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 Laosportal |
Visitors to Laos must obtain a visa from one of the Laotian diplomatic missions unless they are citizens of one of the visa-exempt countries or citizens eligible for a visa on arrival or an e-Visa. All visitors must hold a passport valid for 6 months. [1]
According to the Ministry of Public Security of Laos, holders of ordinary passports of the following countries (including all ASEAN member states) may enter Laos without a visa for stays up to the duration listed below: [2]
30 days 15 days
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| Date of visa changes |
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Cancelled:
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# - Temporary visa exemption policy from 1 July 2024 to 31 December 2024.
From 1 July to 31 December 2024, Laos is implementing a 15-day visa-free policy for visitors with documents of following jurisdictions who are visiting Laos through approved tour groups: [15]
Holders of diplomatic, official or service passports issued by following countries may enter Laos without a visa for up to 30 days (unless otherwise noted): [2]
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D - Diplomatic passports only.
1 - 90 days
2 - 14 days
Laos signed a visa-free agreement with Kazakhstan for holders of diplomatic and official passports in July 2024 and it is yet to come into force. [16]
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 Map of entry points with Visa on Arrival facility |
Most nationals of other countries may obtain a visa on arrival in Laos or an e-Visa online for a fee, except those who are ineligible for either facility.
The duration of stay of a visa obtained upon arrival in Laos is 30 days, but can be extended twice, for a maximum stay of 90 days. Visa extensions are handled by the province immigration office inside Laos for a fee. [17] [18]
The Laos e-Visa service was launched in July 2019. [19] [20] It is valid for 60 days from the date of issuance and its holders may stay for up to 30 days in Laos. [21] e-Visa can be issued within 3 business days.
Travellers eligible for a visa on arrival or an e-Visa can enter Laos through one of the following ports of entry: [22] [23]
| Port of entry | Opposite side | VoA | eVisa |
|---|---|---|---|
| Luang Prabang International Airport | — |  | |
| Pakse International Airport | — | | |
| Wattay International Airport (Vientiane) | — | | |
| Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge I (Vientiane) | Nong Khai, Thailand | | |
| Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge II (Savannakhet) | Mukdahan, Thailand | | |
| Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge III (Thakhek) | Nakhon Phanom province, Thailand | |  |
| Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge IV (Houayxay) | Chiang Khong district, Thailand | | |
| Samliemkham | Thailand and Myanmar | | |
| Khamsavath railway station (Vientiane) | Nong Khai railway station, Thailand | | |
| Daensavan | Lao Bảo, Vietnam | | |
| Veunkham | Nong nok khian, Cambodia | | |
| Vang tao | Chong Mek, Thailand | | |
| Boten (road checkpoint) | Mohan, China | | |
| Boten railway station | Mohan railway station, China | | |
All other ports of entry not listed above neither accept visa on arrival nor e-Visa. Some of them are closed to third-country visitors, while others require visitors from non-visa-exempt countries to present visas obtained in advance from one of the Laotian diplomatic missions around the world.
