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What is the processing time and application requirements for a single entry tourist visa at Thai consulates in Vientiane or Savannakhet?
Thailand VisaSingle Entry Tourist VisaVientiane ConsulateSavannakhet ConsulateVisa Processing TimeVisa Application FeeEligibility for VisaOnline Visa Application
Mar 1, 2025
a year ago
Jun *******
ORIGINAL POSTERHow long is processing time for single entry tourist visa application at Vientiane/Savannakhet consulates (and where is the shortest for that matter Laos or otherwise)? Does it really take 10 ~ 15 days?
Does one have to be the resident or national of the country at where you're filing the application from to be eligible for SETV (METV only?).
Also, at what point do you have to pay up the application fee? The applicant is in CM now where he will file online SE tourist visa application from. It is assumed it takes at least two days to travel from CM to Vientiane via Thai-Lao friendship bridge. Does that give the applicant enough time window to go make application fee payment at the embassy/consulate when he is called to pay up?
Does one have to be the resident or national of the country at where you're filing the application from to be eligible for SETV (METV only?).
Also, at what point do you have to pay up the application fee? The applicant is in CM now where he will file online SE tourist visa application from. It is assumed it takes at least two days to travel from CM to Vientiane via Thai-Lao friendship bridge. Does that give the applicant enough time window to go make application fee payment at the embassy/consulate when he is called to pay up?
TLDR : Answer Summary
The processing time for a single entry tourist visa (SETV) application at the Vientiane and Savannakhet consulates is generally reported to be around 2 working days once the application fee is paid in cash. One does not need to be a resident or national of Laos to apply for the SETV; applicants from various countries can qualify, though the METV requires legal long-term residence in the country where the application is filed. Application fees are typically handled after one applies online and provides proof of entry into Laos at the consulate.
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Tod *********
šš¼š š¹š¼š»š“ š¶š š½šæš¼š°š²ššš¶š»š“ šš¶šŗš² š³š¼šæ šš¶š»š“š¹š² š²š»ššæš šš¼ššæš¶šš šš¶šš® š®š½š½š¹š¶š°š®šš¶š¼š» š®š š©š¶š²š»šš¶š®š»š²/š¦š®šš®š»š»š®šøšµš²š š°š¼š»ššš¹š®šš²š
It takes as long as it takes. BUT with that being said people are reporting, for easy visas like a single entry tourist visa they should be approved in 2 working days after they've paid the visa fee in CASH at the consulate
šš¼š²š š¼š»š² šµš®šš² šš¼ šÆš² ššµš² šæš²šš¶š±š²š»š š¼šæ š»š®šš¶š¼š»š®š¹ š¼š³ ššµš² š°š¼šš»ššæš š®š ššµš²šæš² šš¼š'šæš² š³š¶š¹š¶š»š“ ššµš² š®š½š½š¹š¶š°š®šš¶š¼š» š³šæš¼šŗ šš¼ šÆš² š²š¹š¶š“š¶šÆš¹š² š³š¼šæ š¦šš§š© (š šš§š© š¼š»š¹š?).
SETV can be gotten by almost anyone whether they live in Lao or not. He needs to make sure he's not from a country with special processing time.
Only the METV requires you hold legal long term residence in the country where the thai consulate you're applying at is
šš¹šš¼, š®š ššµš®š š½š¼š¶š»š š±š¼ šš¼š šµš®šš² šš¼ š½š®š šš½ ššµš² š®š½š½š¹š¶š°š®šš¶š¼š» š³š²š²?
You GO to Lao, you apply online, you upload your proof that you're IN Lao (visa/entry stamp) you get the confirmation that you applied which you take to the thai consulate and pay in CASH for the visa
š§šµš² š®š½š½š¹š¶š°š®š»š š¶š š¶š» šš š»š¼š ššµš²šæš² šµš² šš¶š¹š¹ š³š¶š¹š² š¼š»š¹š¶š»š² š¦š šš¼ššæš¶šš šš¶šš® š®š½š½š¹š¶š°š®šš¶š¼š» š³šæš¼šŗ.
