Visa Run To Nong Khai

[fm2002]

Driving up early tommorow in my own vehicle from Khon Kaen to Nong Khai for a visa run. I'm a US citizen and have been on a Tourist Visa double entry (2 of them) for the last 180 days. My question is all I want is a 30 day stamp and am wondering if I can just drive up to Friendship bridge park my truck, exit Thailand, enter Laos and just turn around and re-enter Thailand ?

[lopburi3]

Yes - you will have to obtain the Lao visa on entry but can then enter/exit and return to Thailand.

[fm2002]

Yes - you will have to obtain the Lao visa on entry but can then enter/exit and return to Thailand.

Thanks again lopburi3 for the hoped for quick response from you !

[Thanyaburi Mac]

Yes - you will have to obtain the Lao visa on entry but can then enter/exit and return to Thailand.

Thanks again lopburi3 for the hoped for quick response from you !

It'll take about an hour for the round trip and about $35 US for the Lao visa on arrival, get that, stamp into country, keep walking forward then around to your left, and head back out.  If you want, hit the duty free shops across the pavement where the out-bound cars are in line.  Believe only ONE carton of cigs and ONE bottle of booze or wine allowed on the Thai side.

Cookbook for crossing below.

Mac

Vientiane via Nong Khai

-- If arriving Nong Khai via bus or train, take a tuk tuk to the Friendship Bridge, aka “bai sapan.”

- There's a large area prior to the Thai Immigration point where you can get a van across the bridge, along with a bunch of other passengers, baht 10 or baht 20 per person. Just queue at the window and pay. If you don't want to wait for the passenger van, or have lots of bags or kids with you, an option is to charter a van for the trip across the bridge. I often do this, about baht 250-300 and it's all yours, no waiting, easy loading of bags. To get one, at the queue window, just say “mao lot van,” which is rent a van.

-- If driving up, can leave your car in the pretty secure locked up storage area, baht 100/day.

-- If a Thai doesn't have a passport they can get a 2-3 day “border pass” there at the small office just behind the van queue area, baht 150 or so and a 20 minute or so wait. If the Thai has a passport, Lao visa is FREE and good for 30 days.

-- For others, get on your van, it'll drive to the Thai exit point, get out and go through the exit point. Get back in your van for the trip across the river, five minutes.

-- On the Lao side get out and you'll see two windows at Lao Immigration, go there and pickup a Visa On Arrival form, fill it out and turn in with your passport and a photo, cost $30-$35, or a bit more if paying in baht. Wait. Hopefully you'll have arrived prior to a bus full of tourists. You should also receive a Lao Arrival Card, can fill this out while waiting for your VOA.

-- Pick up your passport with the Visa On Arrival stamped or glued into it. Note the visa # and date, write this in on your Lao Arrival card.

-- Proceed straight ahead 30 feet or so to the Lao “arrival” booths, get a chop in your passport.

-- Go straight ahead again to another booth, perhaps pay baht 10-20 or not, varies, haven't yet figured out what this is really for.

-- Proceed on ahead to a uniformed cop sitting at the exit gate, show him your passport with visa, arrival chop, and receipt from the baht 10-20 booth. End of story.

-- Almost the end, now to get downtown, it's a 20 km drive depending on which way the drive goes. Lots of tuk tuks and taxis around, some vans, too.

-- A taxi will run about baht 250-300, a van baht 400. Opt for a van if lots of people or bags. To get a van just say “lot tou.”

-- End of story, really.

[fm2002]

Yes - you will have to obtain the Lao visa on entry but can then enter/exit and return to Thailand.

Thanks again lopburi3 for the hoped for quick response from you !

It'll take about an hour for the round trip and about $35 US for the Lao visa on arrival, get that, stamp into country, keep walking forward then around to your left, and head back out.  If you want, hit the duty free shops across the pavement where the out-bound cars are in line.  Believe only ONE carton of cigs and ONE bottle of booze or wine allowed on the Thai side.

Cookbook for crossing below.

Mac

Vientiane via Nong Khai

-- If arriving Nong Khai via bus or train, take a tuk tuk to the Friendship Bridge, aka “bai sapan.”

- There's a large area prior to the Thai Immigration point where you can get a van across the bridge, along with a bunch of other passengers, baht 10 or baht 20 per person. Just queue at the window and pay. If you don't want to wait for the passenger van, or have lots of bags or kids with you, an option is to charter a van for the trip across the bridge. I often do this, about baht 250-300 and it's all yours, no waiting, easy loading of bags. To get one, at the queue window, just say “mao lot van,” which is rent a van.

-- If driving up, can leave your car in the pretty secure locked up storage area, baht 100/day.

