Tourist Visa from Vientiane

Post by **BobHelm** » November 6, 2012, 2:52 pm

My current Non Imm 'O' multi-entry has now expired.
The current Immigration stamp in my passport lasts until 28th. January 2013.
I am going back to the UK early next year but I wanted rather latter in the year than February.
I know that I can go to Udon Immigration & get a 30 day extension which would see me through February, but, ideally towards the end of March would suit me better.
So, at the end of January, I would like to go to the Thai Embassy in Laos & get a tourist visa. However I do have Tourist Visas in my passport from 2009.
At that time the Thai Embassy in Vientiane were imposing a restriction on the maximum number of Tourist Visas that anyone was permitted to have in their passport.

Does anyone know what the current situation concerning Tourist Visas & Vientiane is now??

Post by **Saboo** » November 6, 2012, 3:19 pm

BobHelm wrote:My current Non Imm 'O' multi-entry has now expired.
The current Immigration stamp in my passport lasts until 28th. January 2013.
I am going back to the UK early next year but I wanted rather latter in the year than February.
I know that I can go to Udon Immigration & get a 30 day extension which would see me through February, but, ideally towards the end of March would suit me better.
So, at the end of January, I would like to go to the Thai Embassy in Laos & get a tourist visa. However I do have Tourist Visas in my passport from 2009.
At that time the Thai Embassy in Vientiane were imposing a restriction on the maximum number of Tourist Visas that anyone was permitted to have in their passport.

Does anyone know what the current situation concerning Tourist Visas & Vientiane is now??

The Thai consulate in Laos will proberly insist you get a 90 day Non Immigrant "O".... as you will not be entering Thailand for tourism purposes...

Mr. Saboo

Post by **BobHelm** » November 6, 2012, 3:47 pm

The Embassy in Vientiane do not grant Non Imm 'O' visas for anything apart from reason of being married to a Thai national...

Post by **papaguido** » November 6, 2012, 4:05 pm

Just a theory, but I think that back to back tourist visas were frowned upon because it was circumventing the process for "long Stay". Since you have a break in the chain with the Non O, you may have a shot at a tourist visa. It also may help if you have an itinerary showing your departure in March.

Post by **Saboo** » November 6, 2012, 4:20 pm

BobHelm wrote:The Embassy in Vientiane do not grant Non Imm 'O' visas for anything apart from reason of being married to a Thai national...

Are you not married then...?

Sorry for my incorrect assumption...

Post by **BobHelm** » November 6, 2012, 4:32 pm

No & no problem...

I can always go to Penang or Kuala Lumpur as I know that I would be well within the Embassy rules there, which are all based around a 365 day cycle.
However I did wonder if anyone knew exactly what rules Vientiane are applying now.
I am reluctant to go only to discover that they will not give me a visa & then I have 15 days to either make arrangements to go back to the UK or go to another neighbouring country.

Post by **wiking** » November 6, 2012, 8:53 pm

are you sure you get 30 days extra on a non o

because I was there last week and they told me sorry on a NON O only 7 days - turist visa 30 days

Post by **BobHelm** » November 6, 2012, 8:57 pm

wiking wrote:are you sure you get 30 days extra on a non o

because I was there last week and they told me sorry on a NON O only 7 days - turist visa 30 days

ha,ha... They make it up as they go along...

The actual rule says 'Up to 30 days' but, like most things it is up to their discretion..

Thanks for the heads up Wiking, I will probably just go to Malaysia or Cambodia then & have a few days there..

Post by **newtovillagelife** » November 6, 2012, 10:47 pm

Does the Thai embassy refund you if they turn you down for a visa.

Post by **newtovillagelife** » November 6, 2012, 10:48 pm

Does anyone know documents that are needed for a type O visa.

Post by **Frankie 1** » November 6, 2012, 11:14 pm

You probably won't get a tourist visa from Vientiane. They are strict with tourist visa's. If you stay, or have stayed, in Thailand for a long period, you are not considered a "tourist". They see it as fraud if you lie about the purpose of staying in Thailand.

So if you try to get a tourist visa in Vientiane, and they see the stamps in your passport, you might end up with no visa at all.

Post by **BobHelm** » November 6, 2012, 11:37 pm

Frankie 1 wrote:You probably won't get a tourist visa from Vientiane. They are strict with tourist visa's. If you stay, or have stayed, in Thailand for a long period, you are not considered a "tourist". They see it as fraud if you lie about the purpose of staying in Thailand.

