Every way into Laos.

The official Lao eVisa, operated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at laoevisa.gov.la, is a single-entry tourist visa for stays of up to 30 days. It is processed within about 3 working days after the fee is paid, and the approval letter is valid for entry within 60 days of issue. Currently only the tourist category is available through the eVisa channel, and only holders of ordinary passports may apply; the passport must be valid for more than 180 days from the date of arrival. Entry is restricted to nine designated air, land and rail ports (including Wattay, Luang Prabang and Pakse international airports, the Lao-Thai Friendship Bridges and the Boten and Vientiane railway checkpoints). The fee is USD 50 for most nationalities (about USD 35 for Chinese and Vietnamese citizens) and is non-refundable. The 30-day stay can be extended once for a further 30 days at a Lao immigration office.

Government fee

$50

Processing time

3 days

Max stay

30 days

Validity

60 days

Most nationalities can obtain a tourist visa on arrival at Laos's international airports and major land and rail border crossings, granting a single-entry stay of up to 30 days. The visa is issued on the spot on completion of an arrival form and payment of the fee in cash (US dollars). The fee varies by nationality, commonly USD 40 (about USD 20-35 for Chinese and Vietnamese citizens); an extra charge of about USD 1-2 applies on weekends or if no photo is supplied. Travellers must present a passport-size photo, the name of their accommodation and a contact number. The 30-day stay can be extended once for a further 30 days at a Lao immigration office. Certain nationalities (a list of around 30 countries) are not eligible for visa on arrival and must obtain a visa in advance from a Lao embassy or consulate.

Government fee

$40

Processing time

1 day

Max stay

30 days

Citizens of fellow ASEAN member states and several other countries may enter Laos without a visa for short visits under mutual exemption and bilateral agreements. Nationals of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, as well as Belarus, Japan, Mongolia and Russia, may stay up to 30 days, while Myanmar nationals receive 14 days and Luxembourg and Switzerland citizens 15 days. The exemption covers tourism, family visits and short business meetings but does not authorise work or study. No fee is charged at entry. Visa-free stays may generally be extended at a Lao immigration office, and onward or return travel and an ordinary passport valid at least 6 months are expected at the border.

Processing time

0 days

Max stay

30 days

The Lao transit visa is for travellers passing through Laos en route to a third country who need to stop for more than a few hours but no longer than 5 days. It is single entry and non-extendable. It can be applied for in advance at a Lao embassy or consulate, where processing typically takes about 5-7 working days, or obtained on arrival at the main international airports. Applicants must hold a passport valid at least 6 months and show proof of an onward ticket and, where required, a visa for the next destination. The transit visa is not available through the eVisa portal, which currently offers tourist visas only.

Processing time

5 days

Max stay

5 days

Validity

60 days

The Lao business / non-immigrant visa is for foreign nationals visiting for short-term business activities such as meetings, negotiations, conferences, training and family or relative visits. It is normally issued by a Lao embassy or consulate (or, for some applicants, arranged via a sponsoring company), typically as a single-entry visa with an initial stay of up to 30 days that can be extended in-country. It does not authorise employment in Laos; foreign nationals who will work must hold a labour (LA-B2) visa with a work permit and stay permit card. Applicants generally need an invitation or sponsorship letter from a Lao company or organisation. The business visa is not available through the eVisa portal.

Processing time

7 days

Max stay

30 days

Validity

60 days

The student visa (ST-B2) is issued to foreign nationals admitted to study, intern or carry out research at a recognised educational institution in Laos. It is a 12-month visa that is renewed year by year for the duration of the course, which may run from one to five years. Applicants must present a letter of admission or acceptance to a full-time course from a recognised Lao institution and show sufficient funds for their stay. The visa is normally arranged with the support of the host institution and obtained from a Lao embassy or consulate or extended through the Department of Immigration. It is not available through the eVisa portal.

Processing time

7 days

Validity

365 days

The labour visa (LA-B2) is issued to foreign nationals with a fixed employment contract with a company in Laos. The employer must first obtain a foreign-worker quota and approval from the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, after which the worker receives the LA-B2 visa, a work permit and a stay permit card. Multiple-entry visa validity is offered for 3, 6 or 12 months (about LAK 300,000 / 600,000 / 1,200,000), and the stay permit card issued by the Ministry of Public Security is valid up to 1 year and renewed annually. Processing through the One-Stop Service generally takes about 8 working days once labour approval is in place. The visa authorises employment only with the sponsoring employer for the approved position.

Processing time

8 days

Validity

365 days

The investor visa is issued to foreign nationals who have invested in an enterprise registered in Laos, together with their stockholders, directors, deputy directors and technical officers and their family members. Applications are coordinated through the Ministry of Planning and Investment's One-Stop Service, with approval generally taking about 8 working days, and the visa is paired with a stay permit card from the Ministry of Public Security. Multiple-entry validity is offered for 3 months (about LAK 300,000), 6 months (LAK 600,000) or 12 months (LAK 1,200,000); investors holding government concession agreements of 10 years or more can obtain longer 3-5 year validity (the I-B2 category). Applicants must show an investment licence or enterprise registration certificate. The stay permit card is normally valid up to 1 year and renewable annually, or 3-5 years for qualifying concession holders.

Processing time

8 days

Validity

365 days

The dependent visa is issued to the spouse and dependent children of foreign nationals holding a long-stay Lao visa, principally labour (LA-B2), investor (NI-B2) and expert (E-B2) holders. It allows the family to reside in Laos for the same period as the sponsoring principal and is paired with a stay permit card renewed alongside the sponsor's. The dependent visa does not by itself authorise employment; a dependent who wishes to work must obtain their own labour visa and work permit. Applications are made with proof of the family relationship and of the sponsor's valid visa and stay permit, typically via the same channel (embassy or One-Stop Service) as the principal.

Processing time

8 days

Validity

365 days

The expert visa (E-B2) is issued to foreign specialists, advisers and technical experts assigned to projects, programmes or organisations in Laos, including those working under development programmes, government projects or specialised technical roles. It is typically arranged with the support of the hosting Lao entity and paired with a stay permit card. Like other long-stay categories, multiple-entry validity is offered for 3, 6 or 12 months and the stay permit card is renewable annually. The visa authorises only the specialist assignment that supports the application; experts engaged in ordinary employment generally fall under the labour (LA-B2) category with a work permit.

Processing time

8 days

Validity

365 days

The media visa (M-B2) is issued to foreign journalists, correspondents and media crew travelling to Laos for reporting, filming or other press activities. It requires prior accreditation and authorisation, typically coordinated through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, and is obtained from a Lao embassy or consulate. Journalists generally need an assignment letter from their media organisation and approval to film or report in Laos. The visa is not available through the eVisa portal; entering on a tourist visa to carry out journalism is not permitted.

Processing time

7 days

Validity

60 days

The official visa (S-A2) is issued to holders of official or service passports travelling to Laos on government business, and to staff of foreign governments and international organisations on official duty. A related diplomatic visa (D-A1) is issued to diplomatic-passport holders and a courtesy visa (C-B1) to certain official guests. These visas are typically fee-exempt and issued through Lao diplomatic missions on the basis of an official note verbale or mission request. Multiple-entry validity (commonly up to one year for official and diplomatic visas) is granted according to the assignment. They are not available through the eVisa portal.

Government fee

$0

Processing time

7 days

Validity

365 days