You can't apply for an eVisa INSIDE thailand, and you need to upload the proof you're IN Lao by your visa/entry stamp when you apply
They don't call you to 'pay up', you apply online, get a confirmation of you having applied and take THAT to the thai consulate in Vientiane to pay (from 9-11 on M-F closed holidays and weekends)
It takes as long as it takes. BUT with that being said people are reporting, for easy visas like a single entry tourist visa they should be approved in 2 working days after they've paid the visa fee in CASH at the consulate
šš¼š²š š¼š»š² šµš®šš² šš¼ šÆš² ššµš² šæš²šš¶š±š²š»š š¼šæ š»š®šš¶š¼š»š®š¹ š¼š³ ššµš² š°š¼šš»ššæš š®š ššµš²šæš² šš¼š'šæš² š³š¶š¹š¶š»š“ ššµš² š®š½š½š¹š¶š°š®šš¶š¼š» š³šæš¼šŗ šš¼ šÆš² š²š¹š¶š“š¶šÆš¹š² š³š¼šæ š¦šš§š© (š šš§š© š¼š»š¹š?).
SETV can be gotten by almost anyone whether they live in Lao or not. He needs to make sure he's not from a country with special processing time.
Only the METV requires you hold legal long term residence in the country where the thai consulate you're applying at is
šš¹šš¼, š®š ššµš®š š½š¼š¶š»š š±š¼ šš¼š šµš®šš² šš¼ š½š®š šš½ ššµš² š®š½š½š¹š¶š°š®šš¶š¼š» š³š²š²?
You GO to Lao, you apply online, you upload your proof that you're IN Lao (visa/entry stamp) you get the confirmation that you applied which you take to the thai consulate and pay in CASH for the visa
š§šµš² š®š½š½š¹š¶š°š®š»š š¶š š¶š» šš š»š¼š ššµš²šæš² šµš² šš¶š¹š¹ š³š¶š¹š² š¼š»š¹š¶š»š² š¦š šš¼ššæš¶šš šš¶šš® š®š½š½š¹š¶š°š®šš¶š¼š» š³šæš¼šŗ.
You can't apply for an eVisa INSIDE thailand, and you need to upload the proof you're IN Lao by your visa/entry stamp when you apply
They don't call you to 'pay up', you apply online, get a confirmation of you having applied and take THAT to the thai consulate in Vientiane to pay (from 9-11 on M-F closed holidays and weekends)
Jun *******
ORIGINAL POSTERThanks you always!
I suppose you have to make two trips to the embassy, once to pay up and another to receive the visa/passport?
Lastly, is it OK for the candidate to designate a monastery (temple) as a place to stay so long he can get "letter from whom you will be staying with and a signed copy of his/her ID" (abbot)?
BTW, can SETV be exntended (max 60 days?) ?
I suppose you have to make two trips to the embassy, once to pay up and another to receive the visa/passport?
Lastly, is it OK for the candidate to designate a monastery (temple) as a place to stay so long he can get "letter from whom you will be staying with and a signed copy of his/her ID" (abbot)?
BTW, can SETV be exntended (max 60 days?) ?
Tod *********
@Jun ******
you are not correct, you apply ONLINE, you get the confirmation and print that out, you go to the embassy and pay during the hours I mentioned, then you just wait IN Lao until you get the email stating the application is approved and you PRINT the attached PDF file because that is the visa. So no, you go to the embassy ONE time to pay and then wait for the approval
Shouldn't have an issue showing where you're staying if you have that documentation.
Did you read the requirements for the tourist visa on the eVisa website
here
Jun *******
ORIGINAL POSTERI've questioned this myself but no one can explain why the monastic candidates can't/don't apply Non-Imm R outside Thailand. That's just how they do it and every foreign monks I know seem to have arrived in Thailand on tourist visa (as a lay person) and change to Non-Imm R locally.
I assume part of it is that you have to ordain first to become a monastic BEFORE you can apply for Non-Imm R. But then, those who became a fully-ordained monk and remained in robe for 10 years also leave Thailand when their Non-Imm R extension max out at 10 years (5 for those from Buddhist countries), return to Thailand on tourist visa and reapply Non-R locally.
Some reordain in Thailand to apply for Non-R even if they are already in robe because Thai Buddhist authorities doesn't always recognize the lineage they took ordination or the documents proving it.
Either way I don't think he has enough time to apply for Non-R locally for the monastery where he's staying does not have a preceptor and it takes time just to make appointment to invite one but also to collect signatures from provincial head monk, county head monk, National Office of Buddhism, etc etc.
I assume part of it is that you have to ordain first to become a monastic BEFORE you can apply for Non-Imm R. But then, those who became a fully-ordained monk and remained in robe for 10 years also leave Thailand when their Non-Imm R extension max out at 10 years (5 for those from Buddhist countries), return to Thailand on tourist visa and reapply Non-R locally.
