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What are the steps to obtain a Non-Immigrant O visa or extend my stay while in Laos?

Jul 20, 2025
2 days ago
Peter *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Hi Group. In Laos getting stamp fo non immigrant O.

Arrive today through friendship bridge Nong khai.

Got passport stamped. Now they say at border I need to go Laos Embassy to get Visa to stay here 2 days...They are closed tomorrow Sunday so I need to go Monday get visa than head back Thailand.

Shit fight at border but that another story...
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TLDR : Answer Summary
A user in a Facebook group shares their experience of encountering difficulties at the border between Thailand and Laos, specifically related to obtaining a Non-Immigrant O visa. They arrived in Laos to have their passport stamped but were informed that they need to go to the Laos embassy for a visa to remain for two days. Confusion arises regarding visa requirements and processes. Various comments provide clarity on the procedures, suggesting using the Thai e-visa system for applications and noting the need for a Laos visa on arrival. The conversation highlights common challenges faced by expats navigating visa rules between Thailand and Laos.
NON-O RETIREMENT VISA RESOURCES / SERVICES
  • Go to the Retirement Visa Section for information on requirements, including age restrictions, financial requirements, and necessary documentation.
  • For immediate assistance, contact Thai Visa Centre directly via LINE at @ThaiVisaCentre or Email them.
  • Explore recent discussions by using the Non-O Retirement Visa tag in the search box at the top of the page.
  • Join the Thai Visa Advice Facebook Group to ask your questions, and get advice from others.
Max *************
It seems you're a bit confused.
Lynnette *******
@Max ************
very confused. And so are most people trying to figure out what he's done. Lol
Matthew *********
I understand , you have to leave the country to activate the evisa. Makes sense now.
John **********
This is all very confusing BUT if you are already in Laos all you need to do is return to Thailand with a print out of the Thai evisa you already have an present it to the Thai immigration officer when entering Thailand along with your passport
Anna *********
If you’d followed the process correctly to start with you wouldn’t be having issues now. 😀If you follow the instructions you have been given when you re enter Thailand your visa will be activated
Peter *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Anna ********
well that helps a lot.. my Passport has been stamped in Laos.. do I need to get visa in Laos was really the question
Anna *********
@Peter ********
you are being told you need a visa to enter Laos so again if you follow instructions…….
Doug ********
@Peter ********
you have to enter laos...to do that you need a Laos visa ,about forty us dollar's. It's only valid for one entry. You then go into Laos. Once you leave Laos the visa is marked as expired in your passport. If you return to bong khaki and they refuse entry you will have to go straight back to laos. Even though you will have only been gone an hour you will have to get another visa to go back into Laos. I'm a bit confused with your post tbh...if you have the non o visa why will bong khaki not let you in.

You need the tdac as well.
Dca *****
Looking back at the various Posts of the OP here in this Facebook Group, it seems earlier he was trying to open a Thai Bank Account with a (Single Entry) Non–O Retirement E–Visa issued by the Thai Consulate in Sydney, but the Thai Bank Branches that he approached, located in the Isaan region, wouldn't open a Thai Bank Account for him without either a wet ink Non–O Visa or an Extension of Stay, either of which only obtained from his local Thai Immigration Office (of which, the original rationale to open a Thai Bank Account was probably in order to apply for an Extension of Stay at his local Thai Immigration Office)

So, now in Vientiane, (and probably mistaken) that the Thai Embassy in Vientiane still issues Thai Visa Stickers (which it does not and no Thai Embassy/Thai Consulate anywhere in the world issues Thai Visa Stickers, but only Thai E–Visa as a PDF File)

So, as an Australian over age 50 years old and does NOT have any Marriage Certificate with a Thai Citizen, the OP's best option is to, again, get another Single Entry Non–O Retirement E–Visa from the Thai Embassy in Vientiane, like he previously obtained from the Thai Consulate in Sydney

So, seems to be the gist of his dilemma....

