Worry-Free Non-O-Visa Savannakhet

[TheRoadWarrior]

just got back to thailand last night, so ill update with current info.

 

i fley nok fly n ride service from DMK at 13:20 into ubon an hour later, the had a taxi to mukdahan arrived around 16:00ish, only 2 other passengers with me so it was nice and comfy

i crossed border immediately via the bus from mukdahan station (had to wait for 19:00 buss, missed the 17:30)

crossing into laos was a breeze as expected.. not even a security check, just quick check of passport.

 

i am NOT a morning person, so i decided to arrive the night before so i could be in laos and ready to just go straight to the consulate, rather than trying to wake up super early and deal with border cross in the morning.

stayed at Avalon Residence 2, which is on the same block as Avalon and Aura, a stones throw from the bus station dropoff which is nice.

Avalon 2 was a bit nicer than the pics made it look, its relatively new and clean, albeit small and simple. most importantly the wifi was acceptable, getting around 6mbps to bangkok via speedtest.

initially the clerk could not find my reservation, and after a day of traveling i was rather annoyed, i started phoning up agoda to sort the problem out, but he eventually found it, agoda had probably used up their allocation and booked it via some backchannel partnership with booking.com instead unknown to me, so the clerk was looking for an agoda rez when it was actually under booking.com in his computer. he eventually found it, and after that the service from the staff was pleasant and helpful at all times. i think i paid about 550ish tbh per night, which is incredibly cheap and i dont think you can do better for that price, so id highly recommend it for simple convenient stay.

FYI, true move mobile signal stretched all the way to the bus station in savannakhet, (had full bars all through immigration) but was a bit shakey at the hotel just a block further away, so i guess thats about the limit of the range, i used the hotel wifi instead.... i got no signal at all in the embassy.

took a tuktuk from hotel, arrived to the embassy 9am on the dot, was already a line of 20-30 people in front of me, and more lining up behind me... this was on a wednesday, which is supposedly a slower day, so i guess savannakhet is getting busier and busier.... other people in line said they had been waiting since well before 9am when it opened.
FYI tuttuk waited for me and also took me back to the hotel after, i didnt ask his rate, just gave him 200thb for the round trip which was probalby overpaying judging by his smile but i didnt care at that point it was hot!

there was no forms or pens or any signage or anything available that you would expect a consulate to have... typical SEA lack of forethought. someone in line told me that the shop/restaurant across the street sells forms for 20b, but i went up to the front window and politely asked for one through the window, which they begrudgingly handed me with an annoyed face (which is amusing since its their damn job to provide the forms lol)

i already had photos which i had prepared in TH before leaving, i get a pack of 20 or 30 photos for relatively cheap, doesnt hurt to have extras... didnt see anyone offering a photo service anywhere from the border to the consulate, but maybe the shop that sells the application forms also does photos? just bring your own.

there was only ONE girl servicing the entire line of people... so naturally the line moved very slowly... it was about an hour before i got to the front, at which time the girl very rudely told us this was NOT A PLACE FOR TALKING (myself and 2 others in line were having a conversation about places we had traveled)... she seemed quite miserable and hating life, and was taking it out on us... not a good start when applying for your visa... she asked me some questions in thai and seemed rather annoyed when i had to ask her to speak slowly (i have trouble hearing tones)... for a moment it looked like she really wanted to reject my application, but she eventually took it gave me my receipt. (FYI, all my paperwork is in order, with stacks upon stacks of more than necessary forms that my school prepares for me in advance. i did not have any bank statement paper and it was not asked for)

next day, i figured id show up a little early since there was a line already the day before... pickup time starts at 14:00, so i arrived at 13:30... only to find 20 people already in line... and worse than that, the line of APPLICATIONS was still 20-30 people deep and being serviced inside, the line for pickups was made to stand outside in the sun... with no mobile service it was a damn boring and HOT wait... they continued to process applications and made us wait outside until almost 16:00, when in typical SEA fashion, instead of letting people through the gate in the very orderly line that we had formed, they just opened another gate and said "go" and everyone ran like mad animals and rushed the desk.... people who had been in the front waiting for hours ended up in the back and were not happy, i let several of them go in front of me because i know they were there before me, but a few of them started arguing with the thai staff, in which case they decided brilliantly to move the line location, which resulted in another mad dash and people angry they ended up at the back... i was somewhere in the middle, and the line moved quickly once they started handing out passports, i received mine around 16:10 or so.

