Will I be able to get a TR visa in Vientiane with my new passport?

Jun 5, 2018
6 years ago
So, I'm planning on going to Vientiane, Laos for a standard TR visa trip. Last time I was there about 6 months ago I was denied any visa due to too many TRs visa stamps in my passport. However now I got a brand new clean passport with only one stamp from Hanoi embassy. My 2 questions is:

1: I should probably be ok for visa in Vientiane now with my passport right?

2: Who have been there recently, what where the requirements for applying? They haven't recently changed have they?

Thanks, for any help and info.

Christopher Benjamin Hägglöf
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The user, Christopher, is seeking advice on applying for a tourist visa (TR/SETV) in Vientiane, Laos after being previously denied due to too many visa stamps in his old passport. With a new passport and only one stamp from Hanoi, he asks if he can expect to obtain a visa now. Community members confirm that he should be fine with the necessary documents (passport, ID copy, photos, and previous Laos visa entry stamp) and clarify that the Thai consulates currently do not share a database for tracking tourist visas.
Amornrat **********
running a visa service to Vientiane I can confirm that OP will be fine. Just passport, copy passport id page, 3pictures (3.5x4.5cm) are required. They will ask for copy of your Laos visa and entry stamp. Fill out the application correctly and all will be good.
Tod *********
Okay as of now the thai consulates are NOT on any shared database (or even a database in each consulate). All the do is look thru your passport for tourist visas and especially tourist visas from their consulate.

If you have a warning stamp from a consulate and get a new passport at least in theory it 'wipes the slate clean'.

How long this will work for is unknown, but it does as of now.
Tristan *********
Following
Ben **********
TR??
Christopher *******************
ORIGINAL POSTER
Yes, Maybe its called SETV. I called it TR becouse that is what it says in the passport etc.
Ben **********
Luke ******
TR is the visa class for tourist. He is referring to SETV's (Single Entry Tourist Visas) issued by the Thai Consulate in Vientiane, Laos.
Ricky ********
Following
George *******
Following
Luke ******
1. You should be ok.

2. As far as we are aware, we have not seen reports that they have changed.

Do you mind me asking, 6 months ago, when they refused you, how many stickers in total from Vientiane did you have in your previous passport?
Rik ********
@Luke *******
thanks! Your info is much appreciated!
Luke ******
Jim James Yes they do, but they either need to either dig into the computer or go to the back office use a different software, not entirely sure. What I am pretty confident is that the first screen shows them the last 3 entries or so. I may be mistaken though.
Jim *******
@Luke *******
. All good at Embassies/Consulates,but at actual borders,immigration have All your previous entries on their Data Base, so,new passport makes No difference.
Luke ******
Christopher Benjamin Hägglöf Exactly what I am trying to avoid. Red stamps would generally come on the third consecutive ( or non consecutive?) visa from a place like Vientiane. After that stamp, no chance of getting another visa at the same Consulate until you change the passport.

But it's all good now since you have a fresh passport.
Christopher *******************
ORIGINAL POSTER
I did forget so say to those that wonder that I DID get a warning stamp first. From said place, same place. But I forgot to pay proper attention and headed back there again after once again. And THEN they refused me. FYI. After that I went somewhere else and I did receive a visa without any problem.
Luke ******
Rik Jaques Another one hard to answer. I had about 7 SETVs on my previous passport but then again I change it every two years.

Never heard a comment from Immigration, the issues are more likely to be at the Consulates when the passport gets too full. But some of them just don't care. But I mix them up. One after another. I don't hit the same Consulate twice in a row and no more than twice in total per passport.

Again, I do travel as well. Just recently came back from a three week trip to Europe.

On visa runs, if the admitted until is the 6th, I leave on the 2nd (never stretch it to the very last day).

Sometimes I stay an extra day in the place where I got my visa from simply because I like it, sometimes not.

Now I'm thinking to do Bali, get another SETV there, and probably stay a week. 😁

Then sometimes i get reentry permits for occasional trips. My nationality does not qualify for visa exempt anyways.

To conclude, the lottery is more on repeated visa exempt entries (more than 6 and the system has a warning in place), rather than on SETVs, where it's highly unlikely to be refused entry.
Rik ********
Hi Luke, just out of interest; in your experience how many setv (from all locations) per passport is ok before it becomes a issue with Thai immigration? And approximately what sort of time does someone need to spend between leaving Thailand and then re-entering? Is it just the time it takes to process the visa and then back in or a little longer with each new visa?
Luke ******
@Glen *******
It's a tricky question because we don't have a definitive answer and situations can change. Phnom Pehn for instance seems to be counting them all, but Vientiane should be counting only the ones issued by them. Generally, 2 or 3 from Vientiane in a passport is safe, 4th they may refuse. That's exactly why I wanted to know how many from Vientiane did the OP have in his previous passport.

To be safe, I only hit one location twice per passport.
Glen-do **********
Hi Luke, is it a factor of how many stamps you have from Laos? Or from Thailand?
Chris ********
Following. Can you lost an update when you've done it thanks
Glen-do **********
First I've heard of someone being rejected there. Im headed there tomorrow so will let you know how it goes. I've got a passport full of visa exempt entries and an overstay so we shall see.
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