Worry-Free Non-O-Visa Savannakhet

[ubonjoe]

6 minutes ago, Steelhammer said:

I have booked my flight from Bangkok to Savannakhet. Do I get a Visa on Arrival at Savannakhet Airport?

Yes you will get the VOA when you arrive at the airport.

[Steelhammer]

2 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Yes you will get the VOA when you arrive at the airport.

Is this for sure? Because I have just read it is only possible at:

 

Wattay International Airport (Vientiane)
Luang Prabang International Airport (Luang Prabang)
Pakse International Airport (Pakse)

 

And only if I cross the border from Mukdahan to Savannakhet I can get a VOA.

 

I am really confused now ...

[Steelhammer]

18 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Yes you will get the VOA when you arrive at the airport.

Okay, I just read on http://www.tourismlaos.org/show.php?Cont_ID=348 that I will get a VOA at Savannakhet Airport too.

 

Thank you, Joe.

[lemonjelly]

So many pages on this thread.... can someone please give me a quick update for documents required for NON-O multiple entry based on marriage at the Savannakhet consulate, and which documents need to be counter signed by the missus..... cheers


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[ubonjoe]

8 minutes ago, lemonjelly said:

So many pages on this thread.... can someone please give me a quick update for documents required for NON-O multiple entry based on marriage at the Savannakhet consulate, and which documents need to be counter signed by the missus..... cheers

Your marriage certificate plus a copy, copies of your wife's house book registry and ID card signed by her.

[john34]

Hi, does it matter if the marriage certificate copy's are in black and white or do they need to be in colour?

 

[ubonjoe]

15 minutes ago, john34 said:

Hi, does it matter if the marriage certificate copy's are in black and white or do they need to be in colour?

 

Black and white copies are accepted.

[Handmade]

On 3/20/2018 at 2:58 PM, Steelhammer said:

I have booked my flight from Bangkok to Savannakhet. Do I get a Visa on Arrival at Savannakhet Airport?

hi . can i know which airline ? from bangkok to savannakhet ? lao air is always fully booked 

thank u

[Steelhammer]

8 minutes ago, Handmade said:

hi . can i know which airline ? from bangkok to savannakhet ? lao air is always fully booked 

thank u

I booked Lao air but already one month ago. Got one of the last seats ;-)

[ubonjoe]

13 minutes ago, Handmade said:

hi . can i know which airline ? from bangkok to savannakhet ? lao air is always fully booked 

thank u

There is also the option to use the fly/ride service to Mukdahan on Air Asia or Nok Air from Don Mueang airport. Then cross the bridge to Savannakhet.

[Nong Khai Man]

36 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

There is also the option to use the fly/ride service to Mukdahan on Air Asia or Nok Air from Don Mueang airport. Then cross the bridge to Savannakhet.

And THIS Option is a LOT Cheaper !!!!

[Steelhammer]

I'm just back from Savannakhet. Got my non-o multiple entry visa based upon marriage without any problem.

 

It was a smooth flight with lao air from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport to Savannakhet with a short stop in Pakse. I booked the flight about 6 weeks in advance.

 

The procedure at the Thai consulate was easy. I gave the officer the following documents:

 

- Visa Application Form with 2 pictures
- copy of my passport (signed by me)
- copy of marriage certificate and the original (was given back to me)
- copy of wife's ID-Card and house register (signed by her)
- copy of the visa on arrival and entry stamp from Laos
- 5000 THB visa fee

 

I also gave the officer a two month old marriage registration (khor ror 2) from the Amphur, which I still had from my last 60 day extension. He gave it back to me too.

 

The officer checked all my documents in one minute without any questions of proof of income or bank book.

 

Picked up my passport the next day at 2 pm.

 

I stayed in the Avalon Residence in Savannakhet, about 2 km away from the consulate. The hotel was nice and clean, the staff very friendly and made a copy for me of the Laos entry stamp.

 

I booked the hotel a few weeks in advance with Agoda. But be sure that you book the new hotel building near the road and not the old building at the car park next to the hotel. Next to the car park is a small restaurant which belongs to the hotel and called Avalon Coffee Shop. They offer good food and tasty dark Lao beer ;-)

 

On google maps you'll find it here:

 

Avalon Residence:
https://www.google.co.th/maps/place/Avalon+Residence/@16.5733849,104.7511582,18z/data=!4m10!1m2!3m1!2sAvalon+Residence!3m6!1s0x0:0x84e92e66c68e744c!5m1!1s2018-05-20!8m2!3d16.5730022!4d104.7522518

 

 

Avalon Coffee Shop:
https://www.google.co.th/maps/place/Coffee@avalon/@16.5733823,104.7522552,18z/data=!4m10!1m2!3m1!2sAvalon+Residence!3m6!1s0x313dcf54b4f9f3eb:0x5651f51d448e6f28!5m1!1s2018-05-20!8m2!3d16.573382!4d104.7522555

 

 

 

 

[khunyod]

Note on crossing the Mukdahan-Savannakhet bridge (Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge 2), if you arrive by Skylab/Tuktuk/Taxi, the only way across the bridge (Thai side to Lao side) is the hourly bus. There is now a large air-conditioned waiting room that has been constructed. Previously, on several occassions, I had been able to hitch a ride with the Savan Vegas vans, but this time two drivers in a row declined. Obviously there is a new policy in place. 50 THB for the bus from Mukdahan to the bridge, and across the bridge. Skylab/tuktuk from the bus station to the bridge: initial price was 150 thb, bargained down to 120 thb (had to ask two drivers to get this price). Still had to pay 50 thb to the bus to get across the bridge. This is accurate as of 17-June-2018.

