Getting tourist visa at Thai embassy in Laos

[TheRookie555]

Hey guys, looking for some advice regarding a tourist visa from Thai embassy in Laos.

My situation is like this: I flew in from the Netherlands at 15 september, and got a stamp at the airport till 14th of October

Am trying to get a tourist visa in Vientiane, and then contact a Visa office which hopefully can help me with a retirement visa.

My question is about getting the tourist visa : what are the requirements for getting the visa nowadays(last time i went there for visa a few years ago you just had to fill in the forms, give your picture, pay money and you were good to go.

Is it still pretty much the same as it was before?

Are there maybe better options in my case?

Thx in advance guys.

 

[ubonjoe]

You can apply for a 30 day extension of your 30 day visa exempt entry.

Info for the tourist visa can be found on this webpage. https://thaivisavientiane.com/#

[DrJack54]

OP, why even think about a tourist visa.

With visa exempt going to 45 days from Oct 1 you can border bounce for 45 days and obtain 30 day extension if required. 

The non O retirement.

That requires 800k in bank on the day you apply.

Do you have a Thai bank account in your name only? 

[TheRookie555]

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

OP, why even think about a tourist visa.

With visa exempt going to 45 days from Oct 1 you can border bounce for 45 days and obtain 30 day extension if required. 

The non O retirement.

That requires 800k in bank on the day you apply.

Do you have a Thai bank account in your name only? 

Thanks for you reply man, might be a good idea to just border hop for a while,75 dwys is nice.

Do have a Thai bank account on my name, and non O retirement before

[TheRookie555]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

You can apply for a 30 day extension of your 30 day visa exempt entry.

Info for the tourist visa can be found on this webpage. https://thaivisavientiane.com/#

Thanks Ubonjoe, will get the extension first, and will be checking out the link from your reply.

[spambot]

3 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

You can apply for a 30 day extension of your 30 day visa exempt entry.

Info for the tourist visa can be found on this webpage. https://thaivisavientiane.com/#

On the site for single tourist visa:

'5. Travel itinerary to Thailand e.g. plane ticket, hotel booking'

 

Can it be assumed that the plane ticket is not an actual requirement, since many arrive across the friendship bridge.

 

[ubonjoe]

10 minutes ago, spambot said:

On the site for single tourist visa:

'5. Travel itinerary to Thailand e.g. plane ticket, hotel booking'

You left part of it out.

A itinerary does not mean you ot show them a ticket. 

But I don't think it will be asked for.

[spambot]

4 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You left part of it out.

A itinerary does not mean you ot show them a ticket. 

But I don't think it will be asked for.

Thanks Joe

[RubbaJohnny]

How many timess can you get 45 days free at Tachkilek please?

seems less hassle than retirement visa endless queuing parking 146 fotocopies every single time.

3 x 45 days will do me 

[BritTim]

9 minutes ago, RubbaJohnny said:

How many timess can you get 45 days free at Tachkilek please?

seems less hassle than retirement visa endless queuing parking 146 fotocopies every single time.

3 x 45 days will do me 

The border crossing at Tachileik is not open due to instability on the Burmese side.

 

You can get two visa exempt entries per calendar year when arriving by land. Thus, you could potentially make a border bounce at one of the crossings with Laos nearly immediately, a second on late December (after getting an extension of your permission to stay from the first visa exempt entry) and still be able to have two more in 2023.

[Haljabra]

I have a few questions regarding this border hop to Laos as well.

1. What are the requirements for entering Laos as of Oct 1st. (such as pertaining to covid.) As well as returning to Thailand. 

 

And do you need to stay overnight or just can do a simple in and out.

[buddyy]

22 hours ago, Haljabra said:

I have a few questions regarding this border hop to Laos as well.

1. What are the requirements for entering Laos as of Oct 1st. (such as pertaining to covid.) As well as returning to Thailand. 

 

And do you need to stay overnight or just can do a simple in and out.

Only requirment is that you need to be vaxed or have a test. (nobody asked at the Lao border, however airline asked before boarding)

I went recently like this - flight BKK-VTE, taxi from Lao airport to friendship bridge, leave Lao, enter Thailand, taxi from border to Udon airport and back to BKK. 

