Non O visa (mariage) Savannaket

[BuckBee]

VIP bus surprisingly driven very well all times I used it. Car okay if got one and like driving in thailand, If had a car I would still do vip bus myself, less hassle and less cost .

[jeab1980]

6 hours ago, worldfun said:

no i think u r getting confused because someone doesn't stick to the usual night bus plans :)

day 1 arrive laos b4 6pm.

day 2 arrive embassy at opening (8am) & get the first queue as described in many posts will enable same afternoon pickup. right?

day 2 afternoon pickup visa & back to thailand. bye

Think you need to sit down and re read all the posts. You can NOT get your passport with visa back on the same day in Savanakhet. Ps i never use buses

You need to read posts .

 

Hand in documents on day one before 1100hrs. 

Pick up Passport from 1400hrs day two.

NO repeat NO same day service

 

[jeab1980]

1 hour ago, BuckBee said:

VIP bus surprisingly driven very well all times I used it. Car okay if got one and like driving in thailand, If had a car I would still do vip bus myself, less hassle and less cost .

Sorry cant agree about busses being driven well. When i go to Savannakhet i am inveriable past by so called well driven busses VIP and others, which is fine exept the overtake on blind corners or with traffic comming twds them having to stop or swerve to avoid them. NO thanks Ill stick to the car. Not that Expensive for fuel and can stop were i like for refreshments or a break with the added bonus of being in control of my own destiny

[steve187]

The trip to Savannakhet is once every 17 months, so why is there so much talk of doing it the cheap way. the cheap way is to do a yearly extension. so for people on a budget, who can not do this for whatever reason, the safer more relaxed way is to drive your own car, make a holiday out of it, stay near the river on the way and enjoy Thailand, why rush back to the grind of Bangkok and or Pattaya. if you are counting every satang, then you really need to reevaluate your life.

 

yes everyone doesn't have a car, some make do with a 115cc twist and go and call that transport, so a bus is the only option, just like the thousands of Thai's. But are they safe we all know the answer to that, 

 

All methods of staying long term in Thailand on the cheap are gradually being done away with, ed visa, repeat visa exempt, repeat tourist visa's,  difficulties in obtaining non 'O'  'marriage' in home country, only a matter of time before Savannakhet make it difficult. forward planning is called for.

[jeab1980]

34 minutes ago, steve187 said:

The trip to Savannakhet is once every 17 months, so why is there so much talk of doing it the cheap way. the cheap way is to do a yearly extension. so for people on a budget, who can not do this for whatever reason, the safer more relaxed way is to drive your own car, make a holiday out of it, stay near the river on the way and enjoy Thailand, why rush back to the grind of Bangkok and or Pattaya. if you are counting every satang, then you really need to reevaluate your life.

 

yes everyone doesn't have a car, some make do with a 115cc twist and go and call that transport, so a bus is the only option, just like the thousands of Thai's. But are they safe we all know the answer to that, 

 

All methods of staying long term in Thailand on the cheap are gradually being done away with, ed visa, repeat visa exempt, repeat tourist visa's,  difficulties in obtaining non 'O'  'marriage' in home country, only a matter of time before Savannakhet make it difficult. forward planning is called for.

Your confusing the word cheap. Non o from Savannakhet is not a cheap option by any stretch of the imagination. Its a good option for those who:

1. Cant show funds

2. Cant be bothered with Immigration.

3. Find it suits them better in and out working ect.

But by no means a cheap option.

The actual visa 5k bht  is Slightly cheaper than an ext with a multi entry permit 1.9k + 3.8k Bht = 5.7kbht

Thats where the similarities end. 

Border runs 1.5k bht (yes cheaper if paid in dollars) + petrol or bus fares (unless your lucky enough to live on border) every 90 days or 150 day if you Extend by 60 at Immigration 1.9k bht (cheaper for me to run to border every 90 days) 

But no its not the cheaper option by any means.

One the plus side personally  (now) i dont have to bother with Immigration with the exception of once a year for last 60 day to get 17mths. 

So if you look at it that way 2 visas every 3 years (yes two months short of 3 years).

10k V 3 extensions with multi entry permits 5.7k x 3 = 17.1k (just for visa or extension cost not factoring in assosiated costs)

17.1k diffrence.

Getting hotels cheaper and spending less money is something ive always done regardless of wether its a visa run or a holiday. Cheap doesn't mean bad. Expensive doesn't mean good.

 

 

[ubonjoe]

Two baiting posts have been removed to prevent a bickering session.

[JackThompson]

1 hour ago, steve187 said:

All methods of staying long term in Thailand on the cheap are gradually being done away with, ed visa, repeat visa exempt, repeat tourist visa's,  difficulties in obtaining non 'O'  'marriage' in home country, only a matter of time before Savannakhet make it difficult. forward planning is called for.

