Vientiane Visa Run Next Week

[Ossies]

Hi

Hoepfully someone can answer a few quick questions re my proposed visa run next week.

I intend to fly BKK to Udon Thani and cross border by road. My main query is I do not know how long it takes for the Thai Embassy to turn around Tourist Visa applications.

I assume you can not put in your application and collect it back on the same day?

If not, can it be put in one day and collected the next? I hope so as don't really wish to stay over in Vientiane more than 1 night.

Here are my flight options:-

Air Asa - I can fly from BKK Thursday arriving Udon Thani @ 08.25. Return flight from Udon Thani Thursday @ 17.40 or Friday @ 08.55 or 17.40.

Thai - I can fly from BKK Thursday arriving Udon Thani @10.50. Return flight from Udon Thani Friday @ 11.30, 15.15 or 20.00

The Embassy website is not in English (despite an English option) but it appears the Visa section may be open 08.30-12.00 and 13.00-15.00 each day?

Ok which flight options form the above can I take? I would prefer to take Thai but if arrive Udon Thani @ 10.50 Thursday I assume I would not get to Embassy to submit application until the afternoon opening. If so what time could I collect visa next day i.e. Friday?

One other question. What transport do I take to Embassy having entered Laos, from where and how much should I be paying. Similarily for Embassy to Vientiane (assuming I have to stay overnight).

Thanks

Edited November 14, 2009 by Ossies

[lopburi3]

You have to submit in morning and best to plan before 1130 as they sometimes close early if have too many applicants to process in one day. You pick up next workday afternoon. This is the procedure at most Consulates in the area.

[Ayutthaya69]

if you arrive at 10 hrs 30 in udon you dont have time take 1 hours by bus to reach nong khai and plus the time at the border if you want sleep 1 night in nong khai and the next morning you going to embassy sleep one more night in vientiane

[Guemlum]

What day are you needing to do your visa run? I will be doing mine on Monday 23rd and will be using the services of a friend here in Nongkhai. Paid off course, but it will involve being picked up from a location of my choice in Nongkhai, driven across the bridge (as I will be driven across I won't have to queue with the normal tourist applications, and will be dealt with by the car queue), then driven to the embassy to make the application. After the application has been made I will be driven to a hotel of my choice. The following day I will be picked up by the same driver and taken to the embassy to collect visa and then driven back across the bridge to a location of my choice. For 1 person this costs 3000 baht but if there is another person to share the trip with then the driver will probably up the price to 3200, but split between 2 will be about 1600 each. This may sound alot to some people and I have done this visa run many a time before on my own, and believe me it takes out alot of hastle catching Tuk-tuks and haggling about how much it will cost...I can speak Thai and Laos, so if you are interested in doing this trip and sharing the cost, let me know.

Guemlum

[Ossies]

Hi Guemlum, sorry my timings do not fit in as I have to do Visa application this Thurs 19/11.

Looking like I will need to get train from BKK the night before to arrive Nong Khai early Thursday morning.

But has anyone taken the Air Asia early morning flight arriving Udon Thani @ 08.25 and managed to get to the border/across/visa application in at the Thai Embassy before it closes for lunch?

I assume I cannot put application in Thursday afternoon (it seems it will have to be submitted before the embassy closes for lunch at 12 noon) and collect Friday afternoon?

[jazzbo]

There is a 5pm (17:00) NOK AIR flight from Don Muang to Udon Thani...

[Guemlum]

No worries Ossies...i am flexible and could do mine on the Thursday also, but will think about it.

But in answer to your last post, assuming that the Airasia flight will arrive on time, you will need about 10-20 minutes to receive your bag unless you are travelling light with just a hold-all...before you walk out of the doors to the airport, on the right hand-side is a limousine counter desk...200 baht to Nongkhai, and this can take about 45 minutes to get to Nongkhai depending on how many drop-offs the driver makes...could take longer, so assuming 1 hour has passed already, you could be at the bridge by about 09.30 - 10.00 at the latest.

Depending on how long the queue's are at immigration on the Thai side and also on the Laos side, this could take you upto another hour. The queue on the Laos side is the one to be concerned about as it can get very busy. Go to the 2 blacked out windows to get your papers, fill them in and join the queue. Once you have handed them in, take a seat whilst they process your papers and they will call your name out via another blacked out window....go to collect. You then join the queue's to your right hand side, now that you have got your Laos visa, and enter Laos. You will be bombarded with taxi drivers and tul-tuk drivers. If you take a tuk-tuk or Songtaew, then dont pay any more than 100 baht. Taxi fares I'm not sure about. It will take about another 20-30 minutes to reach either the embassy or centre of Vientienne.

You are right about the times 08.30 - 12.00 for applications but I believe the 13.00 - 15.00 is for collections, for which you will need to do the following day of your application. You would have to put your application in on Thursday morning in order to get back Friday afternoon.

