Laos Visa Policy: Requirements and Visa Types

To enter Laos, visitors need an approved visa and a passport valid for at least six months. The Laos visa policy allows for a variety of visa types, including electronic visas, visas on arrival, and tourist visas. There are around 160 foreign nationalities eligible to apply for an electronic visa (eVisa) for Laos. By completing an easy online form before departure, you can obtain the document.

Usually, within 3 working days after approval, the applicant receives the approved eVisa by email. For tourism purposes, it allows a short stay. There are also less than ten nationalities for whose residents visas on arrival are required, which they can obtain at almost all ports of entry once in Laos.

In accordance with Laos visa policy, citizens from some countries cannot submit an electronic application and must instead contact a government diplomatic office.

For travelers who wish, or need, to stay longer than the time allowed for visa-free or eVisa travel, as well as those visiting Laos for other purposes, like work or study, a tourist visa will be needed.

Check to see if you need a visa to enter Laos

Tourist Visa Policy for Laos

For tourists planning to visit Laos, the visa policy requires foreign nationals to obtain a visa in advance to gain entry.

Laos currently has three types of tourist visas available to foreign nationals who wish to visit the Southeast Asia nation. The online visa application process eliminates the need to apply in person for a visa or stand in long queues at the border. Around 160 countries are currently able to apply for a visa exclusively online.

Laos tourist eVisas are single-entry permits that allow visitors to stay for a maximum of 30 straight days in Laos for tourism purposes. Tourists from under 10 nationalities must obtain a visa on arrival in Laos. To complete and submit the visa application for this method, applicants have to comply with the Laos visa policy.

The Laotian Embassy or Consulate must also process a tourist visa application on behalf of 80 additional citizens. It is recommended that tourist visa applications be submitted at least four weeks in advance of the expected arrival date.

Laos eVisa

An online application form makes it possible to obtain Laos eVisas (electronic visas). In using this online application you will avoid waiting in long lines at an embassy or consulate and expedite the visa issuance process.

Around 160 countries are eligible to apply for an eVisa to visit Laos for a single entry for a maximum stay of 30 days. From the date of eVisa approval, a visitor can enter Laos for 60 days. The application form requires basic information about the applicant, their passport, and their travel plans; usually they can complete the form within minutes.

An applicant must also possess a passport valid for at least 6 months after the intended arrival date, as well as submit a copy of the biographical page of the passport, along with a passport-style recent photograph. As part of the application, applicants must also indicate the expected date of arrival, as well as provide proof of accommodation while in the country.

Follow the Laos visa policy and apply at least one week in advance to ensure that the eVisa will be approved in time. The online Laos eVisa will be sent to you by email as soon as it is approved. When traveling to Laos, travelers must print a copy of the eVisa to show at the border control.

In addition, border officials may require additional documentation from an eVisa holder upon arrival in Laos, such as proof of enough funds to cover the stay.

A citizen who holds an eVisa and wants to visit Laos for purposes other than tourism or plans to stay longer in the country needs to apply for a consular visa at a diplomatic mission. See the list below for all the nationalities that require an eVisa for Laos.

Laos Visa on Arrival

Certain foreigners who intend to visit Laos must follow Laos visa policy and get a Lao visa at the port of entry. There are currently less than 10 nationalities that require a visa on arrival to enter Laos for short stays.

The Laos visa policy grants visas on arrival to a limited number of countries, so eligible citizens can stay in the country no longer than 30 days with a single entry travel document. Visas on arrival, however, often require long application processes at border checkpoints. Visa on arrival applications need to be completed at an immigration checkpoint upon arrival in Laos. Travelers need to wait in line to receive their visa on arrival applications.

Filling out the form will require you to provide information regarding your passport, travel, and personal details. In addition to filling out the application, you must also pay a fee upon arrival. According to the nationality of the traveler, laotian visas on arrival may also require additional documentation. See the list below to determine whether a visa is required for your nationality upon arrival in Laos.

Laos Tourist Visa

As per the Laotian visa law, all foreigners from about 80 nationalities need to apply for a tourist visa before travelling, entering, or remaining in the country, no matter what their reason for visiting or how long they intend to stay.

African and Middle Eastern countries are the most popular countries for which tourists need a visa to visit Laos. Consular appointments are made at the Laos government diplomatic offices nearest to the applicant in order to gain an approved tourist visa.

After printing and completing the tourist visa application form, providing personal and passport information, you will have to select the type of visa needed for your trip, including tourism, business, transit, work, or study. As per Laos visa policy, visitors should bring with them a range of supporting documents to the appointment, depending on the kind of visa required and the nationality of the visitor.

The consular visa application process may take several weeks for travelers who need a traditional visa to arrive in the country. It is therefore recommended that travelers apply well before their intended arrival in the country. Listed below is a complete list of nations requiring tourists to submit visa applications for travel to Laos.

Check to see if you need a visa to enter Laos