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.
