Visa in Vientiane - How to get it early?

[Cheesus]

Hey guys

 

So i will be doing visa run to Laos this month, and got some questions regarding that. Plan is to issue visa on Monday, get passport back on Tuesday, buck up and try to get to Udon Thani airport before my plane leaves (16.50).

 

1. I'm assuming it works like this: the earlier you submit your application the earlier you get visa next day?

 

2. From what i read Application for Visa is between 8.30 - 12.00. How early people start to que there? If i come at 7.30, will it be enough?

 

3. How application process looks like? Do i get a number right away, or there is first some documents checking?

 

4. I would like to have all documents ready before i go there. Is that form http://vientiane.thaiembassy.org/upload/pdf/Visa Application Form_new_V_13_8_2558.pdf up to date? Other than that, what else will i need to submit?

 

5. What is the taxi fare from Embassy to Friendship Bridge and from Bridge to Udon Thani airport?

 

6. Extra tips how to speed this process up?

 

 

Any info is appreciated :)

Edited February 12, 2018 by Cheesus

[ubonjoe]

I think you would have to be very lucky to make your flight from Udon at 16:50.

1. Yes

2. At 7:30 you might be the first in line. What day of the week are you going. Avoid Monday and Thursday if possible since those are the days the visa run vans are there.

3. You the number first then you drop off the application form, passport and copies.

4. This is latest form. Vientiane visa form.pdf  Be sure you print in color.

5. Not sure

[Tom Bang]

I came from Bangkok by plain and there was no long line for it is only one plain and maybe 100 passengers of which not all need to buy their visa at there.

I downloaded this paper from internet and took it to Laos where i stand in line at the visa point payed the money and went on.

Took me no longer then 10 minites to pass this place think i payed 35 us dollar.

You can fill out the paper at home so it don`t take any time when you arive.

 

visumformulier-laos.pdf

Edited February 13, 2018 by Tom Bang

[Thaitoknow]

Walk in anytime before it closes. Dont stand in line but walk into the building on the left and get your photocopies then sit down and get the girls to fill out your form(40baht i think. Remember some photos).

This allows you to jump the lines. Just walk outside and hand the paperwork to the person at the desk and she will hand you a number.

Leave the embassy while everyone stands in line and grab a cold beer Lao.

Return the next afternoon to pick it up.

 

[BritTim]

@ubonjoe really said it all. You need to be at Udon airport by 16:25 at latest (assuming online check in). Unless you can be away from the embassy by 14:30, you have little chance of making it, and even leaving the embassy at 14:30 would be tight. It takes 30 minutes in a good taxi to the bridge, a few minutes wait for the bus across, and about 45 minutes from Nong Khai to the airport. This excludes queuing time at immigration on each side.

 

Take a later flight, and avoid all the stress.

[sanemax]

I have been to the Vientiane Embassy ( To be precise , I dont think that its the actual Embassy , as the Thai Embassy is a few K's away) before at 6 AM and there was already a queue of about 100 people  waiting .

   The PP's are given back at about the rate of 4 per minute . So, whatever queue number you get, times it by 4 to get an estimation of when you will be receiving your PP back . My queue number was 500 and I got mine back about 4 PM

   There are some Taxi guys who offer a ride from the Embassy to the airport and with military precision and no unexpected delays ,  it should be possible .

[Cheesus]

4 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

I think you would have to be very lucky to make your flight from Udon at 16:50.

1. Yes

2. At 7:30 you might be the first in line. What day of the week are you going. Avoid Monday and Thursday if possible since those are the days the visa run vans are there.

3. You the number first then you drop off the application form, passport and copies.

4. This is latest form. Vientiane visa form.pdf  Be sure you print in color.

5. Not sure

Monday unfortunately. Thanks for answers!

[Cheesus]

2 hours ago, BritTim said:

@ubonjoe really said it all. You need to be at Udon airport by 16:25 at latest (assuming online check in). Unless you can be away from the embassy by 14:30, you have little chance of making it, and even leaving the embassy at 14:30 would be tight. It takes 30 minutes in a good taxi to the bridge, a few minutes wait for the bus across, and about 45 minutes from Nong Khai to the airport. This excludes queuing time at immigration on each side.

 

Take a later flight, and avoid all the stress.

 

I would love to, but there is only one to Phuket

[Cheesus]

1 hour ago, sanemax said:

I have been to the Vientiane Embassy ( To be precise , I dont think that its the actual Embassy , as the Thai Embassy is a few K's away) before at 6 AM and there was already a queue of about 100 people  waiting .

   The PP's are given back at about the rate of 4 per minute . So, whatever queue number you get, times it by 4 to get an estimation of when you will be receiving your PP back . My queue number was 500 and I got mine back about 4 PM

   There are some Taxi guys who offer a ride from the Embassy to the airport and with military precision and no unexpected delays ,  it should be possible .

Isn't Distribution of Passports supposed to be between 13.00 - 15.00? And how did you get 500 number if there was only 100 people in que? Also what day of the week have you been there?

