How Many Renewals On A Lao Tourist Visa?

[Robroy]

Anyone got the latest info on Lao tourist visas?

I'm waiting for a work permit, so have to survive on tourist visas till that comes through. Currently I'm on my third (at $30 a pop).

Can I renew indefinitely, i.e. every 30 days, or is there a limit?

Can I get more than 30 days each time?

If not, can I extend my 30-day visa once in Vientiane, rather than having to leave the country?

Thanking you.

[frenchfarangjomtien]

Hi, I am also interested to know if you can find any info. thanks.

[callao]

The way I understand it is that you can get unlimited visas every 30 days if you leave the country and come back even the same day and you can extend your visa in laos for 60 days at a time but at a cost of $2 a day

[bangkokcitylimits]

Confusing question, a Lao visa or a Thai visa ??

[Robroy]

Confusing question, a Lao visa or a Thai visa ??

What part of the phrase "Lao tourist visa" do you not understand?

[swissie]

If the OP wants to flip back and fourth between Laos and Thailand for an unlimited time: If one does the flip flop by LAND-TRAVEL, the Thais will issue a 15 day stamp. And the question would be: How many times will the Thais do this (back to back). Unlimited, same as the Laotians ?

[Farangdong]

If the OP wants to flip back and fourth between Laos and Thailand for an unlimited time: If one does the flip flop by LAND-TRAVEL, the Thais will issue a 15 day stamp. And the question would be: How many times will the Thais do this (back to back). Unlimited, same as the Laotians ?

I'm going often to Thailand from Laos during the year via land border and they never stopped me or questioned me about how many times I'm doing that, I guess it is unlimited for the 15 days stamp, I have a business visa but I don't think that's matter.

[tombkk]

If the OP wants to flip back and fourth between Laos and Thailand for an unlimited time: If one does the flip flop by LAND-TRAVEL, the Thais will issue a 15 day stamp. And the question would be: How many times will the Thais do this (back to back). Unlimited, same as the Laotians ?

I'm going often to Thailand from Laos during the year via land border and they never stopped me or questioned me about how many times I'm doing that, I guess it is unlimited for the 15 days stamp, I have a business visa but I don't think that's matter.

I think the business visa does indeed matter.

There was a rule that foreigners cannot stay in Thailand as a tourist for more than 180 days in a 360-day period, but it has been relaxed. I don't remember whether the border-runners with 15-day visa exempt entries are now exempt, or the people who actually go for tourist visas.

[Baxer]

If the OP wants to flip back and fourth between Laos and Thailand for an unlimited time: If one does the flip flop by LAND-TRAVEL, the Thais will issue a 15 day stamp. And the question would be: How many times will the Thais do this (back to back). Unlimited, same as the Laotians ?

I'm going often to Thailand from Laos during the year via land border and they never stopped me or questioned me about how many times I'm doing that, I guess it is unlimited for the 15 days stamp, I have a business visa but I don't think that's matter.

I think the business visa does indeed matter.

There was a rule that foreigners cannot stay in Thailand as a tourist for more than 180 days in a 360-day period, but it has been relaxed. I don't remember whether the border-runners with 15-day visa exempt entries are now exempt, or the people who actually go for tourist visas.

Many expats living in Vientiane are doing the border run thing every month, never heard of anybody having problems.

[technocracy]

The answer is unlimited - just the costs of the visa and renewing your passport basically every year when full (a Lao Visa takes up a full page plus the Thai stamps) . . . you can however extend a 30 day visa to 90 days if you can stay for 90 days at a time. This can be done by a visit to the immigration office in Vientiane (although you'll need to speak Lao to do that) the alternative is use an agency who'll you have to pay to do the leg work.

[sceadugenga]

Back in 2002 I was picked up and questioned by the Lao Army.

They wanted to know why I was staying so long in the Lao PDR on tourist visas and advised me to get a Business Visa or a Work Permit.

When I said I wasn't eligible for either, the officer questioning me subsequently told me to get my arse back to the tourist area, if I was going to be a tourist I could live with the other tourists.

At the time I had an apartment a few kms east of the Talart Sao.

I was also told I had to go to the Lao Consulate in Khon Kaen every month to renew my tourist visa. (Which I did for the remainder of my stay in Vientiane, about 6 months).

I was interested to notice the substantial file he had on me on his desk, and also one on my Lao girlfriend who I was living with at the time.