Lao Visa Run, No Tuk-Tuk Ripoff

[Sateev]

Monday was my last day to re-enter Thailand and get another year on my non-immigrant O-A (retirement) visa. I decided Laos would be the best place to go, for reasons soon to be obvious.

The part of visa runs I, and I suspect most people, hate is getting jerked around by Tuk-Tuk and mini-bus drivers who swarm around you like flies if they think you're a visa runner.

So, I have a fool-proof system, which works, at least at the Lao border across the Friendship Bridge:

1) First, buy a car.

2) Then, get $35.00 in United States Currency. This should cost no more than THB2000 (by the time you read this, hopefully, but it was only 1050 in July 2011). Also obtain THB90 for parking/buses.

3) Live in Nong Khai.

4) Drive your car to the parking lot, 200 meters BEFORE the Thai border checkpoint, on the left-hand side, and get a ticket from the attendant.

5) Walk to the Thai border checkpoint, get stamped out of Thailand, and walk 10 meters to the Bus Ticket kiosk, and buy a ticket across the bridge for 20 baht.

6) On the Lao side, exit the bus, and walk to the window (#2) that says 'Forms'. Get a set of forms (visa application/entry/exit card). Sit down in the conveniently provided chairs and fill it out. Optional: buy a pen from the window that says, "Pens 2000 kip".

7) Queue up to the left against the building which provides SOME shade (and sells 2000 kip pens), and hand your paperwork to the nice lady at window #1 to be checked. She will ask for, guess what? US$35.00 Give it to her, along with your passport and a 2.5x3cm passport photo, and wait around the corner to the left at the passport pickup window. If she asks for $36.00, check your PDA to see what day/time it is. After hours costs an extra $1.

8) When they open the window, grunt and point your passport at you, accept it with a smile and a 'kobchai'.

9) Go to the Entry kiosk queue, and when you get to the window, hand them your completed Entry/Departure card and passport, and gratefully receive the stamp. You're in Laos now.

10) Walk toward the exit. Avoid eye contact with the 'Entrance Fee' window people, who don't usually charge anyone (except those dumb enough to make eye contact, and/or stop to pay the fee. DO STOP at the end of the fenced-off area for the little communist dude who will check your passport. Smile at him, and consider his plight.

11) Walk out of the gate, turn left, left again, and toward the Exit Laos Passport booths. Present your passport at the window, along with your departure card, and get stamped OUT of Laos. Similar to the Entry Fee people, avoid eye contact with the Exit Fee people, and walk straight ahead, as if you were a Party cadre.

12) Find the booth on the left where thay sell bus tickets across the bridge for 10000 kip. Give them 20 baht, and get a ticket. Board the bus. Don't ask me about kip/baht conversion. They want 20 baht.

13) At the Thai side, walk toward the Passport Check booths, but stop and fill out an Entry/Departure card before going to the window. At the window, hand the card and your passport to the nice Immigration guy, who will then give a stamp. Make sure it is the appropriate stamp, i.e., permission to stay for however many days/months you are entitled to. Be pleasant, even if they get it wrong. Don't protest, but ask innocuously, "Shouldn't I get a year on this visa, as opposed to 90 days?" Smile, as he double checks, and scribbles in your passport. Thank him.

14) Walk back along the road to the parking lot where you left your new car. Present the ticket you got when you parked, along with 50 baht (half day), and enjoy another year in the Land o' Smiles.

Not one word to a Tuk-Tuk driver, US$35 + 90 baht (~$3 in July 2011, several hundred by August 3), and one more WHOLE <deleted>' PAGE lost in my passport, but good to go (or stay, actually) for another year.

And it only took an hour and ten minutes, in case you doubt the effectiveness of the car purchase and the move to Nong Khai.

[Thanyaburi Mac]

Good writeup of the process, except for para 9, in my experience the last few trips:

"9) Go to the Entry kiosk queue, and when you get to the window, hand them your completed Entry/Departure card and passport, and gratefully receive the stamp. You're in Laos now."