[sanemax]

13 minutes ago, Cheesus said:

Isn't Distribution of Passports supposed to be between 13.00 - 15.00? And how did you get 500 number if there was only 100 people in que? Also what day of the week have you been there?

Yes, but they stay open until all the PP have been given out .

Open in that they lock the gate at 3 PM and hand PP's out inside .

I have been there a few times .

One time I got there at 6 AM and there were about 100 people in the queue (I dont remember which day that was ), another time I went there I got there at 11 AM and got number 500 , that was on a Monday

[darrendsd]

17 minutes ago, Cheesus said:

Isn't Distribution of Passports supposed to be between 13.00 - 15.00? And how did you get 500 number if there was only 100 people in que? Also what day of the week have you been there?

It was 1 30 last time I was there 3 months ago Monday and Thursday are the visa run company  days and there are usually around 500 people there on those days

[BritTim]

55 minutes ago, Cheesus said:

 

I would love to, but there is only one to Phuket

Take the 18:55 flight through Bangkok. Plenty of time for the connection at DMK, and you are still in Phuket by about 23:00.

[Cheesus]

1 hour ago, darrendsd said:

It was 1 30 last time I was there 3 months ago Monday and Thursday are the visa run company  days and there are usually around 500 people there on those days

That would suck. Can anyone who've been there recently confirm? 13.00 or 13.30?

 

33 minutes ago, BritTim said:

Take the 18:55 flight through Bangkok. Plenty of time for the connection at DMK, and you are still in Phuket by about 23:00.

I wish i have done that. <deleted> me.

 

 

Well i guess i'm just gonna arm myself with good book, show up at 5.30am and hope i will get < 50 number.

[Sir Dude]

I haven't done it for a while, but if I was going to do one then I'd arrive at the bus station in Nong Khai pretty early morning one way or another. Cross the bridge as soon as it opens, head straight for the Thai embassy and get in the Q with your documents already pre-sorted (save much drama). Hand in your application on that day and then bail to a hotel in Vientiane, snooze for a bit, grab some food and then enjoy yourself for a night in the Laos capital. Next day, bail to the embassy a hour or so before it opens, grab passport and visa and then head to the bridge and cross back to Nong Khai. Once back in Thailand then your call on the schedule...done and dusted in 2 days and only one night in Laos.  

[darrendsd]

4 hours ago, Cheesus said:

That would suck. Can anyone who've been there recently confirm? 13.00 or 13.30?

 

I wish i have done that. <deleted> me.

 

 

Well i guess i'm just gonna arm myself with good book, show up at 5.30am and hope i will get < 50 number.

The visa run companies normally start to arrive at the Embassy around 6 30-7am

 

FYI the border opens at 6am, if you are departing on a Monday then you will join the rest of the scrum trying to get to the front of the Immigration booths

 

It is 1 30pm

[Cheesus]

I will cross border on Sunday afternoon.

 

11 minutes ago, darrendsd said:

The visa run companies normally start to arrive at the Embassy around 6 30-7am

 

FYI the border opens at 6am, if you are departing on a Monday then you will join the rest of the scrum trying to get to the front of the Immigration booths

 

It is 1 30pm

That's a gold information. You just saved me almost an hour of waiting in front of embassy. Thanks :)

[duanebigsby]

I find the most relaxing way is to pass your paperwork on a Friday and collect passport with visa on Monday. No one is there Friday, nobody there Monday afternoon and it's a a lot less hassle. Of course it costs 2 extra days food and 2 nights hotel but might be worth it for  you.

[9KPhalak]

Have you considered going to Savannakhet, Laos?  You go to Mukdahon Province in Thailand and cross the bridge and Savannakhet is right there.  Typically not as many people.  There are flights but I'm not sure of the schedule.  The flights are to Mukdahon airport.  It would be worth checking.  In Savannakhet they pass out the visas in the afternoon starting at 1:00 pm I believe. 

[BritTim]

2 hours ago, 9KPhalak said:

Have you considered going to Savannakhet, Laos?  You go to Mukdahon Province in Thailand and cross the bridge and Savannakhet is right there.  Typically not as many people.  There are flights but I'm not sure of the schedule.  The flights are to Mukdahon airport.  It would be worth checking.  In Savannakhet they pass out the visas in the afternoon starting at 1:00 pm I believe. 

There is no airport at Mukdahan. Nok Air and Air Asia run Fly-Ride services from Bangkok to Mukdahan that combine flights to airports a couple of hours away and vans to take you to Mukdahan (optionally dropping you off at the Friendship Bridge on the way).

It seems the OP is traveling from Phuket, and connections through Bangkok for the Fly-Ride service may be iffy. I agree Savannakhet is much less busy, but their rules for issuing visas are different (sometimes easier, sometimes more onerous) which must be borne in mind. Also, some find Savannakhet really boring.

[Rc2702]

Mali lamphu hotel is a good place to crash and a really great breakfast. Decent wifi and no more than 100 baht/equivalent (taxi) to rue boucharine which is where the place you need to go is on Monday morning. 20 min walk if you like to stretch your legs. Early ticket 1st day = early visa next day at 1.3pm.  Namphu hotel is max £11/$17.5

Edited February 13, 2018 by Rc2702

[QPRFC]

I did this run two weeks ago. 

