Vientiane Laos for Thai Visa

[bangkokgas]

No -do not understand why Claudio would say that. I have met him, and went on his minibus a few years ago. Maybe he just isn't aware of the visa situation in Vientiane - certainly, last time I was there (March) the majority of people picking up double-entry visas were Philipinos?as. And they all got them as far as I could tell.

[lopburi3]

Vientiane has openly voiced there displeasure with people using agents from reports here; so expect that may have something to do with it.

[funfun]

Vientiane has openly voiced there displeasure with people using agents from reports here; so expect that may have something to do with it.

well touch wood, i have used an agent there and not had any problems in fact the reverse, the service has saved time and potentanally money, the guy i use is from laos so maybe they do like doing buisness with a falang visa agent if that is who this cludio is?

from memeory im sure tropos missus is a philapino and he went up in january i think so maybe he can shed some light on that?

chris

[Briggsy]

Just to add some info. I got my Laos visa today from the Embassy in Bangkok. As a UK citizen, I paid 1400 Baht as per Loopburi's list. I declined the 200 Baht express same day pick up option and the very nice lady said I can pick mine up the following day.

[fozzy58uk]

I used Claudio back in May. Excellent service. Got a double entry TV, no probs. Claudio's wife is Thai and appears fully conversant with all procedures and is very helpful. At the consulate you queue for your own application and visa so they cannot know how you arrived. Though they did pick up the passports from the consulate the next day and we jumped the queue i.e we were let through both laos and Thai checkpoints on the way back as a group.

[funfun]

just a quick reminder if you going you could get asked about money in a thai account so if poss take ya bank book, a guy went yesterday and and got asked, maybe a one off but coming back with 30 days aint a result???

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Laos-Visa-t200280.html

chris

[bjhabal]

Hello everyone,

I just want to report my latest experience in Vientiane, as I have just comeback this morning after applying and getting a double entry tourist visa with a couple of my friends.

We applied for the visa at 08.45 Monday morning with at least other 700 people (seven hundred no joke) queuing in front of us; the 3 lines were up to behind the consulate room, but the service was incredibly efficient that we were out of the Embassy in less than 2 hours.

There were no question asked and everybody were quick to the window just to pay the fees and get the receipt after hearing their names been called.

One of my friends who applied with me, has a double citizenship, Russian-Canadian, and when he applied with his Russian passport for a tourist visa in the Thai Embassy in Moscow, they requested him to produce a lot of documents, which he found it a very much time consuming and asked the person in charge whether he has any other alternatives, and the answer was, yes go and get it from Vientiane, Laos??

Well, can anybody tell me why and how the staff of the Embassy in Moscow knows that the Thai Embassy in Laos giving the visa easily?

I want to point for 2 important notices here:

1. You have to ask for the double entries as there is no box to check, in your application and they will write it down by hand, many people did not know that and end up with a single visa.

2. Some times as in my case too, the immigration officer at the border do not staple your Lao exit card in your passport and as it is required to remain in your passport by the Thai Embassy, so make sure that they will do the job there. I saw at least 2 persons who found their exit cards are missing upon receiving their passport back, and they were wondering what to do next.

I hope with that much increasing applicant in Vientiane, there will be no dramatic changes to their excellent service there; just keep your fingers crossed.

Cheers,

Bishop

[jitenshaman]

Are you sure? I paid last time 1,200 baht (plus 200 baht express fee), that's way more than 20 USD!

bECAUSE YOU PAID IN BAHT PERHAPS?

I got my Lao visa this week from Embassy in Bkk...cost as a US national was 1400 as stated on their list, I declined the express service and got it the next day. French fellow next to me paid 1200 as per French nationals, plus 200 for express service. So I guess that is roughly the same fee as at the border (35 + 1 service charge), and I can now take the bus in from Udon without hassles.

[technocracy]

Tuk Tuk : They will try to rip u off even more than bkk tuk tuk's . Don't pay more than 15,000 Kip for ride inside the city.

15k is being generous - 10k is more like it if anywhere in the city bounds.

Money : Have some Exchange boots around the city center or at Thai banks branch over there. Bear in mind that most of the exchanges are close at 4-5pm...after that it's hard to find a place to change your money. Thai Baht is well accepted over the city but they will always will charge u more...so better use Kip.

Yep - Kip is the way to go - The Thai bank branches in general give very bad exchange rates. The best bank is the BCEL next to the Mekong. Alternatively if you can speak thai or lao go upstair in the gold shops in the Morning market and any of them will change money.

