Visa In Vientiane

Visit to Laos PDR

I recently visited Vientiane for a few days and have a few hints that may be of use to people who are considering doing a ‘visa run’. Visa on arrival at the Laos border is 35 USD for UK and US citizens, it is cheaper for some nationalities and up to 42USD for others. Visa gets you into Laos for 30 days. Getting from the border to Vientiane, a distance of about 20km, you can take a ‘taxi’ (private car) for about 200 baht or share a ‘long wheelbase Tuk-Tuk’ with others for about 100 baht per person.

Accommodation in Vientiane is very reasonable with rooms with Air-con and cable TV from around 400 baht per night. You can pay everywhere in Vientiane using Thai baht, the change comes back in Lao ‘Kip’ and the rate is 270 Kip to 1 Thai baht.

Vientiane is ‘quiet’ and English is almost universally spoken but there really is not that much to do although there are many excellent food outlets supplying Asian and Western food at very reasonable prices. Large bottles of beer Lao are priced at 10,000 Kip (37 baht) in bars/restaurants and at 7500 Kip (28 baht) in the shops.

Getting around is easy as the city is quite small but walking can be hazardous because just about every pavement (sidewalk) appears to be ‘under-construction’. If you are planning to walk around Vientiane I would recommend taking some strong shoes or even boots. The Tuk-Tuks are mainly the “skylab” motorcycle type as found in some areas of northeast Thailand. The drivers always quote 30,000 Kip (111 baht) for any journey but they will quickly reduce their price if you start to walk away.

If you are going for a Thai visa be aware that the consular section which processes the visa applications is not on the site of the Thai Embassy. The Tuk-Tuk drivers know where to take you if you ask for “Visa Thailand”

The consulate should open at 8.30 but the day I was there they opened at 8.45 and there was a large queue outside. You cannot get the form for the visa until the consulate opens but there are touts who have the forms and will also sell them to you (this is illegal) for 100 baht which you can fill in while you wait. You should take with you a photocopy of the ‘picture page’ of your Passport and also a photocopy of the Laos visa page. You should also have 2 (Two) passport size photographs. The fee for the a Tourist Visa is 1,000 baht (payable in baht) Applications are accepted up to 12.00pm and you collect your passport, with visa, the next day between 1.00pm and 3.00pm.

Hope this will be of assistance to anyone considering a trip to Laos for a new visa.