Worry-Free Non-O-Visa Savannakhet

[mixed]

Thanks. Can anyone recommend a safe place to park for a couple of days?

[ubonjoe]

There secure parking on the left side of the road just before the gates for the bridge.

[jauntyjohn]

Aonangmrhuw,

I applied in Savannakhet last week and no financial proof is required. I was 2nd in the queue the day I applied and was in and out in under 5 minutes and picked up the next afternoon. I would suggest checking any upcoming holidays which would mean staying an extra say or 2 in Savannakhet.

Can you share what documents were needed? Costs for a 1 year non-o and multiple entry?

Thanks a lot!

Marriage certificate plus a copy, signed and dated copies of your wife's house book registry and ID card, The fee for the visa is 5000 baht.

The wifes house book registry has 12 plus pages, does she sign every page or only the page with her name on the registry?

[raro]

The wifes house book registry has 12 plus pages, does she sign every page or only the page with her name on the registry?

only the one with her registry. Plus the first page if that is a different one.

[PaulHamon]

There secure parking on the left side of the road just before the gates for the bridge.

use this twice, no problems.

[FritsSikkink]

can a Thai enter Laos on an ID card? my wife's passport still has her old name

[ubonjoe]

can a Thai enter Laos on an ID card? my wife's passport still has her old name

If the passport is still valid she can still use it to enter Laos. The name on it does not matter.

She would have apply for a border pass otherwise. There is an office just before the bridge where she could get one. About 50 baht for it.

[FritsSikkink]

can a Thai enter Laos on an ID card? my wife's passport still has her old name

If the passport is still valid she can still use it to enter Laos. The name on it does not matter.

She would have apply for a border pass otherwise. There is an office just before the bridge where she could get one. About 50 baht for it.

think there is 2 months left on the passport

[FritsSikkink]

i read issues about crossing the bridge, can't people walk. haven't got a clue how long it is

[MJCM]

i read issues about crossing the bridge, can't people walk. haven't got a clue how long it is

You are not allowed to cross the bridge on foot (unfortunately). You have to wait for the bus (getting on that bus was the part I hated most of the whole trip) or arrange a taxi to take you across.

[ubonjoe]

can a Thai enter Laos on an ID card? my wife's passport still has her old name

If the passport is still valid she can still use it to enter Laos. The name on it does not matter.

She would have apply for a border pass otherwise. There is an office just before the bridge where she could get one. About 50 baht for it.

think there is 2 months left on the passport

Laos requires 6 months remaining on a passport. She will need to get a border pass or get a new passport (about 5 days to get one).

[FritsSikkink]

can a Thai enter Laos on an ID card? my wife's passport still has her old name

If the passport is still valid she can still use it to enter Laos. The name on it does not matter.

She would have apply for a border pass otherwise. There is an office just before the bridge where she could get one. About 50 baht for it.

think there is 2 months left on the passport

Laos requires 6 months remaining on a passport. She will need to get a border pass or get a new passport (about 5 days to get one).

thanks a lot for the info, border pass for now. leave on sunday

[steve187]

border pass office opens at 8.30

[FritsSikkink]

Just read :

All government offices will be closed this Monday (Feb 22) as Thais all across the country celebrate Makha Bucha day

What about Laos?

[MJCM]

Just read :

All government offices will be closed this Monday (Feb 22) as Thais all across the country celebrate Makha Bucha day

What about Laos?

same

[ubonjoe]

Just read :

All government offices will be closed this Monday (Feb 22) as Thais all across the country celebrate Makha Bucha day

What about Laos?

Sorry it didn't click in my brain when you mentioned going on Sunday. The consulate will be closed on Monday. You will need to delay your trip by a day.

[beechbum]

Nearly time again for me fellas, just the usual annoying questions...Is it business as usual to get a non O multi entry? (based on marriage)

Are Nok still doing the following: Plane from Phuket-Bkk- the other place (name?), Mini bus pickup, then to the boarder crossing . Drop passport with papers at the embassy in the morning, pick up passport the next day, back to the hotel (name?) in Mukdahan for a night, mini bus to the other place(name?), return flights.

What was the name of the hotel in Savan on the river (stayed at the casino last time couldn't stand the place)

Cheers in advance.

[ubonjoe]

No changes for the visa application.

Nok Air is now offering the fly/ride service via 3 airports to Mukdahan from DMK.. You get the transport back to airport at the Ploy Palace hotel in Mukdahan.

[beechbum]

No changes for the visa application.

Nok Air is now offering the fly/ride service via 3 airports to Mukdahan from DMK.. You get the transport back to airport at the Ploy Palace hotel in Mukdahan.

Cheers Joe, just hope NOK can find a pilot on the day!!

[ubonjoe]

No changes for the visa application.

