Laos Visa Requirements.

[Mason45]

I'm a resident of Bangkok living on a non immigration visa Thai wife. We've decided to go to Vientiane to visit her fathers family, she only just found out that they are still alive, We'll be travelling by plane to Udonthani and part of the fare is the bus to Vientiane. I realise I need a Thai re entry permit and 1,000 baht to get back into Thailand. What is the procedure at the border crossing into Laos and what are the charges or fees, we'll be in Laos for only 5 days. Thanks.

[hansnl]

Attention!

Get a Lao visa before the journey!

The bus will NOT wait if you want to buy a visa at the border.

The Lao visa is valid 30 days and the price will depend on your passport, but around $ 30.

Get the visa in Bangkok

Your wife, if she has a passport, can get an entry stamp for 30 days.

No passport, she can get in anyway, on her ID-card, but only for a few days, or day

[craigt3365]

Let's try this over in the visa forum.

Topic Moved.

[WhizBang]

The visa on arrival fee at the Loas border is now 1800 baht. Just did the run last week.

[Robby nz]

First time I went to Lao I got a visa from the embassy in BKK.

All subsequent times I just walked up to the border post and filled in the form and got my PP stamped, no problem, last time stayed there for 2 weeks.

Be sure you have a re entry permit or you will only get a 15 day stamp in your PP and your visa will be cancelled.

Never heard of the 1000 b bit.

[rct99q]

The visa on arrival fee at the Loas border is now 1800 baht. Just did the run last week.

This is not true. A visa on arrival varies from FREE to $42USD depending on your nationality. It is always cheaper to pay in USD than in local Thai Baht. Which again varies from FREE to 1,800 baht not including overtime fee's etc.

Free - Swiss nationals for 15 days

$42 USD - Canadians

$30-$35 for most other nationalities such as US, British, and some European Countries, Australians etc.

To the OP:

You should get the Visa ahead of time and your wife should have a passport as it is easier in some respects. If travelling on her ID card she will can still get into Laos but will be limited on the amount of time and distance (usually a 30km limit around Vientiane, but hardly enforced unless checked by police, but has happened). She will have some paper work to fill in if her ID card is from outside of the Nong Khai Muang district.

[watcharacters]

.

I went to our local Lao consulate just yesterday ( 7-24) to get a visa for our several day visit to Laos next week.

The process could NOT have been more painless. After walking into the stately building we saw there was only one other couple there. We sat down for 40 minutes until the clerk finished with them and then I handed the clerk my passport and one photo as well as the simple visa application page I'd filled out. He asked for a 1600 THB payment and said the visa would be ready in 30 minutes.

The clerk even hurried the processing along when the Missus asked about taking my passport before he finish his process so i could get to our local immigration office for my 90 day report. We made it to the local immigration office before they closed for lunch for the 90 day reporting

All in all, I found the experience enjoyable as I like to see inside ornate buildings.

[phuketrichard]

u paid over $50 for ur visa? what nationality are u?

i paid $35 for my visa on arrival, ( us) easy as pie 3 weeks ago.

the border to Vientaine is only a 30 minute ride

have entered Laos 4 times now in past 3 years and always $35 ( except once $1 more as it was a sunday) at border.

Why waste a trip in Bangkok

[GreenSnapper]

Yep, don't waste time and money for a Lao visa in BKK.

Udon-Thani airport to border, by small bus, 200 B.

Cross border yourself, visa on arrival 30-40 US$. Bring dollar, not baht.

Then tuktuk into town. Thai passport: everything is free, no visa necessary.

[Jay Sata]

Better you get the visa if you can in BKK. When you get to Udon there is a direct bus to downtown Vientiane.

It a large cheap aircon bus but will not wait at the border. It's cheaper and more efficient if you get the bus from Udon to Vientiane.

There are a lot of touts at the border.

The taxi's on the other side of the bridge will cost you a lot more.

Where are you staying?