Spouse Visa

My wife and I are on step 2. After step 1 when you have crossed the bridge and came back with your spouse visa paper you have to pay what is the normal fee for your country. It is best to pay in US$. They charge you more if you pay in baht or kip. They won't accept  a mix of currency.

You then have to go to a different building place from where you got your first document which is just down from Lotteria off of Asean Rd. The next place is a big building on Lane Xang on a little side road across from Talat Sao/Morning Market.

Then you have to fill that out and get the other paperwork and go back along with 3 pictures.

Then it's on to Step 3.

It doesn't take long and the 1st spouse visa you get in your passport is only a 30 day visa. So you gotta get on it.

Hi Cereal

Any problems with getting the documents together for step 1 ?
You are correct about paying in US$

Please keep us informed as to how it all goes.

No, no problems at all. You need to pick up a document at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and get the documents together as in the information I posted before.

Going across the bridge is normal. The immigration guy that I dealt with at the bridge spoke awesome English and was very friendly. He says they are busy now with this new visa. Lots of falangs are getting it.

We have picked up the 2nd form and have to gather more docs and take them in for step 2 now.

stumpy wrote:

It seems that the Lao Govt have at last agreed to a new spouse visa.

The previous spouse visa was for expats coming to Laos to stay with family in Laos. No work allowed.
The new visa allows work.

The new visa is done in 3 parts.

Spouse visa.

Documents required

1 A copy of marriage certificate. 1 copy
2 Letter of proposal- can be pbtained at the consular office,MOFA. 1 copy
3 Copy of the family book or ID card of the Lao citizen. 1 copy
4 A certificate of residence signed and sealed by the village authorities. 1 copy
5 Copy of the passport of the foreign spouse. 1 copy

Procedure.
The documents listed above must be brought to the Consular Affairs Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) where officers will issue visa authorization. The authorization document must be brought to the border checkpoint specified in the letter of proposal listed above. Fee is $30

Part 2 Stay Permit

Documents required

1 Letter of proposal or Request to register for a Stay Permit ( MOFA consular office will assist with this)
2 Copy of Certificate of residence signed and sealed by the village authorities
3 Copy of the Family Book or ID card of the Lao citizen
4 A copy of the passport of the foreign spouse
5 A copy of the spouse visa (SP-B3)
6 A copy of the Certificate of Marriage
7 Passport photos at 3x4 size (3 photos)

Procedure
The documents listed above must be brought to the Office of Foreigner Administration for processing. The fee for the Stay Permit is 1.320,000 kip

Part 3
1 Year Visa

After the officials have issued the Stay Permit, it will be necessary to have the visa converted to a 1 year visa.

Documents required

1 A copy of the Marriage Certificate
2 A letter of proposal
3 A copy of the Family Book or ID Card of the Lao citizen.
4 a copy of the Certificate of residence signed and sealed by the village authorities
5 A copy of the passport of the foreign spouse

Procedure
The documents listed above must be brought to the Consular Affairs Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs for processing. The fee for this is 1,320,000 kip

Working under spouse visa

Those holding a spouse visa are entitled to work in the Lao PDR, and the application porcess is similar to that of an LA-B2 visa. A company must sponsor an individual residing in Laos under the spouse visa (SP-B3)min which case the Ministry of Labor will issue a work permit

The above information appeared in the Laotian Times newspaper recently by courtesy of the RDK Group who specialize in visas, work permits and foreigner ID cards

Just wonder how long one is allowed to stay after a spouse visa is obtained successfully.

It's a 1 year visa that needs to be renewed every year. I am pretty certain that you do not have to go through the entire process again. It's like getting a new stamp in your Stay Permit thing I am sure.

Cereal wrote:

It's a 1 year visa that needs to be renewed every year. I am pretty certain that you do not have to go through the entire process again. It's like getting a new stamp in your Stay Permit thing I am sure.

Is it a multiple visa that allows you to re-enter from the permitted time without losing the immigration status?

I don't think so. but I am not 100% sure. It would be very nice if it is.

post wrote:

Cereal wrote:

It's a 1 year visa that needs to be renewed every year. I am pretty certain that you do not have to go through the entire process again. It's like getting a new stamp in your Stay Permit thing I am sure.

