Are there different visa options for Laotian people compared to Farangs?

[Tomtomtom69]

I remember when I could go from Thailand to Laos and never had to show a thing!

Laos is a much poorer developing country than Thailand and they have no incentives to make it more difficult for foreigners to enter their country, so naturally removing barriers to entry is one of these steps. What do you think the visa-on-arrival is all about? Apart from a few countries that enjoy visa-free access due in part to either bilateral agreements or good terms with the Lao government (e.g. Swiss, Russian, Luxembourg, South Korean and Japanese citizens as well as citizens of ASEAN nations) the idea behind the VOA in Laos is to raise hard currency for the government. Even if you come and go continuously on visa runs, the Lao government will be more than happy to welcome you and your US$20-42 depending on your country of citizenship. I know one US citizen who has been living in Laos for a couple of years now doing 30 day visa runs to Nong Khai to extend his stay. Unlike if he lived in Thailand, he can continue to do these visa runs without any problem since Laos will always welcome him back.

[brewsterbudgen]

Are the rules for Laotian, Cambodian and Burmese people going to change when the new ASEAN agreement comes into effect on 01-01-2015? And how about the other nationalities of the ASEAN member states? Will they still need a visa to come and live in Thailand after 01-01-2015? Does anybody know?

Of course they will still need a visa to live here. Nothing much will change under AEC, which BTW starts on 31-12-2015, not 01-01. Only a few professional jobs will be more open to ASEAN nationals than now. If AEC allowed for freedom of movement like the EU, expect half of Vietnam to live in Singapore and Malaysia, Indonesians will mostly be in Singapore and Malaysia too and so will the Thais. Yeah right, like that's going to happen...

Except until now, Lao citizens have enjoyed unrestricted 30-day access to Thailand without the need for a visa. Most of the Laos I know have been doing monthly in-out border runs for years without any hassle. This looks like it might change with the new restrictions, but maybe Laos will be treated differently...

Why would they be treated differently? The articles I've read clearly state that Lao citizens are being targeted. There are already plenty of visa options available to them - they can get a migrant labour visa for unskilled work or a student visa for studying etc. Those that aren't eligible or don't want to play by the rules will likely go underground and continue to live here illegally.

The unrestricted 30-day access to Thailand has been abused by citizens of many countries, including Laos. Those days are about to end. Please read the associated articles again.

As I said, it looks like it might change.

[hgma]

My Wife is Lao

My Kids Dutch

For the last 10 years my wife and kids life with me on a Non O depended extension based on extension of stay on my part.

That means re-entry visas and paperwork.

Money and visas for Laos

Now........for the last 10 years many foreigners have called me a fool, citing the money and the haslle which they (with a Lao wife on a 'walk in' visa didn't have)

Since I want to have a 'normal' functioning' family i stuck to my principle.......The Law is my shepard'

Result

My wife has a drivers licence

we have house registration

Kids are accepted at private school

My wife drives and owns motor cycle and car

We function, within the legal frame work the Thai immigration has given us.

Life is all abut choices.

Thanks. Marriage seems to be the only option, if Laos passport holders are not going to continue to be allowed unlimited 30-day access. Not wanting to sidetrack this thread, but I'm hesitant about marrying my Lao girlfriend because of the difficulties in doing so. Is it really such a complicated, lengthy and expensive process as many have described? Did you marry in Laos or Thailand or Netherlands?

It is NOT a difficult process , one has to know what is expected.

marriage INside Laos is preferrable, and done with a Lao marriage broker.

Price around 1500 $ US

ALL within the framework of the Lao PDR.

PM me for further details (NO commission asked on my part whatsoever!)

HGMA

Edited May 19, 2014 by ubonjoe
moved reply from quoted text

[Gutterboy]

Laos girlfriend just did a visa run through NongKhai (yesterday) with a passport full of back-to-back 30-day stamps. No problems, no questions, nothing. She is convinced these new changes are "only for farang".

Will be interested if this will change for her on August 12th and would also be interested to know how AEC will affect her rights to live/work in Thailand.

By the way can also confirm what HGMA says above: marriage in Laos is not that difficult but you do need to fork out around $1500.

[Mario2008]

The AEC does have no effect on visas for naionals of memberstates. It does not entitle freedom of movement within the AEC.

[brewsterbudgen]

Laos girlfriend just did a visa run through NongKhai (yesterday) with a passport full of back-to-back 30-day stamps. No problems, no questions, nothing. She is convinced these new changes are "only for farang".

