Info regarding Vientiane visa agents

[maanoi]

Just letting people know that agents are now unable to apply on your behalf and also unable to pick up your passport on your behalf.

All they can do for you now is reserve a spot in the queue (for when you apply) - This is still nice as you will be in and out of there in under 20mins. But make sure you a paying them accordingly for this service only.

Don't let them tell you they can pick up your passport. They can't.

Previously there had been reports of agents picking the passport up from the hotel and then dropping it off the next day with the visa - This is no longer possible.

Edited April 25, 2015 by maanoi

[willyumiii]

It was possible in the past.

I did it four years ago and it went very smoothly.

It was a good service...to bad it is no longer available.

Vientiane was a nice city to knock around in while I was waiting.

Edited April 25, 2015 by willyumiii

[john_bkk919]

OP, you checked with other agents right?

About a year ago the agent I used tried to get me to stand in line for some reason or other. When I told him that wasn't the deal we struck, he gave in but acted all put out about it. My impression at the time was he was just trying to get me to do as much of the work as possible and still collect the fee. He didn't feel like explaining so I just said 'no'.

What's the price for the new service and how do you know when your number will come up? Do you have to hang around the street in front of the consular section all day?

[maanoi]

OP, you checked with other agents right?

About a year ago the agent I used tried to get me to stand in line for some reason or other. When I told him that wasn't the deal we struck, he gave in but acted all put out about it. My impression at the time was he was just trying to get me to do as much of the work as possible and still collect the fee. He didn't feel like explaining so I just said 'no'.

What's the price for the new service and how do you know when your number will come up? Do you have to hang around the street in front of the consular section all day?

I checked with 2 agents. Both of them said that the embassy now has a camera that takes your photo when you apply. So it has to be you, not an agent.

The agent will reserve you a spot at the front (or dam near) of the queue. You turn up at 8.25am (gates open at 8.30am). Walk in and get your queue number, I got number 3. I barely sat down for 1 min before they called the first group of 10. I was back in my taxi by 8.45am.

How much this service is worth? Depends if the agent is including the taxi fare from your hotel to the embassy. I would guess maybe 3-500Baht with no taxi. When I payed for mine it included taxi trips.

Also I kinda got scammed, because he initially said that he would pick up the passport from the embassy with my new visa and deliver it to my hotel. But what actually happened was, he picked me up at 2pm from my hotel, took me to the embassy and I had to walk inside to get it.

I'm kinda confused when you say your agent made you stand in the queue. What were you paying him for?

[john_bkk919]

I didn't end up standing in the queue; but that was my thought as well at the time - what am I paying for if it's me standing here? Later somebody told me that what the agent wanted was for me to get a queue number. And then he would do the application and later pick up the passport. But the agent didn't feel like explaining that so I didn't try to understand.

When I first met this guy I was really adamant about not wanting any part in the process. Everything agreed and then he tried to lead me inside and tell me to queue. When I said hey buddy what's going on, he just kind of waved his arms around and sucked his teeth. So I told him it's either what we agreed or nothing. Then he was back to OK OK.

Later the gf overheard a few of the agents arguing about how much to try to chisel the customers - basically, how much is too much. 'Oh your photo was wrong I had to pay a shop to fix it; no, I don't remember which shop.' Things like that, or rolling back the service level.

At the end of the day I got the visa without standing in the sun for hours so mission accomplished.

Thanks for the note on prices. I paid something similar, but I don't remember exactly the fee.

Did you get the passport back the same day or is it still the next afternoon?

Edited April 25, 2015 by john_bkk919

[Kitsune]

So it's 3500TH to just get a favorable queue ticket ?

Edited April 26, 2015 by Kitsune

[maanoi]

Did you get the passport back the same day or is it still the next afternoon?

Next day.

[maanoi]

So it's 3500TH to just get a favorable queue ticket ?

No. 3 to 500 baht seems fair I think. More if it includes the taxi.

[eaglesflight]

OP, you checked with other agents right?

