Living Nong Khai - Switch To Tourist Visa & Ext'S Before Final Marriage Status Completed

[saanya]

Hi,

My wife is from Nong Khai, we recently submitted a post asking about how to get an extension based on Marriage, and decided to definitely follow through on it, but in due time.

She actually lives in Mi Chai, literally around the corner and down the block from the border crossing to Laos/Vientaine.

Before I get rolling with the marriage extension, I wanted to ask, how is Vientaine for Tourist visas?

I want to switch my Education Visa's "extension" which runs out this June 30th.

I have a friend from Phuket who says he's been doing this visa run every 6 months to great result.

He flies up from Phuket, bus from Udon, goes to Vientaine, gets a double entry (for free till 2011), and sits pretty for 6 months. He says it is "up to them" which I fully understand.

And taking that into account, is it going to look odd that I would choose to switch visas.

Now that I do not live where my education facility is located, this would be my legitimate stated reason for the switch, as well as the legitimate need to have some kind of time before all the marriage stuff is worked out.

Anyone with information on the Vientaine visa run, let me know, I feel that it's worth simply taking care of this following week, and I can notify my school formally of my termination of the educational aspect of my visa with them, and simply study remotely while on the tourist status for the remaining hours of coursework I have already paid in for.

This seems like a good approach, any pros and cons to consider?

To be clear, I wish to exit Thailand at the Nong Khai/MiChai - Laos/Vientaine border crossing, visit the thai consulate, and fill out the proper paperwork and submit any fees to facilitate a double entry tourist visa to allow a stay of up to 6 months (knowing that these require specific visits to Nong Khai immigration or elsewhere, in case I want to avoid a certain "Mr. Happy" I have seen noted in certain posts).

thanks to mario2008, lopburi, maestro, and the others who helps me on the marriage extension questions I had.

-saanya

[lopburi3]

Two border crossings and two extensions of stay would be required for the six month period and as you say can be limited at any time.

A more elegant visa would be a multi entry non immigrant O which seems to be best available from KL (but you could ask Vientiane) with show of marriage/id paperwork and 100k in a Thai bank account. That would do you for up to 15 months with no visits to Immigration required (only a border crossing every 90 days. If you feel the time is right any of the 90 day entries could be converted into an extension of stay.

[saanya]

Two border crossings and two extensions of stay would be required for the six month period and as you say can be limited at any time.

A more elegant visa would be a multi entry non immigrant O which seems to be best available from KL (but you could ask Vientiane) with show of marriage/id paperwork and 100k in a Thai bank account. That would do you for up to 15 months with no visits to Immigration required (only a border crossing every 90 days. If you feel the time is right any of the 90 day entries could be converted into an extension of stay.

the elegant approach does seem to be the best move, I figured i'd save some money for the moment, since that is a critical issue at this juncture, and simply test the waters on how easy it is to get a tourist visa in vientaine, and get back to the house and focused on things. a trip to KL once am ready for the non-immigrant O would be a nice addition to a small vacation, perhaps KL being our last stop before coming back home to Nong Khai.

from what I can tell, it doesn't seem like Vientaine's going to be an issue, the visas look easier to get than some other places.

[Mario2008]

There is a difference between obtaining a non-O visa and obtaining a multiple non-O. Most consulates in the region will expect you to apply for a 1 year extension of stay at the end of the visa and not issue a multiple. KL will issue a multiple, under conditions.