Even in May this year they processed the Arrival-Departure card at Window #1, same place where they collect your $$ and process the Visa On Arrival. No need, therefore, to queue up with the various Thai, Lao, or people who already have a Lao visa, at the "Entry" booths, just walk on past.

Mac

[jpinx]

A lot of what you say is so true of all situations - be nice, smile, ask politely, say thank you . I am so tired of farangs "demanding their rights" when they actually have no rights as they are guests of the Thai people.

FWIW - I have no problem with tuktuk drivers which are an essential part of the visa run to Savanakhet. I chat with locals in the bus and find some who are going my way, let them do the tuktuk haggling and then ask nicely if you can go too. Most tuktuk drivers laugh when they see the ruse, not many scowl and not for long when you poke fun at them - nicely. :jap:

[Guest]

"How to do a visa run to Laos for USD$38.00"

1. First, Buy a car.....

Edited July 28, 2011 by Guest

[Sateev]

Good writeup of the process, except for para 9, in my experience the last few trips:

"9) Go to the Entry kiosk queue, and when you get to the window, hand them your completed Entry/Departure card and passport, and gratefully receive the stamp. You're in Laos now."

Even in May this year they processed the Arrival-Departure card at Window #1, same place where they collect your $ and process the Visa On Arrival. No need, therefore, to queue up with the various Thai, Lao, or people who already have a Lao visa, at the "Entry" booths, just walk on past.

Mac

This was DEFINITELY not the case this time. The Entry kiosk did the actual stamping in of my passport, same as in Thailand. The window only gives you the visa. Having done this at least five times now, I have NEVER had them stamp my passport at the window...so, you must be 'special'.

[Sateev]

"How to do a visa run to Laos for USD$38.00"

1. First, Buy a car.....

Yeah, it's a joke I stole (and changed a little) from Steve Martin:

"How to be a Millionaire and Never Pay Taxes"

1) First, get a million dollars...

etc.

[hgma]

Nope

these days the visa plus the number of the visa in the departure/arrival card and entry stamp is set and done during visa processing.

No need on my part to wait in line....just pass the crowd and .....well as sateev explained

it really shows that it can be done in LESS than an hour

hgma

Good writeup of the process, except for para 9, in my experience the last few trips:

"9) Go to the Entry kiosk queue, and when you get to the window, hand them your completed Entry/Departure card and passport, and gratefully receive the stamp. You're in Laos now."

Even in May this year they processed the Arrival-Departure card at Window #1, same place where they collect your $ and process the Visa On Arrival. No need, therefore, to queue up with the various Thai, Lao, or people who already have a Lao visa, at the "Entry" booths, just walk on past.

Mac

This was DEFINITELY not the case this time. The Entry kiosk did the actual stamping in of my passport, same as in Thailand. The window only gives you the visa. Having done this at least five times now, I have NEVER had them stamp my passport at the window...so, you must be 'special'.

[jpinx]

Nope

these days the visa plus the number of the visa in the departure/arrival card and entry stamp is set and done during visa processing.

No need on my part to wait in line....just pass the crowd and .....well as sateev explained

it really shows that it can be done in LESS than an hour

hgma

Good writeup of the process, except for para 9, in my experience the last few trips:

"9) Go to the Entry kiosk queue, and when you get to the window, hand them your completed Entry/Departure card and passport, and gratefully receive the stamp. You're in Laos now."

Even in May this year they processed the Arrival-Departure card at Window #1, same place where they collect your $ and process the Visa On Arrival. No need, therefore, to queue up with the various Thai, Lao, or people who already have a Lao visa, at the "Entry" booths, just walk on past.

Mac

This was DEFINITELY not the case this time. The Entry kiosk did the actual stamping in of my passport, same as in Thailand. The window only gives you the visa. Having done this at least five times now, I have NEVER had them stamp my passport at the window...so, you must be 'special'.