About a year ago the agent I used tried to get me to stand in line for some reason or other. When I told him that wasn't the deal we struck, he gave in but acted all put out about it. My impression at the time was he was just trying to get me to do as much of the work as possible and still collect the fee. He didn't feel like explaining so I just said 'no'.

What's the price for the new service and how do you know when your number will come up? Do you have to hang around the street in front of the consular section all day?

I checked with 2 agents. Both of them said that the embassy now has a camera that takes your photo when you apply. So it has to be you, not an agent.

The agent will reserve you a spot at the front (or dam near) of the queue. You turn up at 8.25am (gates open at 8.30am). Walk in and get your queue number, I got number 3. I barely sat down for 1 min before they called the first group of 10. I was back in my taxi by 8.45am.

How much this service is worth? Depends if the agent is including the taxi fare from your hotel to the embassy. I would guess maybe 3-500Baht with no taxi. When I payed for mine it included taxi trips.

Also I kinda got scammed, because he initially said that he would pick up the passport from the embassy with my new visa and deliver it to my hotel. But what actually happened was, he picked me up at 2pm from my hotel, took me to the embassy and I had to walk inside to get it.

I'm kinda confused when you say your agent made you stand in the queue. What were you paying him for?

If you turn up at 08.25 and walk in at 08.30 with ticket no. 3 (or similar) does this mean you actually have to meet the agent the day before to arrange this service?

[maanoi]

OP, you checked with other agents right?

About a year ago the agent I used tried to get me to stand in line for some reason or other. When I told him that wasn't the deal we struck, he gave in but acted all put out about it. My impression at the time was he was just trying to get me to do as much of the work as possible and still collect the fee. He didn't feel like explaining so I just said 'no'.

What's the price for the new service and how do you know when your number will come up? Do you have to hang around the street in front of the consular section all day?

I checked with 2 agents. Both of them said that the embassy now has a camera that takes your photo when you apply. So it has to be you, not an agent.

The agent will reserve you a spot at the front (or dam near) of the queue. You turn up at 8.25am (gates open at 8.30am). Walk in and get your queue number, I got number 3. I barely sat down for 1 min before they called the first group of 10. I was back in my taxi by 8.45am.

How much this service is worth? Depends if the agent is including the taxi fare from your hotel to the embassy. I would guess maybe 3-500Baht with no taxi. When I payed for mine it included taxi trips.

Also I kinda got scammed, because he initially said that he would pick up the passport from the embassy with my new visa and deliver it to my hotel. But what actually happened was, he picked me up at 2pm from my hotel, took me to the embassy and I had to walk inside to get it.

I'm kinda confused when you say your agent made you stand in the queue. What were you paying him for?

If you turn up at 08.25 and walk in at 08.30 with ticket no. 3 (or similar) does this mean you actually have to meet the agent the day before to arrange this service?

Yes

[eaglesflight]

Thanks for the info. Doesn't sound like a useful service though. You need to spend another night in Vientiane (i.e. two nights instead of one), just to save a little time standing outside the consulate.

[Kitsune]

Thanks for the info. Doesn't sound like a useful service though. You need to spend another night in Vientiane (i.e. two nights instead of one), just to save a little time standing outside the consulate.

That's exactly what I thought.

It would make more sense to offer them on the day where the queue is for people who came late.

[nazree360]

Got mine done two months ago they picked it up for us while we waited at the border.....

[maanoi]

Thanks for the info. Doesn't sound like a useful service though. You need to spend another night in Vientiane (i.e. two nights instead of one), just to save a little time standing outside the consulate.

That's exactly what I thought.

It would make more sense to offer them on the day where the queue is for people who came late.

For people that fly into Ubon they have to arrive the day before applying yes?

[eaglesflight]

Thanks for the info. Doesn't sound like a useful service though. You need to spend another night in Vientiane (i.e. two nights instead of one), just to save a little time standing outside the consulate.

That's exactly what I thought.