P.S., The Aura Residence is in the same building as the Avalon (they both have half of the building). I prefer it over the Avalon. For one thing, you don't have a bait and switch with the converted house next door, whose direct neighbor washes large trucks in the early AM outside your window. Also, same access to Avalon restaurant, the grilled gai baan across the street, and the local restaurant/ice cream parlor/watering hole down the block (8 star restaurant).

Edited June 18, 2018 by khunyod
added info on Aura/Avalon

[BritTim]

2 hours ago, khunyod said:

if you arrive by Skylab/Tuktuk/Taxi, the only way across the bridge (Thai side to Lao side) is the hourly bus

Technically, if desperate, there is another (expensive) option. A handful of the taxis have vehicle passports, and you can negotiate for them to take you across. However, they need to pay a bridge fee for both the outward leg and return, plus they want a big personal fee. As a result, I could only imagine taking this option in exceptional circumstances.

[transam]

19 minutes ago, BritTim said:

Technically, if desperate, there is another (expensive) option. A handful of the taxis have vehicle passports, and you can negotiate for them to take you across. However, they need to pay a bridge fee for both the outward leg and return, plus they want a big personal fee. As a result, I could only imagine taking this option in exceptional circumstances.

2000bht.....They know my face now....☹️

[khunyod]

Note, the two copy places across from the Thai Consulate in Savannakhet will NOT print from a USB Drive. There was no reason given but likely too many times infected by viruses. They will make copies and also make passport photos. For everything else (emailing documents, faxes, printing from USB) they referr to an Internet place downtown. This is different from last year, if I recall correctly.

 

It is possible to go from Chiang Mai to Savannakhet in ~8 hours and the reverse in ~10 hours.

 

Chiang Mai to Savannakhet: Nok flights CNX-UTH, UTH-UBP (same plane, with a stop, disembark, reembark), taxi from UBP to bus station (80 THB metered), bus from Ubon to Mukdahan 111 THB, bus from Mukdahan to Lao boarder (50 THB). 

 

Savannakhet to Chiang Mai: get visa at 2pm at Thai consulate. Walk to bus station, 50 THB ticket to Mukdahan. Pass through immigration. At Mukdahan bus station, can just catch the 3:30pm bus to Ubon 111 THB. Arrives about 6pm. Taxi from bus station to UBP airport 80 THB metered. Thai Smile has UBP-BKK at 7:50pm arrives 8:55pm and a BKK-CNX at 10:15pm, arrives 23:30pm.

 

[gunghang]

As previously noted, there are a lot of pages in this thread.

 

I'm looking at a one-year non-im marriage O w/out 400K first thing next August.

 

I'm thinking of using  Air Asia & Nok Air.

 

Air Asia stops at the Indochina Market.  Nok Air stops at the Ploy Palace Hotel.

 

I think I read here that Nok Air also stops at the bridge.

 

Also, I recall reading that the shuttle bus runs from Mukdahan station to Savan station.

 

So, my plan at the moment is get my Lao visa in Bangkok to avoid "service charges" at the border.

 

Air Asia to Mukdahan and then go from Indochina Market to either the bus station or to the bridge, whichever is appropriate; OR, Nok Air to Mukdahan and the bridge.

 

I like the idea of leaving from a bus station to a bus station because rides right at the border have a quaint habit of being overpriced.  Air Asia to Indochina Market and from there the Mukdahan bus station is my first choice.

 

Two nights at a hotel in Savan which is close to the consulate and closer to the bus station.

 

Savan bus station to Mukdahan bus station.

 

Rather than hurry, spend a night at Ploy Palace.

 

Pick up by Nok Air at the hotel. No hurrying and no waiting in the sun or the rain.

 

Before I buy tickets, do I have my facts straight?  Any suggestions on a better way to do it?

Edited June 24, 2018 by gunghang

[Somtamnication]

Bus from the bridge was still 50b...irrespective of whether you got it there or at the bus station. 

[anto]

On 6/24/2018 at 8:52 AM, gunghang said:

As previously noted, there are a lot of pages in this thread.

 

I'm looking at a one-year non-im marriage O w/out 400K first thing next August.

 

I'm thinking of using  Air Asia & Nok Air.

 

Air Asia stops at the Indochina Market.  Nok Air stops at the Ploy Palace Hotel.

