Note: Citizens of Japan, The Republic of
Korea, Russia, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and ASEAN member countries (with valid
passports) are exempted from Lao visa. The citizens of these countries can
enter Laos and stay for 15-30 days without a visa. For longer stay, a visa is
required.
Tourist Visas for Laos are available at Lao embassies
or consulates abroad and at most Laos ports of entry (known as Visa on
arrival).
Regardless of where you obtain them, tourist
visas are for a single entry and must be used within 2 months from the date of
issue. It allows you to stay in Laos for up to 30 days, and can be extended for
up to 60 days (two 30-day). Follow the link for more info on Laos visa
extension.
If you plan to travel to Laos, and would like
to get everything in order before you start your journey, then you might as
well want to have the Lao visa stamped on your passport before heading out. You
can apply to Lao embassy or consulate near you. Allow 3-5 working days to have
the visa issued.
If you want to apply for the visa yourself
check out Lao embassies page to see if there is a Lao embassy in your country
and for contact information.
If you are in the USA and chose to travel to
the embassy and submit your application yourself, below is the map of location
of Lao embassy in Washington DC. You may as well want to download the visa
application form below (for USA, Canada and Australia only, for other countries
please contact the embassy near you for details).
You can also fill out the form and mail it to
Lao embassy or consulate near you (see requirements below).
Another way to get your Lao visa before
arriving in Laos is to get it at the Lao embassies in its neighbor countries;
Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, and Myanmar depending where you travel
through.
Whichever your choice is, I'd recommend you
further check with the embassy before you proceed to avoid frustration and time
wasting.
But if you can't be bothered going through
all that, you can order online with just a few clicks. Although it costs you
more money this way, it saves you time and frustrations. There are several
companies that offer passport and visa services (for USA, Canada, and Mexico).
If you have a time constrain or it's too much
hassle arranging all this, there is a more convenient (and probably cheaper)
way to get your Lao visa. Just arrive at one of International airports in Laos
or one of International border crossing points and get a Visa on Arrival there.
Note: If you'd prefer to get Lao visa on
arrival, you should check to see if you're eligible. Check out "Who can
get Laos Visa on arrival?" section for details.