So basically i left Bkk like 12 afternoon and was back around 6 evening. Honestly was quite tiring trip, if go more in the future would prefer to stay overnight.

I entered Lao with E-visa ($55), more convinient, dont need to write paperwork at the border, there is a special booth for E-visa entry.

Edited October 2, 2022 by buddyy

[Haljabra]

4 hours ago, buddyy said:

Only requirment is that you need to be vaxed or have a test. (nobody asked at the Lao border, however airline asked before boarding)

I went recently like this - flight BKK-VTE, taxi from Lao airport to friendship bridge, leave Lao, enter Thailand, taxi from border to Udon airport and back to BKK. 

So basically i left Bkk like 12 afternoon and was back around 6 evening. Honestly was quite tiring trip, if go more in the future would prefer to stay overnight.

I entered Lao with E-visa ($55), more convinient, dont need to write paperwork at the border, there is a special booth for E-visa entry.

Thanks for the information. I'm in Chiang Mai, and while I could take a plane, I was leaning on taking a bus, depending on cost really. Anyway, as I understand it, I will need either a Covid test or Proof of vax to enter Laos but nothing when coming back into Thailand since we're into October now. 

[buddyy]

34 minutes ago, Haljabra said:

Thanks for the information. I'm in Chiang Mai, and while I could take a plane, I was leaning on taking a bus, depending on cost really. Anyway, as I understand it, I will need either a Covid test or Proof of vax to enter Laos but nothing when coming back into Thailand since we're into October now. 

I looked up and looks like there are no direct flights from CNX to VTE anyway.

Also from CNX to Udon is surprisingly expensive, about 3k 1 way, then add 200B shared minivan or 750-900B taxi to the border.

 

Direct flight from DMK to VTE was only 1.7k and Udon Bkk was like 900B.

Surpisingly big difference compared to CM.

 

On paper when going the plane route, it seems cheaper to fly to Bkk and then go but thats a lot of travel.

Edited October 2, 2022 by buddyy

[ubonjoe]

12 hours ago, Haljabra said:

Thanks for the information. I'm in Chiang Mai, and while I could take a plane, I was leaning on taking a bus, depending on cost really.

There are buses from Chiang Mai to Udon Thani and then you can get a bus to either Vientiane or the bridge in Nong Khai.

[Haljabra]

21 hours ago, buddyy said:

I looked up and looks like there are no direct flights from CNX to VTE anyway.

Also from CNX to Udon is surprisingly expensive, about 3k 1 way, then add 200B shared minivan or 750-900B taxi to the border.

 

Direct flight from DMK to VTE was only 1.7k and Udon Bkk was like 900B.

Surpisingly big difference compared to CM.

 

On paper when going the plane route, it seems cheaper to fly to Bkk and then go but thats a lot of travel.

Yes, costly was my guess, better to just stick to the buses it seems.

9 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

There are buses from Chiang Mai to Udon Thani and then you can get a bus to either Vientiane or the bridge in Nong Khai.

Yes, this was basically what I was planning. I guess I can just come back through the border if time permits it, the same day. That or stay over one night.

[Robin]

You can do as I am doing;  ge a 30 day visa exempt entry to Thailand.   Go to Immigration office and apply for this to be converted to a Non Imm O visa for a retirement extension..  2000 baht and you will need to show bank statement a if for Retirement visa.  When non visa 30 days runs out, go back to I/O and they will stamp a Non O in your passport. 90 days from that day.  In last 30 days of this visa, 90-120 days from entering Thailand, you can apply for a normal 365 day retirement visa extension.  You will still need the 800K B in the bank as normal Retirement extension.

[RubbaJohnny]

Anybody know when Mae Sai will reopen please?

 

[ubonjoe]

5 minutes ago, RubbaJohnny said:

Anybody know when Mae Sai will reopen please?

 

I have no idea as to when Myanmar will allow foreigners to enter at border crossings.

[BritTim]

2 hours ago, RubbaJohnny said:

Anybody know when Mae Sai will reopen please?

Due to the security situation in Myanmar, it is very unclear when land border crossings will be allowed again: might well be years.