Urgent. Vientien tourist visa no baht

[Sambo5000]

I want to collect my tourist visa tomorrow afternoon from the Thai embassy Vientian, however, i have only 1500 baht left and the visa costs 2000, to make matters worse i have learnt that the embassy only accept baht. I need to withdraw some money from an atm here using my Bangkok bank visa card and then exchange for baht somewhere. I asked in a few money exchangers but they only have kip...

 

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[Here It Is]

14 minutes ago, Sambo5000 said:

I asked in a few money exchangers but they only have kip...

They have baht okay, don't worry about that, and they want to retain it.  Who wants Kip?  Not even the Laotians.  Might be worth trying to garner some sympathy from a kind hearted tourist.  I hope you manage to sort it out, nonetheless.  

 

 

Edited November 21, 2017 by Here It Is

[ubonjoe]

Try some banks in the morning. I am sure you will be able to get some more baht.

[wgdanson]

A little more fore-thought, or less spending may have helped. And what about the Bht 20,000 you may need to show when re-entering Thailand?

Edited November 21, 2017 by wgdanson

[Aussieroaming]

Go to a hotel or backpackers and ask around to see who can change a few Kip for Baht. There's always someone willing to swap a bit of currency

[darrendsd]

I'm sure Tourist Visas only cost 1000? They are for single ones anyway

[JackThompson]

Starting at the Thai consulate in Vientiane, turning right out the front gate, going to the main intersection, then turn right on Phonexay Rd and walk down a few blocks to the intersection at "Nongbone" road.  There are a couple banks which exchange money there (I've done this, 1 yr+ ago).  If one bank cannot do it, ask politely, and they will direct to to another that will. 

 

https://www.google.com/maps/dir//17.9686817,102.6238757/@17.9685066,102.5880275,13z/data=!3m1!4b1

 

Zoom in on that link to see the banks shown.

Edited November 21, 2017 by JackThompson

[steve187]

3 hours ago, darrendsd said:

I'm sure Tourist Visas only cost 1000? They are for single ones anyway

non imm is 2000 baht

[darrendsd]

20 minutes ago, steve187 said:

non imm is 2000 baht

The OP clearly states Tourist Visa

[Srikcir]

6 hours ago, Sambo5000 said:

I need to withdraw some money from an atm here using my Bangkok bank visa card and then exchange for baht somewhere.

Aren't there a couple Bangkok Bank branches in town? Withdraw your funds there in baht.

[sanemax]

Take you Kip and go  to the Thai Embassy in the morning , there will be lots of people there who had just arrived from Thailand and will be staying the night, one of them is bound to want to change Baht for Kip

[BritTim]

2 hours ago, Penefattore said:

you pay for your visa when you apply , not when you collect.

As I recall, in Vientiane that is no longer true. However, if he is collecting a tourist visa, 1000 baht is enough.

[Sambo5000]

Thanks everyone, my hotel receptionist kindly said she will exchange some kip for me. [emoji5]
Now i would just like to clarify the cost of my visa...
On the form i stated that i want a single entry visa with a validity of 2 months plus the option to extend one month in chaeng wattana, this is the tourist visa, right? And if so, is it not 2000 baht?

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[Sambo5000]

Sure you pay when you collect

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[garbolino]

i had better have A KIP (ENGLISH SLANG FOR A SLEEP) after reading about all these problems

[ubonjoe]

18 minutes ago, Sambo5000 said:

On the form i stated that i want a single entry visa with a validity of 2 months plus the option to extend one month in chaeng wattana, this is the tourist visa, right? And if so, is it not 2000 baht?

A single entry tourst visa is 1000 baht.

Quote

VISA APPLICATION CHARGES

VISA CATEGORY	Fee (per entry per person)
VISITOR ( TRANSIT )	800 Thai Baht
VISITOR ( TOURIST )	1,000 Thai Baht
NON-IMMIGRANT ( Single Entry )	2,000 Thai Baht
NON-IMMIGRANT ( Multiple Entries )	5,000 Thai Baht (ONLY for Resident Applicants)

Source: http://vientiane.thaiembassy.org/en/consular/visa.php

[Merron]

I thought you have  to pay when you make the application and not when collecting the visa.

[ubonjoe]

7 minutes ago, Merron said:

I thought you have  to pay when you make the application and not when collecting the visa.

Not in Vientiane. You pay when you pickup your passport the next afternoon.

 

 

[Merron]

4 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Not in Vientiane. You pay when you pickup your passport the next afternoon.

 

 

ok different from other places than.

[Sambo5000]

Source: http://vientiane.thaiembassy.org/en/consular/visa.php

Its confusing, the tourist visa is 1000 baht but it doesnt say single entry, unlike the non imm whisch costs 2000 baht with single entry

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[ubonjoe]

1 minute ago, Sambo5000 said:

Its confusing, the tourist visa is 1000 baht but it doesnt say single entry, unlike the non imm whisch costs 2000 baht with single entry

A single entry tourist visa is the only one they will issue.

[PoorSucker]

2 minutes ago, Sambo5000 said:

Its confusing, the tourist visa is 1000 baht but it doesnt say single entry, unlike the non imm whisch costs 2000 baht with single entry

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You can only get single entry tourist visa, for multiple entry you must apply in your country of residence. 

