Every year we help an increasing number of travelers from around the globe book southeast Asian holiday itineraries that include trips to Laos, and as one of the least understood destinations, compared to say Thailand and Vietnam, we are often asked about entry requirements for Laos and how to go about acquiring a Laos tourist visa. The Lao People’s Democratic Republic remains one of the least perceptively accessible countries in the region because of its mostly mountainous terrain yet it remains a magnet for travelers crossing into the country from neighboring Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, China and Myanmar who are drawn to its ancient culture and natural beauty and no doubt because it remains so tantalizingly off the typical tourist trail. Laos is open for tourism all year round and most international visitors are welcome to apply for an Electronic Tourist Visa or eVisa for Tourism prior to travel or request a Laos tourist visa on arrival. If you fulfill the usual basic requirements, such as a valid passport and verifiable travel documents, obtaining a Laos tourist visa is very straight forward and simple. However, as we are constantly monitoring the situation it is worth checking here or on another trusted travel/government site for any changes before you decide to travel to Laos.
There are various types of visas available with some nationalities eligible to apply for a Tourist eVisa before travelling, others can apply for a Visa on Arrival when they land at an airport or cross the border by land, and others will need assistance from a Consulate or Embassy of Laos before attempting to visit. The type and validity of the visa will depend on your nationality, how long you wish to stay, and the purpose of your visit.
Lao Visa on Arrival Requirements – Visa on Arrival (VOA)
If you meet the Lao visa on arrival requirements it is likely you will be permitted to stay within Lao PDR for a period of 30 days (although it is possible to extend your visa twice for a maximum total of 90 days while in the country at a cost of around USD 3 per day). Getting a visa for Laos at any checkpoints (airport or border) will require some patience, and an undamaged passport that is valid for at least 6 months from your date of arrival with at least 2 blank pages for visa stamps. When you arrive, head for the window marked Visa on Arrival and not the Immigration window as this is for those who already hold a valid visa. Your passport should have at least two fully blank pages in it (preferably far more if you are intending to travel around SE Asia as the Laos tourist visa will completely cover one page – this is why it is sometimes referred to as a Sticker Visa, and another will be needed for entry and exit stamps). A correctly completed Laos visa application form is required for your Laos tourist visa on arrival which you can download and print online or will be issued to you on the flight or at the border or airport. Two recent passport-size photos (50mm x 50mm on a white background – if you do not have these, don’t panic as they will for a fee take a copy of your photo from your passport), proof of accommodation in Laos PDR such as a hotel reservation, a valid return trip or onward trip ticket out of the country and cash in US dollars to pay for the visa which costs between USD 30 and USD 45 depending on your nationality. You may also be asked to prove that you have the funds to support yourself for the duration of your stay as part of the Laos tourist visa requirements. Proof of travel and health insurance is not yet a prerequisite to enter Laos, although entering the country without it is highly unadvisable. Once your application has been accepted it should take around 15 mins for your application to be processed and your name to be called - but expect longer delays at busy times.- A passport valid for at least 6 months from your entry date to Laos with at least two blank pages for visa stamps.
- A completed Laos tourist visa application form.
- Two passport photos (50mm x 50mm) taken within the last 6 months on a white background.
- Proof of accommodation for the duration of your stay in Laos.
- Valid onward travel documents.
- Payment of visa fees (See below).
Country | Price (US Dollar) |
Australia Canada China India Sweden USA UK Others |
30 42 20 40 31 35 35 30 |
Note – An additional USD1 over-time fee may be charged when getting a visa for Laos if you are applying before 8am and after 4pm on weekdays, at weekends, or on Laos public holidays. If you are crossing from Thailand into Laos, you may be able to pay your Laos tourist visa on arrival fee in Thai Baht. However, the exchange rate means that the cost of doing this is likely to be higher than if you pay in US dollars.
