Laos visa and entry requirements

The Department of Immigration publishes a list of countries having reached unilateral and bilateral visa exemption agreements with Laos, giving the stay permit for each passport category. It says most travellers can acquire a visa on arrival at major entry points, such as international airports and border crossings, allowing a stay of up to 30 days. Nationals of the countries on the Lao eVisa list can instead apply online for a tourist eVisa, whose stay permit is 30 days. Laos's 2014 Law on Immigration and Foreigner Management says holders of passports of countries that have no visa exemption agreement with Laos must comply with the visa application procedures before entering, and that Lao embassies and consulates abroad can issue tourist visas.

Every fact on this page verified on or after: Aug 26, 2026· How this site works

Check requirements for your passport

Requirements differ by nationality. Select your passport above, or scan the full table below.

Visas & entry authorisations

Lao eVisa (tourist)

Fee
Not published
Processing
up to 3 business days
Stay per entry
30 days
Entries
single

When to apply: Your arrival date must be no more than 60 days after the day you apply, and the eVisa system takes applications up to 5 days before arrival.

Documents the application asks for

  • Photo — 4 × 6 cm to the ICAO standard, taken within the last 6 months.
  • Passport bio page — A photo of the whole bio page, including the two machine-readable lines at the bottom.
Apply on the official site Verified Oct 7, 2026 · laoevisa.gov.la

Tourist visa (Lao embassy or consulate)

Fee
Not published
Processing
—
Stay per entry
60 days
Verified Oct 3, 2026 · immigration.gov.la · gov.uk says tourist visas give 30 days from the date of arrival since 1 January 2025

Entry requirements

Passport validity

The Lao eVisa terms say the passport should have a minimum validity of 6 months from the date of arrival in Laos; the UK government says your passport must have an expiry date at least 6 months after the date you arrive and at least 2 blank pages.

At least 1 blank page required. Compare every country

Verified Oct 3, 2026 · laoevisa.gov.la · archived copyCompare every country

Vaccinations

Not officially stated

No official source we read lists a vaccination certificate required for entry.

Travel insurance

Not officially stated

No official source we could read makes insurance a condition of entry. The UK government says medical care in Laos can be basic, that outside the capital there are no reliable facilities to deal with medical emergencies, that medical evacuation is difficult to organise and very expensive, and advises adequate travel health insurance.

Verified Oct 3, 2026 · gov.uk

Onward or return ticket

Not officially stated

No official source we could read states an onward-ticket requirement for Laos.

Verified Oct 7, 2026 · laoevisa.gov.la

Proof of funds

Not officially stated

No official source we could read states a proof-of-funds requirement or amount for tourists in Laos.

Verified Oct 7, 2026 · laoevisa.gov.la

Arrival cards & declarations

Required
  • Lao Digital Immigration Form (LDIF) — The UK government says all foreign nationals entering Laos must complete the Lao Digital Immigration Form (LDIF) digitally within 3 days before arrival and 3 days before departure, and that it applies at Wattay International Airport (Vientiane), Luang Prabang International Airport, Pakse International Airport and the Lao–Thai Friendship Bridge I, where it replaces paper arrival and departure cards. The Department of Immigration says it launched the form on 1 September 2025 at these four checkpoints. (within 3 days before arrival, and again within 3 days before departure) immigration.gov.la
Verified Oct 3, 2026 · immigration.gov.laCompare every country

Other compulsory government charges

  • Tourism fund fee — 10,000 LAK per person per trip. Paid on arrival.

    Under a decision of the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, from 1 September 2024 foreign tourists entering Laos, individually or in groups, pay a tourism fund fee of 10,000 kip per person per entry, collected at each international border checkpoint.

    Exemptions: People with disabilities or patients who cannot look after themselves, children under 15, monks, and others listed in the decision.

Verified Oct 12, 2026 · mict.gov.la · Decision (ຂໍ້ຕົກລົງ) No. 857/ຖວທ of the Minister of InformationCompare every country

Customs & currency

The US Department of State says the import and export of local currency is not permitted, and that 2,500 USD or the equivalent in foreign currency must be declared on entry and on exit. No Lao source we could read states the rule.

