Laos visa

Last updated: 1st June 2010.

Visa exemptions

Nationals of the following countries, in possession of valid passports, should be granted a visa-free stay of up to 15 days upon arrival. For stays in excess of 15 days a visa will be required:

Japan, The Republic of Korea, Russia, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Phippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Visa extensions

All tourist visas are valid for a single entry, if you want to stay in Laos for longer than 30 days, then you will have to go on a visa run. Travel to the nearest border checkpoint with a Visa on Arrival service, exit the country and apply for another single entry visa, valid for another 30 days.

If a visa run is inappropriate, an extension can be granted at the immigration office in Vientiane. The charge is 2 USD per day or 3 USD per day if you get a travel agent to do the deed for you. This way an extra 30 days could cost you 90 USD. Time permitting; a visa run is definitely the financially viable option. A tourist visa may be extended twice for 30 days each time.

Overstaying your visa

If you overstay your visa in Laos expect to be charged 10.00 USD per day. Taking into consideration the expense, you may be better off going on a visa run if you plan to overstay by more than a few days.

Departure tax

If you are leaving Laos by one of the land crossings then there is no departure tax payable. At Vientiane and Luang Prabang International Airports there is a departure tax costing 10.00 USD. The fee is now incorporated into the price of your airline ticket, so there should be nothing to pay upon your arrival.

Order a visa through an agent

In the past, when I have had to order multiple visas or had to apply with complicated support documentation, (Russia), I have often employed the services of a dedicated agency. I have found that the extra cost is offset by the price of a train ticket to London, a couple of days of frantic roaming and hours of waiting in queues. I recently ordered my Russian, Mongolian and Chinese multiple entry visas through an agency and had them all back in my possession in about 14 days. It’s even easier than postal applications, you only have to send your passport once and they do the legwork, this is a lot faster and safer than sending your passport through the post multiple times to each embassy, by recorded delivery from home.

At present Visa HQ can arrange visas and support documentation for most nationalities and destinations worldwide.

Laos Visa on Arrival

At the present time, there is no Lao Embassy in the United Kingdom. The nearest Embassy is located in Paris. The Lao Embassy in Paris has a website available in English; however the information provided is currently incomplete. UK nationals are eligible to use the Visa on Arrival service when they get to Laos. When you receive your visa, check that you have been granted a stay of 30 days. It often happens that people receive a stamp for 15 days and the mistake must be tackled at the time.

Visa on Arrival requirements

  1. A passport valid for 6 months
  2. A completed visa application form, available here.
  3. Two recent passport photographs

You should try and arrive with the passport photographs, however if you are unable, then you will be charged a fee to scan you passport photograph.

Visa on arrival availability

At the time of writing, Visa on Arrival is currently available at the following Lao ports and land crossings. The situation is in a constant state of flux so it is worth posting on the travel forums to establish the current state of affairs:

  • International airports

  • Wattay airport, Vientiane
  • Luang Prabang airport, Luang Prabang
  • Pakse airport, Champasak

  • Laos to Cambodia

  • Veun Kham to Stung Treng, Cambodia

  • Laos – China

  • Boten to Bohan,China

  • Laos – Thailand

  • Friendship bridge, Vientiane to Nong Kai, Thailand
  • Hauy Xai to Chiang Khong, Thailand
  • Tha Khaek to Nakhon Phanom, Thailand
  • Savannakhet to Mukdahan, Thailand
  • Pakse to Chongmek, Thailand
  • Nam Heuang Bridge (Sainyabuli) to Loei, Thailand

  • Laos – Vietnam

  • Mahaxai to Cha Lo, Vietnam
  • Nam Phao / Keoneua to Cau Treo, Vietnam
  • Nam Can (Xieng Khoang) to Nghe An, Vietnam

Visa on Arrival Fees

The visa on arrival fee varies by country and an up to date list will be on display at crossings and airports in Laos. We recommend that you use USD to pay the fee as you will avoid ‘additional charges’ this way. Expect to pay 1.00 USD surcharge on weekends, evenings and public holidays, this is attributed to ‘overtime’. The following visa charges may be used as a guide:

Country

Price USD
Australia 30
Canada 42
China 20
India 40
Sweden 31
USA 35
UK 35
Others 30

Not eligible for Visa on Arrival

Nationals of the following countries are not eligible for the Visa on Arrival service and should seek to obtain a visa from an Embassy before travel to Laos:

Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Burundi, Cameroon, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Jordan, Lesotho, Liberiaa, Libya, Mozambique, Nauru, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Syria, Swaziland, Tonga, Turkey, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

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