Visas and border crossings forum

Thai/Viet/Lao/Cam Visas

  • daedalus

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    11th March, 2011

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    Hi,

    I've got an upcoming Indochina trip. I have been googling for what seems like an age to determine exactly what visas I need and how to get them, when I stumbled upon this forum. Firstly; it has been of greathelp, with info laid out clearly and concisely. Thumbs up!

    If you have the time, I would like to take this opportunity to verifywith the collective expert that I have come to the right conclusionsregarding what I need:

    I am flying into Thailand (bangkok) on the 13th April, and departing BKK the 15th May. During this time, I will be visiting Cambodia, Vietnamand Laos (probably in that order, and probably flying betweencountries, (these shorter flights will be prebooked)).

    I get the impression that I can get a visa-on-arrival at BKK and as long as I'm out of the country within 15 days, this should be ok.

    Whilst in BKK, I can apply at the Vietnamese Embassy for a Vietnamese visa.

    For Cambodia and Laos, these will both be visas-on-arival.

    Again, returning to Thailand for the tail end of the trip, a visa-on-arrival will be what I will need.

    Is this correct? (I don't need to get any visas up front, before the trip?)

    Also, do I have to show flights out of a particular country within the allotted time to get the visas, or is it just a case that it is my responsibility to get out before the visa times are up? (And I have heard that these flights out must be long haul ones, is this true, or will a flight to Cambodia/Laos/Vietnam suffice?)

    I hope this makes sense, and thanks in advance for your help!

    Nat

    #1 Posted: 11/3/2011 - 21:31


  • Captain_Bob

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    Mostly correct. When flying into Thailand most nationalities qualify for visa exemption which is a 30-day entry by air or 15 by land. Technically your airline should require proof of a flight out of Thailand within the 30 day period or a Thai visa in advance. But they'd probably let it slide since you're just staying a few days more and anyway if you get a flight to, say, Phnom Penh that would also suffice. Travelling by air or land from there on you won't have issues with proof of travel.

    For Vietnam you need to acquire a visa in advance, which easy enough to do in Phnom Penh or Sihanoukville, or if you go the other way round in Luang Prabang or Vientiane. Or get a pre-arranged visa through an agency which requires you to fly in. Camodian and Laos visas are easy on-arrival at airports or land borders. Always good to have a few recent passport-size photos in your wallet for each of the visas.

    #2 Posted: 12/3/2011 - 15:31

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  • daedalus

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    Thanks Captain Bob! That all makes sense, appreciate it!

    Will probably get the Vietnamese visa in BKK when we arrive, so it's out of the way and sorted early on..

    #3 Posted: 12/3/2011 - 22:19

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