It depends what you mean by "on the cheap" - if you mean extensions and visas without corruption-charges - yes, those are harder to get.

 

Paying off immigration for ED visas that are not used to study are more expensive now - they pretend to care who studies as an excuse to pull in the tea-money (also more expensive for genuine students, unfortunately). 

Retirement and Marriage extensions are arranged via agents with no financial proof - including conversions.  All must go to Laos for at least the the initial Non-O when their local office won't issue conversions (rejecting MFA-certified income letters with bank-book proof of funds-delivery).  If your 1-year extension desk goes corrupt, too, it's to the agent or consulates for 1-year MEs, to spite having the money and all other requirements.

Repeat Tourist Visas are still no problem at checkpoints that follow the law, but corrupt/farang-hater Immigration cliques do hate it that there is no corruption-angle to them, so pretend they care about "illegal workers" - while Thai-schools actively prevent English-teachers (the vast majority of farang illegal-workers) from obtaining proper Non-B paperwork, with no consequence to their illegal-hiring practices - telling teachers to go out for new Tourist Visas and keep working illegally.

So, if you mean by "on the cheap" - without paying tea-money corruption in some way - yes, I agree, THAT is becoming more difficult.  So it would make sense that pressure will be placed on the relief-valves when ever possible - on Consulates like Savanakhet - to funnel more good-folks who meet all the official-requirements for legitimate extensions into the corrupt-soup.

 

I have to wonder how much money changed hands to get Penang to double the money to show for Non-O MEs based on marriage (or require any in the first place) - and how long before Savanahket, HCMC, etc are bought-off, to push more folks into the agent-immigration money-pipeline.

[worldfun]

9 hours ago, Nong Khai Man said:

It DOES, You MUST Apply BEFORE 11.30 AM......PICK Up NEXT Afternoon After 14.00 hrs.........Just did Mine, Applied on TUESDAY At 10.30am,Provided ALL Documents & Picked up NON-IMM " O " Multi ( Marriage ) At 14.02 hrs on WEDNESDAY........Number 15 on Q Card, But Number 2 At Window to pick up, Back at Bridge at 14.20hrs, Bus to Mukdahan arrived at 15.20 The ONLY Falang at Thai Immigration Given the 90 Days in My Car at 15.30 Drove Back Home to Nong Khai Arriving at 19.30 hrs 345 Kms......Thank You ( Hope That is now CLEAR ) To ALL The Doubters !!!!

 

Good report thanks. I was wrong or had misread about same day pickup. Well I'll follow this procedure then :)

Lots of good info but also lots of other stuff to filter through lol.

[jeab1980]

Its honestly very easy and stress free. Just follow the guides re documents needed on here. Take a few spares just in case.  I have a folder in car with copies of everything from wifes passport to copies of car blue book. Going to any goverment office i just grab it out of car im covered then. I was asked 2 visas ago for a cor ror 2 first and only time so far but for the sake of 20bht at any Amphoe i go and get one now before i go to Savannakhet. 3 photos 2 for visa form one for visa on arrival at border. Savanakhet to some is boring. Personally i like the place found a good hotel/guest house. Food and drink is great down by the river. And as we take vehicle over we always go off for a drive round after handing in docs.

[worldfun]

better safe than sorry & better make it an enjoyable trip rather than a boring chore. cool :)

I was thinking to take the my car over too as when I was down in Satun/malysia officers seem to tell me there was no docs needed (like a car passport that I haven't got). is just the car book (blue book) enough to cross to laos also?

 

cheers :)

[jeab1980]

19 minutes ago, worldfun said:

better safe than sorry & better make it an enjoyable trip rather than a boring chore. cool :)

I was thinking to take the my car over too as when I was down in Satun/malysia officers seem to tell me there was no docs needed (like a car passport that I haven't got). is just the car book (blue book) enough to cross to laos also?

 

cheers :)

No you need a car passport 50bht from your DTO. Plus copies of blue book pages and your passport.  X 3 copies there is a good guide on here somewhere as to procedure will look it out unless someone else throws it up.

Here it is (i hope)

 

[worldfun]

right not able to get the car passport just yet, but it's on my list todo :)

anyway so I parked my car at the mukdahan immigration checkpoint & caught the 9.45am crowded bus there. was 2 lines of some 15 thai/lao in front of me (the bus que) and no one at Lao VOA so I filled the immigration slip & paid the 1500B & jumped back on the bus which soon departed. However seeing the consulate is more or less on the way I would have been better off with a tuktuk from savan immi but still some time with the bus station/market loop before until the 11am application deadline & only 1 woman to wait in front of me & my multiple entry/5000B non imm marriage application was accepted without any questions. She cook passport copies (main + lao entry), marriage cert. copies (all 4 pages), wife's signed docs (id+house book page). now stuck at hotel waiting for the room to be ready :) back 2pm tomorrow...

