Getting foreign visa for Laos man.

[aarancam]

I just spent a couple of weeks in Bangkok with my mate from London. After about a week I met a guy from Laos who was in Bangkok on a three months working visa. He didn't want money at first but I ended up paying him quite a bit in the end, not daily 2000 baht but for other stuff. His room rent and off fees etc. Anyway, sorry this is a bit long winded, but I want him to come to Oz for a month, not just for sex which was a bit naive to be honest. He's gay and gorgeous but I would love him to have the experience of another country. Laos is landlocked so he's never flown or seen the sea. I will have to go and get him which is a pain in the arse to be honest. He's too scared to fly on his own which is fair enough as the change over at Singapore is difficult even for me! His English isn't bad and I've sent him $200 to cover visa costs. he has a shop selling coke and water, I've seen the photos and videos on Whatsapp and he's got pigs and chickens but still very poor.
Anyway, he now says he needs 15000 baht for a police check or he can't get visa. Is he taking the fucking piss? I really hope he's not but has anyone had an experience like this?

[bobsaigon2]

Just curious - wouldn't he need the police check to be from Laos since he's a Lao citizen? If he actually needs it from Thailand, then by knocking off a Zero from his request might get you closer to the actual cost of the check. Just a guess. I'm not an Aussie, but 15K does seem excessive. And I suspect that there is a lot more than a police check involved before he could get a visa to Australia.

[arsenal]

If you pursue this path it will not end well.

[bobsaigon2]

Aarancam: Please consider Arsenal's post to be the definitive answer to your inquiry.

[bobsaigon2]

http://www.pcscenter.sb.police.go.th/eng/ This says Thai police clearance costs 100 Baht.

[cdnmatt]

15,000 baht for a police criminal check? It doesn't even cost that much in western countries, or even for a FBI background check. He's taking the piss.

BTW... how exactly are you planning to get him into Australia? It's much more than just signing for him, eh?

[frequent]

Have you checked your own government's web site - https://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visa-1/600-/? As far as I am aware 3-month tourist visas for Australia require no police check at all. I assisted a Bangkok Bank employee get such a visa recently - everything was done online except for a mandatory collection of biometric data at the Visa processing centre off Sukhumvit and that cost less than 1,000. I think if you don't do it online it might be something like 5,000 baht for the entire process, paper-based. I don't imagine there's a police check for Lao citizens vs. anyone else but that site would tell you. However, a self-employed person at that level of the economy is going to run into all sorts of problems as the Aussies - like every other First World country who issues visas - will want evidence that he will return to Thailand or Laos. I expect you'll have to provide all sorts of evidence of financial stability yourself - payslips, bank statements, rates notices for your property - to support a successful application

As an aside when I went to the visa processing centre it looked as though Australia or the UK (same centre) might be hosting an undertakers' convention until I realised that there were lots of government employees having their biometric data processed that day

[cdnmatt]

Yeah, there's 3 things the government will want satisified before allowing him entry. It's best to get this done at an Australian embassy overseas, instead of just giving a short in the dark at the airport.

1.) Proof he will return home. Job, land, house, leases, etc.
2.) Proof of financies, from either you or him, or preferably both.
3.) Proof that your relationship is genuine. Doesn't have to be a romantic relationship, but just proof you genuinely know each other, so the government knows he didn't just pay you to bring him into the country.

[cdnmatt]

I just asked Leo for you. He wasn't really sure, but said around 200 baht for a criminal background check in Laos, which seems about right.

Think, a Thai passport costs 1000 baht, a criminal background check in Canada costs I think $30 (1000 baht), and if I remember correctly a FBI background check including fingerprinting only cost $60 (2000 baht). So there's no way a background check for Laos would cost 15,000 baht.

[bobsaigon2]

All info and opinions above are correct and helpful. It occurs to me that the US only requires police clearance for immigrant visa applicants, not for tourists. Apparently it is the same in Oz, as frequent pointed out. I still think the OP should re-read Arsenal's post #3 and give up any plans to bring Mr. Lao to Australia. "...he's never flown or seen the sea". OK, the OP can go back to Thailand and fly from Bangkok to Phuket with the guy.

[aarancam]

Thanks everyone. He needs the money for the government to stamp his land title rights. Maybe to prove he will return. I just don't see him as being crafty. Oh dear...