Is it a multiple visa that allows you to re-enter from the permitted time without losing the immigration status?

Good point. I assumed it would be multiple entry.  An expat work mate had his wife and daughter here for 2 years and she came and went between Thailand and Laos on a regular basis for shopping with no problems. That was over 20 years ago.
Perhaps contact RDK Group in Vientiane for clarification.

Have contacted RDK by email so hopefully may have info some time soon. If anyone else wishes to contact them;  [email protected]

I would think they would be able to undertake visa applications. Their advertising I saw shows 14 day completion.

Laos people can travel between Laos and Thailand without hassle.

Had a reply from RDK yesterday regrading stage 3 one year visa.

It is definitely a multiple entry visa.
If you get the required paperwork in order they will organize the whole spouse visa process for $500. Will take about 14 days.

I have name and email address for the person who contacted me if interested.

I'm not sure what RDK is but my wife and I have just submitted the paperwork for Step 2. This should give me the Stay Permit then Step 3 changes the SP-B3 Single Entry visa to a 1 year visa which you say is definitely multi-entry.

Is this correct.

We're already in deep enough to start all over. I just want to ensure it's a multi-entry. That does make sense and it's what I would expect. But I wasn't sure.

I await your answer. Thanks a lot!

RDK is a company that specializes in visas, permits etc.

The initial reply from RDK stated that it was multiple entry. I sent 2nd email for clarification and the reply was it definitely is multiple entry.

Well, that is a welcome bit of news, but it is logical. Now that Thailand seems to have lifted the absurd 2 trips per year via land crossing, things may get back to normal.

Thank you Stumpy. Good news.

Good news indeed. 

However, the total price for doing all the work yourself is close to $400. If one can afford the extra $100 I would recommend hiring that agency. Like most dealings with bureaucracy here in Laos, it's time consuming and frustrating.

Hi Stumpy,
I will be able to pick up my SP B3 spouse visa tomorrow. Step 3 has been completed and the monies have all been paid.

Step 1 = $30
Steps 2 & 3 = 1,320,000 x 2 = 2,640,000 kip

Sounds good.
Looks like the Govt have got it all together now and the process works with no hiccups along the way.

Be carefull of RDK thay gave me lttle information and didnt offer spouse vida juse a visa service  hel you can do thst yourself though in fairnrsd to RDK  they thought going to the lao consular office bangkok ptefferable

I think agencies do tend to not give out many details so as to heighten their chances of you giving them the work.
It's up to you in regards to doing the application yourself or not. Time is the thing to take into account when considering it.
I am not defending RDK but they have been doing visa work for years in Laos.

@cereal
Did you get the visa?

Stumpy
I just asked RDK for the price of a visa for a person over 65 and married to a Laos, and RDK quoted me $550. I emailed to ask what the extra charges where for considering the govt charges are $200. They did not reply. and took down there answer and my question. I understand they have a living to make, however I think $350 is excessive.

Chris

You can do the process yourself. Another member, Cereal, has done it so perhaps contact him through the message system for info.

Just had my Thai METV expired and saw ypur comment on the changes to Thai Visa requirements. Where have they posted that the 2 times per year limit has been removed? My wife will be delighted if i can keep on doing the weekly shopping. 555

It was posted in the Veintiane times, however when I tried to make a third trip in late December I was not allowed in. It turns out that it was for only three countries, which I cant remember, but it was not any of the western countries we come from. So although it seemed like a we were going back to the good old days, sadly not. The spouse vise was a pain in the arse but I only spent $200 so it was worth the messing about. One thing I learnt is I did not have to be involved in the processes except the going over the border bit.

Chris

Dear Stumpy

May I ask "what is family book and a certificate of residence?" ?

Thank you   
Mimi

The family book is an official book in which births, deaths and marriages are recorded. The certificate is from the village to show you live there.

Thank you Stumpy 🙂🙂

Hello,
I'm from Italy and have married my lao woman last year in Italy. We have a Marriage Certificate in italian Language.
The Marriage Certificate for a lao spoose visa what needed:

Translation in Englisch and then autenticate from Italian Embassy in Bangkok?
Then translate in Lao and autenticate from MOFA in Vientiane?

Thanks