Mukdhan is best bet I would say if you are going just get another 90 day at the consulate in Savannakhet. Don't know how you are going to get there. But if you are driving you can park at a place on the left side of the road just before you get to gates. Also you can get the wifes border pass there. But they don't open until 8:30 AM. From there you can walk to immigration and buy a bus ticket into Savannakhet for 50 Baht on the left just before you get to immigration. Plan on staying overnight in Savannakhet you won't get your Visa until the next day. Before you cross the bridge make sure you have a picture for your Lao visa and 1500 Baht. You will have some 40 baht charges on the lao side for each of you. The bus waits for you on the Lao side until you get your visa and then goes to the Bus station. From the bus station you can get a TukTuk to consulate. Have two pictures and copy of passport photo page, copy of marriage certificateand 2000 baht. If you don't have copies you can get them across from the consulate. You have to get to the Consulate before I would say 11 or you might not get to turn in your paperwork in that day. I would also suggest not going on Mondays because it can be very busy that day. You have to ask for a Visa application and get a number and wait for your number to be called to turn your papaerwork in. You won't get your passport back until the next day starting at 2PM. I can't help much on the Hotels other than the Mekong Hotel which is right on the river. It not much of a hotel but my wife is Kinyao so that where we have stayed the 2 times we have been there. There are others but I don't remember the names.

The other option is Vientiane which is little farther from Nakorn Phanom but its a lot better place to visit than Savannakhet. For me Mukdhan was (got one year extension now) best since it's only about two hour drive from the house. More and better hotels restaurants night life and etc. There are a lot of posts about Visa runs there also. If driving there you can Park at the bus station near the bridge and also get the wifes border pass a travel agent in front of the bus station. Its the same routine and money for the Visas there.

Hope this helps.

Edited August 30, 2008 by ubonjoe

[TexasRanger]

That helps a lot, thanks for taking the time to post it, actually all I am after is a standard 1 month visitor visa, I will enter on a one month visitor visa when I get back from work next time and will be here for a month and a half (ish) so just need a basic in and out visa run. Later on if I need it I will send my spare passport back to the old country for a new 1 year Non (O). This is just a short term fix. Thanks again for the info, very helpful.

[ubonjoe]

That helps a lot, thanks for taking the time to post it, actually all I am after is a standard 1 month visitor visa, I will enter on a one month visitor visa when I get back from work next time and will be here for a month and a half (ish) so just need a basic in and out visa run. Later on if I need it I will send my spare passport back to the old country for a new 1 year Non (O). This is just a short term fix. Thanks again for the info, very helpful.

Glad I could help. You don't need a hotel then just cross the bridge and come back they sell bus tickets on the lao side of the bridge or ride into town and check it out for while. I had a multiple entry before and usely stayed a couple of hours just to make it look better.

[TexasRanger]

That helps a lot, thanks for taking the time to post it, actually all I am after is a standard 1 month visitor visa, I will enter on a one month visitor visa when I get back from work next time and will be here for a month and a half (ish) so just need a basic in and out visa run. Later on if I need it I will send my spare passport back to the old country for a new 1 year Non (O). This is just a short term fix. Thanks again for the info, very helpful.

Glad I could help. You don't need a hotel then just cross the bridge and come back they sell bus tickets on the lao side of the bridge or ride into town and check it out for while. I had a multiple entry before and usely stayed a couple of hours just to make it look better.

Kool and the gang, thanks again, Laos here we come.......

[ubonjoe]

That helps a lot, thanks for taking the time to post it, actually all I am after is a standard 1 month visitor visa, I will enter on a one month visitor visa when I get back from work next time and will be here for a month and a half (ish) so just need a basic in and out visa run. Later on if I need it I will send my spare passport back to the old country for a new 1 year Non (O). This is just a short term fix. Thanks again for the info, very helpful.

Glad I could help. You don't need a hotel then just cross the bridge and come back they sell bus tickets on the lao side of the bridge or ride into town and check it out for while. I had a multiple entry before and usely stayed a couple of hours just to make it look better.

Kool and the gang, thanks again, Laos here we come.......

Lao beer is good. Having a few cold ones at the bus station would be a good way to kill some time.

Enjoy

[marcel.dekorte]

I did two visa-runs when I lived at Ban Nungpraduk near Nahkon Phanom (Sept 2007 till April 2008). One time from Nong Kai to Laos. And one time from Nahkon Phanom, via the Mehkong-river, to Laos; indeed with a little boat and returning after one hour. I did not have any problems. It only costs 1500 bath.

With kind regards,

Marcel de Korte

(The Netherlands)

[Ken]

If you do not really want to make a trip into Laos, you should be able to just go to an Immigration Office in Thailand with your wife and get a 60 day extension for 1900 Baht. Danish friend here in Korat just did this last week at the Korat Immigration Office.

[TexasRanger]

If you do not really want to make a trip into Laos, you should be able to just go to an Immigration Office in Thailand with your wife and get a 60 day extension for 1900 Baht. Danish friend here in Korat just did this last week at the Korat Immigration Office.

Is this a common practice? Sounds like it would be an easy option? Any more info from those who have done it?

[ubonjoe]

If you do not really want to make a trip into Laos, you should be able to just go to an Immigration Office in Thailand with your wife and get a 60 day extension for 1900 Baht. Danish friend here in Korat just did this last week at the Korat Immigration Office.

Is this a common practice? Sounds like it would be an easy option? Any more info from those who have done it?

Yes can be done. It's a 60 day extension to visit your wife.

