Consecutive SETVs in Vientiane. Yes or No?

[tomyamsomtam]

Hi friends,

I have been in Thailand since Nov 2017 and so far I have 5 stamps and 2 SETVs. I plan to apply for a 3rd SETV in a row in Vientiane but worried that they will give me the red stamp or it will be denied. This is going to be the 2nd time I apply for SETV in Vientiane. I stay in Chiang Mai so this is the most cost friendly place to go to, plus they do not ask for a return ticket. Another worry is I am a young female and hold a Vietnamese passport. I do not know why but immigration officers are always suspicious of me after they see my passport ???? I was always asked to show proof of 20,000baht; I showed them in cash equivalent or bank balance before. I feel it is somewhat unfair because my French boyfriend is never asked for anything and he always had to wait for me while I was questioned in a separate room at immigration☹️ Previously when entering via Nong Khai, I was told to skip the usual queue to enter a "High-risk room". In a way it was better because the officers stamped my passport right away without questions ???? 

So has anyone obtained a new consecutive SETV in Vientiane recently and is it still as easy as before? Do you think I should go to Vientiane again? 

 

Appreciate your comments ❤️ 

[elviajero]

I think there is a high chance of you getting a red stamp if applying again in Vientiane. They don’t usually deny applications, but if they do you could try elsewhere.

 

Your age and nationality will make it hard for you to stay long term as a tourist.

[BritTim]

As I understand it, you have two previous SETVs, the latest of which was issued in Vientiane. Under those circumstances, you would usually be safe applying in Vientiane. However, I do not know if Vientiane has any special guidelines with Vietnamese. I would expect not. Anyway, since you have now been a year continuously in Thailand on tourist entries, you do need to be entering at friendly crossings (like Nong Khai). If you try to enter by air, there is a high chance you will be denied entry.

 

As @elvajero advised, you and your boyfriend need to start thinking carefully about a long term plan. You should get a visa this time in Vientiane, but options for getting tourist visas that allow entering by land (which, as I said, you must do) will soon run short.

Edited November 7, 2018 by BritTim

[namatjira]

A high chance they will deny you in Vientiane...

travel a bit further to savannakhet in Laos and you should have no problem.......that’s the way it seems to work......

[namatjira]

3 in a row these days is almost certain a red stamp from Vientiane,,,,savanakhet will be ok as mentioned

[JackThompson]

Sometimes it is the 4th that gets a red-stamp rather than the 3rd - but I agree with the others that your country-of-origin could be an issue.  The solution is a new passport if you get red-stamped.  Savannakhet isn't reported to "red-stamp" - but they do sometimes just say "no" to applicants.  If you don't have 2 land-border visa-exempts this year, this could be used in the case of a denied-visa. 

 

Maybe the Thai consulates in Hanoi or HCMC would be better for Vietnamese citizens?  I pose that as a question, because I do not know if this is the case.

Keep in mind, the purpose of these regulations should (but is not always) to prevent people entering Thailand to work illegally from nations where wages are lower than Thailand.  When scrutiny is given for this reason, the activity is protecting their own citizenry, which is honorable - though I can also understand it is not a happy experience for those targeted.

Edited November 8, 2018 by JackThompson

[tomyamsomtam]

9 hours ago, BritTim said:

As I understand it, you have two previous SETVs, the latest of which was issued in Vientiane. Under those circumstances, you would usually be safe applying in Vientiane. However, I do not know if Vientiane has any special guidelines with Vietnamese. I would expect not. Anyway, since you have now been a year continuously in Thailand on tourist entries, you do need to be entering at friendly crossings (like Nong Khai). If you try to enter by air, there is a high chance you will be denied entry.

 

As @elvajero advised, you and your boyfriend need to start thinking carefully about a long term plan. You should get a visa this time in Vientiane, but options for getting tourist visas that allow entering by land (which, as I said, you must do) will soon run short.

My 1st SETV was issued in Vientiane, the 2nd in Kuala Lumpur. I already had 2 entries by land on exemption stamps and 1 entry by land on SETV. Will I be able to enter by land again on SETV?

[ubonjoe]

5 minutes ago, tomyamsomtam said:

Will I be able to enter by land again on SETV?

Yes you can. There is no limit on the number of entries you can do if you have a valid visa for entry.

[namatjira]

Take the advice of ubon joe, he is the absolute guru in correct advice

[Toosetinmyways]

This info is one year old and is about a UK passport holder.

My friend had three SETV's from Vientiane back to back.

He was given a fourth SETV and the "red" stamp.

He then went to Penang but they refused his application as he had the red stamp in his passport.

[Bountyhuntr]

Went to Vientiane Tuesday for my third back-to-back Tourist Visa, no issues or red stamps. (UK). Like others have said, might be the 4th+ entry

Edited November 8, 2018 by Bountyhuntr

[The traveler]

35 minutes ago, Bountyhuntr said:

Went to Vientiane Tuesday for my third back-to-back Tourist Visa, no issues or red stamps. (UK). Like others have said, might be the 4th+ entry

Yeah, same with me, I got my third SETV in a row from the consulate in Vientiane(24 April,22july and 16 October) no problem, I will go somewhere else for the fourth.

[dudu04]

3 hours ago, The traveler said:

Yeah, same with me, I got my third SETV in a row from the consulate in Vientiane(24 April,22july and 16 October) no problem, I will go somewhere else for the fourth.

Same here 3rd in a row in Ventianne ; french passport   

[asdfrules]

Regarding Vientiane giving a red stamp after 3 or 4 Visas... 

 

Let's say the magic number is 4.  Is that 4 in a row from Vientiane?  Or 4 from Vientiane total.  In other words, what if you alternate between Vientiane and Savanakhet?  Will Vientiane red stamp you after you have:

1)  4 total visas from either consulate

2)  4 visa from each consulate, so a total of 8 visas

3)  Or will they allow you to get more than 4 from Vientiane because you alternated and didn't get any from Vientiane back-to-back

And how about Savannakhet?  Will they issue more than 4?

[Caldera]

I've got the feeling that it's not predictable with 100% certainty. In my previous passport, I got 4 SETVs from Vientiane without getting the dreaded stamp. Not all of them were back to back though, maybe that helped.