[aarancam]

He's back in Laos and land title rights check would be 15000. he says the country is very corrupt and this is the only way he will be able to come to Oz for a month.

[aarancam]

He'a back in Laos now.

[aarancam]

I think you may be correct...

[aarancam]

I planned to meet him in Bangkok and then bring him to Australia for a month. Oh dear...

[aarancam]

Thanks. It's the proof of lease that will cost 15000 baht. It's not a lot in the scheme of things but seems a bit excessive.

[aarancam]

True. I just wanted to give him a great experience. He seems really genuine and I stupidly thought people from Laos wouldn't be cunning. FML!

[aarancam]

It's the proof of land lease that is costing so much money. He seems to think once that is done it will be easy.

[aarancam]

It's about proof of land lease.

[aarancam]

Thank you. It is the proof of land lease that is costing so much money. 15000 seems a bit steep.

[justaguy]

Not an expert on visas to OZ. But police checks worth 15,000 baht sounds bollocks to me.

Proof of land purchase worth 15,000 baht ? in Laos ? Bullshit. Whatever land he owns is probably not even worth that amount !

In Laos these kind of papers are generally well under a 1000 baht. How do you think citizens of a country where the minimum wage is a mere 900,000 kip would ever manage to pay for a proof of land purchase at a whopping 15,000 baht ! That's four month salary.

[cdnmatt]

He should already have proof of land, so free. If he lost the land title, and needs a replacement, no way it would cost 15,000 baht. It's 2am now, so Leo's sleeping, but I can ask him when he wakes up, as his family own a huge farm. I'm sure though, there's no way it's 15,000 abaht.

For 15,000 baht you could probably get someone murdered in Laos.

[goji]

I just don't see him as being crafty. Oh dear...

The really crafty people are so crafty no one notices & they get away with it. For a while.

[aarancam]

Thank you, that would be great.

[aarancam]

Cheers

[cdnmatt]

Leo's up and about now, and apparently it's free, or maybe 100 baht at the most. And he would know, because his name is on the family farm, amoung with several siblings.

It went from criminal background check to proof of land ownership, and either of these would cost anywhere near 15,000 baht. If I were you I would just ask him straight out what the money is actually for, because it could be something worthwhile. Maybe he wants to build a small barthroom, or needs things like a water pump, or a new fridge for his shop, or maybe he has a gambling debt or just wants to buy drugs. Who knows...

[aarancam]

Thanks for that. Either way, I think he's taking the piss!

[aarancam]

I just spent a couple of weeks in Bangkok with my mate from London. After about a week I met a guy from Laos who was in Bangkok on a three months working visa. He didn't want money at first but I ended up paying him quite a bit in the end, not daily 2000 baht but for other stuff. His room rent and off fees etc. Anyway, sorry this is a bit long winded, but I want him to come to Oz for a month, not just for sex which was a bit naive to be honest. He's gay and gorgeous but I would love him to have the experience of another country. Laos is landlocked so he's never flown or seen the sea. I will have to go and get him which is a pain in the arse to be honest. He's too scared to fly on his own which is fair enough as the change over at Singapore is difficult even for me! His English isn't bad and I've sent him $200 to cover visa costs. he has a shop selling coke and water, I've seen the photos and videos on Whatsapp and he's got pigs and chickens but still very poor.
Anyway, he now says he needs 15000 baht for a police check or he can't get visa. Is he taking the fucking piss? I really hope he's not but has anyone had an experience like this?

I actually meant the police or government want this money to check his land so they know he has s omething to come back to.

[aarancam]

Leo's up and about now, and apparently it's free, or maybe 100 baht at the most. And he would know, because his name is on the family farm, amoung with several siblings.

It went from criminal background check to proof of land ownership, and either of these would cost anywhere near 15,000 baht. If I were you I would just ask him straight out what the money is actually for, because it could be something worthwhile. Maybe he wants to build a small barthroom, or needs things like a water pump, or a new fridge for his shop, or maybe he has a gambling debt or just wants to buy drugs. Who knows...

I meant police or government people come to check his situation and stamp land lease as far as I can work out. I smeell bullshit. Thanks for your help.

