Visas and border crossings forum

More Info:

My passport is " Spanish "
and My bf, he is "Thai"

No need to stay overnight in Chiang Khong.

I guess there will be another taxi to get to the border (Which I don't know how long does it take)

Samlor, less than 10min. Then Thai immigration. Then boat across the river, less than 5min. Then Lao immigration, obtain your visa on arrival on the spot. Think it shouldn't be crowded at that time of the day (late afternoon). Best to have USD for your visa fee. Lao immigration closes at 6PM.

Setkun

From Chian Mai, there are 2 'direct' transport options, the green bus and the VIP mini-bus (it departs about 10am).

Both appear to get to Chiang Khong about 3pm. The VIP mini-bus stops about 5km from the Thai immigration. As 'cat writes, Samlor, less than 10min.

- Once we arrive at the Border-immigration/ I guess that I may have to apply VISA and do everything 'BY MYSELF' (Let's say, i have all paper, photo, money ready)

First you have to depart Thailand (no big deal, hand your pp over with the paperwork, they stamp), and you are then ready to get boat across Mekong.

Once on the Laos side, yes, if you haven't already obtained a visa from a Laos embassy, fill out the paperwork and pay money WITH pp sized photo of you (looking nice, please!!!).

As 'cat says, from Chiang Khong bus stop to departure (Thailand), boat crossing, Laos visa issuance should take about 1 hour (so, now its about 4pm).

When you get past the Laos immigration, walk up the road (150m), turn left, and about 500m along is the Gibbon Experience office. Do go there first and make yourself known.

Definitely, you do NOT have to stay overnight at Chiang Khong. And, because the Gibbon Experience people want you at their office at 8am, its actually best to stay overnight at Huay Xai (the Laos side).

The only scam is that the Laos immigration people put a little sign in the window of their office saying something like 'after hours extra fee US$1'. Which, sadly, you must pay. It goes straight into their pocket. But, look on it as a donation to the wellbeing of poor Lao people.

Cheers

A couple years ago I saw three minivans empty people from Chang Mai into the guest house closest to Thai immigration, about 100 meters, from the mini vans there and lined up with big signs by immigration I'd think many go all day long as needed, and they go all the way from Tah Pae Gate (however it's spelled) to the border crossing. I was there for 3 hours only but that's what I saw.

I'd go slow to accuse Lao immigration of bribery, they do have many extra charges according to time of day but I've never heard of anyone taking the money. They also charge if you don't have a photo, also a small charge last thing as you are leaving immigration, all those charges have turned out to be legit. Not all officials are corrupt. Blanket acusations such as this promote distrust between tourists and officials.

There's a poster "Captain Bob" on the TT and sometimes here who passes through that crossing often, might be worth a search on the subject and read his posts carefully.