moral of the story? DO NOT arrive early for pickup, unless your bus/flight requires it... youd be better off walking up around 15:00-16:00, because the line moves very quickly once they finally start doing their job... no point in arriving early, and the earlier you are the longer youll wait.

took a tuktuk back to the border, and got the bus ticket there rather than the bus station... crossing back in was a bit slower than exiting, as thai officials examine your docs more closely than the laos side, but otherwise uneventful, mostly just waiting for everyone to get through so the bus can continue.

arrived to mukdahan station at 16:45 or so, and then had just enough time to get a tuktuk to take me to the Point Palace Hotel which is where nok fly n ride has their van leaving at 17:00... this was NOT marked on my nok resevation details anywhere, so i had no idea where to go, and the lady at the nok booth in the mukdahan station was clueless...  i was attempting to call nok when  the van driver himself called me as im on his passenger list and told me where he was.... i was his ONLY passenger, and he had a very nice van, with great aircon, every manner of power plug available, and a tv screen etc lol... so it was a nice ride to sakon nahkon airport (return airpot was different than arrival)... arrived around 18:00-18:15

this is where it got bad.... the original flight i booked was a 19:00 flight... which would have been perfect... but earler they had sent me an email saying it was moved to 20:50... no explanation why, but it wasnt a flight delay as the notification was the day before.... but when i arrived at the airport, they had an additonal delay , saying 21:35... then the moved it again to 22:00... well, we did not board the plane until 22:40.... each time they moved it i had to keep rescheduling my taxi at DMK.... ill probably never fly Nok again unless i absolutely have to.

feel free to ask any questions, ill try to check back later on.

[TheRoadWarrior]

oh one more nice tidbit i forgot to mention

the money exchange at the ubon airport was closed (i intended to change some TBH to USD for easier use in laos), i shoul dhave done this in BKK but i arrived to the airport with just enough time to check in.

 

at the laos border, the fee for canadian VOA is $42 usd... which is about 1290 thb or so.... they insisted on 1800thb... .the military looking official did not seem to be amused when i joking asked him to show me the exchange rate he used to arrive at 1800... no doubt these guys are pocketing the extra 500b... but since i didnt have USD i was at their mercy, which is just how they love it so they can take advantage.... just have to laugh and accept it, because arguing will just make things worse.... next time change money at home before leaving, lesson learned.

 

you also need to have 2 photos there for their form, they will charge you 100b extra if you dont have photos and use their digital cam to take one, the guy next to me in line did not have any. he also had overstayed a few days, to which i overheard them charging him somewhere around 4600thb for his VOA, not sure what country he was.

[Danthai]

Great report!

[thai006]

people know if at penang i can obtain a non O having Thai child  without financial proof ? 

[BritTim]

14 minutes ago, thai006 said:

people know if at penang i can obtain a non O having Thai child  without financial proof ? 

You must have financial proof in Penang.

[thai006]

2 minutes ago, BritTim said:

You must have financial proof in Penang.

 even for a single entry ?

[john34]

Do the original marriage certificate copies have to be in color or will black and white be enough?

[ubonjoe]

29 minutes ago, john34 said:

Do the original marriage certificate copies have to be in color or will black and white be enough?

Black and white will be accepted.

[john34]

4 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Black and white will be accepted.

ok, great. Im out of color.

[Steelhammer]

I have to go to Savannakhet in the last week of September and now I want to book my flight with Lao Air. Is there still no need of financial proof for NON-O multiple based on marriage?