MONDAY:

Udon Thani to Friendship Bridge 200 baht minivan takes 50 minutes 

20 baht bus over bridge

31 USD for Laos visa on Oz passport 

300 baht taxi to Vientiane Fountain Complex

TUESDAY :

Arrived Consulate at 7.20am was 12th in queue

Let in at 8am and given application forms

Filled out application 

At 8.30am desk opens and they check paperwork and give you a number (12 for me) 

At 9am the window opens and goes through numbers one at a time (tells you paperwork is good and come back tomorrow 1pm to collect) 

WEDNESDAY :

Arrived at 12.50pm

Sit anyway

At 1pm window opens and call 7 numbers at a time (1-7) you bunch around window and show your ticket to collect passport, check visa and then sign

Then 8-14 etc

Touts there offering 300 baht minivan rides to border BUT you have to wait until van is full before departure 

Alternatively, 10,000 kip (400 baht) private taxi direct took 35 minutes 

Change your kip back to baht at bank there

Bus 20 baht over bridge

Customs is simple coming back as you already have a visa

Minibus to Udon Thani for 150 baht (I got lucky I think) again 50 minutes

Already checked in for flight, so straight to gate

 

Take food in your bag (stock up either the night before or early morning) otherwise you'll lose time buying food. 

 

Good luck

[edwardandtubs]

16 hours ago, Thaitoknow said:

Walk in anytime before it closes. Dont stand in line but walk into the building on the left and get your photocopies then sit down and get the girls to fill out your form(40baht i think. Remember some photos).

This allows you to jump the lines. Just walk outside and hand the paperwork to the person at the desk and she will hand you a number.

Leave the embassy while everyone stands in line and grab a cold beer Lao.

Return the next afternoon to pick it up.

 

If it's that easy why isn't everyone doing it?

[Nemises]

I was there yesterday at 1.00pm - no queues whatsoever.

 

I paid 400b to a taxi driver at the Thai border gate. Apart from me getting out of the taxi on the Laos side to pay the 1,300b ,filling in 2 small forms & having pic taken, the taxi driver did everything. Took 1 hour for the whole process including beers and a few bets at the casino next to Laos immigration. I’ve kept taxi driver number for next visa run. 

Edited February 13, 2018 by Gregster

[sanemax]

2 hours ago, Gregster said:

I was there yesterday at 1.00pm - no queues whatsoever.

 

I paid 400b to a taxi driver at the Thai border gate. Apart from me getting out of the taxi on the Laos side to pay the 1,300b ,filling in 2 small forms & having pic taken, the taxi driver did everything. Took 1 hour for the whole process including beers and a few bets at the casino next to Laos immigration. I’ve kept taxi driver number for next visa run. 

Did you just make all that up ?

[sanemax]

On 2/13/2018 at 9:20 AM, Thaitoknow said:

Walk in anytime before it closes. Dont stand in line but walk into the building on the left and get your photocopies then sit down and get the girls to fill out your form(40baht i think. Remember some photos).

This allows you to jump the lines. Just walk outside and hand the paperwork to the person at the desk and she will hand you a number.

Leave the embassy while everyone stands in line and grab a cold beer Lao.

Return the next afternoon to pick it up.

 

Queue jumpers are annoying .

 

[Thaitoknow]

1 hour ago, sanemax said:

Queue jumpers are annoying .

 

Its not Queue jumping. Its a service offered for a fee.

If you want to stand in line for the sake of 40 baht then up to you.

Edited February 14, 2018 by Thaitoknow

[Thaitoknow]

9 hours ago, edwardandtubs said:

If it's that easy why isn't everyone doing it?

Because its not advertised until you go inside the building.

I found it while needing a photocopy.

There is a sign inside.

[BritTim]

10 hours ago, edwardandtubs said:

On 2/13/2018 at 9:20 AM, Thaitoknow said:

Walk in anytime before it closes. Dont stand in line but walk into the building on the left and get your photocopies then sit down and get the girls to fill out your form(40baht i think. Remember some photos).

This allows you to jump the lines. Just walk outside and hand the paperwork to the person at the desk and she will hand you a number.

Leave the embassy while everyone stands in line and grab a cold beer Lao.

Return the next afternoon to pick it up.

 

If it's that easy why isn't everyone doing it?

That dodge was available for a while, but was stopped. I believe it has not been possible since last summer some time.

[sanemax]

1 hour ago, Thaitoknow said:

Its not Queue jumping. Its a service offered for a fee.

If you want to stand in line for the sake of 40 baht then up to you.

It isnt a service offered , the lady uses her connections with the Embassy staff to push into the queue and she makes 40 Baht out of it .

   I would not use her so that I could push into a queue , nothing to do with 40 Baht , its just rude to jump queues

[Nemises]

Did you just make all that up ?

No not all. Why would you ask that?