Non-O in Vientiane- July 2015

[charliebadenhop]

1. Do NOT go on Mondays, and as far as I know, Fridays are also bad.

Just before opening today (Tues.) there were a half dozen people on line.

One guy was back from yesterday when he said there was at least 200 people.

2. No multiple-entry allowed

I tried to "discuss" this with them and a lady in charge came over and said "You can only get multiple entry from your home country."

So I only got single entry.

3. Bank book

I was told that I needed a photocopy of EVERY page in my bank book.

There is a tiny shop just next to the embassy that makes copies.

Again, I said that this is not what it says on their site, but he wouldn't budge.

The embassy person who waited on me was far from friendly, and he checked and checked and checked my documents at least a half dozen times.

4. This time they required a photocopy of the LAO visa that you get when you enter the country.

You can get this photocopied at the shop next to the Embassy for 5B.

Your copy should be showing the date when you came in.

The price for the Lao visa varies depending on what country you come from.

On average $30-35. And you might need to also pay a $1 late fee, if you arrive something like after 4PM.

5. I was asked for proof of residence in Thailand.

I told him that this is not stated on their website.

This frightened me because it could have been a deal breaker.

The desk person stared at me for about 10 seconds, made a face, and continued on.

My thought- IF it was a requirement I don't think he would have let me bypass it.

6. They do NOT accept the form that you can download from the internet.

This of course might change at any time, but the form they have at the Embassy is slightly different.

You can buy a form for B100 outside the Embassy and the person will even fill it in for you, or you can wait and get one once you are inside.

7. Getting back to Udon Thani airport (IF that is where you are going)

I am still here in Vientiane so I cannot yet swear to this, but

The fastest way (within reason) is to take an express bus that goes to the Friendship Bridge for B20, then take the bridge bus over the bridge for an additional B20, and then the van service to the airport will be either B150 or B200. My Thai friend here says it is B150.

Allow for two hours from Vientiane to the airport in Udon.

So you need to calculate and it depends on how many people were ahead of you on the first day.

I was #3 in line and you go back at 1:30 the next day. The very latest I should get out is 2PM. There is a 3PM bus to the bridge, and the bus station is not far away.

One IMPORTANT point is that you can NOT buy the bus ticket a day ahead of time. I am told you can buy it something like 2.5 hours ahead of time, so I will go to the bus station PRIOR to going to pick up my visa, and then go back for the bus after I get it.

Right now, I am told that 3PM is the earliest bus I can get in the afternoon. Two hours all the way back to the airport, and perhaps a bit sooner, puts me there at 5PM. The flight out is 6;10PM. It should be no problem

Last time here I was about #100 in line, and I got out of the Embassy in just short of an hour, so unless there are really a lot of people ahead of you you should be able to fly back the same day, IF you plan carefully like I am explaining here.

I have met a very friendly Thai guy here that I am staying with via Airbnb. He has made the whole process much easier and he is about a 20 minute walk from the embassy. Ask if you would like his contact details. He speaks pretty good English and has rooms above his restaurant. A very, very friendly guy.

[ubonjoe]

1. Monday and Thursdays are the bad days because those are the days the visa run vans arrive. Fridays are good but you have to wait until Monday to pickup your passport.

2. It is well known Vientiane does no multiple entry visas.

5. Never heard of them wanting proof of residence for a non-o.

6. Was the form they gave you this one. New Vientiane Form.pdf

[charliebadenhop]

Regarding the form-

Can't be certain Joe, as there was little difference.

All I can say is that I brought the one that you suggested me to fill out about a week ago and it wasn't accepted.

Lao people working the line out front said "No forms from the internet will be accepted."

I left blank the lines asking about guarantors.

[ubonjoe]

The one posted today is the newest one from their website and it is a little different from the one I posted before. The 2nd page is a lot different.

If you mean the people outside the consular section I am not sure I would take what they said very seriously.

[heroKK]

I confirm the infos regarding "Bank book" I was also asked for one but that was for tourist visa, I thought that was for my overstay but I guess it s starting to become a requirement.

Edited July 14, 2015 by heroKK

[jinky]

Gents, is it possible to get an non o double entry visa in Vientiane? And if not can you get one in Malaysia Penang...

Edited July 14, 2015 by jinky

[jinky]

The double entry non o visa would be based on marriage

[paz]

The double entry non o visa would be based on marriage

There is no double entry non-imm 'O'. Either single or multiple entries.

[jinky]

The double entry non o visa would be based on marriage

There is no double entry non-imm 'O'. Either single or multiple entries.

