Going to Vientiane- for double entry tourist visa(thai). Few questions

[riorobc023]

Vientiane, Laos

Will depart from Don Muang and fly direct to Udon Thani. From the udon thani airport, there i will pick up a bus to the friendship border(nong khai).

~Correct me if i am wrong about this~

When i arrive at the friendship border, i will have to fill out a laos tourist visa form, and I'm assuming this is a fairly easy process to obtain these documents?

After this, i will take a bus to downtown or tuk-tuk to the thai embassy? I'm assuming the thai embassy will be open until 4pm ?

Fill out a double entry tourist visa form while i am waiting, and obtain passport photos their i assume? ..and then proceed to wait until my number is called, drop my passport off, and arrive the next day between hours 1:30-3:30pm ?

Please correct me if i am wrong about any of the following information i have obtained, as i will be doing this alone

--if there is anything that i would need previously to going to Vientiane, please let me know besides the obvious(i.e.: passport)

Thanks everyone!

[Kitsune]

The Embassy stops taking visa applications at 11.30 in the morning and closes at noon for lunch.

If you arrive later than this, you'll have to apply the next day.

[riorobc023]

The Embassy stops taking visa applications at 11.30 in the morning and closes at noon for lunch.

If you arrive later than this, you'll have to apply the next day.

so, say i arrive at udon thani airport at 7:00am, how long does the bus take to nong khai?

probably will have to spend a day in laos, regardless eh?

And

can i pass through the friendship bridge on a bus even late at night 8-10pm ?

thanks all

Edited June 12, 2015 by riorobc023

[Kitsune]

Sorry I cannot remember the hours of the border at night, but 10pm I think is still OK.

Regarding arriving before the embassy closes, its a bit of a gamble really.

- Will the plane be on time?

-For the van, first you wait for it to fill up,then I vaguely remember it being quite slow from the airport and the van dropping off people at some weird villages and going around them. May be between 45 minutes and one hour 15 depending?

-Then you exit THL queue? Then, you apply for your visa, have you got all the documents required/ queue again? Then wait to receive it..

-Then a taxi to the Embassy, again that was a year ago, cannot recall, may be 45mn?

So it's possible but no way guarantied.

[ajordanlao]

Ola.... Yes you can make it if you rush to embassy. But, it is better to have margin of time.

The Embassy stops taking visa applications at 11.30 in the morning and closes at noon for lunch.

If you arrive later than this, you'll have to apply the next day.

so, say i arrive at udon thani airport at 7:00am, how long does the bus take to nong khai?

probably will have to spend a day in laos, regardless eh?

And

can i pass through the friendship bridge on a bus even late at night 8-10pm ?

thanks all

[VIPinthailand]

better to take a flight the day before. and spend the night at top mansion hotel 0879238383 near central.

in front of Central, there is a small cabin, with hourly bus (take the one at 7am because bridge open at 8 am or need to pay extra fee) which go directly to Lao bridge. then take shuttle to embassy.

don't forget to have Id picture for Lao visa and 30 dollars in USA dollars. you save 5 bucks.

for hotel, exit embassy, turn to the right, walk 30 - 50 meters to the intersection. just on the other side 30 meters to the right there is a hotel at 500 bahts with restaurant downstairs.

[ubonjoe]

I see it has not been mentioned that you go to the consular section of the embassy not the embassy itself.

Map with info here: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Thailand+Consular+Section/@17.9688647,102.6369589,14z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x229bd78d156a373f?hl=en-US

If you arrive at 7 am in Udon Thani you could make it to the consular section by 11:30 when they stop giving out tickets. Their are vans available tat the airport that will take you directly to the bridge in Nong Kai.

[Kitsune]

If you want to go faster and avoid classic scams you can get your Lao Visa in BKK.

That also saves you dealing with the touts who try to extort you at the border. they follow you and see that you are alone /easy prey. You refuse their "help" ,they get pissed off and slip a word to the immigration officer, who will refuse to take your dollars because one bill has a one millimeter dent, and send you to the bank which is closed,or tell you to ask your friends (when he knows you are alone=. Eventually you will pay 300 extra which will be split between officer and tout.

Also less queuing.

[sp27]

I'm pretty sure you will need $42 USD for the Lao visa. It has to be USD. Also when you get to Thai consulate you

can get your photo for passport taken outside on the street. If you don't want to do anything yourself it will cost

you around 3000 baht (this includes your 2 entry visa) for someone else to pick up your passport next day. There are many people willing to do it

and you can just negotiate with them.

