All foreign visitors to Laos need a Laos Visa
to enter the country, except for citizens of Japan, The Republic of Korea,
Russia, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and ASEAN member countries. Passport holders
of these countries are eligible to enter Laos and stay for 15-30 days without a
visa.
ASEAN Member
Countries
- Brunei Darussalam
- Cambodia
- Indonesia
- Laos
- Malaysia
- Myanmar
- Philippines
- Singapore
- Thailand
- Vietnam
Note: All efforts are made to keep
information on this page up-to-date, however, it is recommended that you
contact the Lao embassy or consulate near you for the most current visa
information.
This section provides information about all
available types of Visa for Laos, depending on nationality (according to your
passport), the purpose of your visit and how long you plan to stay in Laos.
Types of
available Visas for Laos
- Tourist Visa, Visa on arrival (30-day, extendable)
- Visit Visa (30-day, extendable)
- Business Visa (30-day, extendable)
- Transit Visa (7-day, not extendable)
- Diplomatic visa (6-12 months, extendable)
- Official Visa (6-12 months, extendable)
- Courtesy Visa (6-12 months, extendable)
1. Tourist Visa
(T)
A 30-day Tourist Visa for Laos can be
obtained at embassies or general consulates of the Lao PDR in foreign
countries. Check out if there is Lao Embassy in your area.
It is also available at International
airports in Laos and International border crossing points. Check out Laos visa
on arrival page for more info.
2. Visit Visa
(or B3 Visa)
Visit Visa for Laos is for citizens of
countries that don't have a visa exemption agreement with Laos, who hold
ordinary passports and intend to visit relatives working or living in Laos. It
is available from Lao embassies or Consulates in foreign countries.
Visitors holding this type of Laos visa can
remain in Laos for up to 30 days and can extend by up to a further two months,
but are not entitled to work or apply for multiple entry visas.
Applicants for a Laos visit visa need to have
a proof of a guarantor in Laos (a guarantee letter certified by the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of Laos), and need to allow at least 3-5 working days for
consulate to issue the visa.
Requirements are same as those for tourist
visa plus a proof of guarantor in Laos.
3. Business
Visa (or B2 visa)
A Business Visa is for businesspersons, or
those will be working in Laos for a company, a project, or an organization, who
hold ordinary passports and have someone to "sponsor" them (a company
or individual in Laos).
A multiple entry visa can be obtained for a
period of 3 months, 6 months or 1 year from Lao embassies or Consulates in
foreign countries (provided that it is arranged in advance).
Procedures for
getting Business Visa (or B2 visa)
Your "sponsor" in Laos (a company,
an individual or an organization that you will be working with) must go to the
Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in Vientiane to request a visa for you by
offering a "guarantee".
Once this request is approved by the MFA, the
approval will be communicated to the Lao Embassy specified by your sponsor at
the time s/he requested the visa in Vientiane.
Your sponsor then needs to give you a proof
of MFA's approval as you will be asked for it (can be a copy of the approved
letter or just its reference number). Once you have this, you then can apply
for the business visa for Laos at the specified Lao Embassy or Laos checkpoints
(on your arrival).
The process is quite lengthy, it normally
takes 1-3 months and you need to have someone in Laos to do it for you. Most
people use the service of specialist providers or travel agents.
4. Transit Visa
(Tr)
A Transit Visa for Laos is available for
travelers transiting through Laos to a third country. Holders of this type of
Laos visa can stay in Laos for up to 7 days. Work is prohibited and it is not
extendable.
Travelers applying for a transit visa are
required to show a proof of an onward journey (such as an air ticket and entry
visa for the third country) within seven days.
5. Diplomatic
Visa (A1)
A Diplomatic Visa is issued to diplomatic
passport holders, including consular officers, heads of the United Nations
Agencies and International Organisations, and their spouses and children.
The diplomatic visa is exempted from a visa
fee. Multiple entry visas for a period of one year can be obtained and can be
renewed each year till the completion of assignments.
6. Official Visa (A2)
The Official Visa is similar to the
diplomatic one (exempted from a Laos visa fee), however, it is for staff
members of Diplomatic Missions, Consulates, United Nations Agencies and other
International Organizations and their spouses and children holding official
passports.
Multiple entry visas for a period of one year
can be obtained and can be renewed every year till the completion of their
assignments.
7. Courtesy
Visa (B1)
The Courtesy Visa is for foreign experts and
their spouses and children holding diplomatic, official and ordinary passports
taking assignments under bilateral cooperation or grant assistance projects for
the Government of Laos.
The courtesy visa is exempted from a Laos
visa fee. Multiple entry visas for a period of 6 months can be obtained and can
be renewed every 6 months till the completion of their assignments.
Visa
Requirements for getting Courtesy Visa (B1)
Two application forms filled out in
duplicate.
Original passport with at least 6 months of
remaining validity and a blank page for a visa stamp.
2-3 recent passport-type photographs.
All Laos visas are issued for single entry
and must be used within two months from the date of issue.