So based on a non o marriage visa, I can get a multiple entry visa at Vientiane? I just want to make sure this is correct as in other posts it says they don't issue multiple entry visas at Vientiane

Edited July 15, 2015 by ubonjoe
moved reply to quoted text

[MJCM]

So based on a non o marriage visa, I can get a multiple entry visa at Vientiane? I just want to make sure this is correct as in other posts it says they don't issue multiple entry visas at Vientiane

I don't think that Vientiane will issue Multiple Entry Non O (based on Marriage) but the Consulate in Savvanakhet Laos does.

[ubonjoe]

The double entry non o visa would be based on marriage

There is no double entry non-imm 'O'. Either single or multiple entries.

So based on a non o marriage visa, I can get a multiple entry visa at Vientiane? I just want to make sure this is correct as in other posts it says they don't issue multiple entry visas at Vientiane

No you cannot get a multiple entry visa in Vientiane. He was not saying you can get one there just informing you that there is no 2 entry non-o.visa.

You can get one in Savannakhet though.

[jinky]

The double entry non o visa would be based on marriage

There is no double entry non-imm 'O'. Either single or multiple entries.

So based on a non o marriage visa, I can get a multiple entry visa at Vientiane? I just want to make sure this is correct as in other posts it says they don't issue multiple entry visas at Vientiane

No you cannot get a multiple entry visa in Vientiane. He was not saying you can get one there just informing you that there is no 2 entry non-o.visa.

You can get one in Savannakhet though.

[jinky]

Thanks Ubonjoe, I will head for Savannakhet on Wednesday next week..

[jinky]

So based on a non o marriage visa, I can get a multiple entry visa at Vientiane? I just want to make sure this is correct as in other posts it says they don't issue multiple entry visas at Vientiane

I don't think that Vientiane will issue Multiple Entry Non O (based on Marriage) but the Consulate in Savvanakhet Laos does.

[jinky]

Thanks. MJCM

[MJCM]

Thanks Ubonjoe, I will head for Savannakhet on Wednesday next week..

If you go to Savvanakhet, beware that you only can apply in the morning from 9am - 11am and you pickup your passport the next day from 2pm.

The price for a Non-O multiple entry is 5000 THB

Documents required: Copy passport, copy id card thai wife, copy house book Thai wife (both signed by her), Original Marriage certificate and copy.

Good luck

Edited July 15, 2015 by MJCM

[ubonjoe]

A off topic post has been removed.

[chaawlepcha]

6. Last week, I applied TR visa using the same form which I got last August. When getting a que number, they asked me to fill in a new form, which I got a extra copy for my future use, although they gave me a que number. Unless you are very early in the que number, it seems that there are not much problem except for filling-in twice.

Two main changes I noticed in the new form, compared with the last August form, are:
- "travel information" part is simplified, so you need to fill in less information, and
- "purpose of visit" part is changed and now does not have any selection to choose, so you have to write it by your own hand.

Sorry, I do not have facilities to make a pdf file, but I can say that the one ubonjoe linked seems not the one that I used las week.

[crickets]

Photocopy of your bank book for non o? Is this to prove your 400 k or do u need that for just 2 months before u apply for your extension?

[bander]

Gents, is it possible to get an non o double entry visa in Vientiane? And if not can you get one in Malaysia Penang...

I got my multiple entry non-im O from Sawanakhet in Laos last year, payed 5000 bath and picked it up the same day I applied.

[paz]

I got my multiple entry non-im O from Sawanakhet in Laos last year, payed 5000 bath and picked it up the same day I applied.

Now things have changed changed and all visa are picked up next business day.

[charliebadenhop]

Update-

The Embassy staff were not accepting the form that many people had downloaded from the internet.

Likely that the one Joe posted just the other day is now the right one.

For Non-O as far as I know (as a double knucklehead) if you put down "retirement" as the reason for applying for the visa you need to show 800K but it does not at all need to be "seasoned" for any length of time. You bring your bank book and (according to the guy who waited on me) a copy of each and every page in your bank book (except for blank pages).

Getting back to Thailand (in my case the Udon Thani airport)

The prices charged depend a LOT on how many farong are standing around. The more farong the higher the price tends to be.

SO- Yesterday a new found friend and myself got a taxi back to the bridge for a total of B200. B100 each. The taxis will start out asking as much as B1,000.

Take your time, and stand your ground. Keeping in mind that if there are 10 taxis and 200 farong the price might ballon up quite a bit. That is why you should really only go to Vientiane on a Tuesday or Wednesday. (If you want to spend the weekend in Vientiane than Friday can also be fine.)

From the bridge onwards- (Most people will be going to the airport)

When you first cross over into Thailand and get off the bridge bus guys will be touting all sorts of prices. Keep walking!! If you go PAST the information counter (the guy working the counter is in league with the touts) you will find a mini-van for B150 per person. I can't say that the van is "always" there, but I think the vans appear fairly frequently. One was there when I got there, and after a five minute wait we took off. If you had a group of three or four the taxis might be willing to also go for B150 each.