Nightlife : It's not bkk, the city goes to sleep very early. most of the nightclub and bars ( which not have many ) closed by midnight or even before. Bear in mind that most hotels won't allow u take ur " guest " inside your room....

Hmmm sadly some of the dregs are starting to infest the place . . after some of the tales I've heard recently . . .

Mini MArt: Have only few and most of them are closed on 9pm. not have 7/11 or similar that open all night. so if u need something, better buy before 9pm.

M-Point Marts are around (main one in the centre is in the Sihom area) and are open until midnight and open at 6am.

[bangkokgas]

Whilst it is known double-entry tourist visas can, and usually are issued in Vientiane, the question I suspect that will come begging next is ...........how many!!!

[abdulrahman]

Tuk Tuk : They will try to rip u off even more than bkk tuk tuk's . Don't pay more than 15,000 Kip for ride inside the city.

15k is being generous - 10k is more like it if anywhere in the city bounds.

Well,if you are a little late in Kop Chai Deau,the extra 5K Kip (less than 20 Baht ,are worth it.

Money : Have some Exchange boots around the city center or at Thai banks branch over there. Bear in mind that most of the exchanges are close at 4-5pm...after that it's hard to find a place to change your money. Thai Baht is well accepted over the city but they will always will charge u more...so better use Kip.

Yep - Kip is the way to go - The Thai bank branches in general give very bad exchange rates. The best bank is the BCEL next to the Mekong. Alternatively if you can speak thai or lao go upstair in the gold shops in the Morning market and any of them will change money.

True,true.....

Nightlife : It's not bkk, the city goes to sleep very early. most of the nightclub and bars ( which not have many ) closed by midnight or even before. Bear in mind that most hotels won't allow u take ur " guest " inside your room....

Hmmm sadly some of the dregs are starting to infest the place . . after some of the tales I've heard recently . . .

We all know Vientiane is NOT Bangkok or Pattaya,but we like it.May be,because?

Mini MArt: Have only few and most of them are closed on 9pm. not have 7/11 or similar that open all night. so if u need something, better buy before 9pm.

M-Point Marts are around (main one in the centre is in the Sihom area) and are open until midnight and open at 6am.

And you can buy your Beerlao at ALL times

.

[mekka]

Heading from Phuket to Laos for my 2nd visa trip this weekend, ill be arriving in Laos on sunday night and dropping my passport off on Monday morning...just wantd to make sure there was no holidays or anything affecting this..dont wanna be stuck in Laos thats all...and can you still hand in applications on any working day of the week? I cant remember what day i did it last time i was up there.

[TinuB]

Heading from Phuket to Laos for my 2nd visa trip this weekend, ill be arriving in Laos on sunday night and dropping my passport off on Monday morning...just wantd to make sure there was no holidays or anything affecting this..dont wanna be stuck in Laos thats all...and can you still hand in applications on any working day of the week? I cant remember what day i did it last time i was up there.

@mekka

next monday is ok. you can check it here: http://www.thaiembassy.org/vientiane/about_officetime.html

[fozzy58uk]

just a quick reminder if you going you could get asked about money in a thai account so if poss take ya bank book, a guy went yesterday and and got asked, maybe a one off but coming back with 30 days aint a result???

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Laos-Visa-t200280.html

chris

not sure his story adds up. As mentioned by later posters, if you get knocked back at the consulate you are not given a 30 day stamp. Yet one more scaremongerer??? Other posters also mention getting X2 visas the same day.

[lopburi3]

If you do not obtain the visa you indeed will have to enter with a 30 day visa exempt stamp (if eligible) so find nothing wrong with OP - just misunderstanding that Embassy was giving stamp rather than immigration. That said his situation was obviously his; as others have not reported the same requirements.

[technocracy]

We all know Vientiane is NOT Bangkok or Pattaya,but we like it.May be,because?

Hmm well my wife went out with her friend the other night - first time in a long time due to pregnancy and obviously now having a 5 month old baby.

She reported back there was numerous old falangs just trying to pull any female in Kop Jai Deu without a husband/boyfriend present. They avoid her after the abuse she gave them . .

Alternative there is the falang and a girl wanking each other off outside the Don Chan Palace hotel in full view of everyone.

Or the falang one morning standing naked outside of the Don Chan Palace . . he wasn't staying at the hotel. The thoughts were he'd taken a girl/ladyboy down on the mekong bank and passed out and had his clothes taken by said girl/ladyboy.