[bobsaigon2]

Aarancam: Sorry to come down so hard on this but it really doesn't make sense. The Lao government doesn't care if he comes back to Laos. Only the Australian government would want to be assured that he has income or property that would motivate him to leave Australia when his visa expires. And if he does have property, what is it worth? He leases the property? How much does the tenant pay him? Certainly not enough for him to reside comfortably in Laos. That's why he's attempting to earn a marginal income living in Thailand.

The benefit of participating in a forum like this is that there are many members with many years of experience in Thailand/SE Asia. As you see, no one believes that the request for 15K baht is credible. I am sure we all wish you success in finding a suitable partner, but I'm afraid this young man may not be deserving of your financial and emotional support.

[arsenal]

Bobsaigon is right aarancam. However, don't be too hard on yourself. It would be a very unusual farang indeed who hadn't at some point met a boy in Thailand and started to plan for either his (the boy's) re-location to the farangs homeland or the other way round. Yes, even an arch butterfly and incorrigible boy hopper like me although it was a long time ago.

[aarancam]

He's sent me a photo of the official paper. How do I upload?

[christianpfc]

He didn't want money at first but I ended up paying him quite a bit in the end, not daily 2000 baht but for other stuff. His room rent and off fees etc.

Off fees?

You are trying to take too many steps at the same time. The boys has never flown AND is scared of flying AND has no visa for Australia AND you have only known each other for little time.

Just meet him again in Thailand and Lao and do you first traveling, and maybe first flight, there to see how it goes.

[aarancam]

That is the plan.

[aarancam]

Does this explain anything?45504550

[BOY69]

"He didn't want money at first but I ended up paying him quite a bit in the end"

You said it yourself he doesn't look like a naive person at all in the contrary at the the end you fond yourself paying him a lot of money so actually he's a money boy. now the 'poor' Lao guy wants to see the sea and for that wants auotragueous sum of money looks like a scam to me.leave it and move on with your life.

[justaguy]

You smell bullshit and you should. Again how could a normal Lao citizen pay over 3,5 million Lak for whatever government supplied document. As said the national minimum wage is 900.000 kip and it's not enforced, as I know plenty of people that are lucky to get 800,000 Lak.

That guy can leave Lao at any time, no expensive government checks are needed. How do you recon he got to Bangkok in the first place ?

[Blueskytoday]

These men who MEET the love of their life after a short meeting and want to wisk them off to their country for a visit or whatever is just plain nonsense to me.......and $$$$$$ are a fact in the picture...

[christianpfc]

This might have escaped your attention, so I ask again:

He didn't want money at first but I ended up paying him quite a bit in the end, not daily 2000 baht but for other stuff. His room rent and off fees etc.
Off fees?

As far as I can read Lao (Thai and Lao are quite similar, and when I have an idea what the text is about, I can understand some written Lao), this document has your friend's name, date of birth, and address on it. I'm not sure he would be happy about that (cue: "Ode to boyish beauty" thread on gaythailand, and a violation of this board's posting rules, but I don't think evil intent on your side, just negligence).


Is he taking the fucking piss?
Maybe you are taking the piss? I see parallels to a thread on gaythailand where someone wanted to take his boyfriend - with whom he had only online contact so far - to the US.

[cdnmatt]

Sorry, but GayThailand is a pain for me to navigate. Can you possibly link to the thread where the farang wanted to bring his "online BF" to the US?

[bobsaigon2]

matt, here's the link: http://www.gaythailand.com/forums/topic/11074-getting-your-new-thai-bf-to-the-us/

[Blueskytoday]

HOW to take an ON-LINE boy friend to the U.S. Are you really serious?? Goofy as hell

[arsenal]

Might I respectfully suggest a change of plan.
1: Smuggle said boy into Australia.
2: Hand him over to the Australian immigration goons.
3: Claim a share of the A$70m.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-40269543

Easy!

[goji]

Does this explain anything?45504550

What would that prove ?

1 I suppose anyone in Laos with a PC & printer could knock up a document like that.
2 The largest number I spot there is 50,000K. That is **** all. About 205 baht to be precise.

I'm not entirely sure who is taking the mick with this.

[travelerjim]

Sad to see you are being taken for an expensive ride with no chance of getting a visa to visit AU for the Laos.
Best you wake up and Smell the Roses
Return to Thailand and have good times here with whomever you fancy.
Good luck!
Tj