Visa Runs Laos

[Mikey7]

In case it hasn't been reported, This weeks Visa rule at the Thai Embassy in Laos: You can have up to 4 stamps for the 60 day tourist visa in your passport. The Embassy will not issue a fifth. Not to worry tho you can still cross back to Nong Khai on the 30 day non visa entry. Go figure L

[dr_Pat_Pong]

In case it hasn't been reported, This weeks Visa rule at the Thai Embassy in Laos: You can have up to 4 stamps for the 60 day tourist visa in your passport. The Embassy will not issue a fifth. Not to worry tho you can still cross back to Nong Khai on the 30 day non visa entry. Go figure L

Logic has never played a big part in the running of the Thai bureacracy. The way it looks, the 30 day walkers may soon have bigger problems.

[Boatabike]

In case it hasn't been reported, This weeks Visa rule at the Thai Embassy in Laos: You can have up to 4 stamps for the 60 day tourist visa in your passport. The Embassy will not issue a fifth. Not to worry tho you can still cross back to Nong Khai on the 30 day non visa entry. Go figure L

i posted in a different thread about this but confirm this as true as i was told i would not be issued anymore tourist visas from this embassy. I have how ever just read on thai immigration site that atm recipts from a foreign bank account will be proof enough to get the tourist visa back to back, although when i offered them at the embassy in Loas this trip i was told they were not acceptable? Any one know if this is true or not, immigration say yes... unhelpful lady at embassy say no...immigration not give you visa...unhelpful lady can?

[unbiasbob]

In case it hasn't been reported, This weeks Visa rule at the Thai Embassy in Laos: You can have up to 4 stamps for the 60 day tourist visa in your passport. The Embassy will not issue a fifth. Not to worry tho you can still cross back to Nong Khai on the 30 day non visa entry. Go figure L

Safe to say that 30- day walking is not a solution to any visa problem

[Mikey7]

True the 30 day walkover is not the answer,but it sure saved my friend from being stuck in Laos once he got refused the 60 day L

[Sunny Valentine]

Safe to say that 30- day walking is not a solution to any visa problem

Bob, I see these comments of yours ever so often in this forum. May I once more remind you of the fact, that there are some people around in Thailand who are under 50 Years, not married with Thai, not working and not wanting to invest 80 000 $ in the Mickey-Mouse currency locally known as Baht?

For these there are two Options: Tourist Visa and 30 Days.

Please remember this next time you comment on these lowlifes.

Sunny

[opalhort]

......in the Mickey-Mouse currency locally known as Baht?.....

Sunny

The Thai Baht is no 'Mickey-Mouse currency'

The Baht has been very stable since it was floated in 1997.

The only problem in Thailand is the very low interest rate, but the currency is very stable.

opalhort

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Safe to say that 30- day walking is not a solution to any visa problem

Bob, I see these comments of yours ever so often in this forum. May I once more remind you of the fact, that there are some people around in Thailand who are under 50 Years, not married with Thai, not working and not wanting to invest 80 000 $ in the Mickey-Mouse currency locally known as Baht?

For these there are two Options: Tourist Visa and 30 Days.

Please remember this next time you comment on these lowlifes.

Sunny

One can only wonder what it is that keeps you here in the LOS then Sunny.

[lopburi3]

Safe to say that 30- day walking is not a solution to any visa problem

Bob, I see these comments of yours ever so often in this forum. May I once more remind you of the fact, that there are some people around in Thailand who are under 50 Years, not married with Thai, not working and not wanting to invest 80 000 $ in the Mickey-Mouse currency locally known as Baht?

For these there are two Options: Tourist Visa and 30 Days.

Please remember this next time you comment on these lowlifes.

Sunny

One can only wonder what it is that keeps you here in the LOS then Sunny.

While I don't think any of us (including Bob) would say that Bob has no bias you do have the choice, as Pat points out; to leave.

[Mikey7]

Don't mean to interupt an argument but i have aquestion. I got my non immigrant O for one of those "all Knowing" honarary consulates in the States. They asked for nothing but my passport and $50. As I understand it here if you tried to get a non immigrant O you would have to provide the same income statements and other documentation as you would have to for the "R" visa. True?

[unbiasbob]

Safe to say that 30- day walking is not a solution to any visa problem

Bob, I see these comments of yours ever so often in this forum. May I once more remind you of the fact, that there are some people around in Thailand who are under 50 Years, not married with Thai, not working and not wanting to invest 80 000 $ in the Mickey-Mouse currency locally known as Baht?

For these there are two Options: Tourist Visa and 30 Days.

Please remember this next time you comment on these lowlifes.