I have plenty of other stories/experiences of when the dregs come to town

[jajabinz]

For info, we got a double entry tourist visa last week in Vientiane (from UK). No questions asked. Arrived at 10.15am, about 12 people waiting. Longer wait to pay the visa fees!

We paid 35USD for a visa on arrival at the Friendship Bridge. I'd also downloaded an application form before we went (I think it was on this website), which they were happy to accept.

[ozzydom]

I went to Laos June 20, my visa fee was $30 US (less than 1000baht) the yank behind me paid $35 US so it looks like you are better to carry a few US $,s.

[tropo]

Vientiane has openly voiced there displeasure with people using agents from reports here; so expect that may have something to do with it.

well touch wood, i have used an agent there and not had any problems in fact the reverse, the service has saved time and potentanally money, the guy i use is from laos so maybe they do like doing buisness with a falang visa agent if that is who this cludio is?

from memeory im sure tropos missus is a philapino and he went up in january i think so maybe he can shed some light on that?

chris

Hi there. I'm in the Philippines right now and this is the first time I've had a chance to check this forum.

You are correct Chris, my missus is Filipino and she had no trouble getting a double-entry TV in January. There was a bus load of Filipinos at the consulate on that day and they were giving out double-entry TV's like hotcakes.

[sjaak327]

I went to Laos June 20, my visa fee was $30 US (less than 1000baht) the yank behind me paid $35 US so it looks like you are better to carry a few US $,s.

I'm guessing you are from Australia, as for Australians the visa fee indeed is USD30, Yanks indeed pay 35 USD. Most Western Europeans also pay 35 USD, Canadians pay 42 USD. The fee is depending on your country of origiin And indeed it's much better to pay for the visa in USD as opposed to Thai Baht. If you happen to have some left over KIP from a previous trip, you can't use those to pay for the visa

Edited July 17, 2008 by sjaak327

[funfun]

Vientiane has openly voiced there displeasure with people using agents from reports here; so expect that may have something to do with it.

well touch wood, i have used an agent there and not had any problems in fact the reverse, the service has saved time and potentanally money, the guy i use is from laos so maybe they do like doing buisness with a falang visa agent if that is who this cludio is?

from memeory im sure tropos missus is a philapino and he went up in january i think so maybe he can shed some light on that?

chris

Hi there. I'm in the Philippines right now and this is the first time I've had a chance to check this forum.

You are correct Chris, my missus is Filipino and she had no trouble getting a double-entry TV in January. There was a bus load of Filipinos at the consulate on that day and they were giving out double-entry TV's like hotcakes.

hey up tropo, nice to hear from ya mate, seems everthing still ok up at vientiene, will you be going next month or can you get anything sorted in filapines?

i might be back up a couple of weeks, was toying with cambodia as been told things are easier now as was going to a wedding anyway but thats now off with the problems ariseing from preah vieher, so no def plans yet what to do.

chris

[Alex14]

After lurking on this great forum for a long time and after benefiting a lot from all the useful information provided here, it's about time that I contribute in some way. Last Saturday, I went to Vientiane in order to obtain a new tourist visa. I'm an EU passport holder and before applying for the new visa I already had three pretty recent Thai tourist visa in my passport (one from Vientiane and two from Malaysia) and a long track record (almost two years) of being stamped in and out of Thailand. My goal was to receive a double entry visa, as that seems to be the best you can get in the region nowadays.

As I wasn't in a hurry and as I wanted to take a break in Vientiane, I didn't go to the embassy on Monday. Instead I went there yesterday, i.e. on Tuesday. That might also have been a good decision with respect to the observation made by others that the embassy seems to be most busy on Mondays.

I arrived at the Consular Section of the Royal Thai Embassy Vientiane at 8am in the morning, i.e. half an hour before they open their gate. When I arrived, about 25 people were already waiting, and about 30 more people showed up within the next half an hour. So I was right in the middle of the queue when they opened. By the way, I didn't experience any queue jumping. Luckily, it was pretty cloudy, so standing outside in the street waiting wasn't a big deal, as it wasn't very hot.

After the gate opened at 8:30am, the people in the queue moved forward to the counter in the courtyard to lodge their applications. As some people didn't have or didn't fill in their application forms beforehand (or didn't have all the needed documents/copies), there was some chaos, but it wasn't too bad after all. The officer accepting the applications was very efficient, and also friendly. When it was my turn, I asked the officer if I can get a double entry tourist visa. He had a quick glimpse at my passport and said yes, no further questions asked or proof of funds needed. I had also written "x2" on my visa application form twice, both on the top of the form where you have to indicate what type of visa you're applying for and down in the section where they ask about the intended length of stay ("60 days x2"). Just to make sure that they understand that I want a double entry visa.