[FritsSikkink]

21 minutes ago, Sambo5000 said:

Its confusing, the tourist visa is 1000 baht but it doesnt say single entry, unlike the non imm whisch costs 2000 baht with single entry

Sent from my SM-J105B using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

You don't get a non imm, you need to submit papers to proof you are eligible for it.

[Grauwulf]

To the OP remember you may have to show 20000 baht in cash to the IO of proof of funds on a tourist visa. Not heard of it happening on a land border yet but you never know.....

[ubonjoe]

A off topic inflammatory post has been removed.

[JackThompson]

5 hours ago, Grauwulf said:

To the OP remember you may have to show 20000 baht in cash to the IO of proof of funds on a tourist visa. Not heard of it happening on a land border yet but you never know.....

This is fairly common coming in from Malaysian land-crossings.  At Sadao, it used to be "show the 20K or bribe me" - then they got busted on the bribe-scheme (twice, by Bangkok), and started demanding to see the 20K from everyone - even Non-O holders.  At Pedang Besar, they used to never ask for it (I never was, multiple times going on years - visas and exempts), but have been reported as asking to see it more recently.

 

It is not reported coming in from Laos or Cambodia - though it could happen (it's a public-record rule) - one exception being Poipet/Aranya.  But outright refusal of entry based on an imaginary rule they make-up on-the-spot is more likely if coming from Poipet, so best to avoid that crossing entirely.

[jimster]

9 hours ago, JackThompson said:

This is fairly common coming in from Malaysian land-crossings.  At Sadao, it used to be "show the 20K or bribe me" - then they got busted on the bribe-scheme (twice, by Bangkok), and started demanding to see the 20K from everyone - even Non-O holders.  At Pedang Besar, they used to never ask for it (I never was, multiple times going on years - visas and exempts), but have been reported as asking to see it more recently.

 

It is not reported coming in from Laos or Cambodia - though it could happen (it's a public-record rule) - one exception being Poipet/Aranya.  But outright refusal of entry based on an imaginary rule they make-up on-the-spot is more likely if coming from Poipet, so best to avoid that crossing entirely.

Poipet is fine if arriving alone by car (they have a separate lane for car arrivals) though I realise very few foreigners are going to be coming to Thailand via Aran/Poipet by car, but just stating that this has been my experience. Arriving on one of the direct cross-border bus services (Siem Reap-Bangkok or Phnom Penh-Bangkok) should also work, as it's less likely immigration would cause trouble for a foreigner on a bus that is waiting for them on the other side of the border. Avoid Aran/Poipet only if you are a foot passenger who is changing transport modes at the border.

[jimster]

Plenty of money changers in Vientiane will exchange Kip for Baht hassle-free and without asking for any documentation. Most of these money changers are near the riverside either on Settathilat or Samsenthai road, there are others on the main drag leading up to the Patuxai and near the morning market. Don't approach banks, because since a law was passed a couple of years ago to force all businesses across the country to display prices only in Kip and encourage the use of Kip, banks require all sorts of documentation if you want to exchange your Kip to a foreign currency (as in Vietnam). For example, an airline ticket to the country of destination is required and then they usually only sell you the currency of that country, not just any currency you would like to purchase.

 

Money changers don't follow this regulation.

[JackThompson]

11 hours ago, jimster said:

... banks require all sorts of documentation if you want to exchange your Kip to a foreign currency (as in Vietnam). For example, an airline ticket to the country of destination is required and then they usually only sell you the currency of that country, not just any currency you would like to purchase.

This is true in Vientiane, now?  I have always needed to show a passport and fill out a form, but beyond that, no problem.  Granted, I haven't done this in at banks in the middle of town the last ~15 mo.

 

There is a bank inside the Lao checkpoint area which does exchanges - where have I always dumped my kip before returning to Thailand (including just a few mo ago).  But perhaps this one operates under a different rule-set.

 

11 hours ago, jimster said:

... money changers are near the riverside either on Settathilat or Samsenthai road, there are others on the main drag leading up to the Patuxai and near the morning market.

Good info - thanks for this alternative. 

[jimster]

On 11/24/2017 at 11:37 AM, JackThompson said:

This is true in Vientiane, now?  I have always needed to show a passport and fill out a form, but beyond that, no problem.  Granted, I haven't done this in at banks in the middle of town the last ~15 mo.

 

There is a bank inside the Lao checkpoint area which does exchanges - where have I always dumped my kip before returning to Thailand (including just a few mo ago).  But perhaps this one operates under a different rule-set.

 

Good info - thanks for this alternative. 

All over the country now. Given that money changers are everywhere, why bother with banks who make it complicated? Not to mention how much quicker it is to deal with money changers; at most you have to fill out a form and usually you don't need to show any ID either.

 

The "bank" at the border crossing is a money changer operated by a bank. Obviously they won't need any special documentation (other than your passport) as they know you are heading for Thailand. Although they do currency exchanges other than Baht-Kip, I can't see any reason for wanting any currency other than Baht given you are heading into Thailand there - there is also little demand and they will only have enough foreign currency based on what other travelers have exchanged, so if you ask for US$5000 or 1000 Euros they probably won't have that much on hand - US$300, probably yes, 100 Euros yes. Travelers often exchange non-Baht currencies for Kip at the border when entering the country though.