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Visa Company or DIY?


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It depends upon the visa run company you use. Some do not charge much more than doing it yourself. Also if is your first time it does make it easier.

The only savings would be in transport to get to Vientiane. You can do it real cheap by taking a train to Nong Khai in 3rd class or basic buses. The quickest trip is by air to Udon Thani and then a van to the bridge.

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Here is the real deal.

Visa Company - about 8,000 baht.

Picked up at 1800 in a minivan and then do a tour of Pattaya / Jomtien picking up others.

1900 Travel at 100 mph to Nong Khai through the night. Several toilet/snack stops on route.

Arrive Nong Khai 0430...... Park up with hundreds of other minivans waiting for the border to open.

Not a wink of sleep did I have. The driving speed, thought of imminent death and road noise was too much.

Border opens and you do paperwork and join the queue......sweating your nuts off if you have any.

Check out of LoS and get on a dilapidated, old knackered rusting bus to go over the bridge to Laos....start the waiting and sweating again.

Eventualy through....then you go to the Thai consulate.....Not the Embassy !

More sweating and waiting this time in the company of millions of mosquitos....Paperwork done passport handed over..

of to the Skanky one star Hotel (awarded by the Caravan Club of South Wales)...moderate to poor Buffet food and free time until next day.... where you start the reverse process and head back to Pattaya at a 100 mph in the day light making it even more scary than the first time......

Never ever again will I do that.....

Do it your self and fly with NOK air to Udon and pay about the same for flights and maybe a better hotel guesthouse for about the same money and avoid the mad minibus ride but not the waiting, sweating and mosquitos sadly......

Basically pay a fraction more and live easier and more comfortably.

Could not agree more. Take flight to udon (AirAsia) . Stay that night somewhere like top mansion. Nice bars in area. Friendly xpats. Morning walk around to centra plaza get the minibus to border. Easy quick drive. When across bridge get a taxi (shared preferably) forget the tuk tuk rubbish. Lodge application pick up next afternoon. If time allows spend another night in udon. Nice joint. Fly back. Easy Edited by jacksam
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Here is the real deal.

Visa Company - about 8,000 baht.

Picked up at 1800 in a minivan and then do a tour of Pattaya / Jomtien picking up others.

1900 Travel at 100 mph to Nong Khai through the night. Several toilet/snack stops on route.

Arrive Nong Khai 0430...... Park up with hundreds of other minivans waiting for the border to open.

Not a wink of sleep did I have. The driving speed, thought of imminent death and road noise was too much.

Border opens and you do paperwork and join the queue......sweating your nuts off if you have any.

Check out of LoS and get on a dilapidated, old knackered rusting bus to go over the bridge to Laos....start the waiting and sweating again.

Eventualy through....then you go to the Thai consulate.....Not the Embassy !

More sweating and waiting this time in the company of millions of mosquitos....Paperwork done passport handed over..

of to the Skanky one star Hotel (awarded by the Caravan Club of South Wales)...moderate to poor Buffet food and free time until next day.... where you start the reverse process and head back to Pattaya at a 100 mph in the day light making it even more scary than the first time......

Never ever again will I do that.....

Do it your self and fly with NOK air to Udon and pay about the same for flights and maybe a better hotel guesthouse for about the same money and avoid the mad minibus ride but not the waiting, sweating and mosquitos sadly......

Basically pay a fraction more and live easier and more comfortably.

What was the name of the visa company you went with?
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Hi guys i am going to Laos soon to get a SETV so i was thinking if it´s worth the money to go with a visa company or is it easy to do it myself and approx how much money would i safe if it do it myself. Thanks

When are you planning on going?

I've done it 3 times using a visa company and swear never again. I'm going in April between the 25th and 27th.

I'm doing it myself this time.

Edited by ldiablo
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Hi guys i am going to Laos soon to get a SETV so i was thinking if it´s worth the money to go with a visa company or is it easy to do it myself and approx how much money would i safe if it do it myself. Thanks

When are you planning on going?

I've done it 3 times using a visa company and swear never again. I'm going in April between the 25th and 27th.

I'm doing it myself this time.

My extension will run out the 3rd May.

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