Edited June 13, 2015 by sp27

[JDGRUEN]

OP -- if you have the time ... your best bet is just to get to Nong Khai go to a Guest House there (I have recommendations -- 400 baht this time of year). Get up have coffee and breakfast at Jing-Joes Guesthouse - GREAT Farang Food)

Nothing in Nong Khai is very far from the Bridge to Laos... a fairly short tuk tuk ride. You exit Thailand at a building right at the base of the bridge. Just say Bridge to the tuk tuk driver. Go through and catch a bus to the Lao Immigration just on the other side of the bridge. Go to window 3 or the one next to it ... present passport - pay 1500 baht or USD (lower cost). Go to window 5 - wait - get passport after about 15-20 minutes. Take pens to fill out forms before presenting your passport at the window. Back up --- before exiting Thailand there is passport photo kiosk - you need one to enter Laos.

Ask for the Bus to Vientiane - Thai Embassy - just keep saying and say BUS ... Vien-tiane . At the embassy do not pay anyone to do anything for you -- they can do nothing but take your money. Get a queue number - get forms inside - get there before the 11:30 cut off time. Apply when your queue number comes up ... afterwards go get a Guest House nearby ... do not expect much - hotels and guesthouses are rated poor most of the time in Vientiane.

Go back the next afternoon when told to -- get visa go back to Nong Khai ... if you want take the tuk tuk to the bus station -- get on to Udon Thani airport.

You can do the whole trip by train - not bad --- all the way to Nong Khai ... from Bkk - any station. 1st or 2nd class evening train - sleeper -- wake up in Nong Khai -- the Jing--Joe guest house is on Rim Khong Alley -- just say RIM KHONG to the Tuk Tuk .. and Vietnam restaurant. Two good but cheap guest houses are down the RIM KHONG alley from the huge Vietnamese Restaurant,,,

Or by arriving by train at dawn - the Nong Khai bridge to Laos is only a short ride from the Train Station. I was able to get sleep on the train.. .no problem .. there is electric connection in the private sleeping berths. And shared electric outlets in the 2nd class ones. So you can keep your phone, tablet, laptop charged ... Train food is not worth the money. Take plenty of packaged food and water and drinks that you enjoy.

Believe me - changing from a taxi to the airport - from the Udon airport to a bus via taxi, getting to Nong Khai from Udon Thani, etc. - trying to get everything done in one morning - get to the Embassy in Vientiane all before 11:30 a.m. - compared to my suggestion - is a good way to tire and stress yourself out ... Chill out on the train - arrive early in the morning with some sleep - simple run to the bridge from the train station via tuk tuk - stop get some passport photos at the Thai Departure area at the bridge -- MAKE IT SIMPLE...

Edited June 13, 2015 by JDGRUEN

[novo58]

www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/794150-visa-run.../page-2

I posted this a little while ago after I did as you wish to .

Nothing much has changed to my knowledge.

Buses from Udon Thani airport depart when full..................but like all thai buses the drivers are just a little crazy.

My best tip is ...........................open your mouth and talk to others that are waiting for their passport back at laos immigration . Many are doing the same as you ....then you can sort out a taxi / minibus share from border to consulate.

[Dannyboy666]

OP -- if you have the time ... your best bet is just to get to Nong Khai go to a Guest House there (I have recommendations -- 400 baht this time of year). Get up have coffee and breakfast at Jing-Joes Guesthouse - GREAT Farang Food)

Nothing in Nong Khai is very far from the Bridge to Laos... a fairly short tuk tuk ride. You exit Thailand at a building right at the base of the bridge. Just say Bridge to the tuk tuk driver. Go through and catch a bus to the Lao Immigration just on the other side of the bridge. Go to window 3 or the one next to it ... present passport - pay 1500 baht or USD (lower cost). Go to window 5 - wait - get passport after about 15-20 minutes. Take pens to fill out forms before presenting your passport at the window. Back up --- before exiting Thailand there is passport photo kiosk - you need one to enter Laos.

Ask for the Bus to Vientiane - Thai Embassy - just keep saying and say BUS ... Vien-tiane . At the embassy do not pay anyone to do anything for you -- they can do nothing but take your money. Get a queue number - get forms inside - get there before the 11:30 cut off time. Apply when your queue number comes up ... afterwards go get a Guest House nearby ... do not expect much - hotels and guesthouses are rated poor most of the time in Vientiane.

