Laos - 1 year business visa, WP & ID card received - easy!

[simon43]

Just a follow-up on my previous posts about my relocation from Thailand to live in north Laos (Luang Prabang).

 

After submitting my passport and 2 photos a couple of weeks ago, today I received from Lao immigration my passport with a one-year LA-B2 business visa, my foreigner work permit and foreigner ID card.  My application was made on the basis of teaching online from my rented house, and not working in a B&M business.

 

Compare the documents that the Lao immigration and Lao Labor office required (2 photos and my original passport - that's it!!), with what's needed to obtain these documents in Thailand! (Basically, they are light years apart in the required paperwork...)

[MaksimMislavsky]

Sounds great!

Can you disclose the amount you had to pay for that, please? Were you also required to show the house rental contract?

[simon43]

$600 USD, no need to show any documents at all except for my passport and provide 2 photos ????

[GalaxyMan]

48 minutes ago, simon43 said:

$600 USD, no need to show any documents at all except for my passport and provide 2 photos ????

That is truly impressive, especially since Luang Prabang is the best place to live in Laos, IMHO, of course.

 

How are you finding the cost of living, rent, utilities, etc.?

[Mavideol]

8 minutes ago, GalaxyMan said:

That is truly impressive, especially since Luang Prabang is the best place to live in Laos, IMHO, of course.

 

How are you finding the cost of living, rent, utilities, etc.?

would like to know as well.... looking for alternatives to LOS 800K request

[FritsSikkink]

Any good hospitals, shops in the neighborhood?

[Nyezhov]

My kid was just up in Luang Prabang and she loved it.

[simon43]

How are you finding the cost of living, rent, utilities, etc.?

 

LP is absolutely not for everybody!  Far from it.

 

If you like whoring, taking drugs, getting loudly drunk etc, then you may quickly fall foul of the Lao police.  From what I have read, the Lao jail that houses foreigners makes the Bangkok 'Hilton' look like its 5-star namesake.

 

Cost of living is cheap. I rent an 'expensive' 100+ year old hardwood house in the old town - $500/month, including utilities.  My other expenses are my international medical insurance ($142/month) and daily food, which is currently running at about $7 a day for all meals and drinks.

 

I'd say that LP will appeal to the more genteel sort of person, (such as myself), who enjoys freshly ground coffee and crusty French baguettes.

 

LP has always lacked a decent hospital.  But now a new and modern hospital is being built by the best pharmacy/clinic in the town.  It won't be huge, but will have all modern amenities.

 

Shops?  You mean shopping centres?  Nope, not yet ????

[Happy Grumpy]

4 hours ago, simon43 said:

$600 USD, no need to show any documents at all except for my passport and provide 2 photos ????

 

You need to pay $600, 18,000thb?

 

Will you need to pay that every year, or a once off and then very cheap extensions thereafter? 

[simon43]

7 hours ago, Happy Grumpy said:

 

You need to pay $600, 18,000thb?

 

Will you need to pay that every year, or a once off and then very cheap extensions thereafter? 

You need to pay it every year, and IMHO, that's a very cheap price anyway for a multi-entry business visa, ID card and work permit!

[GSec]

13 hours ago, simon43 said:

$600 USD, no need to show any documents at all except for my passport and provide 2 photos ????

What kind of activities are allowed with that 'business' visa?

 

[brokenbone]

does 'getting medical retirement pension' qualify for biz visa ?

also im familiar with S&M

but what does B&M stand for in this context ?

[simon43]

9 minutes ago, brokenbone said:

does 'getting medical retirement pension' qualify for biz visa ?

also im familiar with S&M

but what does B&M stand for in this context ?

Sorry, B&M means 'bricks and mortar', as in teaching at a school, as opposed to online.

 

A retired person qualifies for a business visa, and the overall cost is a little cheaper because no WP is needed.

[simon43]

25 minutes ago, GSec said:

What kind of activities are allowed with that 'business' visa?

 

If you want to run a business, then you need to register a company and have the associated investment and start-up costs and employment of Lao nationals.  It's probably similar requirements as in Thailand.  For me, since I have no physical business presence, it's a lot easier.

[lemonjelly]

What is the Internet situation and price like?


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[simon43]

3 hours ago, lemonjelly said:

What is the Internet situation and price like?


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

I have a fibre-optic line at my house, rated at 50 mbit/sec up and down for national connections, and 10 mbit/s up and down for international connections.  It works fine for my online video teaching.  I pay 440,000 kip per month ==> $50 USD.