You will be pushing to make it for those times but will take my hat off to you if you do. Worst case scenario is you dont make it, and have to stay in Vientienne 2 nights, or you stay in sunny old Nongkhai for 1 night then cross the bridge at leisure the following day. Its your call...hope this gives you some idea of timescales. If you really must make the application on Thursday morning, then I would suggest the train as you will get to Nongkhai about 06.00 - 06.30ish giving you plenty of time to make your application.

Guemlum

PS...If you do make it to the embassy on time, dont forget the queue's at the embassy for the application. They could decide to kick out those still waiting after time and tell you to come back next day!!

Edited November 15, 2009 by Guemlum

[Jdietz]

Worst case is he misses the thu-morning appointment, have to go back on fri-morning and collect visa mon-afternoon, so better be there on time...

[Ossies]

Thanks Guemlum, great info. I think I will take the overnight train up there to be on the safe side (as otherwise if miss morning opening and cannot lodge till Friday I am going to end up with a long weekend in Vientiane which I don't fancy!)

Ok almost sorted. Two final questions.

The overnight train from BKK, can I just turn up say 30 mins before departure and get ticket or does it tend to sell out in advance?

Also, is it first come first seved to collect visas from 1pm on Friday or do they give you a time slot? If a free for all I will basically turn up well in advance as my plan now will be to book the Air Asia flight back from Udon Thani on Friday which leaves at 17.40 (say CHECK IN 16.30). I assume this will not be a problem as should be a breeze coming back in to Thailand?

Thanks

[klauswernst198]

If you want to take the overnight train Pm me I will be leavining tomorrow 17th of November.

We could share all the expenses for taxi and look for a hotel together since if you book to room you can negotiate with the prices much better than if you only book one room.

If we go together each of us will be able to save nearly 10oo Baht

[Jdietz]

The overnight train from BKK, can I just turn up say 30 mins before departure and get ticket or does it tend to sell out in advance?

If you fancy an aircon sleeper, better buy a ticket a couple of days beforehand, they tend to sell out quickly. If you don't mind a fan cooled sleeper (quite comfortable during the cold season we're in now) you have more chance. There's almost always place in the third class chairs (not as bad as it sounds, they recline quite a long way, comparable to the V.I.P. buses)

Also, is it first come first seved to collect visas from 1pm on Friday or do they give you a time slot? If a free for all I will basically turn up well in advance as my plan now will be to book the Air Asia flight back from Udon Thani on Friday which leaves at 17.40 (say CHECK IN 16.30). I assume this will not be a problem as should be a breeze coming back in to Thailand?

Collecting: queue up before opening, you get a new ticket when it opens. (there will be at least 50 numbers reserved by the touts though) the process is quick and painless and should get you out of there again in around an hour. That flight will be no problem to get to.

[ALFREDO]

The queue on the Laos side is the one to be concerned about as it can get very busy. Go to the 2 blacked out windows to get your papers, fill them in and join the queue. Once you have handed them in, take a seat whilst they process your papers and they will call your name out via another blacked out window....go to collect. You then join the queue's to your right hand side, now that you have got your Laos visa, and enter Laos.

After you got your Passport back from the third window on the Laos side, look in your Passport you should have already not only your Laos Visa inside, but also STAMPED with the Entrystamp into Laos-time of stay.

That means, you have not to queue again in front of the Laos Passportcontrol,

no reason to go there, no more stamps will made in your Passport,

instead pass by them and go straight to the counterbox for the Entrance fee to Laos.

I make that always and say that to Falangs I see there too, should be ok, never a problem.

Check it out.

[Ossies]

OK, did my trip to Vientiane last week to get my double entry tourist visa.

Pretty uneventful. I took the night train up Wednesday from Bang Sue to Nong Khai. I bought an aircon seat ticket for B494 one way. Problem was (which I have seen mentioned elsewhere) is that at this time of year air con carriage was freezing cold so would probably get fan carriage next time. They do give out a flimsy blanket but even with this it felt like I had a chill when got off the train.

Also pretty cold at Nong Khai when got off the train at 5am so suggest you take a jacket if travelling at the same time. During the day still pretty hot.

Only real gripe in Vientiane was the hassle of negotiating with the tuk tuks to get around (thats why I like the taxis in BKK as at least you know where you stand with the meter and they are so inexpensive). I suppose it is because BKK taxis are so cheap you feel you are getting done when the tuk tuks are asking more in Laos for a shorter ride then in BKK in a proper motor.

The Thai embassy was straight forward and efficent and although there may be a hundred or so people putting in applications it only took an hour of waiting. I think if you arrived at the embassy mid morning rather than opening time you could probbaly walk straight up to the window to be seen.

The guest house I stayed in for B500 was pretty non descript so not worth mentioning.

Finally, had no problem getting to Udon Thani airport on Friday for 5.40pm flight to BKK (having got back to the Thai Embassy next day to collect visa/passport at 1.00pm afternoon openeing time). I think I even had a couple of hours to spare.

[Guemlum]

Same here...all went ok and was very busy at the embassy, but is it us Brits who only have the courtesy to queue?...the Eastern Europeans and Americans just dont know what one is!!

Guemlum