Some reordain in Thailand to apply for Non-R even if they are already in robe because Thai Buddhist authorities doesn't always recognize the lineage they took ordination or the documents proving it.
Either way I don't think he has enough time to apply for Non-R locally for the monastery where he's staying does not have a preceptor and it takes time just to make appointment to invite one but also to collect signatures from provincial head monk, county head monk, National Office of Buddhism, etc etc.
Jun *******
ORIGINAL POSTER@Tod ********
Thank you always!Reply to
Jun *******
Reply
James ********
@Jun ******
what is the passport nation of the applicant?How long has the applicant been in Thailand in 2024, 2023.
Jun *******
ORIGINAL POSTER@James *******
I don't know the applicant directly so I don't know how long he has been staying in Thailand but I assume he is in Thailand now under 60 days visa waiver program (he has previously lived and worked in Thailand and has a bank account here). He is a Japanese passport holder staying in a forest monastery in Chiang Mai and needs to leave Thailand in two weeks time, apply whatever visa he can get in Laos (preferably tourist) so he can come back and change that to Non-Immigrant R (Religion) after taking samanera ordination to become a novice monk.
An I correct to believe you can NOT apply for a visa inside Thailand when you arrived here visa free (visa exemption)?
James ********
@Jun ******
with his passport nation being Japanese ...he can enter Thailand Visa Exempt Entry...no visa needed. AND that can be extended for 30 days at the local Thai Immigration office for 1900 Thai baht.I would recommend he use an experienced border run service company to take him to do the land border bounce and back on the same day.
Where in Thailand is he now?
Jun *******
ORIGINAL POSTER@James *******
They are aware that Japanese nationals can enter Thailand visa exempt but he has to leave and return to Thailand with a visa one way or the other tourist or otherwise. Either way, does he really need an "experience border run service company" to do border run?
James ********
@Jun ******
Yes ! I've discussed this with @Tod ********
and he believes: "he's foolish to try to bounce himself up there, he'll get hung at the border and have to stay in Lao 2 nights, then have to show he's flying back to Japan in 60 days when he comes back in"
Use an experienced border run service company. That will get him the New 60 day STAMP as Visa Exempt Entry.
There's several in Chiang Mai...
Google " Border Run service company Chiang Mai"
Jun *******
ORIGINAL POSTER@James *******
Are you saying if he's denied entry at the border he can't come back in to Thailand via the same border checkpoint for two nights and not without a proof that you're leaving Thailand in 60 days even if he's allowed back in? Does that mean it also negates any chance he has of successful Non-Imm R application after returning to Thailand and extend his stay beyond 60 days even if he's allowed back in? š
James ********
@Jun ******
The experienced border run service company will not take him to the border and reenter Thailand with a new 60 day STAMP as Visa Exempt Entry UNLESS they know he will be successful in getting the stamp. They PRE-CLEAR him and his passport before they take him on the land border bounce. That's why they ask for his passport nation and recent history of staying in Thailand. You have good advice ā
Comments closed.
Jun *******
ORIGINAL POSTER@James *******
He is a Japanese passport holder and is in a forest monastery in Southern Chiang Mai near Lamphun border (two hrs south of city of CM).Tod *********
@Jun ******
well he ain't the first foreigner that forest temple has had there over the years, they know the process, so if they say he needs a "tourist visa" send him to Lao to get a tourist visa online thru the eVisa system like i outlined.Tod *********
@Jun ******
ššŗ š š°š¼šæšæš²š°š šš¼ šÆš²š¹š¶š²šš² šš¼š š°š®š» š”š¢š§ š®š½š½š¹š š³š¼šæ š® šš¶šš® š¶š»šš¶š±š² š§šµš®š¶š¹š®š»š± ššµš²š» šš¼š š®šæšæš¶šš²š± šµš²šæš² šš¶šš® š³šæš²š² (šš¶šš® š²š
š²šŗš½šš¶š¼š»)Nope you are not correct with that š
You can indeed apply for an in country visa at the immigration office from a visa exempt or a tourist visa entry IF you have enough time remaining on your current stamp to cover the under review period.
Although there might be some squirrelly thing about the in country Non-R visa I don't know about
Why doesn't the guy take the documentation to Lao and apply for the 90 day Non-R visa there? That would be an option
Reply to
Tod *********
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