Visa Runs To Laos With Multi-Entry Thai Visa

[tommet]

So I'm thinking to get a multiple entry Non Imm O visa (based on marriage + child) from Laos. According to most reports in this forum, people doing so usually pay $35 or 1500 thb for a Laos tourist visa so they can visit the Thai consulate and get their visa stamped into their passport.

However, Laos regulations allow for a free transit visa for a stay of up to five days as long as you have a visa for your outbound country and a ticket (bus or airplane) to take you out of the country in that time.

This won't be possible the first time I go to Laos to get the multi-entry visa, because at the time of entering Laos I would not yet have a valid Thai visa to show them.

However, for subsequent visa runs to Laos I would have a valid Thai visa (the remaining entries on my multi-entry non-O) and I suppose it may be possible to buy a return bus ticket on the Thailand side to take me over the bridge and back - if so, this would appear to meet the requirements for a free transit visa.

I saw in another post that a German tourist told a poster that he managed to avoid the Laos tourist visa charge on the bridge over to Ventiene by obtaining a transit visa because he was only staying a few days on the Laos side, but I've seen no first-hand acounts in these forums.

Has anyone done this, tried this, or have any tales to relate of anyone having done it?

I'd be crossing at Mukdahan/Suvanakhet, and a 1500 baht tourist visa for Laos seems a bit steep for a one-night stay in the People's Democratic Republic.

Also - is it necessary to stay in Laos even one night to come back into Thailand on a multi-entry visa - or can you simply cross the bridge, have lunch, and go back over?

Edited October 9, 2011 by tommet

[CharlieH]

I have done several border runs with a multi O in the past at NO time have I ever heard of anyone doing as you suggest either personally or on this forum.

Every time a Visa on arrival is purchased at the Laos side of the bridge. This is done even if as in my case only staying 10 minutes!! to walk through and back out the other side.

The bus over the bridge (nong khai) is 20 baht, and you buy another ticket on the laos side also 20 baht to return to Thailand, there are no "return tickets".

The only tip I would give you is get US dollars, you pay less in US dollars (35) than you would in Thai baht.

Edited October 9, 2011 by CharlieH

[MrRed]

Always best to get 36 dollars if they are having a "holiday day" or the time is out of office hours.

[tommet]

I have done several border runs with a multi O in the past at NO time have I ever heard of anyone doing as you suggest either personally or on this forum.

Every time a Visa on arrival is purchased at the Laos side of the bridge. This is done even if as in my case only staying 10 minutes!! to walk through and back out the other side.

Yes this seems to be the common experience. I wish I could find the TV post where obtaining transit visa at the Ventiene bridge is mentioned. According the poster, he met a German tourist who convinced the border staff that he was just going swimming at a nearby resort for a few days and they gave him the transit visa (free). The poster also said this was a common trick among German travelers.

The transit visa certainly exists, but it may well not be possible to obtain it at Savanaket, etc.

The bus over the bridge (nong khai) is 20 baht, and you buy another ticket on the laos side also 20 baht to return to Thailand, there are no "return tickets".

Ah well that may be the kicker, making it impossible to get the transit visa. I won't get a chance to try this out for several months, but maybe the next time you go you might ask about the transit visa yourself ... obviously it will only work if you are on a Thai multi-entry visa. Maybe "special pleading" will get you around the bus-ticket requirement.

Edited October 9, 2011 by tommet

[TerryLH]

You'd probably have a better chance of that working if you were flying.

Are the bus tickets across the bridge dated? If not, buy two the first trip over.

Let us know if this works.

[Sophon]

However, Laos regulations allow for a free transit visa for a stay of up to five days as long as you have a visa for your outbound country and a ticket (bus or airplane) to take you out of the country in that time.

The Lao embassy in Bangkok's website states these requirements for a transit visa:

Transit visa

Maximum five days for stay (in Vientiane only).

Proof of an entry visa and air ticket to the third country.

In your case you would not have an air ticket and there would be no third country involved. I doubt if a transit visa could be used in any other situation than when flying into Vientiane and flying out again (to a third country) within the five day timeframe. After all, the definition of "transit" is passing through, not going somewhere and then returning to where you came from.

Sophon

Edited October 10, 2011 by Sophon