Vientiane: Latest appointment times

[Hal65]

Quote

 What is the business hours for visa application?

• Business hours: Monday - Friday, closed on Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays.
• The gate will be open at 9.00 a.m.; only visa applicants can enter the Consular Section.
  • Submission of applications: 9.00 a.m. - 12.00 a.m.

These are new hours. They appear 1 hour later than before.

 

Has anyone booked late or been offered a late time? I'm curious when the latest bookings are, be they 11am or even 11:45am.

[cdnhawk]

I went last Thursday and on the reservation form it said 9-12. You show up at 9 and they take people in order. I had 220 and it only took an hour.

[Hal65]

32 minutes ago, cdnhawk said:

I went last Thursday and on the reservation form it said 9-12. You show up at 9 and they take people in order. I had 220 and it only took an hour.

Ahh, ok. So you don't get a time, you get a day.

 

If I arrive late, say 11am, will there be any issue besides having a later queue number?

[Briggsy]

Looks like they have gone back to the old system in effect. TIT, so reactionary.

[ubonjoe]

57 minutes ago, Hal65 said:

Ahh, ok. So you don't get a time, you get a day.

If I arrive late, say 11am, will there be any issue besides having a later queue number?

Not sure since the still say to appear 30 minutes before your appointment. I assume they would let you do the application.

Perhaps the 30 minutes is for the 12 o'clock ending time.

This from an email for appointment confirmation. 

 

[FaFaHead]

We just returned last night from Vientiene. This is how it went for us...

 

Had the confirmation email with appointment date and que number for the wife and myself in my phone. Without it, printed or in your phone, you are NOT getting in. Lots of agida about this. You are supposed to be there, (in our case because we had an appointment for the 25th) at 8:30 AM. We got there at 8 or so and stood in the hot sun, sweat dripping off of us until 9, when they finally opened the door. 

 

They take you incrementally...1-100 first...one at a time. They check your passport and the confirmation email from them that you received to verify that you have the appointment and a number. If it checks out, you are allowed to enter and sit in some chairs on the right to wait some more. 

 

Then 1-180, etc, until everyone is in and seated. Then a lady starts the incremental call up holding up a piece of paper that says 1-60 this time, and so on. When your group numerically is called, you go up to these 4 Thai girls seated at tables, show them your passport along with required paperwork for whatever you’re applying for, and if everything checks out, you are sent to one of three windows behind the girls. Give them your stuff and your are given a receipt and are told to come back the next day after 1:30 PM to pick up your passport with the visa. 

 

The next day was faster. Called you in incrementally, went to one of those three windows, pay your BHt, they give your passport and visa to you and that’s it. 

 

A pain in the butt trip, somewhat expensive, time consuming and a serious inconvenience. It has be done, so grin and bear it. 

 

Also...THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT...make sure you get to your Imigration office to do the TM30 within 24 hours of returning from Laos. Went to Chiang Mai this morning with original, she stamped it, filled in some stuff on her end, and said we could go. 10 minutes maybe, if that...painless and no BHt.

 

We brought a copy of our lease, the homeowner’s driver’s license, a blank TM30 signed by the landlord (that the wife filled out) and the original form filled out the day we got in country back in November. 

 

Didn’t need any of that. She gave it all back except the copy of the original. 

 

Hope this helps. 

Edited March 27, 2019 by FaFaHead
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