 

For back-up, I use my mobile phone SIM data package which has a measured international speed of 50 mbit/sec!  I have been using a top-up SIM, but now that I have my work permit I can get a monthly payment SIM with unlimited usage.

 

I just got back from opening a bank account.  None of the BS that the Thai banks gave me a few months ago when I tried to open a second account as a back-up.  All but one told me where to go! 

 

With the Lao bank, they were very friendly and helpful, and opened a basic savings account on sight of my work permit and passport, not a single other document needed. This basic Lao kip account pays me 1.91% interest per year.  I also opened a fixed term deposit that I can drop my spare cash into and it pays an interest rate of 6.77%.

[Happy Grumpy]

5 hours ago, simon43 said:

You need to pay it every year, and IMHO, that's a very cheap price anyway for a multi-entry business visa, ID card and work permit!

I believe a Non-B in Thailand is around 1 or 2k baht.

 

Work Permit is free?

 

Then Yellow Tabien Baan and pink Thai ID card, free? Or a few hundred baht?

 

Annual extension is 1,900thb.

 

Plus 3,800thb if you want a multiple entry. 

 

 

So yes, 18,000thb is quite steep compared to 1,900thb if you're not travelling outside of Thailand, or 1,900 + 3,800 if you are. 

[simon43]

52 minutes ago, Happy Grumpy said:

I believe a Non-B in Thailand is around 1 or 2k baht.

 

Work Permit is free?

 

Then Yellow Tabien Baan and pink Thai ID card, free? Or a few hundred baht?

 

Annual extension is 1,900thb.

 

Plus 3,800thb if you want a multiple entry. 

 

 

So yes, 18,000thb is quite steep compared to 1,900thb if you're not travelling outside of Thailand, or 1,900 + 3,800 if you are. 

You cannot get a non-immigrant B via if you work online

You must pay for your work permit in Thailand, (and you need 2-4 Thai employees)

My Lao ID card was included in the price.

My Lao visa allows multiple entry.

 

For me, teaching online and doing volunteer teaching also, there is no suitable visa type in Thailand.  I just completed my 5-year Elite visa term and decided that it was time to move.

 

For me, 18,000 baht per year for zero hassle, zero reporting and the ability to work legally online seems value for money ????

[brokenbone]

5 minutes ago, simon43 said:

You cannot get a non-immigrant B via if you work online

You must pay for your work permit in Thailand, (and you need 2-4 Thai employees)

My Lao ID card was included in the price.

My Lao visa allows multiple entry.

 

For me, teaching online and doing volunteer teaching also, there is no suitable visa type in Thailand.  I just completed my 5-year Elite visa term and decided that it was time to move.

 

For me, 18,000 baht per year for zero hassle, zero reporting and the ability to work legally online seems value for money ????

yeah, i think visa fee is reasonable, but the taxi mafia in laos is anything but.

how easy is it to get a bike driving license & buy a scooter ?

[Mavideol]

1 hour ago, simon43 said:

I have a fibre-optic line at my house, rated at 50 mbit/sec up and down for national connections, and 10 mbit/s up and down for international connections.  It works fine for my online video teaching.  I pay 440,000 kip per month ==> $50 USD.

 

For back-up, I use my mobile phone SIM data package which has a measured international speed of 50 mbit/sec!  I have been using a top-up SIM, but now that I have my work permit I can get a monthly payment SIM with unlimited usage.

 

I just got back from opening a bank account.  None of the BS that the Thai banks gave me a few months ago when I tried to open a second account as a back-up.  All but one told me where to go! 

 

With the Lao bank, they were very friendly and helpful, and opened a basic savings account on sight of my work permit and passport, not a single other document needed. This basic Lao kip account pays me 1.91% interest per year.  I also opened a fixed term deposit that I can drop my spare cash into and it pays an interest rate of 6.77%.

does the fixed term deposit has to be in Laos currency, it's a nice interest rate or is there some hidden T & C /restrictions

[Mavideol]

14 minutes ago, simon43 said:

You cannot get a non-immigrant B via if you work online

You must pay for your work permit in Thailand, (and you need 2-4 Thai employees)

My Lao ID card was included in the price.

My Lao visa allows multiple entry.

 

For me, teaching online and doing volunteer teaching also, there is no suitable visa type in Thailand.  I just completed my 5-year Elite visa term and decided that it was time to move.

