visa on arrival

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This page displays all the results for the visa on arrival tag, sorted by the most recent activity. There are a total of 862 questions that have been tagged with visa on arrival. Explore the questions to find discussions and information relevant to this topic.
Nov 7, 2024
4 days ago
Kevin *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
DTV *DENIED* in Vientiane

TLDR: make sure the 500K THB is on your *personal checking* account.

Long version:

I was applying for the DTV as a digital nomad aka for the "workcation" reason, as I have a SMLLC in the US which I use for occasional consulting back home. My paperwork was all completely legit, and I was extremely careful to have everything printed out in advance, several copies, plenty of everything, nice presentation. Ran through a whole toner cartridge on it. I was keeping the funds in my business account precisely in order to underline how legit the whole thing was: it's a real company, I am the 100% sole owner, I have complete control of the money, etc.

Got to Vientiane -- if at all possible you should do the e-Visa in advance, on-arrival was 1700 THB and about 45 minutes of waiting in line. Prepared to go to the embassy in the morning. NOTE: the Consular Section is not the same buiding as the regular Embassy! Check the address on the visa website and make sure your cabbie goes to the right one.

Per advice on this forum I got there an hour early and they let me queue up. I was dressed respectfully, super polite. I had a photocopy of the Lao Visa on Arrival -- which takes up a full page in your passport -- but they also required a copy of the arrival stamp, which to my surprise was taking up another 1/4 page. (Random complaint but that means it's 1.5 pages in your passport to enter/exit Lao, in case you are running low.)

Wait in line, chat with a friendly fellow Falang next to me, and after about 20 minutes it was my turn. The lady behind the window was a bit curt but whatever, officials. She started going through the papers, handed back a few she didn't need, asked me if I'm the company owner, and after going through the company and bank docs she tells me:

"You need the money in your personal checking account, company account not OK."

I explained that I own the company 100% and for that and other reasons, I have full access to the money, it is in fact *my* money, as the company is *my* company. You could almost hear the gears grinding slowly in her head. She asked if I could transfer the money to my personal account? Sure, could do, but it's USA, that would take about four days, and I'm pretty sure if I come back again they will say "need six months." And anyway, the next appointment is in a month.

Her supervisor walked by and shook her head and that was that.

From that moment she went from curt to dismissive. In a moment fit for TikTok she pointed to the requirements (I'd brought a printout) and jabbed her finger at the spot that says "Financial evidence: amount of no less than 500,000 THB, e.g. bank statements, payslips, sponsorship letter" and said "personal checking account only!"

Then she waved me out with the rudest little table-dusting gesture I've ever seen. Off you go, little animal, better luck next time.

OK, fine, I'll season the money in a personal account and do it again in six months or so, but online and for a Thai basket-weaving class. Message received.

My takeaways, in case anybody might find them useful:

- Personal checking account only!

- Getting there early is worth it. Note the two embassy locations!

- Photocopying is easy across the street, 10 THB per.

- They're not trying to facilitate anything, just going down a checklist.

- Which is different at each Embassy of course, and not published anywhere.

- Your Serious Business is not "better" than online basket-weaving for this purpose.

- Don't overprepare, but do simplify: explaining is useless.

- Dressing up was unnecessary, shorts are fine.

On Vientiane:

- Visa On Arrival is a shit-show.

- Taxis are infrequent and overpriced; Tuktuks more common and you can bargain.

- THB is preferred in many establishments.

- BeerLao is pretty cheap, wine and hard alcohol expensive like Bangkok.

- Food prices and quality vary wildly (compared to BKK) but not bad.

- Overall it's a pleasant, sleepy little city. GF is reminded of a smaller Ubon.

- ATMs are reasonable ($2 fee) but have a low limit (~ $90 or 2,000,000 kip).

- Coffee places mostly close early but a few are open later and they have Amazon and Starbucks.

- Lots of Vietnamese working here, I didn't expect that.

- AIS roaming data package works great; hotel and restaurant WiFi not so much.

PS, the Fellow Falang had been working illegally selling condos in-country on Visa Exempt for almost a year and had a fixer set up the appointment and had strict instructions on which window to use, so I guess that's a thing already. I'm sure he'll be flying home with his DTV on Monday. Nice guy, I wish him well.
Nov 4, 2024
7 days ago
Nick *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Not Thai related sorry.

UK passport holder and I’m going to Laos for a few days by air. Will be getting a visa on arrival but been told the cost is $35 and $40 by different sources.

Anyone been recently and can confirm the actual price please?
Nov 4, 2024
8 days ago
Andrew ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Hi, can someone confirm/ or not! that i can get a 60 day tourist visa on arrival, and do I need to fill in a online visa application form? im planning to land BKK around end march, ive tried looking online, and varied answers!

thanks
Oct 28, 2024
15 days ago
Niamh **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
I've seen ref to Laos visa but need clarification. Can I get visa on entry to Vientiane on train from Bangkok? Not clear exactly how long Visa takes
Oct 27, 2024
15 days ago
Anthony *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Hi all .I am travelling to Thailand from the uk on the 4th of december.do I need to apply for a ETA.
Oct 25, 2024
17 days ago
Johannes *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Dear group:

Can you advice/ share experiences about entry refusals at a Thai aiport? And what are good/ reasonable next steps if that happens?

Scenario: EU/ generally Visa on arrival.

[Second scenario: 7 months ED Visa, then fly to Laos or Vietnam for a week..then want come back on a 60 days visa on arrival]

Thanks khrup ;))
Oct 25, 2024
18 days ago
Sadri *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Hello, i have a visa on arrival (15 days) i read it is possible to extend by 7 days, does anyone have a confirmation if it possible. Thank you
Oct 22, 2024
21 days ago
Elías ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Starting my Thai adventure today. Entered on a one-way ticket thru BKK airport. Showed the printed PDF file to the Immigration lady, I think she scanned the QR code, and then said "have a good day" while smiling. I checked the date with my eyes while she wrote it, just in case, as I read in the group of some typos like writing 2024 instead of 2025, etc.
Oct 19, 2024
23 days ago
Drew *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Can you pay at border for visa to enter laos ?
Oct 18, 2024
24 days ago
Ahmed ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Hello everyone,

I am going to Thailand soon and I am planning on staying for 30 days, the thing is that the only way to get a visa is through filling the new online e-visa form but the issue is that to do it I need to be

for example in malaysia 15 days beforehand since it asks for a proof of existance in the set country and the website also states that from my country it isn't eligible to apply for e-visa and they tell me to head to the nearest Royal Thai embassy which is in my case the Royal Thai embassy in Kuala Lumpur.

I'll be visiting malaysia for 5 days before heading to Thailand and since they stopped the visa walk-in process in Kuala Lumpur Royal Thai embassy the only solution that I have is a VOA for 15 days which Tunisia is eligble for. But what i wanna know is, will it be possible to leave Thailand after 15 days and head to Kuala for 2 nights and then take another flight back to Thailand and get another VOA for 15 days to finish my trip ?
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