Welcome back to fitravelife.com!
To stay in Thailand for 2 months out of my total 6 months stay this time, I will go to Laos to get tourist visa. This post explains step by step process of visa application and shows my experience.
Tourist visa application in Laos
General information about visa application
- Application submission 9:00 – 12:00
- Visa collection 13:30 – 16:00
*except Saturday, Sunday and Thai & Lao public holidays
Visa processing time is 2 working day. If you submit on Monday, you can come to receive on Wednesday. If on Friday, collection day on Tuesday.
Appointment booking by online
Firstly, you have to make appointment online through official website. Kindly sign up from blow link then make an appointment on your preferred day.
I made appointment for 28th Feb on 13th Feb with no problem. Only next day, 14th Feb is already full so you can just have several days ahead to make appointment. Booking is available up to one month advance.
Once you are done, you will receive confirmation email to present at submission day.
Documents for application of Tourist visa Single entry
Application fee 1,000THB cash only
- Application form with signature
- 2 passport sized photo within 6 months
- Original and a copy of passport which is valid more than 6 months, including bio data page, immigration stamp to Lao PDR page, and Lao visa page (for applicant with no residence in Lao PDR)
- Evidence of adequate finance (Past 3 months with average of 20,000 THB)
- Travel itinerary to and from Thailand and accommodation e.g. plane/train/bus ticket, hotel booking etc
There is also multiple entry Tourist visa in Thailand but this one basically should be applied where you work or live. In Laos, anybody can apply for Single entry visa but Multiple entry visa is for only Lao people or Those who works in Laos.
Application form download
Required document for Tourist visa
Domument preparation
Document photo copy and ID photo can be easily processed in shopping malls Bangkok. This time, mostly I processed in Vientiane then found this way is much cheaper.
Bank statement in SCB
Before I had trip to Vientiane, I went to SCB branch in Emquartier to receive bank statement.
Passport and bank book is necessary to bring. I have only online bank account so I just brought passport.
Got queue number at entrance.
Waiting for my number called about 20 minutes.
At the counter I gave my passport and informed my bank account number. With signature of some documents, staff pepares for bank statement.
Bank statement for the past 3 months costs 100THB.
Done for my task today to receive bank statement nicely in envelope.
Document copy at Vientiane
I had to copy my apartment contract and passport page. I googled and found copy shop near my hostel below.
Google map info is not updated. Shop is actually located opposite, next to massage shop.
I asked male staff to make photo copy A4 size 6 papers. Total I paid 2,000 kip only which is equals to 3 THB. He can speak good English and advised me also where I can take photo ID.
Price list
Photo ID taken at Vientiane
Next I came to photo studio for ID picture. Maybe they can also do copy job sincs they have printer too.
Entrace of photo studio.
This place also staff can speak English good to communicate. ID photo for visa application is 4pcs set 35,000 kip or 60THB only.
He took photo of my face 2 times and quicky printed pictures in just 5 minutes.
It was really good that I completed photo copy and ID photo cheaper than Bangkok. If I did in Bangkok, normally it costs double or more.
Application Submission at Thai Embassy
On appointment day, I walked to Thai embassy from my hostel about 2.5km.
Passing Patuxai monument then turn right.
Walking straing on the way. Traffic is not so heavy and there is a pedestrian walkway to go safely.
Embassy is located at the back of HANCOOK Korean restaurant.
I arrived 10 minutes to go 9am. Already 30 person waited in front and another 20 comes in line before gate opens.
Kasikorn bank in front of Embassy.
Some foreigners buying morning coffee next to embassy.
I came to end of line.
Some local people stands by around embassy to provide copy and photo service. As last resort, you can rely on them for quite higher price. One person told me one photo copy is 20 THB and 6 pcs ID photo is 150 THB.
mini booth for photo copy and ID photo
Bird nest with high voltage.
At 9am, line slowly moves..
No problem about your baggage, I saw some people with suitcases inside, 55.
Lady in front of me was pointed out missing passport photo copy. Unlike before, they have no copy machine insifde embassy so she needed to go outside to find photo copy.
At the entrace, staff will do screening your documents. Please prepare to show booking confirmation email with queue number to them. If don’t, they will ask you to wait until other all people finishes then look for your name on list.
All applicant seems seated on chair, waiting in line one by one. However, there is no staff controlling, most Lao local visa agent is ignoring line and skip queue inside.
Maybe they can put separator same as airport security control to respect waiting order, I hope.
Pens, scissors and glue is prepared on working desk.
Application windows. 2 out of 3 are all foreigners’ application suibmission.
Finally my turn came, I gave all my paper document and original passport. After quick check by officer, he asked to pay 1,000 THB for application fee.
Passport collection in 2 days.. well it was next day collection before…
Toilets inside embassy.
Male room.
Visa collection
2 days later, I came back to Embassy to collect my passport with visa. Collection time starts from 13:30 to 16:00 on weekday.
Since I had much time before gate opens, I walk around here to visit some shops. I will mention those shops later.
30 minutes before I reached embassy site. Still nobody is waiting to enter. I just sat on the chair which normally used by photo and copy agent in the morning.
Temporary photo and copy booth in front of embassy. It opens only morning time.
10 minutes before gate opening, I decided to wait at first.
For 10 minutes, I just stood on the top of line, looking at the gate only. Look the middle pole on the door is not in the center.
Stone wall decoration is fake, only on surface.
At 13:00 sharp, embassy staff allowed only Lao agent to enter first from automobile gate. I also tried to enter with them but denied. These agent works for Lao people only they came back with dozenz of Lao passports.
After that finally we are allowed to enter inside. Staff told me to go to window No.2
Here is my visa on passport. Good I could get it with no problem at all. Within 3 months from application date, I can enter Thailand then stay up to 60 days in total.
Receipt of payment visa application fee.
I actually came to the embassy early so I walked around nearby shopping malls to avoid hot temperature outside.
MIXUE is Chinese ice cream and boba tea store, expanding its presence rapidly in southeast countries. In Laos they have several branches already, My favorite is ice cream which costs only 8,000 Kip. They have dine-in space inside, full with customers.
Convenience store and Cafe Amazon next to MIXUE store.
kok kok Mega Mart is big super market owned by Korean company. I would say that store arrangement is similar to macro shopping center in Thailand.
Walking more on the day, I found nice cozy supermarket offers variety of imported goods.
Comment