As for Lao Visa policy, well, clearly, he got a Lao Visa on Arrival (Lao VoA) for USD $40 Dollars at the Friendship Bridge border that allows for a Stay of 30 Days in Laos for Australia Passports
Peter *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Dca ****
i entered Thailand on Australian passport 60 days then extended it for 30 days at Khon Kaen immigration. Then while in Thailand I done E visa non 0 immigrants for retirement online through Sydney Thai Embassy. This was approved. After it was approved I took it to Khon Kaen immigration who said I needed to go Laos for few days to activate it with stamp then go back immigration at Khon Kaen and they would approve and grant me retirement visa so I could open bank account... Well im in Laos now and immigration at Laos border said I needed a visa to stay in Laos which I was heading to Embassy on Monday for than head back Khon kaen immigration on Tuesday...Am i doing it correctly.. first time doing this ... when I done it online in Thailand I done it as I was in Sydney... so now it stands i have approved retirement visa which is not activated... hope all this makes sense.. a bit lost at the moment. Any suggestions or help be appreciated.. thanks 😊
Dca *****
@Peter ********
You have many things confused:

1.) You already have a Lao Visa Sticker, which was a Lao Visa on Arrival (Lao VoA) Sticker, that you had bought for USD $40 Dollars and the Lao Immigration Officer then ink stamped you in for 30 Days:

otherwise, there was no way for you to Make Entry into Laos with an Australia Passport without a Lao Visa Sticker in your passport beforehand;

2.) Apparently you have an UNUSED Non–O E–Visa that has not been activated yet which you have received from the Thai Consulate in Sydney

Now, all you have to do is show that PDF Print out (which you already did for the Thai Banks and Khon Kaen Immigration Office) to the Thai Immigration Officer on Arrival in Nong Khai

Then, check and verify that the Entry Stamp you receive from the Thai Immigration Officer on Arrival in Nong Khai gave you a Non–O Entry for 90 Days;

3.) You don't need any more visas from anywhere else and you don't need to stay in Laos for a few days and can just leave Laos now and Return Back and Make Entry into Thailand using that Non–O E–Visa issued by the Thai Consulate in Sydney;

4.) Once you have made Entry into Thailand and activated (used) your Non–O E–Visa, then you can go to a Thai Bank Now (there are some Thai Bank Branches open on Sundays) and open a Thai Bank Account;

5.) Don't bother going again to any local Thai Immigration Office (in your case, the Khon Kaen Immigration Office) without a Thai Bank Account already open and 800,000.- (800k) Thai Baht sitting in your Thai bank account for at least 2 months before going to any local Thai Immigration Office to apply for a Retirement Extension of Stay;

6.) Unfortunately, any and all Thai E–Visa's need to be applied for and processed:

a.) while you are physically NOT in Thailand, and

b.) while physically in the same jurisdiction (country) of whatever Thai Embassy/Thai Consulate you are trying to get a Thai E–Visa from

Unfortunately, that ship has already sailed now

It is up to the Thai Immigration Officer on Arrival at Nong Khai to make that determination about what to do or not do and at the full discretion of the Thai Immigration Officer (and, potentially, local Thai Immigration Office) about the specific circumstances of this Non–O Thai eVisa issued from the Thai Consulate in Sydney

(surprised the Khon Kaen Immigration Office didn't say more to you about your E–Visa from Sydney)

So, best of luck to you and unfortunately you have so many things confused, but apparently luck is definitely in your favor so far
X *************
@Dca ****
he used Thai embassy in Sydney while in Thailand to get the non O visa so he was told he needed to exit to activate it. Yea you need a visa to Lao but normally they give at the border for a fee
Doug ********
@X ************
I don't think his application should have even been approved lol 😆
Stephan ***********
@Doug *******
Yep, clearly somebody didn't check properly at the Consulate in Sydney... 🙄🤔
Wannikea *********
@Dca ****
yeah, a bit of a sh!tshow misunderstanding.
Doug ********
@Peter ********
no. You are only supposed to apply for the non o retirement visa when you are Outside Thailand ...there is a section on the e visa application that even.ask for proof of your location so when you applied while Khon Kaen you must have made a false declaration so your e visa should never have been issued in the first place.