Will be interested if this will change for her on August 12th and would also be interested to know how AEC will affect her rights to live/work in Thailand.

By the way can also confirm what HGMA says above: marriage in Laos is not that difficult but you do need to fork out around $1500.

A Lao friend of mine also did a Pattaya-Cambodia border run yesterday (as she's been doing for 5 years continuously) and there were no problems or any indications that the rules are changing. But, like you, I fear that it will change come August and your girlfriend's optimism that it's just for farangs is misplaced! I hope I'm wrong.

hgma has kindly said I can PM him with questions about the process of marrying a Lao girl, which I will be doing if I decide to proceed that way.

Good luck to you and your Lao girlfriend!

Edited May 20, 2014 by brewsterbudgen

[samran]

Laos girlfriend just did a visa run through NongKhai (yesterday) with a passport full of back-to-back 30-day stamps. No problems, no questions, nothing. She is convinced these new changes are "only for farang".

Will be interested if this will change for her on August 12th and would also be interested to know how AEC will affect her rights to live/work in Thailand.

By the way can also confirm what HGMA says above: marriage in Laos is not that difficult but you do need to fork out around $1500.

I posted but was quickly closed that the friendship bridge had no problems except with Koreans.

[Tomtomtom69]

Laotians get 30 days because of a bilateral agreement that also allows Thai's to enter Laos for 30 days. I am not sure that immigration will be as tough on them as others. I am sure there are lot of Thai's that are using it for business reasons. It they did it might result in Laos doing the same to Thai's.

There is a difference between coming and going for a few days, even if it's every other week and staying here continuously on 30-day visa exempt entries. A Lao citizen on continuous 30-day visa exempt entries will likely be subject to more scrutiny as the articles I have read on the subject matter have stated. Those types of "visitors" aren't really visitors, whether on business or pleasure, but de-facto residents. The former group of visitors is legitimate though.

[Tomtomtom69]

Laos girlfriend just did a visa run through NongKhai (yesterday) with a passport full of back-to-back 30-day stamps. No problems, no questions, nothing. She is convinced these new changes are "only for farang".

Will be interested if this will change for her on August 12th and would also be interested to know how AEC will affect her rights to live/work in Thailand.

By the way can also confirm what HGMA says above: marriage in Laos is not that difficult but you do need to fork out around $1500.

A Lao friend of mine also did a Pattaya-Cambodia border run yesterday (as she's been doing for 5 years continuously) and there were no problems or any indications that the rules are changing. But, like you, I fear that it will change come August and your girlfriend's optimism that it's just for farangs is misplaced! I hope I'm wrong.

hgma has kindly said I can PM him with questions about the process of marrying a Lao girl, which I will be doing if I decide to proceed that way.

Good luck to you and your Lao girlfriend!

Gutterboy, your girlfriend is thinking the wrong way. If she continues to live here on 30-day exempt stamps there may be a problem. Just because she wasn't "caught" now, doesn't mean she won't be caught on her next re-entry. After all, most foreigners from various countries are still able to make border runs without being questioned (there have only been a few cases where they have been questioned and often previous overstays and other issues were the problem), and in many cases it also depends on the border being used. I've found officials at Nong Khai to be friendlier than at some other crossings, despite being the most important crossing between Thailand and it's neighboring country and due to the workload they have at times, they aren't going to be going through every traveler's passport with scrutiny. Therefore this whole crackdown is probably not nearly as bad as many foreigners are making it out to be.

If you may refer your girlfriend to the articles on TV (and Bangkok Post) that clearly single out Russians, South Koreans, Vietnamese, Brazilians and yes, Laotians. No need to make up things as you go along - Lao citizens were mentioned (not "farangs"). Indeed, on another thread a poster even asked immigration at Mae Sai if doing a border run there would be OK and the response was "no problem, you're Canadian, we have problems with other nations!" Having said that, all foreigners should be wary but to suggest that Laotians are somehow magically OK compared to other nationals when they have specifically been mentioned is a dangerous and totally incorrect assumption to make.

Indeed, the Thai government has little incentive to allow Lao nationals to stay in Thailand long term except for those on migrant labour visas. Thailand's relationship with Laos is generally fairly good (unlike about 25 years ago when a border war was fought), but most of the connections between Thailand and Laos these days are based on ethnic, linguistic and other social and cultural ties, as well as business ties not so much government ties (the Lao government has closer ties to the Vietnamese and increasingly Chinese governments, yet neither country has given Lao citizens the right to just settle down in their respective countries, nor is there any plan to do so - if anything the Lao government is more likely to accept Chinese and Vietnamese residents in it's country than the other way round).

