Tourist Visa...kl Or Vientiane

[laurab]

Hello,

I'm hoping somebody will be able to help me out with this question. I am currently in Thailand and entered overland so got a 15 day visa waiver on arrival. I wish to stay for much longer so need to leave the country and get a tourist visa in one of the neighbouring countries. Does anyone know if it is easier to get a single entry tourist visa in Vientiane or KL? (currently in Chiang Mai so can fly cheaply to KL or go overland to Laos).

Thanks in advance,

Laura

[QED]

If you only want a single I would recommend KL. Vientiane has become a bit chaotic in recent months as the only local consulate issuing double entries.

[laurab]

Thanks QED. What information do they ask for in KL? I will be flying back into Thailand from there but then leaving again by train. Is an onward ticket necessary? The only one I have is a flight from Singapore to Australia in Feb. Do I need to show a bank balance or anything like that?

Thanks

[ubonjoe]

KL or Penang are good for single entry visas.

Vientiane and Khota Bharu Malaysia will issue 2 entry visas.

PP in Cambodia has been reported recently as being an another option for 2 entry visas.

[QED]

Where are you from? When I got a single entry there I asked before I went if they needed proof of onward travel, to which they replied where are you from? When I said UK they said I didn't need it - maybe give them a call before you go.

No bank statements required, just the application, a couple of pics, passport copy and 1,000 baht.

One thing to be aware of if you fly Air Asia they fly into the low cost carrier hub (KLCC?) which is different from KL International, and about 90kms outside of the city. I asked a taxi and he said 100 ringgits (about 1,000 baht), but eventually found a direct bus (there are loads of them I found out) which was 8 ringgits and took about an hour to KL Sentral (the main bus terminal in the city)

[laurab]

I've an Irish passport. We're usually treated the same as the UK but I'll give them a call to be sure. Thanks for all your advice (including the airport tip...good to know). One more annoying question...how long does it take to get the visa?

[ubonjoe]

Apply morning of one day pick-up the next afternoon.

[laurab]

Brilliant. Off I go to KL. Thanks for all the help!

[QED]

I've an Irish passport. We're usually treated the same as the UK but I'll give them a call to be sure. Thanks for all your advice (including the airport tip...good to know). One more annoying question...how long does it take to get the visa?

Drop it in in the morning (before 12-30pm) and collect the next afternoon. Best to get there early the day you apply.

Google Thai embassy in KL, they have a good website where you can download forms, get tel no's etc

[ubonjoe]

Link to embassy website: http://www.mfa.go.th/web/1321.php?depid=220

You will find a lot of info that is contraditory to what you have been told and some is even confusing, Just igonore it.