  • The UK government says the Laos authorities have a zero-tolerance policy to drug offences, including cannabis: possessing drugs, even in very small quantities, carries severe penalties, including a possible death penalty for drug trafficking.
  • The UK government says the use of e-cigarettes (vapes), heated tobacco and shisha is illegal in Laos, and that you could be fined or imprisoned for possessing, using, importing, selling, purchasing or exporting them.
Verified Oct 4, 2026 · travel.state.gov · archived copy

Country in a nutshell

Currency
Lao kip (LAK, ₭)
Safety — Exercise caution
The UK government says travellers regularly report random bag snatches, often by people on motorcycles, and that petty crime can occur in tourist areas and around ATMs. It advises against all but essential travel to Xaisomboun Province, where there are intermittent attacks on infrastructure and armed clashes with anti-government groups, and says landmines and other unexploded weapons are a hazard throughout Laos.Verified Oct 3, 2026 · gov.uk · archived copy
Power plugs
A, B, C, E, F · 230V 50Hz
Emergency numbers
Police: 1191 · Ambulance: 1195 · Fire: 1190
Time zone
UTC+7
International Driving Permit

Laos is a party to the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic (UN Treaty Collection). The UK government says UK drivers need both the 1949 version of the international driving permit (IDP) and their UK driving licence; Canada's travel advice says you must carry an International Driving Permit.

Verified Oct 3, 2026 · treaties.un.org · Convention on Road Traffic Compare every country
Tap water
not for drinking. Use bottled

Best time to visit

No official source we could read gives seasonal guidance for visitors. The UK government says the rainy season normally runs from May to October, when river levels can increase dramatically within hours, heavy rainstorms may cause unexpected and serious flooding, and mountain areas are vulnerable to landslides.

Tips & warnings

Canada's travel advice says U.S. dollars and Thai baht are commonly accepted in Laos, and that the kip is not easily obtained or exchanged outside Laos.

The Lao eVisa portal says the eVisa can be used to enter only through its designated ports: Wattay (Vientiane), Luang Prabang and Pakse international airports, Lao–Thai Friendship Bridges I, II and IV, Boten International Checkpoint, and Boten and Khamsavath railway stations. If you enter through an undesignated port you must apply for a visa on arrival, and the eVisa fee is non-refundable.

The UK government says landmines and other unexploded weapons are a hazard throughout Laos and kill a number of people each year, and advises keeping to main routes in rural areas and not picking up metal objects. Canada's travel advice names the Plain of Jars site, Xiengkhouang province and the Lao–Vietnam border areas in particular.

The UK government says that when you visit any temples and religious sites, your shoulders and knees should be covered, whether you are male or female.