So if you try to get a tourist visa in Vientiane, and they see the stamps in your passport, you might end up with no visa at all.

Why can't a tourist stay a long time in a country?
What is the limit on what constitutes a tourist & what does not??
Just because someone stays a long time in a place does not mean that they are not a 'tourist'.
Please explain frankie, How does Tourism have a time limit?? & where, exactly, is that represented in the laws that govern Tourism in Thailand??
If you want to take 2 minutes to 'tour' something & I want to take 2 years, who is to say that you are a tourist & I am not??

The Embassies in the other surrounding countries would all, automatically, accept my application for a Tourist Visa.

Post by **BobHelm** » November 6, 2012, 11:40 pm

newtovillagelife wrote:Does the Thai embassy refund you if they turn you down for a visa.

I doubt it in the extreme. I cannot think of any country that repays a fee to apply for a visa if it is unsuccessful. It is up to the applier to ensure that they have their 'ducks in a row', Hence my original question.

Post by **BobHelm** » November 6, 2012, 11:41 pm

newtovillagelife wrote:Does anyone know documents that are needed for a type O visa.

Please you really need to be more specific than this & explain EXACTLY what you mean.
Plus, to be honest, start your own thread, as this has nothing to do with mine...

Post by **newtovillagelife** » November 6, 2012, 11:53 pm

Sorry Bob I am unable to start a thread for some reason. I am just asking for some help. Details....I am married to a Thai my type O 90 day visa expired ( got it in Canada). I need to get one in Loas what documents do I need ...in Canada all I needed was a copy of my wifes passport and our marriage certificate

Post by **papaguido** » November 7, 2012, 5:46 am

newtovillagelife wrote:Does the Thai embassy refund you if they turn you down for a visa.

http://vientiane.thaiembassy.org/vienti ... lar_check/

Post by **papaguido** » November 7, 2012, 5:52 am

newtovillagelife wrote:Does anyone know documents that are needed for a type O visa.

At Vientiane...

http://vientiane.thaiembassy.org/vienti ... lar_check/

Post by **thex** » November 7, 2012, 12:01 pm

A buddy of mine switched to a tourist from a non O a couple of years ago.

He went to Savannakhet instead.

No problems there.

I don't know if the situation has changed or not.

My wife has a cousin in Mukdahan and we recently spent a day/night there.

Mr Magoo here wasn't doing the driving but he sure did enjoy the journey!

Post by **Frankie 1** » November 7, 2012, 12:21 pm

BobHelm wrote:
Frankie 1 wrote:You probably won't get a tourist visa from Vientiane. They are strict with tourist visa's. If you stay, or have stayed, in Thailand for a long period, you are not considered a "tourist". They see it as fraud if you lie about the purpose of staying in Thailand.

So if you try to get a tourist visa in Vientiane, and they see the stamps in your passport, you might end up with no visa at all.
Why can't a tourist stay a long time in a country?
What is the limit on what constitutes a tourist & what does not??
Just because someone stays a long time in a place does not mean that they are not a 'tourist'.
Please explain frankie, How does Tourism have a time limit?? & where, exactly, is that represented in the laws that govern Tourism in Thailand??
If you want to take 2 minutes to 'tour' something & I want to take 2 years, who is to say that you are a tourist & I am not??

The Embassies in the other surrounding countries would all, automatically, accept my application for a Tourist Visa.

Don't ask me, I don't make the rules. I just repeat what's stated on the wall in the Vientiane consulate (in my own words). I don't know the time limit, because I wasn't there for a tourist visa, so not really interested at the time to exactly copy the text. Maybe somebody who is going to the consulate in Vientiane could make a photo of the text on the wall in the waiting area there.

You are not allowed to get back-to-back tourist visa's for a long period. There is a limit, that is probably the limit that they still consider you a tourist or not. If you live in Thailand for a year, it's up to immigration if they see you as a resident. In their view, if you live in Thailand on a tourist visa, you have the wrong visa, or in other words, you lied about your purpose of stay on your visa application.

Post by **Frankie 1** » November 7, 2012, 1:09 pm

Found it:

"visa applicants are required to clearly express their rëal purpose of visiting Thailand. Should the case be found that the applicant's real intention were concealed, the application willl be rejected.