Go back the next afternoon when told to -- get visa go back to Nong Khai ... if you want take the tuk tuk to the bus station -- get on to Udon Thani airport.

You can do the whole trip by train - not bad --- all the way to Nong Khai ... from Bkk - any station. 1st or 2nd class evening train - sleeper -- wake up in Nong Khai -- the Jing--Joe guest house is on Rim Khong Alley -- just say RIM KHONG to the Tuk Tuk .. and Vietnam restaurant. Two good but cheap guest houses are down the RIM KHONG alley from the huge Vietnamese Restaurant,,,

Or by arriving by train at dawn - the Nong Khai bridge to Laos is only a short ride from the Train Station. I was able to get sleep on the train.. .no problem .. there is electric connection in the private sleeping berths. And shared electric outlets in the 2nd class ones. So you can keep your phone, tablet, laptop charged ... Train food is not worth the money. Take plenty of packaged food and water and drinks that you enjoy.

Believe me - changing from a taxi to the airport - from the Udon airport to a bus via taxi, getting to Nong Khai from Udon Thani, etc. - trying to get everything done in one morning - get to the Embassy in Vientiane all before 11:30 a.m. - compared to my suggestion - is a good way to tire and stress yourself out ... Chill out on the train - arrive early in the morning with some sleep - simple run to the bridge from the train station via tuk tuk - stop get some passport photos at the Thai Departure area at the bridge -- MAKE IT SIMPLE...

My Fave Restaurants in Nong Khai, Jing Jos, Dee Dee , Mae's, Favorite Hotel, Nong Khai City Hotel. International Market on Riverwalk Mekong is Decent, know your prices for bargaining.

Edited June 13, 2015 by ubonjoe
moved reply from quoted text

[torpedo1970]

i will give you my 2 cents on you questions, as a self proclaimed expert (done this a number of times, with many experiences)

first of all you have a 80% chance of not making it if you arrive at Udon Thani 7 am. that is also if it is a friday with no ques in the Consulate.

They stop giving out que numbers at 11:30 am, and i have seen that they stop giving numbers out at 10:30, also the person getting number 350 at 10:29 nearly crying.

it depends a lot on day of week. Mondays seems to be worst, where as many visa running agencies from Pattaya and Bangkok run mini vans on Sunday night up. so when they open at 08:30 there is already a long line of almost 50-100 people waiting.

Last few times i have opted for the lazy version, going on nakhonchai air first class bus from Bangkok to Nong khai it leaves from Bangkok at 21:00 (ish) arriving in Nong khai at 8:00 am (ish) and saying that i would be before you if you fly to Udon, mind you i do it on a Thursday arriving on Friday morning, and then i "just" make it before Consulate close.on Friday, meaning i will need to wait to Monday to pick up visa, but a lot of less hassle with 300 people in line to get visa....

bus is a great experience, with "business class" seats (configuration 1+2 so you can sit "alone" ) getting served food and drinks on the way, TV/radio and game station in each seat. nearly flat bed seat with massage.... then a Tuk-Tuk 100 Baht from bus to border

OK, back to you other Q's : in Udon airport there is a van service just to the right before you go out of airport, van cost 200 Baht and leaves when full. takes about an hour ++ since they seems to drop of all others before reaching the friendship bridge.

copared to the van service from Udon Thani Central shopping it is a rip-off. same service, but it cost 50 Baht

Thai Imigration is a breeze, then you get a 15 Baht bus accross the bridge.

Lao immigration is a hit and miss when it comes to time, as it has taken 5 min. to 1 hour... depends on their mood i guess.

you go to the visa on arrival to the left number one, there you get paper work to fill out.

cost of visa is 25 or 35 dollars depending on your country of passport. there is a surcharge of 1 dollar before 8 and after 16:00.... or if you pay in Thai Baht it is 1500 Baht (this is included any surcharge)

after handing in papers and payment in number 1 they tell you to go over to number 3 to wait....

during all this you will be aproached by taxi touts. just smile and say no thank you... they are there to rip you off, thats their job....

after you get the passport back, you already got your stamps so you walk past all the ques and lines.... (it looks strange) then you get to the card gates where everybody else have paid to get a card... you just walk to the left where there is a manual gate holding up your visa they will let you through, only once have i been told to go to the card booth to get a card for free showing my visa....

after that, there is immigration officer checking passport again....

you then smile and say no thank you to all the touts again.....

