What is the best time to arrive at the Vientiane consulate for a short wait when applying for a visa?

The consulate at Vientiane has improved out of sight...turning up midweek is best, you can be out in no time and over on the Nong Khai side of the border by 3.30- 4.00 pm.

Remember the next afternoon when you pick up your passport you get it back in the order you turned it in the day before. Meaning if you were number 300 the previous morning that is where you are the following afternoon to get your passport back.

SO in your case going early to turn in your passport WILL result in your getting your passport back faster the next afternoon when they give them out

Right, you want to pick up in the afternoon and get to a Nok air flight from Udon at 6? That can be done one of two ways:

1) You get to the consulate well before 1.30pm and get it exactly at 1.30 and get straight to the bus station (at Talat Sao) and you get the 2pm bus to Udon, which gets to the bus station at 4.15pm and you get straight in a tuk tuk and you get to the airport at about 4.35pm, or

2) You find some taxi guy in Vientiane who can drive you all the way to Udon airport. This will cost you at least 1,000b. If you miss the 2pm bus, this is your only option....

You can get there as early as you want. They won't open the gate til they do, and won't begin processing til 8 or later. Mondays can have hundreds in line by the time they open. Fridays will often be empty at 9 (it once took me thirteen minutes to drop off and be done on a Friday).

I think it opens 8:30. I was there recently and it was not busy.