Non Imm 'O' - First Border Run ... Request Advice.

[JDGRUEN]

I have a Non Imm 'O' Multi Entry Visa. I entered Thailand on 18 Jan 2014... Admitted to Stay until 17 Apr 2014.

Just for reference the 'Enter Before' Date is 14 Dec 2014.

This Visa is just 'O' ... not 'O-A' Retirement and not related to marriage. The General Consul in Dallas, TX USA who issued the Visa gave me a document stating that I have to exit and reenter every 90 days.

Is there any reason for me to report to a local Thailand Immigration Office?

I live near Nong Khai ... girlfriend's house... and often stay in another town not far away at a long stay hotel (time split about 50/50). The Hotel Room is in my girlfriend's name (employer sponsored accommodations). I am not currently on the Hotel Guest roster.

- I have my Departure Card stapled onto a page in my Passport.

- Can I exit and reenter at Nong Khai ? Or do I have to go to Vientiane?

- Will I need to present some type of Residency Certification / Verification Document?

- Will I be required to stay overnight?

- Aside from my Passport with the Visa Stamp, the Departure Card ... and perhaps a Residency Certification / Verification Document ... will I need any other documents? And what will the Fee amount be?

Information and advice will be greatly appreciated.

Regards, JD

[ubonjoe]

You only have to report to immigration if you stay more than 90 days so no need for you to do it.

You just need to clear Thai immigration, cross the bridge, get a Lao visa on arrival/entry and then you can turn around and leave Laos, cross the bridge again and re-enter Thailand.

Lao visa costs approx 1500 baht or $35.

No need to stay overnight.

No need for any paper work or fees for re-entry to Thailand other than an arrival card.

[JDGRUEN]

Thank you 'ubonjoe'... Straight and to the point ... sounds easier than I thought... good to hear...

[MeowBundit]

This is extremely convenient for you to live near Nong Khai, easy to run, but please not forget to check "permitted to stay until" stamp immediately when you cross border back to Thailand, to avoid 30 days stamp instead of 90 days. Sometimes, officers do this by mistake.

Edited February 19, 2014 by MeowBundit

[rreddin]

This is extremely convenient for you to live near Nong Khai, easy to run, but please not forget to check "permitted to stay until" stamp immediately when you cross border back to Thailand, to avoid 30 days stamp instead of 90 days. Sometimes, officers do this by mistake.

You have been give sound advice and it is really quite easy and quick.

You will need a passport size photo for your Laos visa. You can get one made just before immigration control on the Thai side of the bridge. The cost is 100 Baht. Better to get half a dozen made in your local shop - it will cost about the same. You will need one each time you cross into Laos. It is cheaper to pay for your visa in US Dollars. As has been said, the visa fee is $35, but an extra dollar is added at weekends and before 9am and after 6pm. You can pay in Baht, but the fee is 1,500 Baht, which is close to $50.

When you arrive at the immigration office on the Laos side, go to window 2 to get an application form for a visa on arrival and an arrival/departure card. Complete these and take then to Window 1 with the fee and photo. Collect your passport with the visa from window 3 anything from 10 minutes to 30 minutes later depending on how busy they are.

Walk past the booths to the automatic barrier and waive you visa at one of the many people in a green uniform. He or she will open the gate for you. There is a final visa check by another person in a green uniform sitting at a desk. Walk round the back to the exit booths, Show them your passport and completed exit card and you will be stamped out. Unless you want to return to thailand immediately, you can visit the duty free area or sample the food and have a few beers.

Buy your ticket for the bus over the bridge - 20 Baht. On arrival in Thailand you will need to fill out an arrival/departure card. There is someone near the arrivals booth giving them out. Get stamped in. Above the arrivals booth is a norice telling you the date 30 day and 90 day permissions to stay are valid until. As already mentioned, check the date on the permission to stay stamp in your passport before leaving the booth. Mistakes are sometimes made and it has happened to me.