Nok Air is now offering the fly/ride service via 3 airports to Mukdahan from DMK.. You get the transport back to airport at the Ploy Palace hotel in Mukdahan.

Cheers Joe, just hope NOK can find a pilot on the day!!

Air Asia also does the fly/ride service Mukdahan via Nakhon Phanom from DMK.

[beechbum]

No changes for the visa application.

Nok Air is now offering the fly/ride service via 3 airports to Mukdahan from DMK.. You get the transport back to airport at the Ploy Palace hotel in Mukdahan.

Cheers Joe, just hope NOK can find a pilot on the day!!

Air Asia also does the fly/ride service Mukdahan via Nakhon Phanom from DMK.

Do you happen to know what days the embassy in Savannakhet may be closed.

I'm looking at going 14 March to 17 March

[ubonjoe]

The only holiday they will be closed for in March is is a Lao holiday on the 8th.

[shadowmaster1971]

Non-O trip Savannakhet Report - 6-8 April

So had to get Non O during the first 2 weeks of April. Decided to fly instead of the bus from Rayong/Pattaya, being close to Song Kran and seeing a few major bus accidents up around Nakhon Phanom and Mukdahan in recent weeks , flying made more sense.

Anyway I took a Nok Air fly and ride flight on Wed 6/4. Flight to Nakhon Phanom from DM getting in around 11.30am (fully pack 737), then there was the minivan

waiting to collect passengers to drive to Mukdahan (1.5 hrs). A comfortable ride given the driver was not a maniac. The minivan is operated by Ploy Palace hotel, that's the drop off/pick up point for the fly/ride service. Got in to Mukdahan around 2pm. Hoped on the local TT to bus station and got a bus to Savannakhet at 2.30pm.

Immigration on Thai/Lao sides fairly fast. Bus arrived at Savannakhet Bus station, by 4.30pm I'm checking into Avalon Hotel (5min walk from Bus station and solid 15min walk to the Thai Consulate).

As this was the first time doing the fly/ride I decided to a two night trip, didn't want to pressure my self try to get a visa with a nights stay. Plus I wasn't sure if on Thursday would be busy given Wednesday was holiday which may have caught out a few people.

My Non-O application was based on marriage and children. As the OP stated, copy of my passport etc, blue book, wives ID, copy of marriage certificate. As I mentioned kids I put in a cop their birth Certificates. I had blue book with me, originals of Marriage Certificate, KorKor2, kids birth certificates, plus everyones Thai passports - Came prepared!.

Anyway Wednesday night checking all my forms are in order, was reading this topic and noticed the OP mentioned if your application form didn't have both sides printed you may be asked at the consulate to fill out again (I only printed the one side which you fill out). Not to worry can sort out near the consulate in the morning.

Thursday morning got to consulate just after 8am. Right opposite the consulate was a cafe with foto copying, foto services etc. I said I need a form as well another copy of my passport page. The guy assisting me said you will need copy of Lao Visa and entry stamp as well for the application form. So sorted out fixing the form and all set. I overheard an english guy talking to the guy (who just help me) saying is it still a day? The response is that it is comeback the next day to get visa, but a day can be done, i.e for a fee!

Interesting the guy at the shop who helped me was a fluent english speaker. Turned out he was a Thai lived in Savannakhet for 3 years, but had lived a long time in Oklahoma! Ahhh that explains your international english accent!

So I was 27th in line at the consulate. Lodged the forms, they checked the original marriage certificate paid 5000 baht took about 5mins. By 9am I would say around 40/50 people waiting to get in to the consulate and appeared to be a steady flow of people arriving.

Not much to do that day other than hanged around the hotel, with temp hitting almost 40 degrees C, heck opening the hotel door the heat blast was enough to give you heat stroke!.

Next day pick up of passport was from 2pm. decided to walk first to Macchiota (similar to a Coffee Club) get some lunch. This place seems where all the local HiSo's like to go. Foods ok, expensive. This place is about half way between the avalon hotel and the consulate. Got to consulate at 2pm bit of que. I walked from the cafe with a swiss guy who was getting a visa too. His ticket collection number was 127 and he reckon there was another 50/60 people behind him when lodging his form. He reckon it was busy in part maybe due to people caught with the consulate closed on Wednesday.

Got my passport, Multi Non-O all in order. Back to Savannakhet bus station and on the 2.30pm back to Mukdahan. Bus was packed. Loa side exit at border fast, Thai side entry slow. Lots of people, Immigration computer system slow. The checkpoint had a black out just as I passed through. Noticed a lot of heavily armed security on the thai side (in black uniforms). Also there were sniffer dogs lots of immigration and customs people etc. Of course it songkran and notice the that all thee extra people for 5 mins where doing their jobs - as lots of fotos/vidoes were taken to prove so!

