Searched thoroughly online and on this site before posting this. I know visa questions can get redundant as every foreigner here is dealing with this to one degree or another. But I could not find anything recent or comprehensive enough.
So...can anyone give me an overview on visa runs here in Kunming.
What is the cost difference between going to Vietnam vs Laos? How much further is Laos? Is the visa on arrival enough reason to travel the extra distance to Laos? Can it be done in one day?
If anyone can help me fill in the gaps, I'd appreciate it.
well, first of all, make sure you actually do need a visa for Vietnam; there are at least a few countries that doesn't. To my sadness, it took me almost one year in Yunnan to realize that I could have easily gone to Vietnam all along, because Sweden loved Ho Chi Minh...
I am quite sure I need one having been there 3x plus being an American. Interesting though, that swedes get a free pass.
Yeah, who would have thought that dropping 7 million tonnes of bombs on a country would make any diference in diplomatic relations in the future (compared to relations with a country which dropped none)...
Canadians, Australians, and the Spanish didn't drop any bombs on Vietnam, yet I see them paying the same as US citizens.
If you read this, you can pretty much tell Vietnam's waiver policy is based primarily trade/investment and reciprocal, though having a pro uncle Ho policy helped the Scandinavians.
www.vietnamtourism.com/e_pages/useful/useful.asp
As to visa runs. Lots of old threads on GoK with info about them. Vietnam is closer but requires the expensive 380rmb visa. Laos is a longer bus ride and the border closes to foreigners by 5pm. A third option is crossing the land border in Shenzhen or just fly to HKG or BKK. Obviously, flying will cost more.
Thanks Alex... I looked, and like I said couldn't find the exact information I was after. A lot of it convoluted with other visa related issues as well.
Thanks Heniu for your helpful comment. I was only asking a simple visa question. But if you feel the need to throw atrocities like the Vietnam war in others faces..I guess... go for it.
Thanks Alex... I looked, and like I said couldn't find the exact information I was after. A lot of it convoluted with other visa related issues as well.
Thanks Heniu for your helpful comment. I was only asking a simple visa question. But if you feel the need to throw atrocities like the Vietnam war in others faces..I guess... go for it.
Sorry, I didn't mean to be offensive or bash anyone.
Just pointing out that it shouldn't be surprising that citizens of different countries get different treatment, and that history may play a role in this...
Try the entering the words "hekou" or "mohan" in the GoK search.
It is a bit piecemeal, but not much reading. Forgot to add, for Laos, you can skip the Laos visa. Just walk right back into China. Did this myself, though got some extra attention on the re-entry.
Start here if you're lazy.
www.gokunming.com/[...]
Yeah after you posted I dug around further and found a thread that was more helpful. Also nice you can do the quick turn around without getting the Laos visa. I didnt know that. Cheers.
I never said surprising. But thats okay — it just read a bit blithe and sarcastic to me is all.