Accross the parking to the right there is a bus stop with a bus that takes you to the bus station...... 6000 Lao Kip (25 Baht) it takes about 30 min. ++

The taxi touts usually quote 200 Baht for a taxi/tuk tuk or 100 Baht for sharing one with others( Lao people never pay more than 6000 KIP for sharing)

Getting from the bus station to the consulaate is next step it is 1 Kilometer and the tuk-tuk would ask for 100-200 baht (a huge rip off if you ask me) so i usually walk now.

Make sure you have passport pictures and copies of your passport picture page (2 required) you will also need to get a copy done at the embassy of your Lao visa page and stamp page of entry to Lao. 5 Baht per copy.

handling such numbers they have a pretty good system, you wait for your number hand in papers then get them back to go inside to another building to number 6 to pay....

guest houses around the consulate is many and they are about 500 Baht (not included breakfast) and the standard is Asian.... dont expect to much, and be happy if it is clean and have Air-con, some dont just have fans.

I have personally figured out that i stay in a hotel across the road from consulate (100 meters away) it is a 3 star hotel, clean and have air-con. price is around 900 Baht ++ BUT it includes a big breakfast buffet with fried egg and omelet station.

the hotel is called Douangpraseuth Hotel and you can find it on Agoda. finding food or breakfast outside hotel will easy cost you 3-400 Baht for farang food.

There is a Pizza Company shop just accross the road from Consulate.

so back to your original dilemma, i would say you should stay in Vientiane 2 nights so you can be at the consulate at 8:00 AM as the que starts.

having stayed in Thailand for many years i am surprised how expensive Lao is in comparison. Tuk-Tuk especially, they will ask for 100-200 baht for going around in a relatively small city, so i have been enjoying walking a lot more than i do in Thailand.... it is more about the principle than being a cheap charlie. since the Tuk-tuks dont really bargain i have been told no a huge number of times when i tell them what i think is a reasonable price in comparison to Thai prices....

I really enjoy Vientiane, look a lot like a french village and there is many small cafe's around the centre, with french pastries etc etc..... but it is pricey...

Good luck on your first trip,

[Kitsune]

I'm pretty sure you will need $42 USD for the Lao visa. It has to be USD. Also when you get to Thai consulate you

can get your photo for passport taken outside on the street. If you don't want to do anything yourself it will cost

you around 3000 baht (this includes your 2 entry visa) for someone else to pick up your passport next day. There are many people willing to do it

and you can just negotiate with them.

There is a post saying that agents in Vientiane are no longer allowed to apply for you.

All they can do is get you a queue ticket now

[rct99q]

some suggestions...

Get passport photos done here in thailand. I get like 20 done at a time but i go quite often.

It is possible to download the application form from website, just make sure it is for vientiane.

Fill out everything before getting to consulor section of the embassy.

Laos visa is mpre ecenomical if you pay with clean and in good shape US bills. Depends on your passport country of origin as you may range from free (swiss) to $42 canadian passport. I always get $50 US in tens, fives, and ones. i live nongnkhai and get them from a local money exchanger.

You will need 1 passport photo for Laos visa or they can charge you one USD and they will scan your passport photo.

Pick up form either window one or two. If no people around knock gentlt on the window. Take MORE than one pen with you, they can be hard to find and you may have many people ask to "borrow" yours.

After submitting application with passport, photo, and fee, wait by window 3. they will flash the passport photo page and call your name.. be ready everyone crowds around thinking it is theirs. CHECK your passport AT the window for correct passport, visa foil "full page" and any change due. I have paid $60 USD and gotten back my change but you canc not leave the counter area.

Once at the consulor building of thai embassy, and you have all your paper work done and collected a ticket for the queue go upstairs, look for the sign pointing up some stairs on the left hand side of the back wall. People upstairs will photo copy all the pages you need, they can sometimes look to see if you are missing anything, then staple it all together in the right order for about 3,000kip or the equal in thai baht.

If you have everything set you should make this in two days by arriving a on the early flight into udon thani.

Take the airporter out of the airport in udon.

I would not take the bus from laos border into vientiane, get a taxi. Many are blood sucking vultures but most are reliable.

I always stay at AV Hotel near fountain square for the location. Lots of restaurants, coffe shops and near enough to the river for nice pleasant stroll at night. But then again i am married and not looking for anything but a couple of cold beers and decent pizza "look near scandinavian bakery for a decent wood fired pizza and beer lao dark:-)"

Good luck easy process lots of good tipstfrom the many posters above

[JeffreyO]

If you really wanted to rush through, you could get a Lao visa from the Lao consulate in Bangkok before traveling, this means you don't need to wait for a Visa on Arrival which will speed up your process crossing into Laos.

