Vientiane wants bank statements now?

[Essecola]

There was a post went up today on a FB visa advice page from a person who said himself and at least 3 others were asked to show bank statements at the Vientiane consulate when applying for 60 day tourist visas this week. Anyone else heard anything about this? The person did mention that what happened to him, and maybe the others, seemed to be because he was applying for his 2nd SETV in a row.

[ubonjoe]

No posts about it on this forum.

I have checked the website of a company that does visa runs to Vientiane and there is no mention of financial proof being needed.

[jeab1980]

Saw a report of this yesterday on another forum will go and ask for more details

[darrendsd]

If true it's going to be fun when 300 people turn up there on Monday and Thursday next week without them, these are the days the visa run companies arrive

 

If this is the case then I would have thought the VR companies would have been given advance notice of the change

 

Let's see what happens

[impulse]

In case it is true, what generally qualifies as a "bank statement"?  

 

Is an ATM balance stub adequate, or a text on my cell from my bank with my current balance, or an updated passbook?  Or does it have to be a full blown statement?  And how recent does it have to be?

 

[darrendsd]

3 minutes ago, impulse said:

In case it is true, what generally qualifies as a "bank statement"?  

 

Is an ATM balance stub adequate, or a text on my cell from my bank with my current balance, or an updated passbook?  Or does it have to be a full blown statement?  And how recent does it have to be?

 

I would wait for confirmation before worrying about it,

 

There is a another thread on what is accepted as funds proof at Savvanakhet, if VE adopt the same it will more than likely be the same as what Savvanakhet accept

[impulse]

4 minutes ago, darrendsd said:

I would wait for confirmation before worrying about it,

 

There is a another thread on what is accepted as funds proof at Savvanakhet, if VE adopt the same it will more than likely be the same as what Savvanakhet accept

 

I was wondering along more general lines, not just this instance.  I'll bop on over to the Savvanakhet thread...  Thanks

[jeab1980]

Checked on other forum origional poster gone missing however guy up there yesterday put his application in on Thursday picked up 60 day TV yesterday,  states no change for 60 day  TV. 

He had to show no funds or ticket out or accomadation.

Seems the FB page which OP states is incorrect.

[Essecola]

12 minutes ago, jeab1980 said:

Checked on other forum origional poster gone missing however guy up there yesterday put his application in on Thursday picked up 60 day TV yesterday,  states no change for 60 day  TV. 

He had to show no funds or ticket out or accomadation.

Seems the FB page which OP states is incorrect.

I am only quoting what I read today. I hope it is indeed incorrect. Didn't intend to put up a scare post, just asking if it's true or not and did anyone else have it happen to them. Sorry if what I posted seemed like something other than that.

[dean2926]

Was in Vientiane last week applying for a SETV.

No mention of bank statement or return ticket.

Have had three SETVisas this year, two from Australia and this one from Laos.

[manly36]

I was there yesterday to pick up my non o and although the requirements state you need to show financial proof for this visa, i wad not asked for any bank statements so i am thinking it would be unlikely for a SETV although i could be wrong.

[nasanews]

2 hours ago, impulse said:

Or does it have to be a full blown statement?  And how recent does it have to be?

Yes at least 3 months but 6 is better.

[elviajero]

6 hours ago, Essecola said:

There was a post went up today on a FB visa advice page from a person who said himself and at least 3 others were asked to show bank statements at the Vientiane consulate when applying for 60 day tourist visas this week. Anyone else heard anything about this? The person did mention that what happened to him, and maybe the others, seemed to be because he was applying for his 2nd SETV in a row.

As a general rule Vientiane do not ask to see 20K in a bank, but they can ask for that at anytime to anyone applying for a visa.

 

If these people were long term tourists it is possible they were asked for a bank statement. If they were 'young long term tourists' the chances are even higher.

Edited August 26, 2017 by elviajero

[JulieM]

I got a 60-day tourist visa there on Aug. 17 and was never asked to show a bank statement, nor did I have to show 20,000 baht when entering Thailand two days later.

[ubonjoe]

A comment about moderation  has been removed along with replies to it.

[bbpbbp]

Yes they asked for it.

 

 

[gk10002000]

So worst case is show 20K baht cash?  If not cash, I guess I could download 3 months of statements from my USA bank account, but what is on the books anyway as for what they look for?  xxxx dollars minimum at any time?  I know the METV has some challenging 6 month minimum balance requirements by the book anyway.  I have no cash issues but I keep fully invested as much as possible and don't as a rule keep lots of cash above any specific minimum.

[nuckyt77]

Just returned from Vientiane yesterday.  Got my Tourist visa without any questions about money. Only was asked if I had a flight out.....showed my ticket and that was all. 

 

Very easy......both at the consulate as well as at the bridge. 

Had the 20.000 baht in cash with me but no questions. Nobody in the 4 lines at the bridge as far as I could see got any question about money.

 

 

[Essecola]

Never heard of that consulate asking for flights out. I had to submit a copy of a flight out in Penang before. 

[jeab1980]

8 hours ago, bbpbbp said:

Yes they asked for it.

 

 

Asked for what??

[darrendsd]

1 hour ago, nuckyt77 said:

Just returned from Vientiane yesterday.  Got my Tourist visa without any questions about money. Only was asked if I had a flight out.....showed my ticket and that was all. 

 

Very easy......both at the consulate as well as at the bridge. 

Had the 20.000 baht in cash with me but no questions. Nobody in the 4 lines at the bridge as far as I could see got any question about money.

 

 

Did you go alone or on one of the visa run companies trips?

[nuckyt77]

1 hour ago, darrendsd said:

Did you go alone or on one of the visa run companies trips?

I did go alone......and rereading my comment just now and it is a bit confusing.

 

At the consulate I was NOT asked for my ticket......at the bridge I was.

 

Think he saw my history on the screen.

 

Sorry for any confusion

 

 

[JackThompson]

47 minutes ago, nuckyt77 said:

I did go alone......and rereading my comment just now and it is a bit confusing.

At the consulate I was NOT asked for my ticket......at the bridge I was.

Think he saw my history on the screen.

Sorry for any confusion

Thank you for the clarification.  Interesting that you were asked for a flight-out with a Tourist Visa.  I would have expected a request to see 20K Baht worth of cash or travelers checks, if anything.  Perhaps immigration at the bridge to Nong Khai is taking up the slack for the lack of requirements at Vientiane - vs Savanahket, where the flight is needed to get the visa in the first place.

[ozmeldo]

I was asked at the Penang consulate about a decade back for similar, I just moved on.

 

If you provide Thai bank statements you are obviously quite established and certainly no tourist. 

 

I'd thought it essentially bait.

 

Print from overseas banks imo.

[BritTim]

I was at the Vientiane consulate August 30-31 and saw nothing unusual. Any requests to see bank statements must only apply to applicants under certain conditions. Most people were certainly getting tourist visas without flights, hotel bookings or financial proof. Considering what they must put up with, I consider the staff at that consulate to be absolute saints, very ready to be friendly.