If travelling from Bangkok whats the best option Vientiane or Savvannakhet to get a double entry tourist visa. Looking for the least hassle and don't mind paying slightly more to have less hassle.

Savannakhet is less busy and they do the visa on the same day you apply. Apply by 11 am and pickup your passport at 3:30 pm.

Sadly that Savanvegas not offer longer the Visa serivce. That was very nice and easy.

But yes, Savannakhet is much more relaxer.

What's the best airlines to fly with and how far is the Embassy from the airport?

Since we were discussing mostly Savannakhet I assume you asking about the consulate there. The embassy is in Vientiane.

Lao Airways has flights from BKK to Savannakhet

Nok Air and Air Asia has a fly.ride service to Mukdahan via Nakhon Phanom.

You then take the bus from Mukdahan across the bridge to Savannakhet.

There are several topics about getting visas in Savannakhet on the forum.

I have done some more research and I can get a cheap flight with Airasia to Udon Thani from Phuket that arrives at 4.25pm. Its a lot nearer to go to Vientiane than Savvannakhet. If I arrive at 4.25pm will it be to late to get a Laos Visa?

At the bridge in Nong Kai the Lao visa on arrival office is open until 10 pm.

What currencies do they accept for the Laos Visa and is there many buses per day that leave Udon Thani Airport for the bridge in Nong Kai.

The accept US dollars (see http://www.laos-guide-999.com/visa-on-arrival.html ) or 1500 baht for the Lao visa on arrival. You will need one photo for the application.

Their are vans going to the bridge in Nong Kai on a regular basis from the airport.

if you pay in US dollar, you pay 30 or 40$, cheaper than 1500 bahts . no hassle, you can do all by yourself.

Edited December 2, 201411 yr by Digitalnomade

At the bridge in Nong Kai the Lao visa on arrival office is open until 10 pm.

What times is the office open too at the weekends? I looked at the Laos Guide but couldn't see times.

It is the same every day of the week.

It is the same every day of the week.

Ok thanks. sorry for all the questions. I just wanted to know roughly how much it costs & how long it takes for a van to travel from the airport at Udon Thani to the bridge in Nong Kai and the same from the bridge in Nong Kai to Vientiane.

udon to border =50minutes to 1 hour by minibus (50 to 70 bahts)

border to Vientiane =15 to 20 minutes (100 to 150 bahts)

Can anyone confirm that the same day service is no longer available in Savannakhet for tourist visa as stated in the 3rd post? Did/does it cost extra? Thanks

Can anyone confirm that the same day service is no longer available in Savannakhet for tourist visa as stated in the 3rd post? Did/does it cost extra? Thanks

That post was about a casino that did visa run services not the consulate.

It is still same day service for visas at the consulate.

Can anyone confirm that the same day service is no longer available in Savannakhet for tourist visa as stated in the 3rd post? Did/does it cost extra? Thanks

That post was about a casino that did visa run services not the consulate.

It is still same day service for visas at the consulate.

Ah ok. Thank you

At the bridge in Nong Kai the Lao visa on arrival office is open until 10 pm.

On the return part of the journey what's the earliest I exit Laos and get my passport stamped.

The bridge opens at 6 am.

if you cross bridge before 8am, you pay 40 bahts.

I read there can be delays for people crossing the border from Thailand to Laos as most people will be applying for visa's. If I cross back from Laos to Thailand about 10am what's the queue's like?

no queue, because they give visa at 2 pm.

no queue, because they give visa at 2 pm.

I was going to pick up passport at 2pm and planned to stay in Vientiane for another night and return the next morning. I haven't been to Udon Thani or Vientiane but thought it would be better to stay another night in Vientiane rather that stay near to Udon Thani Airport. Staying another night because after I pick the passport up I wont have time to get the airasia flght that day.

no queue these days, don't worry.

don't stay in Vientiane, you can stay at top mension in udon and take a taxi bike next day for airport for 100 baths.

top mension is a nice hotel (450 bahts) near bus station and bars around and shopping center with fast foods. (5 minutes walk).

near top mension, there is an Irish pub with good breakfast.

top mension reservation :

087-923-8383

Edited December 5, 201411 yr by Digitalnomade

...if expenses for a flight do not matter; why don't you just fly from BKK to VTE (Vientiane)?

