Double Entry Visa success in Vientiane Laos. Jan 2014 update.

[ubonjoe]

Went to Vientiane from Nong Khai for my usual 15 day land cross tourist Visa and the officlal gave me 30 days and not 15 have things changed or is this a mistake?

It is a visa exempt entry not a tourist visa.

If you are from one of the G7 countries since November 1st of last year you get 30 day visa exempt entries at a border crossing now.

Can u extend that for another 30 days in immigration for 1900b?

mataleo

A visa exempt entry can only be extended for 7 days.

Only tourist visa entries can be extended for 30 days.

[chub2005]

Went to Vientiane from Nong Khai for my usual 15 day land cross tourist Visa and the officlal gave me 30 days and not 15 have things changed or is this a mistake?

It is a visa exempt entry not a tourist visa.

If you are from one of the G7 countries since November 1st of last year you get 30 day visa exempt entries at a border crossing now.

Can u extend that for another 30 days in immigration for 1900b?

mataleo

yes i am from uk

[mataleo]

Is it vietnaine more fun then savannakhet?

mataleo

[thaiguzzi]

I prefer a day/night out eating and drinking in Vientianne to any city in Thailand. Lovely town. Anywhere is more fun than Savannakhet.

[Maestro]

Removed a troll post.

[mataleo]

im going to vietnaine first time by nok air

theres transfer by bus to nng khai

i need visa on arrival to laos

can i get on border there?

is in in nong khai ? they do visas to laos ?

in on polish passport / EU

it says on web i need visa on arrival etc..

also my thai gf is going with me, i guess she dont need any visas

thx

[ubonjoe]

You will get the visa on arrival at Lao immigration after you cross the bridge. Cost is around $35 or 1500 baht but varies by country. You will need one photo for it.

If your GF has a Thai passport she will get a free 30 day entry.

[mataleo]

You will get the visa on arrival at Lao immigration after you cross the bridge. Cost is around $35 or 1500 baht but varies by country. You will need one photo for it.

If your GF has a Thai passport she will get a free 30 day entry.

thx a lot much appreciate

is it nong khai laos town? is it there where i will get it ?

[mataleo]

Went to Vientiane from Nong Khai for my usual 15 day land cross tourist Visa and the officlal gave me 30 days and not 15 have things changed or is this a mistake?

strange cuz my friend from australia went to cambodia by land, and back to thailand and he got 15 days only, why is that ?

[ubonjoe]

Went to Vientiane from Nong Khai for my usual 15 day land cross tourist Visa and the officlal gave me 30 days and not 15 have things changed or is this a mistake?

strange cuz my friend from australia went to cambodia by land, and back to thailand and he got 15 days only, why is that ?

People from the G7 countries get a 30 day entry. Australia is not one is why.

[ubonjoe]

You will get the visa on arrival at Lao immigration after you cross the bridge. Cost is around $35 or 1500 baht but varies by country. You will need one photo for it.

If your GF has a Thai passport she will get a free 30 day entry.

thx a lot much appreciate

is it nong khai laos town? is it there where i will get it ?

Nong Kai is in Thailand. That is the side of the bridge where you will leave Thailand.

You will get your visa as soon as you cross the bridge and go to Lao immigration.

[mataleo]

You will get the visa on arrival at Lao immigration after you cross the bridge. Cost is around $35 or 1500 baht but varies by country. You will need one photo for it.

If your GF has a Thai passport she will get a free 30 day entry.

thx a lot much appreciate

is it nong khai laos town? is it there where i will get it ?

Nong Kai is in Thailand. That is the side of the bridge where you will leave Thailand.

You will get your visa as soon as you cross the bridge and go to Lao immigration.

I be tjere early like 10am monday any idea about queues for visa on arrivl

Also i want to know about laO public holidays on 25 26 jan if its safe to go consulate..

mataleo

[pooket]

I prefer a day/night out eating and drinking in Vientianne to any city in Thailand. Lovely town. Anywhere is more fun than Savannakhet.

I totally agree. I really like Vientiane. Beer Lao tastes great because they make it there, so it's always fresh. Plus, I always meet really nice people when I'm there. I like just walking around and seeing the sites - some pretty cool temples there.

[mataleo]

Any nice places to go around?

mataleo

[mataleo]

Whats are example prices in laos currency so i dont get scamed

I mean local prices not turists prices.

Food drink attractions

Tuk tuk fares?

mataleo

Edited February 7, 2014 by mataleo

[Metapod]

Whats are example prices in laos currency so i dont get scamed

I mean local prices not turists prices.

