Laos Travel Guide

Laos – Luscious landscapes, winding rivers, beautiful people. With an experience to offer everyone, a visit to Laos will leave you with long-lasting and treasured memories. Here is some travel information about getting around Laos.

Visa

Getting into Laos is getting easier and travellers from many countries can get 30- or 60-day tourist visas.

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.

Tourist Visa on Arrival

The Lao government has recently changed where 30- or 60-day tourist visas on arrival are issued.

Visas on arrival (VOA) are available at the following airports:

• Wattay/Vientiane International Airport
• Pakse/Champassak International Airport
• Luang Prabang International Airport

Visas on arrival (VOA) are available at the following land borders:

• Trapaingkriel - Veun Kham, Stung Treng Province to Champasack Province (Cambodia)
• Mohan - Boten , Yunnan to Luang Namtha Province (China)
• Chiangkhong - Houixay, Chiang Rai to Bokeo Province (Thailand)
• Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge I, Nong Khai-Vientiane Capital (Thailand)
• Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge II, Moukdahan-Savannakhet Province (Thailand)
• Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge III, Nakorn Phanom-Thakhek/Khammouane Province (Thailand)
• Chongmek - Vangtao, Ubol Ratchathani to Champasack Province (Thailand)
• Thanaleng Railway Station (Thailand)
• Lao Bao - Dansavanh, Quang tri to Savannakhet Province (Vietnam)

You need 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. It is recommended to pay in US$. No other foreign currencies are accepted at Airports. Overland you can use Thai Baht, but the Visa fee becomes about 1,500 THB which is approx. $48.

Laos E-visa

On 9th July 2019 the Lao eVisa service was launched. The website www.laoevisa.gov.la is the official online platform for foreigners to apply for Lao visa online prior to arriving in Laos.

The eVisa service is open for 5 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)

The system will continue to expand to other international ports in the near future.

Tourist Visa from Lao embassies and consulates

As of July 2024 the Lao government offers multiple-entry visas and extend the duration of stays from 30 days to 60 days for visitors from Australia, New Zealand, The United States, Canada, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

Citizens of these countries can then request multiple-entry Lao visas through their respective Lao embassies or consulates. If a visitor obtains their visa through a Lao immigration office (VOA) or online, they will be granted only one-time access to the country for a duration of up to 60 days.

For travelers from Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Austria, Belgium, Spain, and Greece, the visa requirement will be waived for the first visit for up to 15 days if they travel for tourism purposes.

The process involves approximately the same cost and documentation as described above and generally takes three working days. In Bangkok, you can get your visa on the same day for an additional 200B express fee.

Visa Extensions

The 30-day tourist visa is extendable for an additional 30 days at a cost of US$ 2 per day. Tourist visas can be extended for 30 days, two times, to the maximum stay duration of 3 months without leaving the country. Visa extensions are available at the Immigration Department in Vientiane, Immigration Office in Luang Prabang, the Police station in Pakse, and the Police Station opposite the Lao-Mongolian Hospital in Phonsavan. Visa extensions are not possible in Savannakhet; however, you can do a visa run by crossing the border to Thailand.

Overstaying on a Visa

Overstaying a visa is not a major crime, but it is expensive. It costs US$ 10 for each day overstayed, paid at the immigration checkpoint on departure.

Customs Regulations

Customs inspections at ports of entry are lax as long as you're not bringing in more than a moderate amount of luggage. You're not supposed to enter the country with more than 500 cigarettes or 1 litre of distilled spirits. All the usual prohibitions on drugs, weapons, and pornography apply.