We just came back from this kind of VISA trip and it was a relaxed one. You can check my short report here:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/760970-ed-visaextension-cut-unexpectedly-from-15-to-12-months-how-to-legally-come-back-short-time/#entry8760701

And if time doesn't matter too, don't rush it but enjoy your stay there...

no queue these days, don't worry.

don't stay in Vientiane, you can stay at top mension in udon and take a taxi bike next day for airport for 100 baths.

top mension is a nice hotel (450 bahts) near bus station and bars around and shopping center with fast foods. (5 minutes walk).

near top mension, there is an Irish pub with good breakfast.

top mension reservation :

087-923-8383

I read a few posts were people said that Vientiane was there favorite city in south east asia so thought it would be better to spend time there than near to the airport in Udon Thani.

...if expenses for a flight do not matter; why don't you just fly from BKK to VTE (Vientiane)?

We just came back from this kind of VISA trip and it was a relaxed one. You can check my short report here:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/760970-ed-visaextension-cut-unexpectedly-from-15-to-12-months-how-to-legally-come-back-short-time/#entry8760701

And if time doesn't matter too, don't rush it but enjoy your stay there...

After I did some more research I realized I could fly from Phuket to Udon Thani. I don't really want to take 2 flights if I can only take 1. Thanks for the info.

I just came back from Vientiane with a new double entry visa. No problems at all. About 700 peoples in the queue. It was my worst visarun ever.

For people who want to apply a 3rd or 4th visa there, they should show up a rental-contract for their house or condo and the bankbook with at least 40 000 Baht for each month. 6 months x 40 000 = 240 000 Baht. This money should be in the bank account for the previous 6 months. It's not necessary that the money came by a bank wire from abroad. I asked this, because i brought Euros from my home country in cash to Thailand.

That' said; stay as long you want, as long you provide the embassy with the right paperwork. Much better then the ed-visa thing....

I just came back from Vientiane with a new double entry visa. No problems at all. About 700 peoples in the queue. It was my worst visarun ever.

For people who want to apply a 3rd or 4th visa there, they should show up a rental-contract for their house or condo and the bankbook with at least 40 000 Baht for each month. 6 months x 40 000 = 240 000 Baht. This money should be in the bank account for the previous 6 months. It's not necessary that the money came by a bank wire from abroad. I asked this, because i brought Euros from my home country in cash to Thailand.

That' said; stay as long you want, as long you provide the embassy with the right paperwork. Much better then the ed-visa thing....

This makes little sense to me.

Firstly, why would a tourist be renting a house or a condo long term? Surely a genuine tourist will be moving around quite a bit and won't be getting contracts on a condo. Maybe a hotel/guesthouse.

Secondly, those figures are ridiculous. 40k per month? The border crossing only asks for 20k per entry which is 2 months.

A double entry tourist visa only lasts 4 months unless you extend it so that 240k figure goes out the window straight away.

Something doesn't add up here. Who gave you this information? A tout or the actual embassy?

Did you just happen to take proof of these requirements along with you just in case?

I got this informations from my visa agent. I know him since 7 years. He have plenty of experience in these things. So, believe it or not. I do. Two times a week he escort groups trough the entire visa run process.

Ubonjoe gave in some threads the same advise, although he didn't mention a specific amount of money.

Yes, i did all my previous TR double entry visa extend on the Immigration. Extend 30 days for every entry.

For my last trip, i didn't take the proof of these requirements since it was only the second visa from Vientiane on the current passport. Next time i will go to Savannakhet which will break the chain on back to back visas from Vientiane. But this is not the reason why i will go to Savannakhet. The reason is, the recently trip to Vientiane was messed up. The embassy was completely overcrowd. Then the same thing next day at the border. I got a queue number above 670.

Eventually, i stay already 7 1/2 years in Thailand on TR visa. Nothing wrong with that, since i don't work anything and never do overstay.

Check this thread: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/755832-problems-with-tourist-visa-in-vientiane-laos/

Actually it says the same thing...

A friend/neighbor came back from Vientiane last week. After a visa run. He got his Tourist visa but also two stamps in his passport:

1. The holder of this passport travels to Thailand under a tourist visa several times which may result in the refusal of a visa in the future.

2. Proofs of Residence and financial income are required next time

Edited December 9, 201411 yr by alocacoc