Food drink attractions

Tuk tuk fares?

mataleo

Pretty similar to Thailand.

[mataleo]

How many pictures i need for laos visa on arrival + thai double entry tourist visa?

mataleo

[ubonjoe]

One photo for Lao visa and 2 for Thai visa.

[primapagina]

as an integration to the great post at the beginning of this thread I can add something from my Visa run on March 18.

- If you do not leave from Udon Thani airport but from Udon Thani Center (in front of the Central Plaza mall, city center) the bus timetable is attached. Very good service to the bridge, Thai side.

- I was told that the border close at 10 pm. Last time I had to queue for 2 hours. This time it was empty - you never know.

- at the embassy there were 350 persons. In this case you wait 1 hour to file the request plus 1 hour to pay (weird double queue). The day after, 5 minutes to get the passport.

- when you are in Vientiane, renting a scooter is an option to avoid bargaining with the tuk tuk. But they cost more than in Thailand (from 6 Euro per day). They say it is because of the insurance and taxes. Mah.... They want to keep your passport. But obviously you need the passport for the Visa run - you may convince them with a 3000 baht deposit. In the small road in the center (where most of the guesthouses are) Rue Francois Ngin and also the Rue before there are rent a scooter shops. If you drive like in Thailand, mind the police/military behind some corners, they start counting the cash in their mind as soon as they see you (I am Italian, I managed with a long show not to pay).

- other advices - I don't know if I should list commercial places here, but that's it: V Hotel, near the rent a scooter, around 1000 baht per night. More expensive but almost a boutique guesthouse: Beau Rivage, on the riverside, almost at the west end of the road, 2 ams from the center, 50 USD and a nice garden behind the entrance. The popular (between expats) and cheap nice restaurant "Lao Kitchen" and in front of that, the shop Fruit heaven: fruit salads and shakers. Rie Hengboun.

- PS the Ventiane Thai embassy website document list does not include a photocopy of the first page of the passport, but you can do that at the consulate for 5 baht or so.

Edited March 21, 2014 by primapagina

[mataleo]

I recently went vientiane and little que no problem.

What i can add is Nok air is ok and u get van both ways.

I recommend AV Hotel from book.com

Outside embassy taxi sells forms. Even u got ine from consulate web site they say it might be wrong cuz not printed bith sides. Thay lies...

mataleo

[Tomtomtom69]

Was just in Vientiane myself for a double entry TR after having finished up work on a non-B extension that was cancelled a few weeks ago. Originally I was worried this could cause some issues but I worried for nothing (although I could have switched passports in that case as I am a dual citizen, but I would have had to fly into Vientiane to do that and didn't want to fly as I'd rather drive).

On the day of application I went up to where I thought the consular section of the embassy was up on the road connecting Patuxai and Wat Pha That Luang, but after driving up and down the road twice could only spot the Malaysian embassy and what appeared to be where the Thai embassy's consular section used to be located. I last got a visa from Vientiane in December 2006 so naturally assumed everything was still the same! After calling my friend, he advised me that the consular section had moved to "near my hotel" which incidentally was only about 500m from the embassy! I just made it there at 11.20am, shortly before they stop receiving applications for the day. After parking my vehicle, I used the touts to watch over my vehicle and also take photocopies of my passport and fill out the application form. Their handwriting on the form was atrocious and barely legible and they forgot to make a photocopy of my Lao entry stamp. Still, I made it inside around 11.22am and numerous applicants were inside still filling out their forms. So I got a queue number and quickly tidied up my own application.

Application with passport was barely even glanced at, instead the rather surly woman who accepted my application spent more energy on trying to explain to a Russian applicant he had to get a queue number first and rushed me along to get another photocopy of my Lao entry stamp done. With this in hand, I was told to pay the fee inside another building off to the left, where dozens of people were waiting around 11.30am. Within about 10 mins payment was done and I was out the door. Very painless procedure and I don't think there's much need to show up at 8.30am when they open (unless you have something else to do afterwards) like some previous trip reports have suggested - as long as you get in and hand in your application by 11.30 you'll be fine.

Got my visa the next day at 1.45pm and there were only a couple of other people in there along with one guy who was asking about the requirements for a tourist visa.

[Tomtomtom69]

I recently went vientiane and little que no problem.

What i can add is Nok air is ok and u get van both ways.

