Has anyone been over the Friendship 3 just to get a 30 day Visa Exemption? I am looking to convert a Non-Imm B to a Retirement and would like to do this to initiate the 3 stage process of Visa Exemption, Non-Imm O and Non-Imm OA. My wife's family is in Nakhon Panom and we live in BKK so I can keep Mer happy and be legal!

If you are legally married to a Thai it might be worth the trip to Savannakhet to get a single entry non-o visa based upon marriage that you can extend based upon retirement (not a OA visa) at immigration. No need for 2 trips 15 days apart to immigration in Bangkok to get the non immigrant (class O) visa

It would just be an overnight trip. Just cross the bridge at Mukdahan early enough to apply for the visa at the consulate by 11am and then pick it up the next afternoon at 2 pm.

No problem to do a crossing at the bridge in Nakhon Phanom for a visa exempt entry. You would only get 15 days unless you are from a G7 country that would allow 30 days.

 

Thanks Ubonjoe, your words of wisdom are always very useful