 

I think I read here that Nok Air also stops at the bridge.

 

Also, I recall reading that the shuttle bus runs from Mukdahan station to Savan station.

 

So, my plan at the moment is get my Lao visa in Bangkok to avoid "service charges" at the border.

 

Air Asia to Mukdahan and then go from Indochina Market to either the bus station or to the bridge, whichever is appropriate; OR, Nok Air to Mukdahan and the bridge.

 

I like the idea of leaving from a bus station to a bus station because rides right at the border have a quaint habit of being overpriced.  Air Asia to Indochina Market and from there the Mukdahan bus station is my first choice.

 

Two nights at a hotel in Savan which is close to the consulate and closer to the bus station.

 

Savan bus station to Mukdahan bus station.

 

Rather than hurry, spend a night at Ploy Palace.

 

Pick up by Nok Air at the hotel. No hurrying and no waiting in the sun or the rain.

 

Before I buy tickets, do I have my facts straight?  Any suggestions on a better way to do it?

I dont think Nokair or Airasia offer bus transfers anymore ? I could be wrong though .Anyway there are public busses you can use .

[ubonjoe]

27 minutes ago, anto said:

I dont think Nokair or Airasia offer bus transfers anymore ? I could be wrong though .Anyway there are public busses you can use .

They both still offer the fly/ride service to Mukdahan.

Nok Air offer the service via 3 airports.

[Somtamnication]

Edited June 26, 2018 by Somtamnication

[gunghang]

There is another way. I just remembered that years ago the Khon Kaen Lao consulate issued a visa while I waited.

 

Fly Nok Air or Air Asia to Khon Kaen. 

 

Pick up the Lao visa from the consulate there and avoid surcharges at the border and trips to the embassy in Bangkok.

 

Take a bus to Mukdahan bus station - not much longer than Ubon-Mukdahan.

 

I haven't been able to find a website for either Khon Kaen or Bangkok consular services and cannot download a visa application form.

[BritTim]

2 hours ago, gunghang said:

Pick up the Lao visa from the consulate there and avoid surcharges at the border and trips to the embassy in Bangkok.

 

On 6/24/2018 at 8:52 AM, gunghang said:

So, my plan at the moment is get my Lao visa in Bangkok to avoid "service charges" at the border.

As long as you pay in US$ at the border, there are no "surcharges" for a Lao visa. The only possible extra fee is an official US$1 overtime fee that applies outside of regular working hours. When applying for a Cambodian visa on arrival, the situation is, of course, different.

[james.d]

2 hours ago, BritTim said:

As long as you pay in US$ at the border, there are no "surcharges" for a Lao visa.

May I add, i paid US$ for my Lao visa at Savannakhet a couple of weeks ago, they rejected several dollar bills for being creased but luckily i had enough to pay. They are very strict on the condition of the bills.

[Maradona 10]

30 minutes ago, james.d said:

May I add, i paid US$ for my Lao visa at Savannakhet a couple of weeks ago, they rejected several dollar bills for being creased but luckily i had enough to pay. They are very strict on the condition of the bills.

That's because they prefer Baht as it works out quite a lot more. They will look for any excuse to knock back your green.

[chakeeoyen]

 
Before I buy tickets, do I have my facts straight?  Any suggestions on a better way to do it?

If money isn’t an issue then I’d just fly to Savannakhet From Suvarnabhumi with Lao Airlines. There’s a short layover in Pakse but it’s more convenient than the fly and ride method. You’ll need to spend two nights in Sav but I believe you said you were doing that anyway.



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[Will27]

2 hours ago, chakeeoyen said:

 

If money isn’t an issue then I’d just fly to Savannakhet From Suvarnabhumi with Lao Airlines. There’s a short layover in Pakse but it’s more convenient than the fly and ride method. You’ll need to spend two nights in Sav but I believe you said you were doing that anyway.



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Unless I'm mistaken, looking at their flight times, you'd have to stay 3 nights I think, which doesn't really make it an attractive

proposition at all.

[chakeeoyen]

Unless I'm mistaken, looking at their flight times, you'd have to stay 3 nights I think, which doesn't really make it an attractive
proposition at all.

Must be the current schedule then. I took them on my last trip and only stayed two. Looking at Momondo here for example they have a flight July 11 and a return on the 13th.


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[ubonjoe]

37 minutes ago, chakeeoyen said:

Must be the current schedule then. I took them on my last trip and only stayed two. Looking at Momondo here for example they have a flight July 11 and a return on the 13th.

The problem is the arrival time is too late to apply for a visa and the departure time is too early to pick up your passport.

[Nong Khai Man]

On 6/27/2018 at 10:01 AM, james.d said:

May I add, i paid US$ for my Lao visa at Savannakhet a couple of weeks ago, they rejected several dollar bills for being creased but luckily i had enough to pay. They are very strict on the condition of the bills.

They are the SAME At the Friendship Bridge crossing at Vientianne....( Very Strict )