[baneko]

Last time I flew directly into Savan from BKK. Flight arrived late afternoon. Not good for you I know. It was around 5K baht one way. Savan OK for 2 nights.

 

Coming back used NOK AIR. Over the bridge around 3pm but decided to stay one night in Mukdahan and travel the next day. Mukdahan OK for one night too. If you have a little time its not worth the rush.

 

In a hurry expect to take 2 full days including travel.

 

Also advisable to check for Thai Holidays.

 

 

[worldfun]

On 9/4/2017 at 11:18 AM, worldfun said:

right not able to get the car passport just yet, but it's on my list todo :)

anyway so I parked my car at the mukdahan immigration checkpoint & caught the 9.45am crowded bus there. was 2 lines of some 15 thai/lao in front of me (the bus que) and no one at Lao VOA so I filled the immigration slip & paid the 1500B & jumped back on the bus which soon departed. However seeing the consulate is more or less on the way I would have been better off with a tuktuk from savan immi but still some time with the bus station/market loop before until the 11am application deadline & only 1 woman to wait in front of me & my multiple entry/5000B non imm marriage application was accepted without any questions. She cook passport copies (main + lao entry), marriage cert. copies (all 4 pages), wife's signed docs (id+house book page). now stuck at hotel waiting for the room to be ready :) back 2pm tomorrow...

Further my que number was 39 (last of the day I assume) so I waited till almost 3pm to pickup and was the only single person in and around the consulate worrying it was closed as local people had told some kind of buddhist ritual was going on tuesday (yesterday)!!! but alas I got in knocked the window & immediately I was handed my danish passport & it had the ME (multi entry) NON O visa valid for 1year

However no bus or tuktuk in sight but eventually a tuktuk in route to bridge takes me on but wont go all the ay across so instead I get a lift with a private car :)

[Nong Khai Man]

7 minutes ago, worldfun said:

Further my que number was 39 (last of the day I assume) so I waited till almost 3pm to pickup and was the only single person in and around the consulate worrying it was closed as local people had told some kind of buddhist ritual was going on tuesday (yesterday)!!! but alas I got in knocked the window & immediately I was handed my danish passport & it had the ME (multi entry) NON O visa valid for 1year

However no bus or tuktuk in sight but eventually a tuktuk in route to bridge takes me on but wont go all the ay across so instead I get a lift with a private car :)

Queue Numbers DON'T Mean Anything......I Had Queue Number 15, But was 2nd in line & Duly got my passport back after the 1st person in front of me....

[jeab1980]

1 hour ago, worldfun said:

Further my que number was 39 (last of the day I assume) so I waited till almost 3pm to pickup and was the only single person in and around the consulate worrying it was closed as local people had told some kind of buddhist ritual was going on tuesday (yesterday)!!! but alas I got in knocked the window & immediately I was handed my danish passport & it had the ME (multi entry) NON O visa valid for 1year

However no bus or tuktuk in sight but eventually a tuktuk in route to bridge takes me on but wont go all the ay across so instead I get a lift with a private car :)

Glad your all sorted

[worldfun]

7 hours ago, Nong Khai Man said:

Queue Numbers DON'T Mean Anything......I Had Queue Number 15, But was 2nd in line & Duly got my passport back after the 1st person in front of me....

Noted as I see everyone like to queue up 2pm sharp :)

[worldfun]

5 hours ago, jeab1980 said:

Glad your all sorted

Thanks sorted and enjoyed very much this trip seeing nothing much has changed since the first time I went to Savan more than 10 years back. The giant shopping mall remains empty/out of service thus the Robinson across the bridge must be a major draw :)

Cheers

[sebco86]

On 29/08/2017 at 4:15 PM, sebco86 said:

Thank you very much, I will give a try and update here.

 

On 29/08/2017 at 3:13 PM, ubonjoe said:

You can apply for a 60 day extension of your permit to stay (not your visa) to visit your wife.

She has to be with you when you apply. Marriage certificate plus a copy, copies of your wife's house book registry and ID card.

Not all offices will do the extension after you already have a 30 day extension. You should  try though at your local office to find out if they will do it.

Just a late and little update, I got my 60 days permit to stay at immigration without any problem (even if I already extended my tourist visa before). The wife has to be here as Ubonjoe said.

Thank you Ubonjoe for your precious advices!