Visa requirements by nationality

PassportsVisas & entry authorisationsMax stay
AfghanistanEmbassy visa—
AlbaniaeVisa30 days
AlgeriaEmbassy visa—
AndorraeVisa30 days
AngolaeVisa30 days
Antigua and BarbudaeVisa30 days
ArgentinaeVisa30 days
ArmeniaeVisa30 days
AustraliaeVisa30 days
AustriaeVisa30 days
AzerbaijaneVisa30 days
BahamaseVisa30 days
BahraineVisa30 days
BangladeshEmbassy visa—
BarbadoseVisa30 days
BelarusVisa-free30 days
BelgiumeVisa30 days
BelizeeVisa30 days
BenineVisa30 days
BhutaneVisa30 days
BoliviaeVisa30 days
Bosnia and HerzegovinaeVisa30 days
BotswanaeVisa30 days
BrazileVisa30 days
BruneiVisa-free30 days
BulgariaeVisa30 days
Burkina FasoeVisa30 days
BurundiEmbassy visa—
Cabo VerdeeVisa30 days
CambodiaVisa-free30 days
CameroonEmbassy visa—
CanadaeVisa30 days
Central African RepubliceVisa30 days
ChadeVisa30 days
ChileeVisa30 days
ChinaeVisa30 days
ColombiaeVisa30 days
ComoroseVisa30 days
Costa RicaeVisa30 days
Côte d'IvoireEmbassy visa—
CroatiaeVisa30 days
CubaeVisa30 days
CypruseVisa30 days
CzechiaeVisa30 days
Democratic Republic of the CongoeVisa30 days
DenmarkeVisa30 days
DjiboutieVisa30 days
DominicaeVisa30 days
Dominican RepubliceVisa30 days
EcuadoreVisa30 days
EgypteVisa30 days
El SalvadoreVisa30 days
Equatorial GuineaeVisa30 days
EritreaeVisa30 days
EstoniaeVisa30 days
EswatiniEmbassy visa—
EthiopiaeVisa30 days
FijieVisa30 days
FinlandeVisa30 days
FranceeVisa30 days
GaboneVisa30 days
GambiaeVisa30 days
GeorgiaeVisa30 days
GermanyeVisa30 days
GhanaEmbassy visa—
GreeceeVisa30 days
GrenadaeVisa30 days
GuatemalaeVisa30 days
GuineaEmbassy visa—
Guinea-BissauEmbassy visa—
GuyanaeVisa30 days
HaitieVisa30 days
HonduraseVisa30 days
Hong KongeVisa30 days
HungaryeVisa30 days
IcelandeVisa30 days
IndiaeVisa30 days
IndonesiaVisa-free30 days
IranEmbassy visa—
IraqEmbassy visa—
IrelandeVisa30 days
IsraeleVisa30 days
ItalyeVisa30 days
JamaicaeVisa30 days
JapanVisa-free15 days
JordanEmbassy visa—
KazakhstaneVisa30 days
KenyaeVisa30 days
KiribatieVisa30 days
KosovoeVisa30 days
KuwaiteVisa30 days
KyrgyzstaneVisa30 days
LaosFree movement—
LatviaeVisa30 days
LebanonEmbassy visa—
LesothoEmbassy visa—
LiberiaEmbassy visa—
LibyaEmbassy visa—
LiechtensteineVisa30 days
LithuaniaeVisa30 days
LuxembourgVisa-free15 days
MacaueVisa30 days
MadagascareVisa30 days
MalawieVisa30 days
MalaysiaVisa-free30 days
MaldiveseVisa30 days
MalieVisa30 days
MaltaeVisa30 days
Marshall IslandseVisa30 days
MauritaniaeVisa30 days
MauritiuseVisa30 days
MexicoeVisa30 days
MicronesiaeVisa30 days
MoldovaeVisa30 days
MonacoeVisa30 days
MongoliaVisa-free30 days
MontenegroeVisa30 days
MoroccoeVisa30 days
MozambiqueEmbassy visa—
MyanmarVisa-free14 days
NamibiaeVisa30 days
NauruEmbassy visa—
NepaleVisa30 days
NetherlandseVisa30 days
New ZealandeVisa30 days
NicaraguaeVisa30 days
NigerEmbassy visa—
NigeriaEmbassy visa—
North KoreaeVisa30 days
North MacedoniaeVisa30 days
NorwayeVisa30 days
OmaneVisa30 days
PakistanEmbassy visa—
PalaueVisa30 days
PalestineEmbassy visa—
PanamaeVisa30 days
Papua New GuineaeVisa30 days
ParaguayeVisa30 days
PerueVisa30 days
PhilippinesVisa-free30 days
PolandeVisa30 days
PortugaleVisa30 days
QatareVisa30 days
Republic of the CongoEmbassy visa—
RomaniaeVisa30 days
RussiaVisa-free30 days
RwandaeVisa30 days
Saint Kitts and NeviseVisa30 days
Saint LuciaeVisa30 days
Saint Vincent and the GrenadineseVisa30 days
SamoaeVisa30 days
San MarinoeVisa30 days
São Tomé and PríncipeeVisa30 days
Saudi ArabiaeVisa30 days
SenegalEmbassy visa—
SerbiaeVisa30 days
SeychelleseVisa30 days
Sierra LeoneEmbassy visa—
SingaporeVisa-free30 days
SlovakiaeVisa30 days
SloveniaeVisa30 days
Solomon IslandseVisa30 days
SomaliaEmbassy visa—
South AfricaeVisa30 days
South KoreaVisa-free30 days
South SudanEmbassy visa—
SpaineVisa30 days
Sri LankaeVisa30 days
SudanEmbassy visa—
SurinameEmbassy visa—
SwedeneVisa30 days
SwitzerlandVisa-free15 days
SyriaEmbassy visa—
TaiwaneVisa30 days
TajikistaneVisa30 days
TanzaniaeVisa30 days
ThailandVisa-free30 days
Timor-LesteeVisa30 days
TogoeVisa30 days
TongaEmbassy visa—
Trinidad and TobagoeVisa30 days
TunisiaeVisa30 days
TurkeyeVisa30 days
TurkmenistaneVisa30 days
TuvalueVisa30 days
UgandaEmbassy visa—
UkraineeVisa30 days
United Arab EmirateseVisa30 days
United KingdomeVisa30 days
United StateseVisa30 days
UruguayeVisa30 days
UzbekistaneVisa30 days
VanuatueVisa30 days
Vatican CityEmbassy visa—
VenezuelaeVisa30 days
VietnamVisa-free30 days
YemenEmbassy visa—
ZambiaEmbassy visa—
ZimbabweEmbassy visa—