This is what I did two months ago from exact same position and you.

Went to Vientiane get the Laos visa on arrival from nong khai. Done as soon as you get off the bridge lol.

Stay Vientiane.

Apply for non O retirement visa on e visa application.

You can not pay on line in Vientiane.

You will get an email or QR code.

go to thai consulate queue up and pay 2000 Baht.

Your e visa application status will change to being processed.make sure it does.

The website says up to 15 working days.

I booked hotel for 3 nights.

In the second working day I got my email with the visa

approved.

Printed it out, did the tdac .

Next morning back to nong khaki and allowed back in.

Then started the hassle of opening bank account lol..another story
Stephan ***********
@Peter ********
"Then while in Thailand I done E visa non 0 immigrants for retirement online through Sydney Thai Embassy."

Well... you do know that this wasn't the correct way, don't you? 🤔🙄
Peter *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Stephan **********
yes I realise that now...that's why immigration at Khon kaen told me to come to Laos and get stamp...
Stephan ***********
@Peter ********
Okay... good luck with Laos, hopefully they won't notice your little "scam" and revoke your visa... fingers crossed... 🤞🙏
Peter *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Stephan **********
honest mistake on one of questions
Graham ******
@Stephan **********
I'm waiting for that to happen, an Immigration Officer checking the date of issue on the eVisa against the Thailand entry/exit dates/stamps and cancelling the visa
Stephan ***********
@Graham *****
Yep, it happened before... he wouldn't be the first one coming with a DTV but enter on exemption...
Ralph *******
@Peter ********
Just pay the US$40 for the visa to enter Laos.

And good luck getting that bank account. I’ve heard of the applications being rejected until you have a one year visa.
Doug ********
@Ralph ******
the bank account is a real.hassle in Udon thani even with the correct papers the first three refused me
Lynnette *******
Can you edit your post to clarify what you meant? You're IN Laos to get a stamp ( for where?). You've been told to get visa for 2 days ( for Laos?).
Brandon ************
Are you saying you traveled to Laos to apply for a non-O visa from the Thai embassy, or that you traveled to Laos to activate a visa you already have?

If you need to apply for the visa, then you do that online, not at the embassy. Use the Thai e-visa system
*****************************
You don't need to wait until Monday to submit the application.

Upload all the information and submit it, and then on Monday go to the embassy between 9-11 and pay for your application. After that it should be 3-5 days until your visa is approved and sent to you. After that, print out your visa, then you can return to Thailand.
Peter *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Brandon ***********
is this what immigration in Khon Kaen are wanting...or do I get non o visa laos
Dca *****
@Peter ********
Again, don't need to show your Lao Visa Sticker to anyone and just Exit and get out of Laos now, but show your Thai E–Visa Non–O print out that you have from Sydney to the Thai Immigration Officer on Arrival in Nong Khai
Brandon ************
@Peter ********
I really don't understand what you're asking or where you even are. That's a visa for Laos. It has nothing to do with Thailand.
Peter *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Brandon ***********
i came into Thailand on Australian passport 60days then extended for 60days. Then I done online e visa non immigrant 0 in Thailand which was approved. But I should have said i was in Thailand not Sydney when doing visa. I took approval document for visa to Khon Kaen immigration and the man there said i had to activate it by going into Laos for a few days and get passport stamped that I left Thailand. Then come back to Khon Kaen immigration they would stamp non immigrant 0 visa for retirement than can open Thai Bank account. When I got to Laos border people said I needed visa to stay in Laos for that few days... Any suggestions where I should go now...Thanks 😊
Max *************
@Peter ********
You seem a bit confused,Peter. 😎
Chuck **********
@Peter ********
doesn’t sound right!
Brandon ************
@Peter ********
You're already in Laos? Then you already got the visa on arrival, or they wouldn't have let you in. You don't do anything. You could have just turned around and went right back to Thailand.
Ralph *******
@Peter ********
Yes. You need a visa to enter Laos. What’s the problem?

I also don’t know how you extended a 60 day visa exemption by 60 days.
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