FWIW - Going over from Mukdahan to Savanakhet the entry to Laos is through 3 windows - one for visa-on-arrival, second one for laos immigration and passport stamp, third is for the "fee". The fourth checkpoint is the little guy who likes to look at the passports as you go through the barrier. Last year it was the same on my way to Vientienne. You can reduce it considerably by getting a visa before you travel and by avoiding the "fee" lady - simply by waiting till she is occupied taking money from someone else. It's always surprised me that the locals pay this "fee" even when is so obviously a coffee fund.

[bangkokburning]

i have posted a hardcore diy a few times here for this crossing. If anyone is interested search my name and lao, vientiane, vne or something to that effect.

train station shared to thai border = samlor b30

on the return i have taken to just walking (yes, even in the heat). i am a cheap charlie and proud of it. i dont want transport for 1.5km for b100 thanks. after 700m there is a great 7 you can grab something cool to drink, walk a bit further and there is a garden restaurant which looks nice to kick back in assuming you have loads of time before the train to bkk.

========================

once across in lao, you can get to vientiane for b50 with patience. back of a tuk tuk share OR in the smallish blue buses.

either side tuk tuks are not a hassle. yes, in lao the drivers can be a bit in your face, but its all fairly polite. i mean c'mon aggro laotian people??

why the gripe about the full page? i only know one nation in South and East Asia that issues a half page visa and they find it impossible to place it properly on the page so it always ends up being a full page anyway - nepal. not lao's problem you are hurrying back to thailand instead of staying any enjoying the country a bit.

[Madivad]

2 things...

1) Why do I need to buy a car? I could ride there? catch a bus? or otherwise hitch a ride

2) @bangkokburning, I have done the crossing twice before, and never thought of NOT catching the bus. Is it possible to walk it? I wouldn't mind doing it one time just for the photo opportunities. I didn't think you could walk it, there's a sign saying no motorbikes... But walking is fine?

[tropo]

Good writeup of the process, except for para 9, in my experience the last few trips:

"9) Go to the Entry kiosk queue, and when you get to the window, hand them your completed Entry/Departure card and passport, and gratefully receive the stamp. You're in Laos now."

Even in May this year they processed the Arrival-Departure card at Window #1, same place where they collect your $ and process the Visa On Arrival. No need, therefore, to queue up with the various Thai, Lao, or people who already have a Lao visa, at the "Entry" booths, just walk on past.

Mac

This was DEFINITELY not the case this time. The Entry kiosk did the actual stamping in of my passport, same as in Thailand. The window only gives you the visa. Having done this at least five times now, I have NEVER had them stamp my passport at the window...so, you must be 'special'.

I must have been special too, because I didn't need a stamp at the exit kiosk as they had already stamped my passport before I got it back from the visa window. Perhaps they've changed the procedure now.

[tropo]

Just to clear up another inaccuracy in the OP's post.

He states: "She will ask for, guess what? US$35.00 Give it to her".

The visa fee varies for different nationalities. For example, if you're Australian she will ask for, guess what? US $30.00 or $31 after hours.

It should also be noted that not everyone will need a visa. SE Asians do not need visas for Laos.

[stoneyboy]

If you are really clever live 30 minutes from Tha Li a little used border crossing,smoke cheap fags and drink shit coffee with immigration, wait 3 hours for the guy to turn up at the visa on arrival window due to them seeing 3 farang a week,pay in baht 1500 get stamped out/up and back in and return home,so much easier.

[jpinx]

If you are really clever live 30 minutes from Tha Li a little used border crossing,smoke cheap fags and drink shit coffee with immigration, wait 3 hours for the guy to turn up at the visa on arrival window due to them seeing 3 farang a week,pay in baht 1500 get stamped out/up and back in and return home,so much easier.

Where's that?

[lopburi3]

Loei Province in the middle of nowhere. Actually it is a nice mountain/forest area.