Nationals of the following countries are ineligible to obtain a visa on arrival nor an e-Visa. They must thus obtain a visa from one of the Laotian diplomatic missions in advance. However, if they are traveling on an official visit, they may still obtain a visa on arrival, provided they are holding an official letter of guarantee issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Laos: [1] [24]
Most visitors arriving to Laos were from the following countries of nationality: [25]
| Country | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Thailand | 1,797,803 | 2,009,605 | 2,321,352 | 2,043,761 | 2,059,434 | 1,937,612 | 1,579,941 |
 Vietnam | 891,643 | 998,400 | 1,187,954 | 1,108,332 | 910,164 | 705,596 | 561,586 |
 China | 639,185 | 545,493 | 511,436 | 422,440 | 245,033 | 199,857 | 150,791 |
 South Korea | 170,571 | 173,260 | 165,328 | 96,085 | 81,799 | 53,829 | 34,707 |
 United States | 38,765 | 58,094 | 63,058 | 61,460 | 61,608 | 53,380 | 50,092 |
 France | 36,760 | 54,953 | 55,151 | 52,146 | 52,411 | 46,903 | 44,399 |
 Japan | 32,064 | 49,191 | 43,826 | 44,877 | 48,644 | 42,026 | 37,883 |
 United Kingdom | 27,723 | 39,170 | 41,508 | 39,061 | 41,741 | 35,964 | 35,622 |
 Germany | 23,776 | 34,018 | 31,897 | 29,800 | 29,250 | 23,417 | 21,280 |
 Australia | 20,886 | 33,077 | 34,655 | 44,964 | 35,441 | 33,878 | 31,874 |
| Total | 3,868,838 | 4,239,047 | 4,684,429 | 4,158,719 | 3,779,490 | 3,330,072 | 3,330,072 |
Visa requirements for Bosnia and Herzegovina citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Visa requirements for Yemeni citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Yemen. As of 2 July 2019, Yemeni citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 33 countries and territories, ranking the Yemeni passport 104th in terms of travel freedom according to the Henley Passport Index.
Visa requirements for Qatari citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Qatar.
Visa requirements for Cypriot citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Cyprus.
Visa requirements for Ecuadorian citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Ecuador.
Visa requirements for Estonian citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Estonia. As of July 2024, Estonian citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 185 countries and territories, ranking the Estonian passport 9th in the world, tied with Lithuanian passport and Emirati passport according to the Henley Passport Index, tied with the Emirati Passport
Visa requirements for Peruvian citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Peru.
Visa requirements for Nepali citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Nepal.
Visa requirements for Spanish citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Spain.
Visa requirements for Omani citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of the Oman.
Visa requirements for Greek citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Greece.
Visa requirements for Uzbekistani citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Uzbekistan. The article is concerning ordinary passport holders and tourists. As of November 2023, 28 visa-free countries and 33 visa-on-arrival countries, as a result, ranking the Uzbekistan passport 79th in terms of travel freedom according to the Henley Passport Index.
Visa requirements for Nicaraguan citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Nicaragua. As of 10 January 2024, Nicaraguan citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 129 countries and territories, ranking the Nicaraguan passport 43rd in terms of travel freedom according to the Henley Passport Index.
Visa requirements for Liechtenstein citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Liechtenstein. As of March 2023, Liechtenstein citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 180 countries and territories, ranking the Liechtenstein passport 12th in terms of travel freedom overall, and the lowest of the EFTA member states, according to the Henley Passport Index.
Visa requirements for Palestinian citizens, are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states which are imposed on citizens of Palestine who hold a passport issued by the Palestinian Authority. As of 28 September 2023, Palestinian citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 53 countries and territories, ranking the Palestinian passport 91st in terms of travel freedom according to the Henley Passport Index, which ties with both the Libyan passport and the North Korean passport.
Visa requirements for Andorra citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Andorra. As of 11 January 2024, Andorran citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 172 countries and territories, ranking the Andorran passport 19th in terms of travel freedom according to the Henley Passport Index.
Visa requirements for Monégasque citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Monaco. As of March 2023, Monégasque citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 175 countries and territories, ranking the Monégasque passport 15th overall in terms of travel freedom according to the Henley Passport Index, making it the highest ranking passport of any European country not belonging to either the European Union or EFTA.
Visa requirements for Tajik citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Tajikistan. As July 2024, Tajik citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 58 countries and territories, ranking the Tajik passport 82nd in terms of travel freedom according to the Henley Passport Index.
Visa requirements for Fijian citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Fiji. As of 23 July 2024, Fijian citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 90 countries and territories, ranking the Fijian passport 54th in terms of travel freedom according to the Henley Passport Index.
Visa requirements for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. As of 9 January 2024, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 157 countries and territories, ranking the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines passport 27 in terms of travel freedom according to the Henley Passport Index.
