The visa run to Vientiane, just across the border in Laos is popular with expats needing a 90 visa stamp and visitors looking to get another visa. I was told that it's easy but it may be a little daunting the first time. What do I need to take? How long will it take? How do I cross the border? Although I'm retired, I still find that the perceived need to plan and anticipate gets in the way of taking such things as they come. So, while the experience is fresh in my mind, here for the benefit of my experience the first time that I made this crossing to get a 90 day stamp.
I drove to the Thai side of the border with a friend who was not planning to cross. We parked a couple of hundred metres from the border post and I walked to the passport check. This is what I had to do to cross and return in the shortest possible time:
1. Hand over my passport as usual for the exit stamp.
2. Pay THB15 and get on a bus that seemed to have more duty free bags than there were passengers to carry them. Walking across no man's land is not allowed.
3. Enjoy the few minutes aboard by looking at the mighty Mekong River below as we crossed Friendship Bridge. See the lines of barges weaving their way up and down the current.
4. I was still in no man's land as I left the bus and had to find out how to get into Laos. The first step is to go to one of the small 'Visa On Arrival' windows facing the bus stop. I was given forms to complete and hand in at the same window. The staff, especially the very charming Lao lady, could not have been more helpful.
5. With the completed forms and my passport, I handed over a THB1,300 fee. I had no passport sized photo but that requirement is waived for an additional fee of THB200. Thai currency is accepted, at least in the immigration area and the duty free shops.
6. After 5 minutes, my passport with the visa and immigration stamp was passed to me through the pick-up window. The immigration stamp meant that I didn't need to queue at the immigration line and could walk straight through.
7. Sadly, there was no time to enjoy Vientiane on this trip so I made my way around the back of the immigration office to the duty free shops on the other side. The shops are well stocked with popular imported wines and spirits, Lao spirits and tobacco. The prices seemed, on the whole, to be cheaper that in Thailand. I was told that I could take up to 2 litres of spirits back to Thailand.
8. Shopping completed, I joined the queue at the Lao passport check, paid another THB15 fare and got on a bus that was just leaving.
9. The Thai immigration office at the other end of Friendship Bridge requires the completion of an arrivals form similar to that issued on flights into Thailand. I handed that over with my passport and was soon back on Thai concrete.
Quite simple once you've done it. The whole process took about an hour an a half but I may have been lucky on a Saturday not to find many others looking for visas and visa stamps in line in front of me.
Next time, I shall stay over in Vientiane and get to know the place a little better.
Find out more about Lao visa requirements.
I drove to the Thai side of the border with a friend who was not planning to cross. We parked a couple of hundred metres from the border post and I walked to the passport check. This is what I had to do to cross and return in the shortest possible time:
1. Hand over my passport as usual for the exit stamp.
2. Pay THB15 and get on a bus that seemed to have more duty free bags than there were passengers to carry them. Walking across no man's land is not allowed.
3. Enjoy the few minutes aboard by looking at the mighty Mekong River below as we crossed Friendship Bridge. See the lines of barges weaving their way up and down the current.
4. I was still in no man's land as I left the bus and had to find out how to get into Laos. The first step is to go to one of the small 'Visa On Arrival' windows facing the bus stop. I was given forms to complete and hand in at the same window. The staff, especially the very charming Lao lady, could not have been more helpful.
5. With the completed forms and my passport, I handed over a THB1,300 fee. I had no passport sized photo but that requirement is waived for an additional fee of THB200. Thai currency is accepted, at least in the immigration area and the duty free shops.
6. After 5 minutes, my passport with the visa and immigration stamp was passed to me through the pick-up window. The immigration stamp meant that I didn't need to queue at the immigration line and could walk straight through.
7. Sadly, there was no time to enjoy Vientiane on this trip so I made my way around the back of the immigration office to the duty free shops on the other side. The shops are well stocked with popular imported wines and spirits, Lao spirits and tobacco. The prices seemed, on the whole, to be cheaper that in Thailand. I was told that I could take up to 2 litres of spirits back to Thailand.
8. Shopping completed, I joined the queue at the Lao passport check, paid another THB15 fare and got on a bus that was just leaving.
9. The Thai immigration office at the other end of Friendship Bridge requires the completion of an arrivals form similar to that issued on flights into Thailand. I handed that over with my passport and was soon back on Thai concrete.
Quite simple once you've done it. The whole process took about an hour an a half but I may have been lucky on a Saturday not to find many others looking for visas and visa stamps in line in front of me.
Next time, I shall stay over in Vientiane and get to know the place a little better.
Find out more about Lao visa requirements.
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