Once my application was lodged, I was told to go inside the office building to wait, in order to pay for the visa and to get the receipt that would allow me to pick up my passport with the visa on the following day. Once you wait inside the building it's pretty comfortable, as they have the aircon running and seats available. After about 20 minutes, a lady called my name, I paid 2,000 Baht for the double entry visa and I was given the receipt, which correctly stated "Tourist Visa x2" and the amount I paid.

I left the embassy at 9:15am, so it was a pretty smooth and efficient process. When leaving, I saw that the queue was somewhat longer, but I'd guess that arriving late didn't mean having to wait much longer. As others had pointed out, this could be much different on days when the embassy really gets busy, though. Yesterday didn't seem to be one of their busy days.

Today I revisited the embassy at about 1pm to collect my visa. There was already quite a long queue of people waiting, but as all they had to do is showing their receipt and getting their passport, I could leave with my passport after about 10 minutes - with a new double entry tourist visa!

My overall experience in Vientiane was great once again. I enjoyed the hospitality of the friendly Lao people for a couple of days, I was happy with the service provided by the Thai Embassy and everything was just smooth sailing.

It seems pretty clear that having some Thai visa in your passport doesn't prevent you from receiving another one from Vientiane. Also, concerning reports that they might ask questions or that you might need to show proof of funds, I neither experienced that myself nor did I see anybody who was questioned or turned down. So I'd guess when it happens it's an exception rather than the norm. Nevertheless, I was prepared and took my passbook along, just in case.

In my opinion, reports calling Vientiane a "shithole" and such are quite far away from the truth. Of course Laos isn't as developed as Thailand yet, but Vientiane is a nice, very laid back town to relax for a couple of days. There are great people, there's great food and there's plenty of Beer Lao, for those who like it. And while the tuk-tuk drivers try to rip you off just as virtually everywhere else, at least they do so with a smile. When I asked them about the price, initially all of them asked for 30,000 Kip. I told them in a friendly yet determined way that I think it's too much and that I just paid 10,000 Kip yesterday, and usually that helped to get the price down to 15,000 Kip or 10,000 Kip. Otherwise I just walked away and asked the next driver, but that only happened once. Besides the tuk-tuk drivers, all Lao people I dealt with were more than friendly and very helpful. They seem to be less shy to speak English than most Thai people, and their English is pretty good in general.

[bangkokgas]

Great report Alex! I am due for a visa trip in September (do I go to Penang or Vientiane?). Chris, if you read this what would you say? My U.K. passport was issued last December, and so far I have one single t.v. and a double from Vientiane. To risk or not to risk another apllication is the question. Penang may be a better bet - I don't know. Any suggestions gratefully accepted!

Gas

[james24]

im in the same boat mate

[lopburi3]

Currently Vientiane is the best choice.

[funfun]

Great report Alex! I am due for a visa trip in September (do I go to Penang or Vientiane?). Chris, if you read this what would you say? My U.K. passport was issued last December, and so far I have one single t.v. and a double from Vientiane. To risk or not to risk another apllication is the question. Penang may be a better bet - I don't know. Any suggestions gratefully accepted!

Gas

Totally agree good report, and great to hear ev thing still ok up there.

well i think vientiene for sure, for no other reason, there dosnt seem to be any bad reports coming back only positive ones and many incuding alex report have had prvious visas and still no problem, i wanted to go try cambodia to see if things are now ok cos that would give a plan b, but things have changed a bit so ill leave that this time, im pretty sure im off next week to vientiene and this will be my second x2 so will try do an update on my return.

chris

[mel2surf]

Chris

I'm sure you'll be fine up there.

Enjoy a de-stressing over the relaxing Mehkong

drinking some beer laos. Feel free to report when you return.

mel

[bangkokgas]

Good luck Chris (and James). I know I'd rather go to laos - there is only so many tandoori chicken sets one can eat in Penang. Look forward to your report.

[Alex14]

I'd obviously also recommend Vientiane to get your tourist visa, as long as you don't have any specific reason to go to Penang instead. Why take a chance?

And those who are really missing Penang can get a double entry tourist visa from Vientiane and go to Penang when the time comes to activate the second entry.

[selftaopath]

Hi All and thanks for your posts.

Has anyone gone to the Royal Thai Consulate in Vientiane, Laos requesting a Non Imm B, multientrance Visa? I plan to do this in September 2008.

Thanks, I think my legs are getting more muscular from "jumping through hoops."

Keoki