Double Entry Tourist Visa In Vientiane - No Problem

[heatwaving]

I didn't have any problem getting a double entry tourist visa in Vientiane this past week. No questions at all from the staff except to confirm that I wanted a double entry visa. No red warning stamp. It's my first tourist visa for Thailand. I have about 5 or 6 previous visa exemption entries, one in 2007, one this past month and the rest about 2 years ago. My passport is full of asia travel stamps and I'm into the extra pages I had put into my US passport.

I took the night train from Bangkok to Nong Khai (688 baht for an upper second class sleeper). Then the 9:30 am train across the border/Friendship Bridge. Then a group mini-van to Vientiane. I went a day early but it would have been easy to go to the embassy/consulate before noon the same day I arrived. So it could have been a one night stay.

Others have recently posted thoroughly on the how to's of getting a visa in Vientiane, so I'll just mention a few things I didn't see on here before or didn't remember.

The difference in cost for a Lao visa paid for in baht vs. usd is significant. $35 usd vs. 1500 baht.

If you use a Rough Guide book, the embassy/consulate is nowhere near where Rough Guide show's it being.

In addition to a copy of the information/photo pages of your passport, the only other pages you need to provide them are the pages showing your current Lao visa and your current Lao entry stamp. (There is a copy machine there with a helpful person making copies for you (1000 kip per copy i believe).

Ignore everyone outside the gate, go through the gate to the building/shaded area to the right. Be sure to get a number from a person who only sticks his/her head out a door occasionally. But you can be preparing your application/paperwork while you wait for one of those appearances. They have scissors, glue and, as I said, a copy machine there. The copy machine is up some stairs. They call people to the window 10 at a time (i.e. numbers 81 to 90).

When you go back the next day between 1 and 3 pm, also first go to the right to get a number. Then you go into the building on the left, where you paid and got your receipt the day before.

[SunSeek01]

Great info Heat. Was the mini-van just waiting there for takers or did you get it arranged before hand?

[sultan]

Thanks for the info heatwaving - I'm off on the train tomorrow myself. Never used the train from Nong Khai to Laos but I hear that it's no challenge.

A question if I may - What are the costs for a double-entry tourist visa now in the vientiane embassy please? I seem to remember it was 1K/2K thb for single/double tourist visas prior to the spell of free tourist visas - what's the current policy?

Cheers!

[heatwaving]

The minivan was one of many there waiting for people coming over on that train. Just bunch up with a group of people to make it as cheap as you can for yourself. I read someone on here say to ignore these guys and walk past to cheaper tuk tuk possibilities. I would have liked to have done that, but I didn't see anyone else around the day I arrived.

The price for the visa is 1000 baht/single and 2000 baht/double and you must pay for it in baht.

Yes the train over is easy. After you get off the BKK to NK train, just go to the ticket window for a 20 baht ticket for the Friendship Bridge train. Then go through passport control (departures) and sit on the old train a while until it takes off.

[visarunservice]

The Laos Citizens are of no harm what so ever around the perimeter of the fence of the embassy or the city of Vientiane. One thing that many tourist fail to realize that they are cheap and paranoid. Do a power search on google or thaivisaforum for any related scams at the Vientiane Thai Embassy. Non found! What use is your passport to anyone in Laos? Toilet paper! They are out there to provide a service, value to the tourist wanting a visa. The have a new word for Farangs. Kaw Naw meaning sticky rice. Sticky with their money. There's better hacks and ways to go about getting a single or dual entry Visa. If you paid attention there's students doing their homework at the cafe across the street. Guess their homework assignment? It's to calculate what a foreigners time at the Thai Embassy is worth.

[sultan]

The minivan was one of many there waiting for people coming over on that train. Just bunch up with a group of people to make it as cheap as you can for yourself. I read someone on here say to ignore these guys and walk past to cheaper tuk tuk possibilities. I would have liked to have done that, but I didn't see anyone else around the day I arrived.

The price for the visa is 1000 baht/single and 2000 baht/double and you must pay for it in baht.

Yes the train over is easy. After you get off the BKK to NK train, just go to the ticket window for a 20 baht ticket for the Friendship Bridge train. Then go through passport control (departures) and sit on the old train a while until it takes off.

Thanks Man

[Colabamumbai]

The people outside the gate can be helpful. You can buy a copy of the visa application for 20 Bhat, sit there and fill it out as you wait for the Embassy to open, glue your photos on the application and find out about the different services that they offer, in regard to Lao visa extensions etc.

[Ohyesuare]

The Laos Citizens are of no harm what so ever around the perimeter of the fence of the embassy or the city of Vientiane. One thing that many tourist fail to realize that they are cheap and paranoid. Do a power search on google or thaivisaforum for any related scams at the Vientiane Thai Embassy. Non found! What use is your passport to anyone in Laos? Toilet paper! They are out there to provide a service, value to the tourist wanting a visa. The have a new word for Farangs. Kaw Naw meaning sticky rice. Sticky with their money. There's better hacks and ways to go about getting a single or dual entry Visa. If you paid attention there's students doing their homework at the cafe across the street. Guess their homework assignment? It's to calculate what a foreigners time at the Thai Embassy is worth.

Thank you for your unbiased opinion Mr. VisaRunService.

[DowntownAl]

I just got my dual entry visa mid February in Vientiane. The passport pick-up process did not require a number. People simply lined up in the order they entered the grounds, slowly proceeded to the one open wicket, presented the reciept they got the day before, buddy behind the counter looks through an oderly looking pile of passports, pulls yours out and you're on your way. For me it took all of 10 minutes from the time the gate openned. We waited outside for over a half hour to be near the front of the line. I asked one late commer if it was worth getting there early, he said he'll spend less total time there by arriving at 1:00 than we did by arriving at 12:30.

[tropo]

"the only other pages you need to provide them are the pages showing your current Lao visa and your current Lao entry stamp. (There is a copy machine there with a helpful person making copies for you (1000 kip per copy i believe)"

What's this? A new regulation? Copies of Lao entry stamp and visa were never asked for previously when I obtained visas in Vientiane. Some profit making on the copy machine perhaps?

[bendejo]

"the only other pages you need to provide them are the pages showing your current Lao visa and your current Lao entry stamp. (There is a copy machine there with a helpful person making copies for you (1000 kip per copy i believe)"

What's this? A new regulation? Copies of Lao entry stamp and visa were never asked for previously when I obtained visas in Vientiane. Some profit making on the copy machine perhaps?

No, this has been going on for years. I try to have everything done in advance, but on the taxi ride from the border to the consulate the last chore is to have the driver stop at a copy place for the Lao visa I was just issued.

I recall doing this since the consulate was at the old location.

[Sydneycraig]

anyone got their second double-TV here recently?

[Sydneycraig]

looking at http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/433392-current-visa-availability-summary-from-neighboring-countries/ maby SAVANNAKHET is a better choice and fits in with my planned roadtrip

[tubby johnson]

Very useful information, thanks.

Just a question: How do I indicate on the Visa Application form that I want a double-entry tourist visa?

(The Thai embassy in Vientiane's application form doesn't clearly indicate it anywhere.)

[lopburi3]

Under photos

Number of Entries Requested_____

[tubby johnson]

Thanks Lopburi