In my mind- If possible find a companion to do the trip back with. Two, or three heads are better than one. For instance my buddy was asking questions to someone when I spotted the mini-van that we wound up taking. Take your time, and trust in the force!

Flight back to Chiang Mai was/is 6:10PM.

Visa pick up starts at 1:30PM. I wound up being #12 in line (based on the previous day's standing). I was finished by 1:45. We were back at the bridge by 2:20, and I was at the gate in the airport by 3:35! So if your paperwork is in order in the first place, and you go on a Tuesday or Wed. you should definitely be able to make it back to the airport the following day.

And yes, the B20 bus is still available, but with the taxi being so cheap, the taxi made the most sense to me.

Almost everything is more expensive in Laos because they import almost everything they use, from Thailand. For instance, any good coffee shop is going to charge between B90-120 for a good strong cup of coffee.

QED

Over and out!

Charlie

[ALFREDO]

My experience -

Thai Consulate Vientiane come late - go fast ;-) Non Immi O living with my Thai children

Living 80 km east from Udon Thani city, I drove by car, starting around 8 AM on 9.7. to the Nong Khai-Vientiane border.

Arrived about 9:45 there, changed money - Dollar-for Lao Visa at the new Bank at the border parking.

On the Lao border side, I was asked during my waiting for the Passport-Lao Visa, if I wanted to go to Thai Consular section for 200 Baht with a bigger Tuk Tuk Bus (1.100 cc engine).

Sounded ok for me. Took that offer.

Arrived around 11 AM at the Thai Consulate. some things changed since my last visit =

=================================================================================

The queue numbers are now given at a desk in front of the waiting area,

before you got them at the door-entrance next to the Application delivery windows.

You need now 2 photos on the Application.

You have to go out of the Consulate and outside you can get copies and photos.

Before you could get such necessities upstairs from the Application windows.

Had forgotten to copy my Passport pages, had only 1 photo, pushed me back 10 min,

but had already my queue number, entered again at 11:20. Open until 11:30.

After filling out my Application without any waiting time, I went to one of the Application delivery windows,

had,

copies of Passport = relevant pages, + Entry stamp copy

copy of house book

copy of my GF's ID card

copy of Birth certificate of my sons + Originals to look at

all signed + 2.000 Baht no questions asked.

Was in a minute later on my way inside the building to deliver my Passport and get my confirmation.

Next day 10.7. Friday

I came late, about 2:45 PM was alone in the pick up room, got my Passport and Visa.

Easy, waiting times, ZERO.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/840986-thai-consulate-vientiane-come-late-go-fast-;-non-immi-o-living-with-my-thai-children/#entry9626844

[Porkster]

Thanks Ubonjoe, I will head for Savannakhet on Wednesday next week..

If you go to Savvanakhet, beware that you only can apply in the morning from 9am - 11am and you pickup your passport the next day from 2pm.

The price for a Non-O multiple entry is 5000 THB

Documents required: Copy passport, copy id card thai wife, copy house book Thai wife (both signed by her), Original Marriage certificate and copy.

Good luck

Awesome info MJCM [emoji106]

Are there good days/bad days?

The wife's parents live in Mukdahan also [emoji106][emoji106]

We'll be driving there from Hua Hin at the end of the month, but can't get a car "T" sticker because it's still on a red plate SEVEN MONTHS after buying it! Zzzzz (T.I.T.) Otherwise we'd be driving right to the consulate.

MJCM

So just to confirm mate, all the documents we need is:

1: A signed copy of my passport

2: A signed copy my wife's ID Card

3: A signed copy of her house book

4: The original Marriage certificate plus a copy

And I'll get a 1 year Non-O multiple entry?

No need for my bank book?

Am I correct mate?

Cheers

[ubonjoe]

All correct. No problem to get the visa. No need for financial proof.

[crickets]

Please let us know how u go. I will go in 2 months.

[Porkster]

Cheers Joe

Also, my Mrs called them and she reckons I need to get the "proof of address" slip from immigration...?

[ubonjoe]

Cheers Joe

Also, my Mrs called them and she reckons I need to get the "proof of address" slip from immigration...?

Never heard of that being asked for in Savannakhet.

[MJCM]

Cheers Joe

Also, my Mrs called them and she reckons I need to get the "proof of address" slip from immigration...?

Never heard of that being asked for in Savannakhet.

Exactly,

I applied there (Savannakhet) last week and that wasn't a requirement.

I only needed what Porkster already quoted and that was more then enough.

[Porkster]

Excellent

Thanks guys