Go to page 11 and have a look at 7.23 has info on what you need.

http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/2notice/rtp606EN.pdf

If you are on a 30 day you might want to go early because some immigration offices won't do it if you have less than 21 days left on your 30 days. They may charge 2000 baht to do a visa change.

How was the trip.

Joe

Edited October 18, 2008 by ubonjoe

[TexasRanger]

If you do not really want to make a trip into Laos, you should be able to just go to an Immigration Office in Thailand with your wife and get a 60 day extension for 1900 Baht. Danish friend here in Korat just did this last week at the Korat Immigration Office.

Is this a common practice? Sounds like it would be an easy option? Any more info from those who have done it?

Yes can be done. It's a 60 day extension to visit your wife.

Go to page 11 and have a look at 7.23 has info on what you need.

http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/2notice/rtp606EN.pdf

If you are on a 30 day you might want to go early because some immigration offices won't do it if you have less than 21 days left on your 30 days. They may charge 2000 baht to do a visa change.

How was the trip.

Joe

Hi Joe

Trip was OK thanks but good to be back "home". That info looked good but I think the house registration is with the Mrs Parent's up country so might not be possible to use that route, shame as it sounded like an easy option. Bugger !

[ubonjoe]

If you do not really want to make a trip into Laos, you should be able to just go to an Immigration Office in Thailand with your wife and get a 60 day extension for 1900 Baht. Danish friend here in Korat just did this last week at the Korat Immigration Office.

Is this a common practice? Sounds like it would be an easy option? Any more info from those who have done it?

Yes can be done. It's a 60 day extension to visit your wife.

Go to page 11 and have a look at 7.23 has info on what you need.

http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/2notice/rtp606EN.pdf

If you are on a 30 day you might want to go early because some immigration offices won't do it if you have less than 21 days left on your 30 days. They may charge 2000 baht to do a visa change.

How was the trip.

Joe

Hi Joe

Trip was OK thanks but good to be back "home". That info looked good but I think the house registration is with the Mrs Parent's up country so might not be possible to use that route, shame as it sounded like an easy option. Bugger !

It's always good to be home.

See if they can EMS it to you you could have it overnight that way. Or the wife might be able to go to the local Amphor (district office) where you are at now with her ID and get a print out of it. I have heard of that being done.

Joe

Edited October 18, 2008 by ubonjoe

[plachon]

I will be spending some time in the Sakorn Nakorn / Nakorn Phanom areas soon and at some point may need to croos into Laos for a visa run as my Non O has will expire on this trip. The wife said we could cross at Nakorn Phanom via the river or Nong Kai or Mukhadan. I have never done this before as last time to Laos I flew, has anyone got any first hand experience of crossing and doing a visa run at any of these places?

I get a yearly extension every year at Nakon Phanom immigration so you could try there. Haven't done the border hop at Nong Khai but have heard it is OK. I live in Sakon Nakhon and if you go Udon to Nong Khai it is about 200km. I have tried to get to Laos by the small boats but they say no Falangs only Thais as there is no proper check point. My wifes step-brothers girlfriend (Loas national) goes to Mukdahan to renew her visa with no problems but I think there may be some monkey business going on.

The only monkey business going on is that you were given incorrect information about "No Farangs" on the boats from Nakhon Phanom to Thakek opposite. In fact, this is an international crossing open to all nationalities and the Lao will even provide a Visa on Arrival for most nationalities from Europe, N America and a bunch of other countries, just like the Friendship Bridge at Nong Khai but without the queues. You even pay the same ferry boat price as the locals at the pier next the immigration office. No point going to Mukdahan or Nong Khai when one can cross into Laos and back from Nakhon Phanom.

[TexasRanger]

Some great info on visa runs here folks thanks. I guess that my location (Near Si Songkram) will mean that the easiest option will be to cross at Nakorn Phanom by boat and do the visa run there as it is an easy visa run that I need, I don't need to travel in Laos, just get a new Thai visa for a month to tide me over until I get back to work.

I hope it is still possible and nothing has changed since Pla Chon last went there as I need a painless (as possible) experience. I guess I could just park the truck by the riverside and hop across the river and back in a pair of hours. Anyone else done this recently?

[TexasRanger]

If you do not really want to make a trip into Laos, you should be able to just go to an Immigration Office in Thailand with your wife and get a 60 day extension for 1900 Baht. Danish friend here in Korat just did this last week at the Korat Immigration Office.

Is this a common practice? Sounds like it would be an easy option? Any more info from those who have done it?

Yes can be done. It's a 60 day extension to visit your wife.

Go to page 11 and have a look at 7.23 has info on what you need.

http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/2notice/rtp606EN.pdf

If you are on a 30 day you might want to go early because some immigration offices won't do it if you have less than 21 days left on your 30 days. They may charge 2000 baht to do a visa change.

How was the trip.

Joe

As usual my office has shaken things up and now I have to wait until I am back in Bangkok before I can do anything about my visa, I guess now the 60 day extension is my best bet, I see on the .pdf file downloaded from the link above that a "copy" of the house registration is needed, I guess this is the tabien bahn and does anyone know if a "copy" is all I need or should I take the real deal in case someone gets funny about it?

I really only need an extra month in Thailand really but as far as I can see the only options I have are the 14 and 60 day extensions, I think I will do the 60 to be on the safe side.

I have my new non (O) in my other passport now so next time I come in I won't have to worry, just need to sort this next month out.

[ubonjoe]

Yes the acutal book and it is the tabien bahn. Plus a couple of copies.

[TexasRanger]

Yes the acutal book and it is the tabien bahn. Plus a couple of copies.

Thanks Joe