Every time I go to Laos I always pay for the Laos visa at the border in baht and all the time it's 1500 baht, I recently went again and same as paid 1500 baht when I came back I asked for a receipt for work when he did the receipt I see he wrote it out for $35 and not 1500 baht, when I looked up I could see the price list of visa and I paid the direct pice but if I convert $35 it comes to 1100 baht so they seem to be charging astronomical price increase if you pay in baht.

Is this correct do others pay 1500 baht for Laos visa at the border?

The government of Laos is communist, they want U.S. dollars. There is no scam. Pay a ridiculous amount in Baht or pay the prices quoted depending on your country in U.S. dollars.

Always have 50 bucks U.S. with you when buying Lao Visa...... (I buy 50 U.S. everytime I am in Laos, for the next visit and visa.) Stay away from the money changer at the bridge.

Unfortunately this is quite widely known and readily available by reading any Laos visa run information using Google

as its so easy now to get us US$$$ ( at least in Phuket and Bangkok banks) there is no reason to show up at the Laos or Cambodia border for a visa on arrival with Baht.

Laos is $35 for Americans

Cambodia is $20

Simple

as its so easy now to get us US$$$ ( at least in Phuket and Bangkok banks) there is no reason to show up at the Laos or Cambodia border for a visa on arrival with Baht.

Laos is $35 for Americans

Cambodia is $20

Simple

Even if you don't have dollars on you, you can buy dollars with baht in the currency exchange on the Laos side before immigration - right beside the window for submitting the visa-on-arrival forms. I have seen people do that, Crazy to buy the visa in baht,

Laos is $35 for Americans

And for non-Americans the cost is .....??

So basically from what the responses im reading its perfectly normal and I'm the idiot for paying in baht.

No I always pay in US$ and the same for Cambodian.

Only the not clued in get scammed. Though in fairness, they are lifetime experts at scamming people so don't feel too bad.

So basically from what the responses im reading its perfectly normal and I'm the idiot for paying in baht.

You're not an idiot, but it's not a scam.

It is not a scam just a very old exchange rate.

Thai embassies do the same thing. IE: $40 for tourist visa in US.

Laos is $35 for Americans

And for non-Americans the cost is .....??

I am a German and I paid last week 31 US$. I handed over 35US$ and the guy working behind the window gave me 4US$ back. I was quite surprised but he gave me an official receipt. That was at the Nongkhai border.

There is a price list at immigration of countries and cost for that country, why many are charged a different fee for the same thing is beyond me .

For me it is $35 but if Saturday or Sunday $36. I think the 1500bht is a tea money thing, could be wrong.

There is a price list at immigration of countries and cost for that country, why many are charged a different fee for the same thing is beyond me .

For me it is $35 but if Saturday or Sunday $36. I think the 1500bht is a tea money thing, could be wrong.

The figure of 1500baht has been there for years.

As UbonJoe mentioned it is the exchange rate that makes it look bad.

US Dollars are still the currency of choice for international transactions. As dollars are favored a preferred rate is typically offered. In Laos the visa on arrival fee for most nationalities is 1500 baht or 35 USD, the exit stamp fee is 40 baht or 1 USD. As Kip are not convertible outside of Laos, I don't think there is an option to pay in the local currency.

My experience in Laos has been that even private businesses give a significantly better rate in dollars than baht, though not as extreme as the immigration department. Baht may be convenient but it is still a third world currency. Not a scam, just the way international transactions work. I remember at least two businesses in Vientiane that would only accept USD.

Edit: I don't think it has anything to do with using an outdated exchange rate, just a preference for a particular currency that is far more useful in international transactions. Something along the lines of paying a penalty for the inconvenience caused when using baht.

Edited August 13, 201312 yr by CPT

Laos is $35 for Americans

And for non-Americans the cost is .....??

Well..... for Canadians it is $42.00 and for Indians it is $40.00 ----- for Chinese it is $20.00.

And this was a couple of years ago.

Laos is $35 for Americans

And for non-Americans the cost is .....??

Well..... for Canadians it is $42.00 and for Indians it is $40.00 ----- for Chinese it is $20.00.

And this was a couple of years ago.

$30 for Australians

Laos is $35 for Americans

And for non-Americans the cost is .....??

Well..... for Canadians it is $42.00 and for Indians it is $40.00 ----- for Chinese it is $20.00.

And this was a couple of years ago.

I've always wondered what the Canadians have done wrong to get shafted with the highest Laos visa costs.

I heard that Canada closed their embassy in Laos (many years ago) which Laos took as a great insult. Hence the higher price.

I just hand over 1300baht and they give a dodgy receipt for 30us,if you ask its 1500.

As Kip are not convertible outside of Laos, I don't think there is an option to pay in the local currency.

i changed kip to us $ in Siem Rep last month

for 190,000 kip got $22 .5

rate in Laos was $24

also have borught kip in SR ( last year)

I paid the direct pice but if I convert $35 it comes to 1100 baht so they seem to be charging astronomical price increase if you pay in baht.
Is this correct do others pay 1500 baht for Laos visa at the border?

It has always been this way. I have Thai baht, not US$, so when I go to Laos I pay in Thai baht. Just not worth the hassel to me, to go exchange Thai baht into US$ to try and save a few baht.

If you don't like it, either pony up US$ or don't go to Laos.

I paid the direct pice but if I convert $35 it comes to 1100 baht so they seem to be charging astronomical price increase if you pay in baht.

Is this correct do others pay 1500 baht for Laos visa at the border?

It has always been this way. I have Thai baht, not US$, so when I go to Laos I pay in Thai baht. Just not worth the hassel to me, to go exchange Thai baht into US$ to try and save a few baht.

If you don't like it, either pony up US$ or don't go to Laos.

At Chong Mek, in Lao, there is a Lao bank opposite immigration. I bought $36 for 1100bht, saved 400bht which paid for my diesel. To me that is common sense, even for a numnut like me.

The cost of Lao visa's vary dependent on the nationality of the applicant and is based on the amount that country charges a Lao citizen

The cost of Lao visa's vary dependent on the nationality of the applicant and is based on the amount that country charges a Lao citizen

wow what a good idea - lets hope Thailand doesn't get wind of this though!

all the big banks in udon keep US dollars in stock because so many stop there before

doing a visa run to laos .

The government decides of the price. Not you or the officers. I have to pay more than you due to my nationality. It's normal and I pay this amount without asking question. I'm a guest and I need to accept the fact that my nationality have to pay more than the others. There is no scam, the prices are fixed and that's it.

So basically from what the responses im reading its perfectly normal and I'm the idiot for paying in baht.

You got it.

The cost of Lao visa's vary dependent on the nationality of the applicant and is based on the amount that country charges a Lao citizen

If that were the case, US citizens would have to pay $160 for a tourist visa to Laos...and only have a small chance of getting it!

Edited August 14, 201312 yr by NewlyMintedThai

So basically from what the responses im reading its perfectly normal and I'm the idiot for paying in baht.

You got it.

I got it, because the whole world knows that when you go to another country to get a visa you should pay in US Dollars otherwise your gonna get stung and have to have a 8 ur old exchange rate.

So basically from what the responses im reading its perfectly normal and I'm the idiot for paying in baht.

You got it.

I got it, because the whole world knows that when you go to another country to get a visa you should pay in US Dollars otherwise your gonna get stung and have to have a 8 ur old exchange rate.

Everyone but you, mate.