No need to show proof of income.

21 hours ago, Bardeh said:

I'm here in Savannakhet now on my 3rd trip getting this visa. Still as easy as anything - marriage certificate, copy of that, signed copies of wife's ID card and tabien Baan, copy of your passport photo page, two photos. As long as you have the marriage cert and wife's documents copies, no need to stress if you've forgotten anything else as the little shop opposite the consulate can do photos and copies. 

 

I turned up around 9.30 and there wasn't anybody else at the consulate at all. Savannakhet itself is still very sleepy and quite boring, but the wifi in Avalon Hotel is fast and the beer Lao is cheap :) 

 

The baguettes they make here are also to die for, they are amazing! All of the cafes and restaurants are happy to take Thai baht (notes) but you'll get some change in kip. 

 

Only about 25 VISA applications a day now at Savannakhet .......... if you arrive at 9:30 there else will be nobody there, collections all done by 2:15.

I'm of the opinion it reflects the number of long term foreigners in Thailand has dropped by around 75% in the last year or two.

If only the travel there from Chang Mai was easier.

I did out 6:30 Flight CM to KK (800bht), walk to main road then Songtaw (15bht) to central Khon Kaen bus station, 8:30 bus to Mukdahan (170bht), 14:30 bus to Savannakhet (60bht). Overnight stay, consulate next morning for application, overnight stay and collect VISA next afternoon.

Back, walk from consulate to Savannakhet bus station (1Km), 14:30 bus to Mukdahan (13,000kip), 17:00 bus to Chiang Mai (change at Kon Kaen ring bus stn) (750bht) arr Chiang Mai 08:30.

 

PS. pay $35 for your Laos VISA, much cheaper than 1,500bht.

PPS. I though the bread was awful ..........

PPPS. KK central bus stn, buses to Mukdahan every hour (on the half hour) 170bht, Minivans every 15 minutes (240bht). 

Edited August 23, 20178 yr by MaeJoMTB

I just take a flight to Don Muang, another flight to Nakhon Phanom and use Air Asia's Fly and Ride service which takes me right to Ploy Palace hotel in Mukdahan. Stay there a night, then a night in Savannakhet, another night in Ploy, first flight back to to Don Muang the morning after that. I could probably get it done quicker and cheaper if I could be bothered to take buses, but I hate buses and would rather spend a leisurely few days than save a day and a few baht and have to deal with bus journeys.

 

I'm currently back in Ploy Palace having successfully gotten my third Non-O based on marriage. The process was as easy and stress-free as ever. It'll be a sad day when/if they ever get rid of this visa, because while this part of the world isn't exactly the most exciting, it's a breath of fresh air to get a visa without stress, long queues, all that crap. It's like a little mini-break.

Edited August 23, 20178 yr by Bardeh

Any advice about driving from BKK? Safe place to park the car before crossing over the border? I would prefer to drive overnight and arrive 7am, apply for visa and wait the one night in Savannaket, collect visa next day and drive back to BKK. There is the option of flying from Suvarnabhumi with Laos but flight times would I think mean staying two/three nights: BKK-ZVK 12.50 - 14.20, ZVK-BKK 10.35-12.05

Edited August 23, 20178 yr by pj123

9 hours ago, pj123 said:

Any advice about driving from BKK? Safe place to park the car before crossing over the border? I would prefer to drive overnight and arrive 7am, apply for visa and wait the one night in Savannaket, collect visa next day and drive back to BKK. There is the option of flying from Suvarnabhumi with Laos but flight times would I think mean staying two/three nights: BKK-ZVK 12.50 - 14.20, ZVK-BKK 10.35-12.05

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

You can also use a fly/ride service to get to Mukdahan. It means staying one night in Mukdahan or Savannakhet because the scheduled service arrives to late to apply on the same day. Nok Air is best since they do the fly/ride via 3 airports. See: http://nokair.com/content/en/destinations/fly-n-ride/Ubon-Ratchathani-mukdahan.aspx  Air Asia also has a fly ride service visa Nakhon Pahnom.