Stay lengths are for ordinary tourist visits. Click a nationality for its full guide.

China79 of 199 passports visa-freeVietnam27 of 199 passports visa-free · 159 eVisa/ETACambodia15 of 199 passports visa-free · 184 eVisa/ETAThailand79 of 199 passports visa-free · 117 eVisa/ETAMyanmar12 of 199 passports visa-free · 92 eVisa/ETA

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a visa for Laos?

The Department of Immigration publishes a list of countries having reached unilateral and bilateral visa exemption agreements with Laos; for ordinary passports it lists, for example, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam at 30 days, Myanmar at 14 days and Japan at 15 days (unilateral exemption). It says most travellers can acquire a visa on arrival at major entry points for a stay of up to 30 days, and nationals of the countries on the Lao eVisa list can apply online for a tourist eVisa with a 30-day stay permit. Laos's 2014 Law on Immigration and Foreigner Management says holders of passports of countries that have no visa exemption agreement with Laos must comply with the visa application procedures before entering, and that Lao embassies and consulates abroad can issue tourist visas.

Should I get the Lao eVisa or a visa on arrival?

The Lao eVisa terms give the eVisa a stay permit of 30 days, and the Department of Immigration says the visa on arrival allows a stay of up to 30 days and can be extended once. The eVisa portal says the eVisa is valid for single entry only, is processed within 3 working days, and is accepted at the designated eVisa ports, where there is a special eVisa lane; the visa on arrival is available at major entry points, such as international airports and border crossings. No official source we could read publishes either fee.

Can I use the Lao eVisa at any border crossing?

No. The eVisa portal says the eVisa can be used to enter only through its designated ports: Wattay International Airport and the Lao–Thai Friendship Bridge I (Vientiane Capital), Luang Prabang International Airport, the Lao–Thai Friendship Bridge II (Savannakhet), Pakse International Airport, the Lao–Thai Friendship Bridge IV (Bokeo), Boten International Checkpoint and Boten Railway Station (Luang Namtha), and Khamsavath Railway Station (Vientiane Capital). If you enter through an undesignated port you must apply for a visa on arrival, and the eVisa fee is non-refundable.

Can I extend my stay in Laos?

The Department of Immigration says foreigners can extend a visa at the Immigration Department in Vientiane or at a provincial immigration office, no more than twice per arrival (its visa page says a visa on arrival can be extended once). The request must be made 3 days before the expiration date; the fee is 20,000 kip per day plus 40,000 kip per application, and consideration takes 1–2 business days. Foreigners exempted from a visa cannot extend, except in emergencies or other necessary cases with supporting documents. No official source we could read states a maximum length per extension.

Do US citizens need a visa for Laos?

The United States of America is on the Lao eVisa portal's country list, and the portal says the eVisa facility is available for the listed countries, so US passport holders can apply online for the tourist eVisa. The Department of Immigration also says most travellers can acquire a visa on arrival at major entry points, such as international airports and border crossings.

Sources & verification

Every fact on this page is compiled from and periodically re-checked against these official sources:

Something wrong or out of date? Tell us, with the official source