visa on arrival in VTE- Will we have time?
 

We are flying into VTE from BKK on Lao airlines, with a one hour connection for a flight (same aircraft I believe) to Luang Prabang. If we arrive with our visa forms filled out an appropriate photos, carrying US passports, Will we have time to have our visa issued and clear immigration/customs. Again, Our bags will be checked through to LP. We leave in just over two weeks, and the surcharges for expedited visas look like they would run $300 or so for the two of us so obviously, a visa on arrival is much preferred.
Anyone have recent experience with visa on arrival at VTE?

I got my visa on arrival in LPQ a few years ago and there the process was fairly quick. I would guess things are probably similar at VTE. Are you sure you need to go through immigration and customs at VTE? It's possible that you may be able to do that at your ultimate destination of LPQ instead. But I freely admit I don't know that is the case for sure. Both airports are small, LPQ is tiny.

I believe they use a different terminal for domestic flights so I dont think you'l have time to get a visa + make the terminal change (at least the LPQ-VTE flight arrives in a different terminal, not sure where you check-in for it)

It's been awhile since I've done the VOA in VTE but it's a bigger airport than LPQ and you'll be hard pressed to check in for your dom flight in time.

Having said that it's likely you'll experience a delayed departure for the VTE-LPQ flight and won't have any problems.

Pax arriving in Laos need to go through immigration upon exiting the plane at their first destination so it's not possible to handle anything in LPQ.

LPQ is indeed tiny. During delayed departures I like to walk off the airport grounds and get an ice cold Beer Lao. Or two. Or three. Then, when i see my plane land, I can go back into the terminal. :D

It's the same plane we're arriving on, as far as I can tell... the one Airbus 320 they use BKK-VTE-LPQ-VTE-BKK. Will that change anything? I couldn't get the Laos based offices to respond, but the British office said our bags would be checked through.

A few years ago I flew REP-(PKZ)-VTE. In PKZ we all walked into the terminal and proceeded through immigration. Those continuing on to VTE were given re-boarding cards and told, when boarding begins, to be in the boarding lounge.

Upon arrival in VTE we picked up our bags and I don't remember ever going through customs because this was now considered a domestic flight.

If you encounter this scenario then there should be no problem making the flight.... As well, if both legs are on the same plane then that serves as your insurance so to speak. Just try to get to the visa desk quickly as typically the first few people to submit their docs/money are through in a matter of a few minutes while those down the line have a much longer wait.

They actually have two A320's. I saw them both @ VTE and flew on one a couple months ago. I took the one daily A320 to LPQ as well.

Our plane arrived in front of the domestic terminal (I think from BKK) @ VTE and all pax deplaned and walked to the international terminal next door. We then boarded the plane for the short hop to LPQ.

I don't believe your bags can be checked through to LPQ. You will have to clear Immigration and Customs in VTE with your baggage. When you arrive in LPQ on a domestic flight you enter the same arrival room as an international flight except that the Immigration booths are not staffed and you just walk past them to the baggage carousel with no Customs check. On an international arrival you will find the Immigration and Visa on Arrival booths staffed and a Customs check is possible when exiting baggage claim.

Our plane arrived in front of the domestic terminal (I think from BKK) @ VTE and all pax deplaned and walked to the international terminal next door. We then boarded the plane for the short hop to LPQ.

I assume you mean arrived at the INTERNATIONAL and walked to the domestic?

SO an hour IS OK?

Nope...sorry for not being clear.

We were waiting for the VTE-LPQ flight in the Domestic Departure Lounge. The incoming A320 from BKK parked in front of the Domestic Terminal and those passengers deplaned and walked over to the International Terminal for Immigration and Customs formalities. We then boarded that plane for our flight VTE-LPQ.

I looked up the MCT for VTE. 60 minutes is valid.

[KVS Availability Tool 6.9.9.R2/Diamond - Reference: Minimum Connection Time [MCT]: VTE]