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Visa policy of Laos
Policy on permits required to enter Laos
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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]
Visa policy map
Visa exemption
Ordinary passports
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
|
Non-ordinary passports
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]
|
D - Diplomatic passports only.
1 - 90 days
2 - 14 days
| Date of visa changes[6] |
|---|
Cancelled:
|
Visa on arrival / Electronic Visa (e-Visa)
| External image | |
|---|---|
 Map of entry points with Visa on Arrival facility |
The duration of stay of a visa obtained upon arrival in Laos is 30 days, and 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]
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 | N/a |  | |
| Pakse International Airport | N/a | | |
| Wattay International Airport (Vientiane) | N/a | | |
| 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 | | |
Visa required in advance
Citizens of the following countries are ineligible to obtain a visa on arrival or an e-Visa. They must obtain a visa from one of the Laotian diplomatic missions in advance. 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]
Visitor statistics
Most visitors arriving in 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 |
See also