Sunny

I wish I had invested in that mickey mouse baht a year and a half ago when the buck was at 45. 80k usd of those would have yielded a cool 10%. I'll take that return

[lopburi3]

Don't mean to interupt an argument but i have aquestion. I got my non immigrant O for one of those "all Knowing" honarary consulates in the States. They asked for nothing but my passport and $50. As I understand it here if you tried to get a non immigrant O you would have to provide the same income statements and other documentation as you would have to for the "R" visa. True?

You should really start a thread rather than disturb an argument.

If you are asking about a non immigrant O visa obtained in a country of this region you would be expected to provide a marriage certificate and copy of the ID card of your wife to obtain on basis of marriage. From an honorary Consulate in US/UK or OZ these would probably not be required, although some other items might be (such as letter of support in UK).

What you are thinking about seems to be "extension of stay" based on support of a Thai wife and which starts with an O visa. For the one year extensions you have to show bank account and various other things. When you say "R" visa believe you mean O or O-A visa (long stay/retirement) so yes, it would be similar.

[Sunny Valentine]

I wish I had invested in that mickey mouse baht a year and a half ago when the buck was at 45. 80k usd of those would have yielded a cool 10%. I'll take that return

You would have made 35% in Euro the same time; it's the Dollar, not the Baht.

Sunny

[Sunny Valentine]

One can only wonder what it is that keeps you here in the LOS then Sunny.

Sure, got a few more choices, like killing myself, or become a cynic.....

I just wanted to point out that you don't necessaryly have to be a lowlife or english teacher or a lazy ignorant bum to be dependent on Visa runs.

Sunny

[unbiasbob]

I wish I had invested in that mickey mouse baht a year and a half ago when the buck was at 45. 80k usd of those would have yielded a cool 10%. I'll take that return

You would have made 35% in Euro the same time; it's the Dollar, not the Baht.

Sunny

the baht is a stable currency, a solid currency

[dr_Pat_Pong]

One can only wonder what it is that keeps you here in the LOS then Sunny.

Sure, got a few more choices, like killing myself, or become a cynic.....

I just wanted to point out that you don't necessaryly have to be a lowlife or english teacher or a lazy ignorant bum to be dependent on Visa runs.

Sunny

Becoming a cynic. Hmmm that is future indicative. Methinks you have already reached that heady height.

[sriracha john]

the baht is a stable currency, a solid currency

it was extremely stable and solid in '97.

.... when's the next crash?

[dr_Pat_Pong]

the baht is a stable currency, a solid currency

it was extremely stable and solid in '97. <_<

They closed the stable door after the horse bolted ( between July and December 1997 )

[lopburi3]

I just wanted to point out that you don't necessaryly have to be a lowlife or english teacher or a lazy ignorant bum to be dependent on Visa runs.

Sunny

That is true and being an English teacher in itself is not bad in any case. But it is the method used by the fringe groups and as such all get painted by that brush.

But in most cases the runs for those we would consider normal folks are caused by poor decisions and personal choices. In most real cases (and I see those married but without income for extensions as the major group) things can be arranged to allow stay here without resort to visa runs. In the past the runs have been part of the solution but now they are not viewed in the same light by authorities and preferred action now is to get on the books and with the normal flexibility room can often be made to accommodate within the laws.

Many of us can pass muster but are just doing the visa runs because we know that process and fear the contact with officials required to come out from the shadows. But in most cases it would be the easier route and may be the only way in the future.

Sorry, too many words, but really urge those with any chance of getting legal to do so.

[Sunny Valentine]

Unbiasbob, while searching for some other topic on the thaivisa.com site I came across the following statement of you:

>The problem, pal, is that some people living in Thailand are retired in

>their 40's with over a million baht in cash and pensions.

>These persons have no visa option other than tourist visas.

>These persons spend a great deal of money in this country,

>certainly quite a bit more than those others who scrap by

>to meet retirement or married visa requirements. They also

>spend a great deal more than penniless school teachers

>living in 2500 baht/mo flats on their pittance salaries

You can find it here.

Just wondering what made you change your opionion by 100% within less than a half Year?

Sunny

[sriracha john]

Unbiasbob, while searching for some other topic on the thaivisa.com site I came across the following statement of you:

Just wondering what made you change your opionion by 100% within less than a half Year?

Sunny

Hahahahaha.... biasedbob getting busted once again.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Unbiasbob, while searching for some other topic on the thaivisa.com site I came across the following statement of you:

Just wondering what made you change your opionion by 100% within less than a half Year?

Sunny

Hahahahaha.... biasedbob getting busted once again.

I honestly believe that our Bob got brighter.

[Sunny Valentine]

I honestly believe that our Bob got brighter.

With all due respect to you and your often most valueable knowledge and support here on this Board, Dr: I just can't get your point here at all!