I recommend AV Hotel from book.com

Outside embassy taxi sells forms. Even u got ine from consulate web site they say it might be wrong cuz not printed bith sides. Thay lies...

mataleo

I found the touts outside to be OK and the forms they use are obtained from inside. I don't think it's necessary to use them though as they often make little mistakes like not photocopying all the required pages of your passport and not filling out the application form properly.

You can of course use your own self-printed forms but in that case why bother with the touts at all.

AV Hotel is indeed a pretty good hotel, but it's a little pricey for what they offer and becoming pricier. The Lao Golden Hotel is probably the best place to stay near the embassy and a little cheaper too but same standard as the AV, even if it's not right in the city (it's only about 2km away though). Plus there's a Pizza Company restaurant directly opposite the embassy and a French place only 100-200m away on the same road as the Lao Golden Hotel (Tat mai road).

[mataleo]

I recently went vientiane and little que no problem.

What i can add is Nok air is ok and u get van both ways.

I recommend AV Hotel from book.com

Outside embassy taxi sells forms. Even u got ine from consulate web site they say it might be wrong cuz not printed bith sides. Thay lies...

mataleo

I found the touts outside to be OK and the forms they use are obtained from inside. I don't think it's necessary to use them though as they often make little mistakes like not photocopying all the required pages of your passport and not filling out the application form properly.

You can of course use your own self-printed forms but in that case why bother with the touts at all.

AV Hotel is indeed a pretty good hotel, but it's a little pricey for what they offer and becoming pricier. The Lao Golden Hotel is probably the best place to stay near the embassy and a little cheaper too but same standard as the AV, even if it's not right in the city (it's only about 2km away though). Plus there's a Pizza Company restaurant directly opposite the embassy and a French place only 100-200m away on the same road as the Lao Golden Hotel (Tat mai road).

Internet form printed as it is is good.

Tax sells forms. Thing is u can walk in and pick form for free even before they open...

AV was cheapest i found on book.com wasnt foo expensive tho..

Got wifi and breakfast.

And if u go by nok air. Hotel is on same rd. As the van to take u back to border.

mataleo

[Tomtomtom69]

I recently went vientiane and little que no problem.

What i can add is Nok air is ok and u get van both ways.

I recommend AV Hotel from book.com

Outside embassy taxi sells forms. Even u got ine from consulate web site they say it might be wrong cuz not printed bith sides. Thay lies...

mataleo

I found the touts outside to be OK and the forms they use are obtained from inside. I don't think it's necessary to use them though as they often make little mistakes like not photocopying all the required pages of your passport and not filling out the application form properly.

You can of course use your own self-printed forms but in that case why bother with the touts at all.

AV Hotel is indeed a pretty good hotel, but it's a little pricey for what they offer and becoming pricier. The Lao Golden Hotel is probably the best place to stay near the embassy and a little cheaper too but same standard as the AV, even if it's not right in the city (it's only about 2km away though). Plus there's a Pizza Company restaurant directly opposite the embassy and a French place only 100-200m away on the same road as the Lao Golden Hotel (Tat mai road).

Internet form printed as it is is good.

Tax sells forms. Thing is u can walk in and pick form for free even before they open...

AV was cheapest i found on book.com wasnt foo expensive tho..

Got wifi and breakfast.

And if u go by nok air. Hotel is on same rd. As the van to take u back to border.

mataleo

The AV normally charges around 1050-1100 Baht but last week was about 1200 on Agoda.com. Whereas the Lao Golden Hotel was only around 948 on Agoda and I managed to bargain the price down from the initially quoted 1200 Baht down to 1000 and then finally 950 (I stayed 4 nights). Another guy I met whom I recommended the hotel to stayed just one night and paid 1000, so that seems to be the standard rate there.

[Dannyboy6]

Is it vietnaine more fun then savannakhet?

mataleo

yes yes yes

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[mataleo]

Vietnaine was quiet..

Looking forward going to Hong Kong in may to activate 2 entry..

mataleo

[Scarpolo]

Vietnaine was quiet..

Looking forward going to Hong Kong in may to activate 2 entry..

mataleo

Were you by the water?

by the night bazaar?

[mataleo]

Sure

mataleo

[Scarpolo]

Sure

mataleo

compared to thailand,

ventianne is asleep

[newyorkerinbkk]

Hey, always wondered about one thing. After getting the tourist visa in VTE, is it necessary to return to Thailand by air to get the 60 days or can I return by land? I know with no visa, either get 15 or 30 days on land entry, but I assume the visa over-rides this regardless of land entry? Thanks