It would make more sense to offer them on the day where the queue is for people who came late.

For people that fly into Ubon they have to arrive the day before applying yes?

Yes but I usually stay In Udon the night. Plane lands around 5pm as far as I remember and I wouldn't expect to find visa agents hanging around the consulate in Vientiane by the time I arrived if I did go straight there - around 6.30pm - or am I wrong?

Edited May 2, 2015 by eaglesflight

[maanoi]

Thanks for the info. Doesn't sound like a useful service though. You need to spend another night in Vientiane (i.e. two nights instead of one), just to save a little time standing outside the consulate.

That's exactly what I thought.

It would make more sense to offer them on the day where the queue is for people who came late.

For people that fly into Ubon they have to arrive the day before applying yes?

Yes but I usually stay In Udon the night. Plane lands around 5pm as far as I remember and I wouldn't expect to find visa agents hanging around the consulate in Vientiane by the time I arrived if I did go straight there - around 6.30pm - or am I wrong?

They hang around the Lao side of the boarder. Any taxi guy will know an agent. Or people on TV can give you contact details for recommended ones.

[Kitsune]

Anyone has the contact number of an agent?

Would it be possible to contact him before arriving in Laos, to make sure I put in my application that morning?

[eaglesflight]

For people that fly into Ubon they have to arrive the day before applying yes?

Yes but I usually stay In Udon the night. Plane lands around 5pm as far as I remember and I wouldn't expect to find visa agents hanging around the consulate in Vientiane by the time I arrived if I did go straight there - around 6.30pm - or am I wrong?

They hang around the Lao side of the boarder. Any taxi guy will know an agent. Or people on TV can give you contact details for recommended ones.

Thank you

[john_bkk919]

If anyone has contact info of an agent they would use again, I'd appreciate a PM.

Want to set something up before I get there as I'll be flying in late.

[visarunner]

why would you use a agent?

Just avoid the crowds on Monday or Thursday.

Go to Embassy on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Or go to Savannakhet.

[eaglesflight]

I used to use an agent because having breakfast and relaxing was far more enjoyable than standing in the heat waiting to apply for a visa. It's not always possible for me to choose the day of arrival. They weren't expensive so why not?

Edited May 20, 2015 by eaglesflight

[Maestro]

Removed an off-topic post.

[john_bkk919]

eaglesflight summed it up.

Also: There are no magic days when DIY will be as convenient as using an agent to get a low queue number for you while you're still at your hotel.

Whether the time and annoyance saved is worth a few hundred baht is an individual decision.

Thread is about Vientiane, agents... and maybe even somebody having a phone number or card of an agent they used semi-recently and would recommend.

[eaglesflight]

I just found a phone number for an agent that I must have saved on my PC some time ago but I am not sure if it's the same guy I used last time I was there so I'll hold off on recommending him until I travel to Vientiane in a week's time. If he can fill in my form, get me an early ticket and pick up my passport the next day for a reasonable price, I'll probably use him, and report back here.

[eaglesflight]

I called the agent that I think some people on here have used before and he wouldn't budge below 4,000 baht for his service (including the 2,000 baht double-entry tourist visa fee). Considering last year I only paid 1,200 baht for an agent (+ visa fee of course) and I didn't have to go to the consulate at all, I think that's a bit steep. If anybody knows of another agent who charges a more reasonable fee, I'd be very grateful. I did store the number of the one I used before but it's on an old phone and inaccessible.

Edited May 26, 2015 by eaglesflight

[revgreen]

Any updated info on this? Going to Vientiane for a visa soon and I really hate the whole process - are the agents who handle it all for you extinct?

[ubonjoe]

Any updated info on this? Going to Vientiane for a visa soon and I really hate the whole process - are the agents who handle it all for you extinct?

Yes

I have seen no recent reports of it being possible.

[nazree360]

I used my usual pattaya visa run agent 2 months ago, i had to walk in not stand in the que they submitted and they collected for the whole group the following day. Just sharing


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