Report Of Visa Run In Vientiane Lao

[Mic Samui]

I just want to report back how my visa run went hopefully will be useful for others.

First of all I traveled from Phitsanulok:

-Buses are available every 2hours during daytime. I got a bus to Udon Thani for about 220 thb. No direct bus goes from Phitsanulok to Nong Khai. The journey is meant to take 6.5 hours but rain can slow down the journey due to moutains enroute at Loei. The bus left at 10:30am and arrived at Udon bus station at 5:30pm. When arrived here there was no bus scheduled to Nong Khai until 7. So got a tuk tuk to a bus pickup point at small market (was able to do this based on info provided by the info counter at Udon bus station) This bus took us along a major road near the border in Nong Khai where it dropped us off at a point where tuk tuks were waiting, the bus journey took approx. 1 hour. The tuk tuk brough us (4ppl sharing) to the friendshipbridge for 30bath per person.

Important points:

1.)

Before going people advised me to change currency for USD, This is only advisable for the visa you obtain on your way into Lao. But is not good value for money once in Lao. Ideally use Lao money - Kip or bath which is better value for money than usd in lao and also more widely accepted.

conversion rates 1 usd = 30 bath = 7700 kip

In lao most business will convert 1 usd to 7000 kip meaning you lose some of your dollar (around 10%)

If possible ask for change in same currency you pay in.

2.)

The Border is open 6am-10pm

3.)

Bring passport photos for Lao visa and thai visa makes things much easier

4.)

Beware there are 2 thai embassys!!

5.)

Check thai embassy public holidays before planning trip, easy to find on google.

Got a frequent bus for 20thb(15+5 for overtime) over the friendship bridge. Getting The Lao visa is a different price for every nationality. I got my visa for 36usd (35+1 for overtime). This whole process was easy and there were not many people or forangs going through the border at the late time of around 8pm. If you have TG traveling with you she doesn't need a visa just needs to pay 45thb(40+5 for overtime) for bordercard, Forangs do not need to buy a bordercard! However counterintuitivly they do need to buy one when exiting Lao!!

I was told you should be able to get a tuk tuk to main part of vientiane for 100thb but due to late time and rain there was none available. So got a private car for 300thb with 2 people sharing. It would be a good idea to know address of where you want to stay before going as driver didn't know place i wanted to go so brought us to place he said would be 600thb a night but turned out to be 750thb (26usd) breakfast for 2 included. This was near the embassy.

The next morning embassy open from 8:30-11:30 for visa applications. 2 passport photos needed. Collect number when you arrive for the Que. Submit application at counters(1 & 2) in one building and pay for application at counters(5 & 6) in another building. Photocopier upstairs with a man that will help you with your application ie incomplete info and photocopies of right pages of passport, overall charge 15/20bath. Single entry tourist visa 1000thb double entry 2000thb.

After this moved riverside (main tourist part of Vientiane near the Mekong River). Could not bargin tuk tuk for 2 down from 200thb maybe due to rain, but only overcharged by 50thb.

Stayed at Mixay Paradise on the street 'rue francois ngin' this cost 17usd with a/c & fan and breakfast included. Free orange juice and coffee available all day. free wifi although not so good probably due to traffic. And free cake and iced drink once a day. Would highly recommend this place good service and very clean with v.reasonably price restaurant and beers from the fridge. Has cheaper rooms available also. On the same street is a place called the funky monkey which has dorm rooms for v.cheap like 100bath a night. A guy who directed me to my place told me about this. Also seem to have a good pool table something which is not easy to find in Vientiane. It's called Mixay paradise because is beside Wat Mixay (temple) beware many other guest house with mixay in title or mixok don't mix them up. Here is another thread with good info about places to stay and things to do in Vientiane... http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/640549-best-places-to-stay-in-vientiane-lao-near-thai-embassy-best-things-to-do-while-there-for-2days/

It takes one day to get visa processed and when you collect it's between 13:30-15:30 but people will arrive early so be about 1/2 an hour early. Also we collected numbers again but didnt need them when the other building opened it's doors to collect (same place you paid for your visa the last working day) however people abided to their numbers and arranged the que accordingly maybe bar 4/5 people who rushed in and where at very front of Que.