To both posters: it shouldn't be difficult to obtain a proper visa for your girlfriends' stay to not have to deal with the uncertainty of border runs - that's no way to live a life in a foreign country long term.

[brewsterbudgen]

Laos girlfriend just did a visa run through NongKhai (yesterday) with a passport full of back-to-back 30-day stamps. No problems, no questions, nothing. She is convinced these new changes are "only for farang".

Will be interested if this will change for her on August 12th and would also be interested to know how AEC will affect her rights to live/work in Thailand.

By the way can also confirm what HGMA says above: marriage in Laos is not that difficult but you do need to fork out around $1500.

A Lao friend of mine also did a Pattaya-Cambodia border run yesterday (as she's been doing for 5 years continuously) and there were no problems or any indications that the rules are changing. But, like you, I fear that it will change come August and your girlfriend's optimism that it's just for farangs is misplaced! I hope I'm wrong.

hgma has kindly said I can PM him with questions about the process of marrying a Lao girl, which I will be doing if I decide to proceed that way.

Good luck to you and your Lao girlfriend!

Gutterboy, your girlfriend is thinking the wrong way. If she continues to live here on 30-day exempt stamps there may be a problem. Just because she wasn't "caught" now, doesn't mean she won't be caught on her next re-entry. After all, most foreigners from various countries are still able to make border runs without being questioned (there have only been a few cases where they have been questioned and often previous overstays and other issues were the problem), and in many cases it also depends on the border being used. I've found officials at Nong Khai to be friendlier than at some other crossings, despite being the most important crossing between Thailand and it's neighboring country and due to the workload they have at times, they aren't going to be going through every traveler's passport with scrutiny. Therefore this whole crackdown is probably not nearly as bad as many foreigners are making it out to be.

If you may refer your girlfriend to the articles on TV (and Bangkok Post) that clearly single out Russians, South Koreans, Vietnamese, Brazilians and yes, Laotians. No need to make up things as you go along - Lao citizens were mentioned (not "farangs"). Indeed, on another thread a poster even asked immigration at Mae Sai if doing a border run there would be OK and the response was "no problem, you're Canadian, we have problems with other nations!" Having said that, all foreigners should be wary but to suggest that Laotians are somehow magically OK compared to other nationals when they have specifically been mentioned is a dangerous and totally incorrect assumption to make.

Indeed, the Thai government has little incentive to allow Lao nationals to stay in Thailand long term except for those on migrant labour visas. Thailand's relationship with Laos is generally fairly good (unlike about 25 years ago when a border war was fought), but most of the connections between Thailand and Laos these days are based on ethnic, linguistic and other social and cultural ties, as well as business ties not so much government ties (the Lao government has closer ties to the Vietnamese and increasingly Chinese governments, yet neither country has given Lao citizens the right to just settle down in their respective countries, nor is there any plan to do so - if anything the Lao government is more likely to accept Chinese and Vietnamese residents in it's country than the other way round).

To both posters: it shouldn't be difficult to obtain a proper visa for your girlfriends' stay to not have to deal with the uncertainty of border runs - that's no way to live a life in a foreign country long term.

What would be the proper visa for a Lao citizen, not working but living with and being supported by her foreign boyfriend (not married)?

I think you're right and the 30-day continuous border run for Lao citizens will be stopped; but it will affect a lot of people.

[brewsterbudgen]

I've had my first report of a Lao girl only being stamped in for 7 days at the Cambodian border. She's been doing 30-day border runs for years and has a Thai boyfriend. Word from her "sisters" is that other border crossings are happily still giving a 30-day stamp, so she's going to try there!

[Gutterboy]

Laos girlfriend just did a visa run through NongKhai (yesterday) with a passport full of back-to-back 30-day stamps. No problems, no questions, nothing. She is convinced these new changes are "only for farang".

Will be interested if this will change for her on August 12th and would also be interested to know how AEC will affect her rights to live/work in Thailand.

By the way can also confirm what HGMA says above: marriage in Laos is not that difficult but you do need to fork out around $1500.