Got back to Mukdahan around 4pm. Got a TT back to Ploy Palace Hotel. My flight from Nakhon Phamon to DM was at 8.50pm, bus pick up at 6pm. Had 2 hours to kill and had a couple of beers with an english lad who I got to know on the bus etc, we had the same flight returning.

Flight with Nok Air was a Dash 8 Q400 turbo prop. Full flight. Was off the plane and was catching a taxi just after 10pm to meet up with the wife in Asoke.

All-in-All a good run to get a new Non-O.

[Tomtomtom69]

Very detailed and helpful I am sure. A question: why do you not apply for an extension of stay based on Thai Wife and save the trip to Laos (although it may be enjoyable?)

Good question, I don’t have to season money in a Thai savings bank account or get an income letter from my embassy in Bangkok that also costs me some twelve hundred baht.

Then the way I travel (multiple entries and exits) not only within Asia but also from and to Europe the Multiple Non-O-Visa comes very handy and is moreover cost effective, or not?

And I live in deep Issan where Farang food stores are not to be found within vicinity and where a food trip to Lao is much more convenient and shorter than going to Bankok or Pattaya, etc. etc.

Where are the "Farang Food" supermarkets to be found in Laos ?

Tops in Central Khon Kaen and Udon Thani is better than anything in Laos. You will now find a new supermarket in Vientiane, Rimping, which is a Thai supermarket from Chiang Mai. That supermarket wasn't open at the time this comment was posted, it only opened a few months ago. However, to go to Laos for that when everything costs more over there than even in Thailand would be pretty daft.

French restaurants however, including Chez Claude in Savannakhet are better than anything you can find on the Thai side, plus much cheaper too.

[john34]

Im going to Savannakhet in a couple of weeks to get a new multiple non O visa based on marriage. I went last year and everything was fine, no problems. I was wondering if anything has changed? i will be taking these documents as per the original post ...

- visa application

- 2 pictures attached to the application

- original marriage certificate

- 1 copy of marriage certificate, i.e. front and back page copied back to back on a single sheet with no date and signature on it.

- 1 copy of my passport front page dated and signed by me

- 1 copy of my wife’s ID card, front and back page copied on a single front sheet, dated and signed by my wife only

- 1 copy of my wife’s Blue Book (Tabian Ban) copied on a single front sheet dated and signed by my wife only

- 5000 Baht visa fee

Also, where can i download an up to date visa application with information on the exact documants needed.

Thanks

[shadowmaster1971]

Im going to Savannakhet in a couple of weeks to get a new multiple non O visa based on marriage. I went last year and everything was fine, no problems. I was wondering if anything has changed? i will be taking these documents as per the original post ...

- visa application

- 2 pictures attached to the application

- original marriage certificate

- 1 copy of marriage certificate, i.e. front and back page copied back to back on a single sheet with no date and signature on it.

- 1 copy of my passport front page dated and signed by me

- 1 copy of my wife’s ID card, front and back page copied on a single front sheet, dated and signed by my wife only

- 1 copy of my wife’s Blue Book (Tabian Ban) copied on a single front sheet dated and signed by my wife only

- 5000 Baht visa fee

Also, where can i download an up to date visa application with information on the exact documants needed.

Thanks

You can find the current visa application form on Thai visa. Just remember to print both sides front and back. Also as I mentioned in my post above, When I was at savannakhet at the visa/copy centre opposite the consulate they said i need to take a copy of my Lao visa and entry stamp for my application. I did see some other recent report you needed this as well. Other than that seems you have everything.

[ubonjoe]

Application forms Savannakhet 2501-01-31.PDF

Lao visa on arrival form.pdf

[lemonjelly]

Just done mine too, word of advice, if you turn up before 2pm to collect your passport, it just means joining the queue and hanging around in the heat until the consulate opens, once they do open, they bang the passports out pretty quick, I reckon turning up at 2:30 will be a lot less stress, avoid the queue, let it dissipate before you get there.

[MJCM]

Just done mine too, word of advice, if you turn up before 2pm to collect your passport, it just means joining the queue and hanging around in the heat until the consulate opens, once they do open, they bang the passports out pretty quick, I reckon turning up at 2:30 will be a lot less stress, avoid the queue, let it dissipate before you get there.

Good advice, any idea when is the latest that you can pickup your passport?

[lemonjelly]

Just done mine too, word of advice, if you turn up before 2pm to collect your passport, it just means joining the queue and hanging around in the heat until the consulate opens, once they do open, they bang the passports out pretty quick, I reckon turning up at 2:30 will be a lot less stress, avoid the queue, let it dissipate before you get there.

Good advice, any idea when is the latest that you can pickup your passport?

I think the office closes at 4pm