Arranged bus back from guesthouse lobby to Udon for 220thb with pick up from hotel. Pick up 15:45 bus left station 16:30 3hours to Udon bus waits at border for you. Bus arrive at Udon at 19:10. Last bus from Udon bus station to Phitsanulok 7:50pm cost 306thb. Arrived at Phitsanulok bus station at 2am. Room available here for 150thb for 2 people sharing can check out as late as 12 midday. or most buses to near by places start at 6am

[lopburi3]

Thanks for excellent report - there is one Thai Embassy but for visas you want to go to the Royal Thai Consulate which in Vientiane is in a different location.

[Ajaan]

Tuktuks from the border to Vientiane have not been 100b for about 10 years now. 300 is pretty much normal now, for either your own tuktuk or your own car/van, no difference. The number of people in your party does not matter, same price. I suppose one could bargain down toward 200 (but definitely not below) but 300 is edging toward the standard now. Much more expensive going the other way (because of low possibility of getting a fare back); they usually want 400 baht for the trip from Vientiane to the border.

[lovelaos]

Tuktuks from the border to Vientiane have not been 100b for about 10 years now. 300 is pretty much normal now, for either your own tuktuk or your own car/van, no difference. The number of people in your party does not matter, same price. I suppose one could bargain down toward 200 (but definitely not below) but 300 is edging toward the standard now. Much more expensive going the other way (because of low possibility of getting a fare back); they usually want 400 baht for the trip from Vientiane to the border.

wrong wrong wrong. I still pay 100-150 Baht. Just because YOU can't get it for that price doesn't mean it isn't available!

[SlyAnimal]

I think the sign says 300THB to rent a taxi to Vientiane. If you're a single person going, you can usually bargain down the taxi drivers, since they know they can get other people to share and also pay.

I always think it's kinda funny, when you bargain them down, then they say to not tell the others, as they then go off to find a couple of other people who each pay 300THB lol

[rct99q]

Excellent information in this report for those planning on a visa run up here. All I would add is if you have a chance to spend an night or two in Nong Khai it is a fun little city.

[laobali]

Fun in Nongkhai. Really? Care to expand on that?

[BKS22]

I never find anything fun about doing a visa run to Laos. Unless you are planning on staying a couple days in Vientiane or other visiting other cities in Laos ....a quick turn around run is just miserable no matter how you cut it.

God....standing out in front of the consulate on a hot day with the sun beating down on you, waiting for the rush of cattle to get their que number for your visa...don't even get me started on the jam packed buses across the bridge. I could list 10 more things that are FUN INDEED!

*edit note* ....if you arrive only 1/2hr to que up on collection day....plan on being waaaay back in the que and waiting a long time. Most experienced people are there at least an hour in advance. just sayin'

Edited May 30, 2013 by BKS22

[GuyL]

Great report. I will just add a few points.

- The Consular Section of the Royal Thai Embassy in Vientiane is located "Rue Bourichane" (Bourichane Road or "Thanon Bourichane"). That's where you have to go for your visa application.

- The price is 5 baht per photocopy there (at the Embassy). Usually, the only photocopy that I need to do once in Laos is the one of my passport's page that contains my latest Lao visa (usually obtained just a bit earlier on the same morning of my application for a new visa at the Thai Embassy). Of course, in my case, the other requested photocopies are all done beforehand (usually in Thailand as it is much cheaper: 50 satangs / 0.5 baht per photocopy).

- I still am able (last time was in March this year) to go from the Lao border to the Consular Section of the Royal Thai Embassy in a shared taxi for a maximum of 100 baht per person (2 or 3 people per car usually, and even less if there are more people in the car). With a tuk-tuk, depending on the number of passengers, I have paid from 50 up to 80 baht for the fare.

[lovelaos]

Tuktuks from the border to Vientiane have not been 100b for about 10 years now. 300 is pretty much normal now, for either your own tuktuk or your own car/van, no difference. The number of people in your party does not matter, same price. I suppose one could bargain down toward 200 (but definitely not below) but 300 is edging toward the standard now. Much more expensive going the other way (because of low possibility of getting a fare back); they usually want 400 baht for the trip from Vientiane to the border.

wrong wrong wrong. I still pay 100-150 Baht. Just because YOU can't get it for that price doesn't mean it isn't available!

I entered Laos on Sunday evening at 9:30pm and the trip to the morning market from the border was 80 Baht in a minibus, no bartering, no arguing, no double pricing.

[cosmont]

Great report. I will just add a few points.

- The Consular Section of the Royal Thai Embassy in Vientiane is located "Rue Bourichane" (Bourichane Road or "Thanon Bourichane"). That's where you have to go for your visa application.

This is a link to a location map of the consulate :

http://vientiane.thaiembassy.org/images/consulate/Thai%20Consular%20Office%20Map.JPG

[elzach]

There is good info here, thanks to all.