[transam]

25 minutes ago, Steelhammer said:

I have to go to Savannakhet in the last week of September and now I want to book my flight with Lao Air. Is there still no need of financial proof for NON-O multiple based on marriage?

Correct...

[spinshock]

I just arrived back from Savanakhet and here to share some experiences.

 

1) Started lining up outside the Thai embassy at about 830am on Thursday. I was 54th in line. In front of me were mostly people in groups I believe got here very early on minivans with a guide. Nationalities mixed not one in particular. My guess is they arrived in the minivans before 8am. 

2) Gates opened at 9am. Roughly the first 40 in line got in and they shut the outer gate until the next round of people are let in.

3) Here is the problem. The first 40 people took a VERY long time. Each applicant took alot of time and the outer gate was not opened for the next round of people until about 1045am. I do not know what kind of visa they were applying for, possibly teacher work permit? But their applications seemed to go through a very long check each holding up the line painfully.

4) After the first 40 got through, the next round was much faster where people were mostly applying for a tourist visa or non O. Fast because they look at these applications, give a yes or no, done. There were however some groups of what looked like teachers behind in the line which may have taken up longer to process again.

5) Next day went to pick up at about 2pm. Many were lining up already for pick up at 130pm. Pickup was quick.

[TransAm2002]

I have this Non-O visa based on marriage provided in Savannakhet.  I went boarder runs every within 90 days to extend next 90 days till now.  Currently due to Covid-19, it seems almost impossible to take a border run.  If I extend my visa at immigrations in Thailand, what documents do I need?  Especially, do I have yo prepare 400K bank deposit proof?

[ubonjoe]

1 minute ago, TransAm2002 said:

I have this Non-O visa based on marriage provided in Savannakhet.  I went boarder runs every within 90 days to extend next 90 days till now.  Currently due to Covid-19, it seems almost impossible to take a border run.  If I extend my visa at immigrations in Thailand, what documents do I need?  Especially, do I have yo prepare 400K bank deposit proof?

You do not need to extend your 90 day entry from your visa.

At this time you can stay in the country until July 31st. No need to go to immigration.

[doggie1955]

Any word yet when Savannakhet will re-open?

[TransAm2002]

10 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

You do not need to extend your 90 day entry from your visa.

At this time you can stay in the country until July 31st. No need to go to immigration.

Hi Ubonjoe, I appreciate your reply and information.

[ubonjoe]

47 minutes ago, doggie1955 said:

Any word yet when Savannakhet will re-open?

Maybe when the border crossing opens and their is no indication that will happen anytime soon.

[JASON THAI]

Hi a question for Udon Joe, I have a multi non O visa based on marriage I last done my 90 day boarder run 19th March just before they shut the boarder at Nong Khai I have a Stamp for 90 Day lasting until 17th June, I know I can apply for a 60 day extension before this date at my local IO but do I need to do this as visa's have been extended until July 31st ?

[ubonjoe]

11 minutes ago, JASON THAI said:

Hi a question for Udon Joe, I have a multi non O visa based on marriage I last done my 90 day boarder run 19th March just before they shut the boarder at Nong Khai I have a Stamp for 90 Day lasting until 17th June, I know I can apply for a 60 day extension before this date at my local IO but do I need to do this as visa's have been extended until July 31st ?

No need to apply for the 60 day extension. You can stay until July 31st. You could use the 60 day extension then so you do not have to leave the country for a new entry.

[TransAm2002]

I have this visa and did 60 days extension on 23 Sep.  This visa itself expires on 18 Oct.  Can I apply 1 year extension in this case?  I mean can I apply 1 year extension after I applied 60 days extension.

[ubonjoe]

25 minutes ago, TransAm2002 said:

I have this visa and did 60 days extension on 23 Sep.  This visa itself expires on 18 Oct.  Can I apply 1 year extension in this case?  I mean can I apply 1 year extension after I applied 60 days extension.

Yes you can if you can meet the financial requirements.

[TransAm2002]

22 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Yes you can if you can meet the financial requirements.

Thank you for your quick reply,   Ubonjoe.