Sunny

[unbiasbob]

Unbiasbob, while searching for some other topic on the thaivisa.com site I came across the following statement of you:

Just wondering what made you change your opionion by 100% within less than a half Year?

Sunny

Hahahahaha.... biasedbob getting busted once again.

Wow, you did all that research on my behalf? You make me feel so.....important. At any rate I stand by what I said back then. Only now I realize that people who fall into the category descibed (not the school teachers), are few and far between. These people have options which do not include 30 day visa runs. There is no reason to resort to those. The countless illegally employed farangs here make these visa runs in droves because it is their only solution. If someone here is under 50, unmarried and has the means to support oneself then certainly they can get by without these runs. I believe that people comfortably in this situation represent 1% or less of the farang population. Someone who manages to fall in that small group certainly has the means to avoid land border hopping. I know of a few right here on this board who do but they are rare........

[sriracha john]

Wow, you did all that research on my behalf? You make me feel so.....important.

Perhaps he felt it important enough to point out the uninformed-yet-overly- opinionated posters on this forum so as to weed out those that don't know what they are talking about. For that, I can fully understand doing about 5 minutes of research, because that's all it takes to find contradictions in your history of posts.

If you've never, ever made a land border crossing, what are you basing your opinion on about who is going over and back and why they are there?

If you've never, ever made a land border crossing, what are you basing your opinion provided earlier on whether a visa run bus service is a good company or not?

You might find you'll receive less criticism if you confine yourself to those matters which you know something about...

there's 2 words for you to ponder, validity and credibility. If you can grasp those concepts, then you truly will be brighter (as suggested earlier).

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I honestly believe that our Bob got brighter.   

With all due respect to you and your often most valueable knowledge and support here on this Board, Dr: I just can't get your point here at all!

Sunny

Bobby moved from being a bit negative to quite positive. A good move in my opinion.

[Mikey7]

I just don't get it. Thats probably my fault so just call me stupid. But it took me relatively little research before I came here to decide that the Non Imm "O" was the best visa for me. This was issued with no hassles at the consulate in the states. Now as I understand it from the other Falangs here in Nong Khai unlimited renewals of the "o" are available at the embassy in Lao with no problem. With this option available why would anyone wanting to stay here use a tourist visa option? Makes no sense to me but like I said I may just be stupid.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I just don't get it. Thats probably my fault so just call me stupid. But it took me relatively little research before I came here to decide that the Non Imm "O" was the best visa for me. This was issued with no hassles at the consulate in the states. Now as I understand it from the other Falangs here in Nong Khai unlimited renewals of the "o" are available at the embassy in Lao with no problem. With this option available why would anyone wanting to stay here use a tourist visa option? Makes no sense to me but like I said I may just be stupid.

I'd check out the Laos story very carefully.

[sriracha john]

I just don't get it. Thats probably my fault so just call me stupid. But it took me relatively little research before I came here to decide that the Non Imm "O" was the best visa for me. This was issued with no hassles at the consulate in the states. Now as I understand it from the other Falangs here in Nong Khai unlimited renewals of the "o" are available at the embassy in Lao with no problem. With this option available why would anyone wanting to stay here use a tourist visa option? Makes no sense to me but like I said I may just be stupid.

Mikey... something you need to know. The reason many people of means are reduced to tourist & transit visas is because they don't "fit" into one of the categories for non-o's. Under 50, single, etc.

Others who do have non-o's are still required to make their 90 day journeys.

As for the usa non-o from the consulate... sssshhhhhhh

continued talk of them may result in their demise

you can't get those here in SE Asia... (i'd definitely be interested if they someday DID become available in Laos, but NOTHING in this forum indicates they have or ever will be)..

btw Mikey, you're not stupid... just new-ish, and there's nothing wrong with that..

we all were once.

[lopburi3]

Mikey... something you need to know. The reason many people of means are reduced to tourist & transit visas is because they don't "fit" into one of the categories for non-o's. Under 50, single, etc.

Others who do have non-o's are still required to make their 90 day journeys.

As for the usa non-o from the consulate... sssshhhhhhh

continued talk of them may result in their demise

you can't get those here in SE Asia... (i'd definitely be interested if they someday DID become available in Laos, but NOTHING in this forum indicates they have or ever will be)..

btw Mikey, you're not stupid... just new-ish, and there's nothing wrong with that..

we all were once.

There is the Elite Card which would eliminate any visa run being required. There are investment visas available. For others there is the one return to homeland yearly O visa which will only require 90 day runs that many are still able to obtain.

Most people who have the means to live well here could get into one of these. But agree there will always be those below eligibility levels who will not. That is the reason all countries have visa/immigration rules.