Sorry to bump up this thread, but I wanted to ask a few questions

Which days of the week are to be avoided at the Consulate, ie. to avoid the visa agent companies, or it doesn't matter?

Also 24-hr turnaround visa issuance is guaranteed or should I allow extra time?

Also, a triple entry tourist visa is out of the question? Would it help if I produced an overseas bank statement copy (not certified)?

[ubonjoe]

Monday is bad.

It's always the next afternoon without a probem unless you go on Friday.

[ignis]

There is good info here, thanks to all.

Sorry to bump up this thread, but I wanted to ask a few questions

Which days of the week are to be avoided at the Consulate, ie. to avoid the visa agent companies, or it doesn't matter?

Also 24-hr turnaround visa issuance is guaranteed or should I allow extra time?

Also, a triple entry tourist visa is out of the question? Would it help if I produced an overseas bank statement copy (not certified)?

The triple entry tourist visa is 3,000 baht but is still only valid for 3 months [last use by date] same as a double, so will not give any extra time, but OK if you need to make an extra trip out of Thailand...

On another Topic, Bali issue a triple entry tourist visa and valid for 6 months = with extensions almost 9 months..

[elzach]

There is good info here, thanks to all.

Sorry to bump up this thread, but I wanted to ask a few questions

Which days of the week are to be avoided at the Consulate, ie. to avoid the visa agent companies, or it doesn't matter?

Also 24-hr turnaround visa issuance is guaranteed or should I allow extra time?

Also, a triple entry tourist visa is out of the question? Would it help if I produced an overseas bank statement copy (not certified)?

The triple entry tourist visa is 3,000 baht but is still only valid for 3 months [last use by date] same as a double, so will not give any extra time, but OK if you need to make an extra trip out of Thailand...

On another Topic, Bali issue a triple entry tourist visa and valid for 6 months = with extensions almost 9 months..

Thank you both.

That's good info ignis. That kind of visa would be great, 6 months triple entry. But not sure I wanna go to Bali for that.

Right now I'm weighing Vientiane vs. KL. Is a 6 month Tourist visa possible in any country bordering Thailand? KL I'm very familiar with, it would be a snap. Vientiane I'm thinking thru Udon, like the OP. That would be more like for the adventure part

Edited August 26, 2013 by elzach

[Mario2008]

No 6 month validity for tourist vsas in neighbouring countries, for that you really have to go to Bali.

Of the neighbouring countries, only in Laos will you get a double entry (3 month validity).

[Mic Samui]

Also 24-hr turnaround visa issuance is guaranteed or should I allow extra time?

Regarding Vientiane. It's basically a formality to go the morning of one day and go back the next afternoon to collect your visa. Just be careful to check for buddist/national holiday days on which the consulate will be closed. Personally tho considering you have to pay around $36 for a visa to enter Lao I would stay for 2/3 days I think it's a nice little city, and i don't like doing so much traveling in 48/72 hours.

I don't think there's really any days to avoid and no problem crated by visa agencies. However if you submit on friday will have to wait until monday I think a few people get caught out by this and sometimes monday can be a little more busy. but it's not much of a problem just go in good time and you wont be waiting very long. I went on a Thursday, there was a buddist holiday on the friday so had to wait til monday. I was happy to do this anyway was planning to stay for a few days. Also didn't have a choice because i travel on the last day of my visa for thailand.

[khunbillmex]

I may be dense so I'll ask. I'm facing a 5 day overstay which is cheap enough but my flight is very early am and I want to get through BKK exit Immigration without the hassle of the overstay pay desk delay. If I get stamped out of Nong Khai , cross the Friendship bridge and get Lao visa can I just turn around and cross back over to get another 30 day tourist stamp or is a proper Thai visa required? I'll be staying close to Nong Khai so it is not an expense in time or baht to get there. Thanks.

Edited March 18, 2014 by khunbillmex

[GuyL]

I may be dense so I'll ask. I'm facing a 5 day overstay which is cheap enough but my flight is very early am and I want to get through BKK exit Immigration without the hassle of the overstay pay desk delay. If I get stamped out of Nong Khai , cross the Friendship bridge and get Lao visa can I just turn around and cross back over to get another 30 day tourist stamp or is a proper Thai visa required? I'll be staying close to Nong Khai so it is not an expense in time or baht to get there. Thanks.

Yes, you will get a 15 or 30 day visa exemption, depending on your nationality.