A Lao friend of mine also did a Pattaya-Cambodia border run yesterday (as she's been doing for 5 years continuously) and there were no problems or any indications that the rules are changing. But, like you, I fear that it will change come August and your girlfriend's optimism that it's just for farangs is misplaced! I hope I'm wrong.

hgma has kindly said I can PM him with questions about the process of marrying a Lao girl, which I will be doing if I decide to proceed that way.

Good luck to you and your Lao girlfriend!

Gutterboy, your girlfriend is thinking the wrong way. If she continues to live here on 30-day exempt stamps there may be a problem. Just because she wasn't "caught" now, doesn't mean she won't be caught on her next re-entry. After all, most foreigners from various countries are still able to make border runs without being questioned (there have only been a few cases where they have been questioned and often previous overstays and other issues were the problem), and in many cases it also depends on the border being used. I've found officials at Nong Khai to be friendlier than at some other crossings, despite being the most important crossing between Thailand and it's neighboring country and due to the workload they have at times, they aren't going to be going through every traveler's passport with scrutiny. Therefore this whole crackdown is probably not nearly as bad as many foreigners are making it out to be.

If you may refer your girlfriend to the articles on TV (and Bangkok Post) that clearly single out Russians, South Koreans, Vietnamese, Brazilians and yes, Laotians. No need to make up things as you go along - Lao citizens were mentioned (not "farangs"). Indeed, on another thread a poster even asked immigration at Mae Sai if doing a border run there would be OK and the response was "no problem, you're Canadian, we have problems with other nations!" Having said that, all foreigners should be wary but to suggest that Laotians are somehow magically OK compared to other nationals when they have specifically been mentioned is a dangerous and totally incorrect assumption to make.

Indeed, the Thai government has little incentive to allow Lao nationals to stay in Thailand long term except for those on migrant labour visas. Thailand's relationship with Laos is generally fairly good (unlike about 25 years ago when a border war was fought), but most of the connections between Thailand and Laos these days are based on ethnic, linguistic and other social and cultural ties, as well as business ties not so much government ties (the Lao government has closer ties to the Vietnamese and increasingly Chinese governments, yet neither country has given Lao citizens the right to just settle down in their respective countries, nor is there any plan to do so - if anything the Lao government is more likely to accept Chinese and Vietnamese residents in it's country than the other way round).

To both posters: it shouldn't be difficult to obtain a proper visa for your girlfriends' stay to not have to deal with the uncertainty of border runs - that's no way to live a life in a foreign country long term.

What would be the proper visa for a Lao citizen, not working but living with and being supported by her foreign boyfriend (not married)?

I think you're right and the 30-day continuous border run for Lao citizens will be stopped; but it will affect a lot of people.

Well tomtomtom69 you were right! Lao girlfriend just had a very hard time coming back through BKK after a short holiday in Vietnam. The sneaky fackers tried to get her to confess that she is working (she's not) and would not accept that she is living with a farang boyfriend (she is). They even said "just tell us where you're working and we'll let you in". They did finally give her 30 days but told her that her days of visa exemptions are over and she must apply for the proper visa next time.

My question, also posed by brewsterbudgen above, is what visa is there for Lao citizens in this situation (living with partner but not working and not married)? Looks like there isn't one and that marriage with "dependant visa" is the only way, ie coming in on the back of my business visa. Anyone know?

Edited July 6, 2014 by Gutterboy

[ubonjoe]

A tourist visa might do it for a while. Or going to school and getting an ED visa and then extensions.

[brewsterbudgen]

My Laos friends in Pattaya are currently still getting their 30-day stamp at the Cambodian border. The GF is due to do a Pattaya/Cambodia border run on Wednesday, so we'll see how that goes.

[brewsterbudgen]

Update. Today my girlfriend and a group of her Lao friends and relatives all successfully entered Thailand from Laos at the Chong Mek border with a 30-day stamp, despite all of them having passports with many years worth of in-out stamps.

Any reports of Laos successfully doing in-out border runs to Cambodia from Bangkok or Pattaya?

[lovelaos]

I'm in Laos and starting to hear stories of Laotians returning home after being denied entry to Thailand.

Of course, many will cross the Mekhong illegally on a boat now.

[brewsterbudgen]

I'm in Laos and starting to hear stories of Laotians returning home after being denied entry to Thailand.

Of course, many will cross the Mekhong illegally on a boat now.

I was quite surprised they were all allowed in, as they all had years worth of in-out stamps and all of them have been living (and working) in Thailand. After 12 August it will no doubt change and they won't be able to do in-out border runs. I think most of them will risk overstaying rather than return to Laos.