 

For me, 18,000 baht per year for zero hassle, zero reporting and the ability to work legally online seems value for money ????

how's the weather there, can we fly there or only accessed by road/train

[andy72]

airasia as low as 1.3k to dmk

 

new road recently opened from Nan

by road vientienne to LP as much as 8hrs

 

no trains as yet

 

[Ron jeremy]

 

international airport in LP, formerly named the jewel of the orient.

lovely town, quiet, most bars are closed by 12, utopia bar opened later. Great people, ladies etc. 

Laos is by far the most scenic country in SEA. From Vientiane  north to luang probang to nong kiaw,up the river to the viet border.

 

[simon43]

56 minutes ago, Mavideol said:

does the fixed term deposit has to be in Laos currency, it's a nice interest rate or is there some hidden T & C /restrictions

No, but you must have a work permit to open the deposit account.

 

Savings rates for USD is 4.5%, THB 5.0%, EUR 2.0% (according to the leaflet the bank gave me today).  

 

Road time from Vientiane to LP in the rainy season is long (it took me 12 hours!). The new railway from China is slated to open in 2021, with a jouney time from LP to Vientiane of only a couple of hours (through beautiful scenery).

 

You can buy used Chinese Honda 125s for a couple of hundred USD, with Vietnamese documents.  The police won't hassle you, but any insrance would be invalid.  You can buy a new or used Lao-registered motorbike for a fair price - not sure what documents you need because I jog and cycle everywhere....

[Mavideol]

1 hour ago, simon43 said:

No, but you must have a work permit to open the deposit account.

 

Savings rates for USD is 4.5%, THB 5.0%, EUR 2.0% (according to the leaflet the bank gave me today).  

 

Road time from Vientiane to LP in the rainy season is long (it took me 12 hours!). The new railway from China is slated to open in 2021, with a jouney time from LP to Vientiane of only a couple of hours (through beautiful scenery).

 

You can buy used Chinese Honda 125s for a couple of hundred USD, with Vietnamese documents.  The police won't hassle you, but any insrance would be invalid.  You can buy a new or used Lao-registered motorbike for a fair price - not sure what documents you need because I jog and cycle everywhere....

can an expat own & drive a car, what's the DL like over there. Also appreciate if you could provide name of the banks in Laos, national banks? are their banks safe or corruption is a way of banking

[simon43]

2 hours ago, Mavideol said:

can an expat own & drive a car, what's the DL like over there. Also appreciate if you could provide name of the banks in Laos, national banks? are their banks safe or corruption is a way of banking

I don't drive here, but I see expats driving cars.  I assume they can own cars as well.  For banks BCEL is the main bank. If I had $500,000 to invest, I wouldn't put it all in a Lao bank, but having said that, I've never heard of any problems.

[Mavideol]

4 minutes ago, simon43 said:

I don't drive here, but I see expats driving cars.  I assume they can own cars as well.  For banks BCEL is the main bank. If I had $500,000 to invest, I wouldn't put it all in a Lao bank, but having said that, I've never heard of any problems.

thanks man, do appreciate the info, I may visit LAOS soon....

[Mavideol]

13 minutes ago, simon43 said:

I don't drive here, but I see expats driving cars.  I assume they can own cars as well.  For banks BCEL is the main bank. If I had $500,000 to invest, I wouldn't put it all in a Lao bank, but having said that, I've never heard of any problems.

sorry to bother but I remember seeing another bank's name as BFL or something like that, part of a group

[KarlosInBKK]

Hi Simon,

 

Thank you for sharing your experience. It's very interesting. I live in Thailand. I'm currently studying Thai and also teaching online. Staying here long term is becoming increasingly difficult, so I'm considering moving to a neighbouring country. Laos has a special place in my heart, so I was super happy when I read that you can get a visa to teach online.

 

Which service provider are you with for your fibre-optic? I was pleasantly surprised to see that 50mbps is available. Have you had any issues with it so far, such as speeds dropping too low or completely losing service for a while?

 

Your back-up SIM data package sounds great, too.

 

Cheers!

 

 

[lonewolf99]

I have been to Laos a few years back before the Chinese hordes started invading Vientiane and it was a welcome break from frenetic LoS.

 

Not sure if the Mr. Xi and his billion relatives have turned up in Luang Prabang yet but if they do they will really wreck what is/was a very nice place to chill out.