BKKJunx

Not a problem. Just get the laos visa at "The Bridge" and pay in U.S. dollars (works out cheaper than the baht)

and the border (bridge) is usually dead after 6.00pm which means only 10 mins to get visa.

are you sure? i was under the impression the border closed at 5 or 6 or 7? t time ish anyway? what time does it close?

i thought he would be getting 5.25pm flight from bkk, say 1 hour 6.25 then 45 mins maybe 1 hour to border etc making it 7 30 ish, when i thought it would be shut so was gonna sujest hotel in udon, then eary at border say 7am giving him time to hand in visa?

chris

I'm seeing that the border with Laos closes at 10 PM. Is that correct?

Not a problem. Just get the laos visa at "The Bridge" and pay in U.S. dollars (works out cheaper than the baht)

and the border (bridge) is usually dead after 6.00pm which means only 10 mins to get visa.

Wow, quick response. Thanks a lot!

I just realized that I might be screwed. How late is the Vientiane border open? If I fly into Udon Thani on the 5:25 PM flight from Bangkok, can I get to Vientiane the same night without a Laos visa in hand? I'm supposed to be at the consulate the next morning. Someone help me ASAP - I'm trying to book a hotel room. Take pity on my procrastinating butt, please!

Okay, last question. Suppose I were to fly up on May 6th in order to go to the consulate on May 7th. Assuming I'm able to pick up my passport on the 8th, would I have enough time to make it back to Udon Thani for a 5:40 PM flight back to Bangkok? I guess what I'm really asking is how long it takes for one to pick up a processed passport at the consulate.

Back in January I took the same flight (AirAsia 5:40 pm). I was about 90 minutes early for it - and I was taking my time.

Awesome. Thanks Tropo.

Okay, last question. Suppose I were to fly up on May 6th in order to go to the consulate on May 7th. Assuming I'm able to pick up my passport on the 8th, would I have enough time to make it back to Udon Thani for a 5:40 PM flight back to Bangkok? I guess what I'm really asking is how long it takes for one to pick up a processed passport at the consulate.

90 days.

Yea, that's what I thought. Thanks.

What's the best way to find out when the Vientiane consulate is closed for holidays? I'd hate to book a ticket and find out I chose the wrong day to go there.

Nevermind, I found it: http://www.thaiembassy.org/vientiane/about_officetime.html

90 days.

Yea, that's what I thought. Thanks.

What's the best way to find out when the Vientiane consulate is closed for holidays? I'd hate to book a ticket and find out I chose the wrong day to go there.

will be heading up to Vientiane in the next week or two, and will post another update.

it's worth noting that you need to make sure and use your second entry BEFORE the visa expires. if you get a 30 day extension you may still have time left before you're in overstay, yet if you stay that long your visa will expire. this happened to AHEM a friend of mine that is why i --errr i mean he--- has to go to Vientiane in the next week or two.

also worth noting, when i checked into my flight back to Thailand at KL, they fussed about seeing an onward ticket out of Thailand. this has never happened to me before in KL. ultimately they let me go, as i had the (expired) visa. no problems at Suvarnabumi however; except that i *almost* got away with using the 2nd entry on the expired visa.

Am I correct in deducing, then, that the Vientiane consulate only gives you 90 days from the date of visa issue to use however many entries you get? I was hoping for 180 days, but I bet that's too optimistic.

Really depends on the consulate at to what their normal procedure is. Some give 6 months, some give 3 months.

I'm thinking about going to India. I'm assuming that getting a 60-day stamp from a consulate there would be much less of a problem than getting one from a neighboring country. Does that sound correct?

Not uncommon to have the visa only valid for 3 months for a double entry tourist visa. Usually you need to get it right before leaving, and then you have to make your second border run while still having time remaining after your extension on your first entry.

Really? The border run employee said that the consulate must have made a mistake, stating that they usually give you six months from the date of issue to use the visa. Bummer.

Hi,

This has probably been addressed elsewhere. If so, I apologize.

From what I've read, it sounds as though Vientiane is the easiest (i.e., stamp-and-go) place to get a 60-day tourist visa. I am scheduled to leave Thailand after a six-month stint, but the New York consulate gave me two entries with a visa validity period of only THREE months from the date of issue. I'm not sure if that was a mistake or not, but it leaves me needing one more 60-day visa (I went to Cambodia and got 30 days when I found out that my second 60-day entry was invalid) for the remainder of my stay.

Can any of y'all offer me any advice? I'd like to visit a cool area, but am most concerned with not having a problem getting a new visa.

Thanks.

You said it Vientiane. Or any border 2 times and get 30 day stamps.

I forgot to mention that I will need more than 60 days past the expiration of my current visa, so I will have to leave the country and go to a Thai consulate, where I can get a 60 day entry. What I read about the Penang consulate clamping down on applicants scared me, so I'm trying to find out which options are easier.

Is it easy to get a 60-day stamp in KL? Anywhere else where it's easy? I'd rather not to go to Vientiane, if i can help it. Hehe.

Hi,

This has probably been addressed elsewhere. If so, I apologize.

From what I've read, it sounds as though Vientiane is the easiest (i.e., stamp-and-go) place to get a 60-day tourist visa. I am scheduled to leave Thailand after a six-month stint, but the New York consulate gave me two entries with a visa validity period of only THREE months from the date of issue. I'm not sure if that was a mistake or not, but it leaves me needing one more 60-day visa (I went to Cambodia and got 30 days when I found out that my second 60-day entry was invalid) for the remainder of my stay.

Can any of y'all offer me any advice? I'd like to visit a cool area, but am most concerned with not having a problem getting a new visa.

Thanks.