[Tomtomtom69]

I'm in Laos and starting to hear stories of Laotians returning home after being denied entry to Thailand.

Of course, many will cross the Mekhong illegally on a boat now.

I was quite surprised they were all allowed in, as they all had years worth of in-out stamps and all of them have been living (and working) in Thailand. After 12 August it will no doubt change and they won't be able to do in-out border runs. I think most of them will risk overstaying rather than return to Laos.

That's the thing, I suspected that officials at numerous border crossings have been lenient so far, but now even the more lenient crossings may be starting to crack down in line with the directive handed down from the government. As already mentioned, there is clearly a difference between a Laotian citizen that has been spending virtually the full 30 days of most or all entries in Thailand and then re-entering on back-to-back entries to continue a seemingly unlimited time in Thailand without an appropriate visa and those Lao citizens that drive their cars across the border or catch an international bus into Thailand for a day or a couple of days of shopping or short term business and then returning.

The latter group should not be affected by the crackdown as they aren't living in Thailand. Judging by the large number of Lao registered cars driving all the way down to Khon Kaen on a recent trip to Nong Khai (or in the reverse direction, where I counted 8 Lao registered cars driving between Khon Kaen and Udon Thani, as well as numerous Lao cars parked at Central Khon Kaen, so a record number compared to the past when one would only rarely see Lao cars driving south of Udon...OK maybe I shouldn't be looking over at the other lane when I'm driving too much) but it does confirm that legitimate Lao visitors are still able to come as before, but not the visa (or should I say border) runners.

[brewsterbudgen]

I'm in Laos and starting to hear stories of Laotians returning home after being denied entry to Thailand.

Of course, many will cross the Mekhong illegally on a boat now.

I was quite surprised they were all allowed in, as they all had years worth of in-out stamps and all of them have been living (and working) in Thailand. After 12 August it will no doubt change and they won't be able to do in-out border runs. I think most of them will risk overstaying rather than return to Laos.

That's the thing, I suspected that officials at numerous border crossings have been lenient so far, but now even the more lenient crossings may be starting to crack down in line with the directive handed down from the government. As already mentioned, there is clearly a difference between a Laotian citizen that has been spending virtually the full 30 days of most or all entries in Thailand and then re-entering on back-to-back entries to continue a seemingly unlimited time in Thailand without an appropriate visa and those Lao citizens that drive their cars across the border or catch an international bus into Thailand for a day or a couple of days of shopping or short term business and then returning.

The latter group should not be affected by the crackdown as they aren't living in Thailand. Judging by the large number of Lao registered cars driving all the way down to Khon Kaen on a recent trip to Nong Khai (or in the reverse direction, where I counted 8 Lao registered cars driving between Khon Kaen and Udon Thani, as well as numerous Lao cars parked at Central Khon Kaen, so a record number compared to the past when one would only rarely see Lao cars driving south of Udon...OK maybe I shouldn't be looking over at the other lane when I'm driving too much) but it does confirm that legitimate Lao visitors are still able to come as before, but not the visa (or should I say border) runners.

You're probably right, but so far all the Laos I know are still able to do their 30 day runs.

Sent from my GT-S7270L using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[brewsterbudgen]

Well tomtomtom69 you were right! Lao girlfriend just had a very hard time coming back through BKK after a short holiday in Vietnam. The sneaky fackers tried to get her to confess that she is working (she's not) and would not accept that she is living with a farang boyfriend (she is). They even said "just tell us where you're working and we'll let you in". They did finally give her 30 days but told her that her days of visa exemptions are over and she must apply for the proper visa next time.

My question, also posed by brewsterbudgen above, is what visa is there for Lao citizens in this situation (living with partner but not working and not married)? Looks like there isn't one and that marriage with "dependant visa" is the only way, ie coming in on the back of my business visa. Anyone know?

I'm looking at an Ed. Visa for my Lao GF, although currently most Laos still seem to be getting a 30-day stamp at the Cambodian border on a Pattaya border run.

Edited July 21, 2014 by brewsterbudgen

[brewsterbudgen]

Many Laotians living in Thailand seem to be able to register as "workers" and receive a card/permit to entitle them to work in Thailand. It appears to be a straightforward process, without checks on what the actual work is, as long as there is a Thai "employer".

Does anyone know what restrictions there are, fees involved and how it is extended or renewed?