My prior school sent a group of teachers to Lao a couple of times to get non-im B visas.
Then, they insisted on people arriving on tourist visas and converting them.
Getting a tourist visa has an advantage. If a mistake is made converting it to a B visa, it's a wasted trip to the local immigration office. If there's a problem with the paperwork applying for a non-im B visa at a consulate, you've wasted a trip to another country.
But it can be easier to enter on a non-im visa. A tourist visa holder is more likely to be required to show more cash than I'm comfortable carrying or be denied entry at a land crossing.
Aye, there's the rub!
Then, they insisted on people arriving on tourist visas and converting them.
Getting a tourist visa has an advantage. If a mistake is made converting it to a B visa, it's a wasted trip to the local immigration office. If there's a problem with the paperwork applying for a non-im B visa at a consulate, you've wasted a trip to another country.
But it can be easier to enter on a non-im visa. A tourist visa holder is more likely to be required to show more cash than I'm comfortable carrying or be denied entry at a land crossing.
Aye, there's the rub!