Visa run report - single entry non b in Vientiane

[manonthemon]

I've just receibed a single entry non b visa in Vientiane, based on a work permit application and company papers from Phuket.

I arrived to Laos a couple of days before applying for my non b visa at the Consulate in Vientiane. That's why I reached Vientiane on a bus from Luang Prabang, in the middle of the night. From the bus station I got a tuk tuk to the consulate, by asking to be taken to the Lao Singapore College, a sort of local landmark, next doors to the consuate. I reached the front gate at aroud 4am, the consulate opens at 8:00 so I found an empty tuk tuk nearby and took a nap on the passengers seat.

The line started forming at aroud 7, by 8 it was about 50-100 ppl long, much less then I was warned it would be. Once the gates opened, everybody orderly proceeded to the consulate widows, I got my papers checked and received a slip with number 001 and was asked to come and collect the passport the next day. The 2000 for the single entry visa would also be collected the day after. 15 minutes in and out. (plus 4h waiting outside )

The next day I shows up at the Consulate at aroud 12:00, the official opening time is 13:30 but the gates were open by 12:30. Inside a messy line started forming in front of the window where visas were to be collected, the atmosphere was that of eager anticipation, a bit tense , with some people wanting to queue according the the application numbers and some on the first come first served basis. It's the first option that is the practice - even though the queue numbers displays weren't working, the officer refused to serve some people with higher number and processed my application Nr 001 first. I paid 2000 baht and got my visa.

Some things I noticed:

There are signs announcing "no visa agencies" all over the place yet the place is swarming with visa agents.

You can get your application filled in for l00 baht outside the consulate, 50 baht inside, or you can do it for free yourself.

The official list of fees on the consulate's wall states that multiple entry non b visas are only available for residents of Laos.

There is a baguettes and coffee/drunks right outside the consulate. There also coffee stand inside the consulate.

I used exactly the same set of company documents I had used 3 weeks earlier in Kolkata to apply for a non b and had my application refused (received my passport with visa but stamped "void".) No such issues in Vientiane.

There is a lot of cafés and restaurants around the consulate (many of them Korean). There are also some guesthouses - I staid a 5 minutes walk away in an ok place with bathroom, aircon and fridge for 500 Baht.

I didn't feel like exploring Vientiane. Only went to cinema in what seems to be a new shopping mall - the least crowded mall I've seen in Asia so far.

The place is swarming with tuk tuk and taxi drivers. They wanted 100.000 kip or 400 baht for a ride the the train station. I bargained it down to 70.000 and made my way back to bkk by train.

Hope this helps someone. Cheers.

PS. Typed this on my phone so sorry for typos if any.