[riorobc023]

OP -- if you have the time ... your best bet is just to get to Nong Khai go to a Guest House there (I have recommendations -- 400 baht this time of year). Get up have coffee and breakfast at Jing-Joes Guesthouse - GREAT Farang Food)

Nothing in Nong Khai is very far from the Bridge to Laos... a fairly short tuk tuk ride. You exit Thailand at a building right at the base of the bridge. Just say Bridge to the tuk tuk driver. Go through and catch a bus to the Lao Immigration just on the other side of the bridge. Go to window 3 or the one next to it ... present passport - pay 1500 baht or USD (lower cost). Go to window 5 - wait - get passport after about 15-20 minutes. Take pens to fill out forms before presenting your passport at the window. Back up --- before exiting Thailand there is passport photo kiosk - you need one to enter Laos.

Ask for the Bus to Vientiane - Thai Embassy - just keep saying and say BUS ... Vien-tiane . At the embassy do not pay anyone to do anything for you -- they can do nothing but take your money. Get a queue number - get forms inside - get there before the 11:30 cut off time. Apply when your queue number comes up ... afterwards go get a Guest House nearby ... do not expect much - hotels and guesthouses are rated poor most of the time in Vientiane.

Go back the next afternoon when told to -- get visa go back to Nong Khai ... if you want take the tuk tuk to the bus station -- get on to Udon Thani airport.

You can do the whole trip by train - not bad --- all the way to Nong Khai ... from Bkk - any station. 1st or 2nd class evening train - sleeper -- wake up in Nong Khai -- the Jing--Joe guest house is on Rim Khong Alley -- just say RIM KHONG to the Tuk Tuk .. and Vietnam restaurant. Two good but cheap guest houses are down the RIM KHONG alley from the huge Vietnamese Restaurant,,,

Or by arriving by train at dawn - the Nong Khai bridge to Laos is only a short ride from the Train Station. I was able to get sleep on the train.. .no problem .. there is electric connection in the private sleeping berths. And shared electric outlets in the 2nd class ones. So you can keep your phone, tablet, laptop charged ... Train food is not worth the money. Take plenty of packaged food and water and drinks that you enjoy.

Believe me - changing from a taxi to the airport - from the Udon airport to a bus via taxi, getting to Nong Khai from Udon Thani, etc. - trying to get everything done in one morning - get to the Embassy in Vientiane all before 11:30 a.m. - compared to my suggestion - is a good way to tire and stress yourself out ... Chill out on the train - arrive early in the morning with some sleep - simple run to the bridge from the train station via tuk tuk - stop get some passport photos at the Thai Departure area at the bridge -- MAKE IT SIMPLE...

You the MAN! Going to do exactly this verbatim.

Although i'll take a flight to udon thani. Can anyone confirm if their are buses that leave from Udon Thani airport to Nong Khai, as per flight arrivals? I'll be arriving at night time 9pm ish

[riorobc023]

Thanks everyone and all the experts for responding to this thread.

Does anyone happen to have the application form for vientiane laos visa on arrival?

and

an application form for my double entry tourist visa @ the thai embassy in laos?

These would be most helpful , as noted by a poster, its going to save me a lot of time!

[ubonjoe]

Visa application form: http://vientiane.thaiembassy.org/upload/pdf/VisaApplicationForm.pdf

I don't have the one for the Lao visa on arrival.

[torpedo1970]

Visa application form: http://vientiane.thaiembassy.org/upload/pdf/VisaApplicationForm.pdf

I don't have the one for the Lao visa on arrival.

I am sorry to say that i have used this form last week and was told to fill out a new version that they not yet have uploaded to the website... jumping through hoops etc... :-)

[torpedo1970]

Thanks everyone and all the experts for responding to this thread.

Does anyone happen to have the application form for vientiane laos visa on arrival?

and

an application form for my double entry tourist visa @ the thai embassy in laos?

These would be most helpful , as noted by a poster, its going to save me a lot of time!

There is more info here

http://www.laos-guide-999.com/visa-on-arrival.html

http://www.laos-guide-999.com/support-files/laos-visa-on-arrival-form.pdf

There is also a arrival / departure card (same as Thailand) but not available online

[Farang two dot zero]

I am sorry to say that i have used this form last week and was told to fill out a new version that they not yet have uploaded to the website... jumping through hoops etc... :-)

I agree, same for me !