- Vientiane Wattay International Airport
- Savan International Airport
- Pakse International Airport
- Luang Prabang International Airport
- Friendship Bridge IV Checkpoint in Bokeo (Thailand Border)
- Samliemkham Checkpoint in Bokeo (Thailand and Myanmar Border)
- Friendship Bridge I Checkpoint in Vientiane (Thailand Border)
- Tanalaeng Checkpoint in Vientiane (Thailand Border)
- Friendship Bridge III Checkpoint in Khammouane (Thailand Border)
- Friendship Bridge II Checkpoint in Savannakhet (Thailand Border)
- Daensavan Checkpoint in Savannakhet (Vietnam Border)
- Vang Tao Checkpoint in Champasak (Thailand Border)
- Boten Checkpoint in Luang Namtha (China Border)
The Laos tourist visa on arrival and e-Visa are both available to tourists to Laos from the following countries:
Albania Andorra Angola Antigua & Barbuda Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso o Cambodia Canada rkey Cape Verde n Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic DPR Korea Denmark Djibouti |
Dominca Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Fiji Finland France Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Greece Grenada Guatemala Guyana Haiti Hong Kong Honduras Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Ireland Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania |
Luxembourg Macau Macedonia Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Mauritania Mauritius Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Morocco Myanmar Namibia Nepal Netherlands New Zealand Nicaragua Norway Oman Palau Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Qatar Republic of Korea Romania Russia Federation Rwanda Saint Kitts and Nevis |
Saint Lucia Saint Vincent & Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome & Principe Saudi Arabia Serbia Seychelles Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa Spain Sri Lanka Sweden Switzerland Taiwan Tajikistan Thailand Timor Leste Togo Trinidad & Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirate United Kingdom United Republic of Tanzania United States of America Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Vietnam Yemen |
Citizens from the following countries must apply for their Laos tourist visa at a Laos Embassy:
Afghanistan Algeria Bangladesh Burundi Cameroon Congo Cote d’Ivoire |
Ghana Guinea Guinea Bissau Jordan Lesotho Liberia Libya |
Mozambique Nauru Niger Nigeria Pakistan Senegal Sierra Leone |
Suriname Syria Swaziland Tonga Turkey Zambia Zimbabwe |
- Brunei (for 14 days)
- Cambodia (for 30 days)
- Indonesia (for 30 days)
- Japan (for 15 days)
- Luxembourg (for 15 days)
- Malaysia (for 30 days)
- Mongolia (for 30 days)
- Myanmar (for 14 days)
- Philippines (for 30 days)
- Russia (for 30 days)
- Singapore (for 30 days)
- South Korea (for 30 days)
- Switzerland (for 15 days)
- Thailand (for 30 days)
- Vietnam (for 30 days)
Laos Tourist Visa Requirements for those applying for an e-Visa
Obtaining a Laos e-Visa is a way of saving time on arrival by not having to apply for your Laos tourist visa on arrival as it can be done before your arrival in Laos PDR. The process is quick and easy but be careful to ensure you apply from the official Laos government website on https://laoevisa.gov.la/apply.Here you will be required to complete the electronic visa application form and submit the required documents including a copy of your passport’s cover page, bio-data page, and a recent photograph of yourself. Laos entry requirements for the eVisa application demand that your passport must be valid for at least 6 months following the date you arrive in the country and the photograph needs to have been taken within the last 6 months and taken on a white background with no shadows, no headgear or glasses. Laos tourist visa requirements mean you need to be facing the camera with your eyes open and a neutral expression and your head occupying at least 80% of the frame. Visa fees can be paid through the site after your documents have been submitted and accepted using a valid credit or debit card. The fee is nonrefundable, and your fee can be calculated using the e-Visa fee calculator: https://laoevisa.gov.la/fee-calculator.
It usually takes a minimum of 3 working days for your visa to be processed and a Visa Approval Letter sent to your email. This Laos eVisa Approval Letter will need to be shown to the immigration officer when you arrive to enter Laos. Your Laos e-Visa is valid for entry to Laos for up to 60 days after receipt of the Approval Letter so be sure to not book your eVisa to far in advance of your planned arrival in Laos.
The Secret Retreats team understand that Laos visa on arrival requirements can appear complicated, and that is why we are here to help with any questions or queries you might have. Please feel free to contact us at dream@secret-retreats.com and allow us to make your journey to this incredible Southeast Asian nation a trouble-free adventure of a lifetime.
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