Visa Information

Thanaleng Railway Station (Thailand)

Lao Bao – Dansavanh, Quang tri to Savannakhet Province (Vietnam)
It is necessary between US$ 40 (all nationalities except Chinese or Vietnamese citizens US$ 20), one passport-size photo (4 x 6 cm), the name of a hotel or guesthouse and phone number. Those without a photo will have to pay an additional fee of about US$ 2. On weekends there is an additional $1 service fee. It is recommended to pay in US$. No other foreign currencies are accepted at Airports (you may be lucky to have Thai Baht accepted sometimes). At the Lao-Thai land border crossings you can use Thai Baht, but the Visa fee becomes about 1,500 THB which is approx. $48.

Travellers holding passports from the following countries are not eligible for Laos Visas on Arrival: 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, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Syria, Swaziland, Tonga, Turkey, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

E-visa (www.laoevisa.gov.la)

The eVisa service is open for 8 international ports:

Wattay International Airport
Luang Prabang International Airport
Pakse/Champassak International Airport
Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge I, Nong Khai – Vientiane Capital (Thailand)
Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge II, Moukdahan – Savannakhet Province (Thailand)
Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge IV, Chiang-Khong – Houay Xai (Thailand)
Mohan – Boten , Yunnan to Luang Namtha Province (China)
Lao China Railway: Mohan – Boten , Yunnan to Luang Namtha Province (China)
The system will continue to expand to other international ports in the near future.

Tourist Visa from Lao embassies and consulates

You can get a tourist visa in advance from the Lao embassy in your country, usually at most 50 days before your planned arrival. The process involves approximately the same cost and documentation as described above and generally takes three working days. In Bangkok and Hanoi, you can get your visa within 24h or on the same day for an additional express fee.

Visa Free Policy

Visitors of the following countries may enter visa-free for up to 14 days:
Brunei, Japan, Luxembourg, Myanmar and Switzerland.
Passport holders of the following countries may enter visa-free for up to 30 days:
Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.

Visa exemption rules granted during the Visit Laos Year 2024 have been revoked for the time being. The Lao government will review the policy’s outcomes and continue to explore ways to enhance tourism. Tourists planning to visit Laos in 2025 should check standard visa requirements and entry regulations in advance as they are subject to change.

Digital Arrival and Departure Cards LDIF (https://immigration.gov.la/)

While Laos’ Department of Immigration has used paper slips for travelers to fill in all their passport and travel information upon entering and leaving Laos for many years, there has now commenced a digital arrival card similar to Thailand’s TDAC. The online form can be filled out up to 3 days in advance of arrival and is accepted at Wattey International Airport in Vientiane, Luang Prabang International Airport, Pakse International Airport and the Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge 1 between Vientiane and Nong Khai (Thailand) within the trial period until the end of 2025.

After filing all your information along with pictures of your passport and you with your passport, you will receive a QR code that you can show to border guards and immigration officials. Take a screenshot in case you’re asked to show this at Immigration.

To depart the country, you need to fill out the digital departure register form up to 3 days before departure.

The digital arrival card does not replace the tourist visa. You will need a visa