Getting Non B Visa At Kota Bharu Malaysia

Royal Thai Consulate General Kota Bharu Malaysia

Lately, The Royal Thai Embassy in Penang requires a lot of documents for us teachers to get Non-B Visa. So now, most of us teachers would rather go to Kota Bharu instead of going to Penang Malaysia to get our Visa. 

Going to Kota Bharu is much better than going to Penang Malaysia. You will spend more money if you go to Penang Malaysia. The cost of living in George Town Penang is higher than in other places in Malaysia. I want to share my own experience when I got a visa in Kota Bharu. There are two ways to get to Sungai Kolok Border. You can take a van, it will send you directly to the Sungai Kolok Border for 200 baht and a train. 

It was Tuesday morning when I went to Kota Bharu to get my Visa but the first trip of the train going to Sungai Kolok left me. I was late for 20 minutes because I was trap in an elevator. The first trip will leave Hatyai at 6:55 in the morning for 92 baht. I rode the 2nd trip at 7:55 in the morning for 42 baht. Thank God the train left on time and arrive at Sungai Kolok Train Station at exactly 12:10 in the morning but Malaysian time is ahead of an hour in Thailand time. From Sungai Kolok train station is at least 1 kilometer going to Sungai Kolok Border. It can walk for about 15 minutes or ride a motorcycle for 30 - 50 baht for 5 minutes. 

Sungai Kolok Train Station

I don't have any problem in the immigration when I exited Thailand and entered Malaysia but the queue is quite long so it takes me 40 minutes to finish all the stamps. I arrived in Malaysia at past 2 pm (Malaysian Time). Kota Bharu is far from the border, it takes an hour to get there. You can take bus number 29 for 5 MYR (Malaysian Ringgit) or take a taxi for 50 MYR. I choose to ride a taxi because the Royal Thai Embassy in Kota Bharu Malaysia will be closed at 3:30 in the afternoon. If you choose to ride the bus. The bus will stop at the Bus Station and you have to ride a taxi for 10 MYR going to the Royal Thai Consulate General. 

The Royal Thai Consulate is located at 4426, Jln Tok Guru, Taman Ng Beng Kool, 15400 Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia. For Google map click here.  The taxi where I rode is very old and the driver also is old. It is not an air-conditioned taxi. We reached the destination at 3:10 in the afternoon. It's 20 minutes left before the office will close. So I passed my documents and pay 300 MYR for my Non-Immigrant Visa. 

Here's the important information you need to know in getting Non-B in Kota Bharu. If you pass your document in the morning, you'll get your passport on the next day at 2 in the afternoon but if you pass your document in the afternoon, you'll get your visa in the morning after 2 days. Like for example. I passed my Visa on Tuesday afternoon, so I can get my visa on Thursday morning. If you pass your documents on Tuesday morning, you'll get your visa on Wednesday afternoon. Avoid passing your documents on Wednesday or Thursday. The Royal Thai Consulate General is closed on Friday and Saturday. 

I was out to look for a budget hostel where I can sleep for two days. My husband recommended Zecks Travellers Inn. It's a budget guesthouse and it's also a walking distance from The Royal Thai Embassy Kota Bharu. For Google map click here. Papa Zeck and Mama Meriam are very kind to their guest. You can have a fan room with a toilet inside for 35 MYR. There are fan rooms for a single bed and a double bed for 25 - 30 MYR, no bathroom inside. 

I stayed in the dormitory room for 15 MYR, very cheap. I guess this is the cheapest place in the city. They don't provide towels and blankets here but you can have it for 1 MYR. I recommend you to bring your own towel and blanket if you want to stay here. Zeck Travellers Inn is a family home that converted into a guesthouse. They also provide a water dispenser for free cold and hot water. It's near Chinese Restaurants and you can also find a lot of restaurants around. 

Zecks Dormitory Room

The 7 Eleven is just 50 meters away. So this place is very convenient to stay. But I won't recommend it to those who are looking for a cleaner place. This budget guesthouse is good for those who want to save their money. So don't expect a hotel like room here since it's very cheap. The rooms and the dormitory rooms are just like a regular house room. There are a lot of mosquitoes here so don't forget to bring your mosquito repellent. 

For my food, since I traveled alone. I didn't go outside to eat. Before I left Hatyai, I bought 2 pack of Khaoniaw (sticky rice)  for (10 baht per pack) and a big slice of fried chicken for 30 baht at the train station. I brought cookies, bread and cup noodles at Tesco Express.  I had also instant coffee packs. For me, I don't need to go out because I bought enough food for 2 days. 

Chinese Restaurant near Zecks Travellers Inn

On Thursday morning, I left at 9 in the morning. I had breakfast in a Chinese restaurant there. You can find it along the road. I ate garlic chicken and rice for 7 MYR (I can say it should be named Onion Chicken because I can only see a lot of onion in this dish 😀)and a cup of coffee for 1.40 MYR. I also bought 2 loaves of Gardenia bread for 3.55 MYR each loaf  and others stuff at 7 Eleven to bring to Hatyai. 

Garlic Chicken with Rice

I went to the Royal Thai Consulate General after having breakfast and successfully got my passport with Visa. You can ride a taxi for 10 MYR going to the bus station (Stesen Bas Kota Bahru). The bus station is just 1.6 kilometers away from the Thai Royal Embassy. For Google map click here. It can walk for 30 minutes. That day, the sun hides in the clouds, so it wasn't hot. I decided to walk for 30 minutes from The Royal Thai Consulate General to the Bus Station for a compulsory exercise. Since it is still so early and I wasn't in a hurry since the trip of the train going to Hatyai will leave at 11:30 in the morning. 

Bus Station Kota Bharu (Stesen Bas Kota Nharu)

Arriving at the Bus Station, it's good that I don't have to wait longer because the bus will leave in 5 minutes. The bus left Kota Bharu at 9:50 in the morning and arrived at Sungai Kolok at 10:56 in the morning (Malaysian Time). I didn't have any problem going out in Malaysia and entering Thailand. I walk again to the Train Station and bought a ticket for 92 baht. 

I ever you get your passport in the afternoon at 2 pm it's already 1 pm in Thailand Time. If you can't catch the train because the last trip of the train from Sungai Kolok to Hatyai will leave at 2:55 in the afternoon. You can still take a van going to Hatyai for 200 baht.