-- If a Thai doesn't have a passport they can get a 2-3 day “border pass” there at the small office just behind the van queue area, baht 150 or so and a 20 minute or so wait. If the Thai has a passport, Lao visa is FREE and good for 30 days.

-- For others, get on your van, it'll drive to the Thai exit point, get out and go through the exit point. Get back in your van for the trip across the river, five minutes.

-- On the Lao side get out and you'll see two windows at Lao Immigration, go there and pickup a Visa On Arrival form, fill it out and turn in with your passport and a photo, cost $30-$35, or a bit more if paying in baht. Wait. Hopefully you'll have arrived prior to a bus full of tourists. You should also receive a Lao Arrival Card, can fill this out while waiting for your VOA.

-- Pick up your passport with the Visa On Arrival stamped or glued into it. Note the visa # and date, write this in on your Lao Arrival card.

-- Proceed straight ahead 30 feet or so to the Lao “arrival” booths, get a chop in your passport.

-- Go straight ahead again to another booth, perhaps pay baht 10-20 or not, varies, haven't yet figured out what this is really for.

-- Proceed on ahead to a uniformed cop sitting at the exit gate, show him your passport with visa, arrival chop, and receipt from the baht 10-20 booth. End of story.

-- Almost the end, now to get downtown, it's a 20 km drive depending on which way the drive goes. Lots of tuk tuks and taxis around, some vans, too.

-- A taxi will run about baht 250-300, a van baht 400. Opt for a van if lots of people or bags. To get a van just say “lot tou.”

-- End of story, really.

Thanks for the step by step

[selftaopath]

Yes - you will have to obtain the Lao visa on entry but can then enter/exit and return to Thailand.

Thanks again lopburi3 for the hoped for quick response from you !

It'll take about an hour for the round trip and about $35 US for the Lao visa on arrival, get that, stamp into country, keep walking forward then around to your left, and head back out. If you want, hit the duty free shops across the pavement where the out-bound cars are in line. Believe only ONE carton of cigs and ONE bottle of booze or wine allowed on the Thai side.

Cookbook for crossing below.

Mac

Vientiane via Nong Khai

-- If arriving Nong Khai via bus or train, take a tuk tuk to the Friendship Bridge, aka “bai sapan.”

- There's a large area prior to the Thai Immigration point where you can get a van across the bridge, along with a bunch of other passengers, baht 10 or baht 20 per person. Just queue at the window and pay. If you don't want to wait for the passenger van, or have lots of bags or kids with you, an option is to charter a van for the trip across the bridge. I often do this, about baht 250-300 and it's all yours, no waiting, easy loading of bags. To get one, at the queue window, just say “mao lot van,” which is rent a van.

-- If driving up, can leave your car in the pretty secure locked up storage area, baht 100/day.

-- If a Thai doesn't have a passport they can get a 2-3 day “border pass” there at the small office just behind the van queue area, baht 150 or so and a 20 minute or so wait. If the Thai has a passport, Lao visa is FREE and good for 30 days.

-- For others, get on your van, it'll drive to the Thai exit point, get out and go through the exit point. Get back in your van for the trip across the river, five minutes.

-- On the Lao side get out and you'll see two windows at Lao Immigration, go there and pickup a Visa On Arrival form, fill it out and turn in with your passport and a photo, cost $30-$35, or a bit more if paying in baht. Wait. Hopefully you'll have arrived prior to a bus full of tourists. You should also receive a Lao Arrival Card, can fill this out while waiting for your VOA.

-- Pick up your passport with the Visa On Arrival stamped or glued into it. Note the visa # and date, write this in on your Lao Arrival card.

-- Proceed straight ahead 30 feet or so to the Lao “arrival” booths, get a chop in your passport.

-- Go straight ahead again to another booth, perhaps pay baht 10-20 or not, varies, haven't yet figured out what this is really for.

-- Proceed on ahead to a uniformed cop sitting at the exit gate, show him your passport with visa, arrival chop, and receipt from the baht 10-20 booth. End of story.

-- Almost the end, now to get downtown, it's a 20 km drive depending on which way the drive goes. Lots of tuk tuks and taxis around, some vans, too.

-- A taxi will run about baht 250-300, a van baht 400. Opt for a van if lots of people or bags. To get a van just say “lot tou.”

-- End of story, really.

Thanks to all who contribute information for us less knowledgable farangs. I will be traveling to Laos in a few months to renew a 1 year Non Imm B visa. I hope to drive from BKK. I see your suggestions a/b driving and parking the vehicle outside of Laos. Is there a significant reason for this? I have a Thai drivers license - LOL but not one from America (forgot to renew :-))

Thanks again for maping out my next trip. Oh and does the Consulate in Laos accept Thai Bath or would another currency be preferable?

Keoki