If your Thai girlfirend is going with you, she will have different entry requirements depending on whether she is using her Thai passport or identity card. If she is using her passport, she will need to complete a visa on arrival application and arrival/departure card and take them to the arrival booth. If she is using her ID card, she will need a photocopy showing both sides of the ID card. You can get this made for about 100 Baht at one of the shops just before the bridge on the Thai side. She should take this and the ID card to an arrivals booth. The entry stamp will be put on the photocopy, as will the exit stamp. There is a 40 Baht fee applicable to her passport and ID card.. She will also have to buy a smart card to operate the automatic barrier. The cost is 40 baht from the kiosk opposite window 3 - so best to get that before joining the queue for the arrivals booth.

[JDGRUEN]

Thanks for the reminder 'MeowBundit'... I had read this caution before on another thread ... but until you mentioned it ... I had put it out of my mind... This reminder info will certainly save me from some grief...

And thanks for the great amount of detail 'rreddin' ... your step by step will be kept in my mobile phone... I am copying it now to send to my email ...

Thanks again folks ... appreciate it.

[GuyL]

Just one precision. The visa fee when you enter Laos not always amounts US$35, although it's probably correct for most countries. It depends on your nationality (as stated in your passport). For instance, it's US$30 for French nationals, US$42 for Canadian nationals, etc.

[Dannyboy6]

This is extremely convenient for you to live near Nong Khai, easy to run, but please not forget to check "permitted to stay until" stamp immediately when you cross border back to Thailand, to avoid 30 days stamp instead of 90 days. Sometimes, officers do this by mistake.

You have been give sound advice and it is really quite easy and quick.

You will need a passport size photo for your Laos visa. You can get one made just before immigration control on the Thai side of the bridge. The cost is 100 Baht. Better to get half a dozen made in your local shop - it will cost about the same. You will need one each time you cross into Laos. It is cheaper to pay for your visa in US Dollars. As has been said, the visa fee is $35, but an extra dollar is added at weekends and before 9am and after 6pm. You can pay in Baht, but the fee is 1,500 Baht, which is close to $50.

When you arrive at the immigration office on the Laos side, go to window 2 to get an application form for a visa on arrival and an arrival/departure card. Complete these and take then to Window 1 with the fee and photo. Collect your passport with the visa from window 3 anything from 10 minutes to 30 minutes later depending on how busy they are.

Walk past the booths to the automatic barrier and waive you visa at one of the many people in a green uniform. He or she will open the gate for you. There is a final visa check by another person in a green uniform sitting at a desk. Walk round the back to the exit booths, Show them your passport and completed exit card and you will be stamped out. Unless you want to return to thailand immediately, you can visit the duty free area or sample the food and have a few beers.

Buy your ticket for the bus over the bridge - 20 Baht. On arrival in Thailand you will need to fill out an arrival/departure card. There is someone near the arrivals booth giving them out. Get stamped in. Above the arrivals booth is a norice telling you the date 30 day and 90 day permissions to stay are valid until. As already mentioned, check the date on the permission to stay stamp in your passport before leaving the booth. Mistakes are sometimes made and it has happened to me.

If your Thai girlfirend is going with you, she will have different entry requirements depending on whether she is using her Thai passport or identity card. If she is using her passport, she will need to complete a visa on arrival application and arrival/departure card and take them to the arrival booth. If she is using her ID card, she will need a photocopy showing both sides of the ID card. You can get this made for about 100 Baht at one of the shops just before the bridge on the Thai side. She should take this and the ID card to an arrivals booth. The entry stamp will be put on the photocopy, as will the exit stamp. There is a 40 Baht fee applicable to her passport and ID card.. She will also have to buy a smart card to operate the automatic barrier. The cost is 40 baht from the kiosk opposite window 3 - so best to get that before joining the queue for the arrivals booth.

make sure your dollars are in Perfect condition , no tears , no writing , etc or they will make you pay in Baht, which is expensive...