A Laos tourist visa is necessary only for a select few nationalities. Most nationalities are eligible to get a Visa on Arrival or eVisa. Only about 32 nationalities require a Laos visa from the embassy.
Those eligible for VOA or eVisa can also apply for a tourist visa from the embassy. The main reason is that some border crossings only accept regular tourist visas stamped in the passport.
Quick summary:
- Who requires it: 32 nationalities require it (but all nationalities are eligible)
- Validity: 60 days
- Duration of stay: 30 days
- Processing time: 1 day (or less)
- Visa fee: 40 USD
- Extension: Twice up to 90 days in total
Before reading further, make sure to the Laos Visa Guide for information on available visa options for tourists, their eligibility and requirements.
Table of Contents
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Understanding Laos Tourist Visa
Tourist visa validity
The tourist visa is valid for 60 days. If you don’t enter Laos within the validity, you will need a new visa.
Duration of stay
With a tourist visa, you are allowed to stay 30 days in Laos.
Allowed number of entries
Laos tourist visa is single-entry only.
Allowed ports of entry
With a Laos tourist visa, you are allowed to enter from all international borders and airports. You can use the tourist visa even at those Laos borders that do not issue the Visa on Arrival or do not accept eVisas.
Note that some Laos borders can only be used by locals from both sides. Even with a stamped visa, a third-country foreigner won’t be allowed to cross.
When to apply
The actual processing time depends on the embassy where you apply. Simon from Backpack Moments reports that the Laos Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam issued his visa the same day.
The Laos Embassy in Hanoi, Vietnam is also known to issue tourist visas on the same day.
Many of the embassies in countries neighboring Laos also issue tourist visas within 24 hours.
So here is the summary of when to apply for your Laos visa from a neighboring country.
- Latest: 2 days before traveling
- Earliest: 60 days before traveling
Tourist visa extension
You can extend your stay in Laos twice for up to 30 days each time giving you a maximum of 90 days within Laos.
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Laos Tourist Visa Requirements
Who requires a tourist visa?
Nationals from the following 32 countries require a tourist visa to travel to Laos.
- Afghanistan
- Algeria
- Bangladesh
- Burundi
- Cameroon
- Congo, Dem. Rep. of
- Congo, Rep. of
- Eswatini
- Ghana
- Guinea-Bissau
- Ivory Coast
- Iran
- Iraq
- Jordan
- Lebanon
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
- Mozambique
- Nauru
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- South Sudan
- Sudan
- Suriname
- Syria
- Tonga
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
The above 32 nationals are not eligible for Laos Visa on Arrival or eVisa. They must apply for a tourist visa from a Laos embassy or consulate before traveling to Laos.
Eligibility
All nationalities are eligible for Laos tourist visa. Those who are eligible for a Laos Visa on Arrival or Laos eVisa are also eligible for the tourist visa from the embassy.
The main reason you may consider a tourist visa from the embassy over VOA or eVisa is that certain borders only accept a stamped tourist visa in the passport.
For example, Savannakhet International Airport and land borders between Lao-Vietnam (except for Lao Bao) do not issue VOA or accept eVisa. If you plan to enter Laos from any of these borders, you must apply for a regular tourist visa from one of the Laos embassies.
Documents required
The following documents are required for the Laos tourist visa application.
- Original passport
- Completed tourist visa application form
You may also need to submit the following documents at certain Laos diplomatic missions abroad.
- A copy of your passport bio-data page
- Two passport-size photos
Passport requirements
Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of arrival in Laos.
Your passport must have at least two blank pages. Laos tourist visa is a full-page sticker and you need one additional blank page for entry and exit stamps.
Photo requirements
You may or may not be asked to submit a photo for your application. If a photo is required for your application, it must meet the following requirements.
- Must be of size 3×4 cm or 2×2 inch (depending on the embassy)
- Must be the latest, taken in the last 6 months
- Must be in color, against a white background
- Face, eyes and ears must be clearly visible
Tourist visa application form
Application forms are available at the embassy or consulate.
You can download the application form from the embassy website, but not all Laos embassies and consulates have websites.
Application forms also are slightly different depending on the embassy or consulate. I recommend getting an application form and filling it out at the embassy.
Tourist visa fee
The tourist visa fee depends on the Laos embassy/consulate where you apply from. The fee is about 40 USD in the neighboring countries.
The fee is payable in USD or in the local currency of the country where you are applying from. Most Laos embassies or consulates accept cash payment.
Here is the summary of tourist visa fee in various countries.
| Application Country | Tourist Visa Fee | Mode of Payment |
|---|---|---|
| Vietnam | 40 USD 5 USD additional for urgent processing | Cash |
| Australia | 45 AUD 15 AUD additional for urgent processing | Money order or cash |
| United States | 50 USD 20 USD additional for urgent processing | Money order or certified check |
Processing time
Most Laos diplomatic missions in neighboring countries issue tourist visas within the same day if you submit the form in the morning or the next working day if you submit it in the afternoon.
Simon from Backpack Moments reports that his tourist visa application was processed in 45 minutes at the Laos consulate in HCMC, Vietnam. Given there are no other people around and you make it to the consulate early, the turnaround might be surprisingly quick.
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Tourist Visa Application Process
How to apply for a Laos tourist visa in HCMC, Vietnam
Simon from Backpack Moments has recently applied for his tourist visa at the Laos consulate in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. According to him, the application process is as follows:
The process to apply for the Laos tourist visa at the consulate in Ho Chi Minh City is incredibly quick and easy.
Go to the consulate around 10 am. Take a blank application form and fill it out. You will enter your personal details, address in Laos, intended point of entry and a few other personal details.
No photo is required.
Hand your passport together with the form to the consulate representative.
About half an hour later, they will call you back and hand over your passport. You must double-check your visa sticker and confirm all details on it are correct. You will then pay the visa fee of 1,125,000 VND (about 45 USD).
That’s about it. If you submit your application at 10 am, you can be out of the consulate by 11 am the same day.
How to extend tourist visa in Laos
You can extend your visa at the Immigration Department in Vientiane or any Provincial Immigration Office.
Once you get there, it is as simple as filling out a form and paying the extension fee of 20,000 LAK (~1 USD) per day. You may or may not need a passport photo depending on the office you visit.
Your extension will be ready the following day.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are some border crossings where I must have a tourist visa sticker to enter Laos?
Notable examples of such entry points are Savannakhet International Airport and all land borders with Vietnam except for Lao Bao. There, eVisas are not accepted and visas on arrival are not issued, so you must organize a visa beforehand.