[jpinx]

Nice

There seems to be lots of these much lesser-known crossings where paperwork is still possible, both to Laos and to Cambodia. One visa run agent I went with uses a border post that is not marked on my map at all

[NancyL]

I loved the write-up, and also love Nong Khai (great vacation from the bustle of Chiang Mai). But, I'm confused. Why do you need to leave the country to extend a retirement visa? I assume that's either an O-A visa or an O visa that's been extended due to retirement. Hubby and I have been in CM for three years and haven't left the country (unless you count that one hour trip into Burma, using "VIP" passes, to buy bootleg CDs). Isn't there an Immigration office in Nong Khai where you can show up with your proof of 800,000 baht bank account or monthly income of 65,000 baht and avoid the rigors of foreign travel?

[lopburi3]

At immigration you extend your stay - the OP appears to have had a non immigrant O-A visa - not the same thing. The O-A visa, which is only issued in country of residence, allows a one year stay on entry and if multi entry this one year stay is for any entry make during the one year validity. So by making a new entry just before it expires you effectively get two years stay and the second year does not require any financial proof. The only thing different is that in second year he will require a re-entry permit for any travel (just like those on Immigration provided extensions).

[Sateev]

At immigration you extend your stay - the OP appears to have had a non immigrant O-A visa - not the same thing. The O-A visa, which is only issued in country of residence, allows a one year stay on entry and if multi entry this one year stay is for any entry make during the one year validity. So by making a new entry just before it expires you effectively get two years stay and the second year does not require any financial proof. The only thing different is that in second year he will require a re-entry permit for any travel (just like those on Immigration provided extensions).

Correct: I do have a non-O-A, as stated in the first line of my post.

And I now realize that I may not have noticed the stamp issued at the window, and mistakenly thought the kiosk guy did it. However, the whole post was meant as a joke on the premise that I saved tuk-tuk money by buying a car and moving to Nong Khai. Clearly, it became fodder for the accuracy police, who, in the interest of demonstrating their powers, jumped on it like flies on the well-known article.

Maybe I'm just too hip for the room...

Disclaimer: the original post was not intended as a step-by-step, exact, how-to-do-a-visa-run. If you follow it blindly, without thinking, your results may vary. Notwithstanding the party of the first part, etc., etc., etc.

Edited July 30, 2011 by Sateev

[tropo]

However, the whole post was meant as a joke

Maybe I'm just too hip for the room...

...or maybe you're not quite the comedian you think you are.

Perhaps you should try a different forum next time... People who visit the visa forum are looking for accurate information, not reading troll posts intended as jokes.

[Sateev]

However, the whole post was meant as a joke

Maybe I'm just too hip for the room...

...or maybe you're not quite the comedian you think you are.

Perhaps you should try a different forum next time... People who visit the visa forum are looking for accurate information, not reading troll posts intended as jokes.

I don't think there was anything substantially inaccurate about what I posted. If someone followed it, the worst that would happen is that, a) they would get change at the window, because the visa fee for a different country MIGHT be different, and they would see that they had been stamped in at the window, and not need to stop at the kiosk. This assumes the ability to think, and process information.

I'm sorry such abilities are apparently NOT in your repertoire. Instead, you resort to picayune nit-picking to justify bullying people, and toss words like 'troll' around. Typical of tiny-hearted keyboard warriors, who manage to rack up 8000+ posts in five years, all too few being helpful.

In short, you appear to be in need of a life....

edit: typo, God forbid

Edited July 31, 2011 by Sateev

[lopburi3]

No further response needed. The next flame gets the rabbit (as in suspension). Enough.

[nahkit]

If you are really clever live 30 minutes from Tha Li a little used border crossing,smoke cheap fags and drink shit coffee with immigration, wait 3 hours for the guy to turn up at the visa on arrival window due to them seeing 3 farang a week,pay in baht 1500 get stamped out/up and back in and return home,so much easier.

[/quote

I was up in Tha Li a few weeks ago and noticed the immigration office in the town itself, next to the fire station. Do they issue the visas there or do you have to go to the actual border?