Laos Visa on Arrival (VOA) allows you to travel to Laos without applying for a visa in advance. The process to obtain VOA at the border is quick and straightforward. You will have to fill out a form, stick a photo (or have your photo taken) and pay the fee.
The Laos VOA also costs less than any of the other visa options. Be careful though, not all border crossings offer VOA.
QUICK SUMMARY:
- Eligibility: 163 countries
- Duration of stay: 30 days
- VOA Fee: 40 USD (+2 USD processing fee and photo fee)
- Extension: Twice for a maximum of 90 days stay.
If you haven’t already, read the Laos Visa Guide for information on different visa options for tourists, their eligibility, and requirements.
Table of Contents
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Understanding Laos Visa on Arrival (VOA)
Duration of stay
The Laos VOA allows 30 days of stay. The day you enter is considered Day 1.
Allowed number of entries
Laos VOA is single-entry only. The VOA is granted on arrival and expires when you leave Laos. If you wish to return, you will need a new visa.
Allowed ports of entry
Laos VOA is available ONLY at the following ports of entry.
International Airports in Laos
- Wattay International Airport (Vientiane)
- Luang Prabang International Airport
- Pakse International Airport
Thailand – