I have searched the forum and understand that to take my wife and three children (ages 6,7,16)(all without passports) to Laos i need to obtain border passes from a van station near the border.

We will be arriving in Nong Khai at around 6-7pm tonight and i need to know if obtaining the border passes and getting into Laos at this time of night will be a problem or am i better waiting till the morning ,bearing in mind i have to apply for a visa at the consulate tommorrrow ?

I don't think you will be able to get the border passes that late. When arriving late we always spent the night and then got the pass first thing in the morning.

The office at the bus station for the van/bus going across the bridge opens at 8 am so you still will have time to make it across the bridge and to consulate.

As long as you can make it to the consulate by 10 or so you will be okay.

Thanks joe

one more quick question (leaving in a few minutes).

I beleive the border passes are only valid for 2 nights so if we go friday morning how /where do i go to extend them for another night i.e Sunday ?

cheers

They can be extended at a Lao immigration office.

When you go for the pass and see if they can make it longer. I think the max is 3 days.

Everything went pretty smoothly.

Stayed the night in Nong Khai thursday night and arrived at the visa place near the van station Fri 7.30am.The woman there fills in the forms etc and then jumps on her motorbike to the office that issues the passes (anybody know where and what it is ?).We were on our way by 8.15am.

Arrived at embassy 9-30-10.00 and the que was inside the door by the time i had grabed a form from one of the guys outside and sorted my paperwork out.It took me 15minutes from joining the que to paying my fees and i was on my way.I highy recommend a friday run if you want a nice weekend break, the only downside being you lose 2 days on the visa.

Could not extend the border passes to 3 days so just paid overstay when returning which is 200 baht.

The kids (ages 6 and 7)were free border passes and no overstay fine.

Everything went pretty smoothly.

Stayed the night in Nong Khai thursday night and arrived at the visa place near the van station Fri 7.30am.The woman there fills in the forms etc and then jumps on her motorbike to the office that issues the passes (anybody know where and what it is ?).We were on our way by 8.15am.

Arrived at embassy 9-30-10.00 and the que was inside the door by the time i had grabed a form from one of the guys outside and sorted my paperwork out.It took me 15minutes from joining the que to paying my fees and i was on my way.I highy recommend a friday run if you want a nice weekend break, the only downside being you lose 2 days on the visa.

Could not extend the border passes to 3 days so just paid overstay when returning which is 200 baht.

The kids (ages 6 and 7)were free border passes and no overstay fine.

Thanks for the follow-up. One of the few posters who had a questions, got advice and then actually comes back and tells as it really went. Thumbs-up!

They can be extended at a Lao immigration office.

When you go for the pass and see if they can make it longer. I think the max is 3 days.

The OP reported already,nice from him.You can extend,at LAO Imm.for a week,but on a week-end,for a night,with the Office closed,just pay the fine.