Single Entry Tourist Visa at Vientiane. Any Info?

[bottledwater]

Hello,

I'm hoping some members out there would like to share recent experience obtaining a SETV in Vientiane, or any embassy/consulate in the region for that matter.

Did you have trouble? Did you have many past Tourist visas in your passport? The "usual questions" I suppose.

Also, when you arrived at the Thai border, by land or air, how did it go with the immigration officials? Did they want to see a "follow on" travel plan?

I'm wondering, under the current climate, right now, how long you might be able to stay in Thailand using SETVs from the local embassies/consolates?

Thanks in advance for any input . . . . any positive input

BW

[Rob13]

I was in Vientiane last week and got a visa. No problems, very streamline system they have there and had no problems entering either Laos or back into Thailand.

[elviajero]

There is no limit to the number of tourist visas one can have, but local embassy/consulates will likely limit the number of visas they will issue. They don't advertise/publish these limits but you can expect to be limited to 2/3 per embassy/consulate.

[Frankcoetzee]

HI

I am a white male from South Africa. I came here with a SETV. I obtained 2 double entry visas from Laos in 2015. It is that time again to do a run.

I am considering going to suvanachet for veintiene is too'strict' Is it still possible to get a DETV? Or has that been scrapped.

Any advise would be apreciated.

[elviajero]

HI

I am a white male from South Africa. I came here with a SETV. I obtained 2 double entry visas from Laos in 2015. It is that time again to do a run.

I am considering going to suvanachet for veintiene is too'strict' Is it still possible to get a DETV? Or has that been scrapped.

Any advise would be apreciated.

It has been scrapped everywhere. You can only get a SETV.

If you want a multi entry tourist visa (METV) you'll need to apply in South Africa.

[hawker9000]

Quoting myself fm another thread:

"Got one in Vientiane a couple of weeks ago. Some notes:

1 - Pretty crowded there on Mondays, but it's a pretty well-oiled operation and once they get started moves quickly. (I actually went on a Monday, because had a very cheap flt up fm BKK Sat'y night. Immigration at VTE was very quick then.)

2 - Don't bother with the embassy's online appn form. They have a new version and will insist you use it.

3 - Their queue is actually the seating area. Many won't know what's going on, but just get a seat, or get in line to get one starting in the back, and you'll see.

4 - You'll need a copy of your Lao entry visa and stamp as well as the data pages from your pp. Copy svc avail there for 10THB.

5 - Turn in your stuff morning of the 1st day; you'll get a receipt and queue slip. Pay & pick- up beginning 1330 the next day - they'll go by the queue no. you got the 1st day.

6 - You're headed for the Consular Services Section, which is NOT co-located with the actual Thai Embassy. Google Maps will get you there. (Tuk-tuks everywhere, but they're kind of bloodthirsty.)

Edited by hawker9000, 2016-01-06 13:48:34."

I had actually just replaced a stolen passport and so only had one other visa in my pp, and that was the Lao visa. However, I wouldn't expect repeat tourist visas to pose a problem until/unless you hit no. 3, in a row (fm VTE) at which point I might expect a "no more here" warning. I hear Savannekit is just as good, it just seems a bit less accessible than VTE.

[Kasset Tak]

It depends on where you are in Thailand and also if you are comfortable to arrange all by yourself.
If you don't want to arrange the trip by yourself then you can take a van from Bangkok to Vientiane with several agencies, they will help you fill in your forms, arrange hotel in Laos and so on. It cost a little more than going by yourself but as you are a tourist that is probably not a problem.
Some people say that it's easy to fly but I personally like to take the overnight bus to Mukdahan (I know that some think that I'm a cheap Charlie but for me it's 400 Baht for a bus ticket or 10,000-20,000 Baht for a plane ticket from where I live to either Vientiane or Savannakhet!), you have direct buses from Bangkok, Konk Kaen, Hua Hin, Pattaya and so on. So in my own opinion, Savannakhet is the best and I think also it's the easiest place (actually Hanoi was easier but then you have to fly which is only about 3,500 from BKK) to go to for the entire visa procedure and usually there are not so many people, last time in Savannakhet we were not even 75 people compared to over 500 people in Vientiane (last time I went there) and 3 people in Hanoi.

[Maestro]

Demos an off-topic post and the replies to it.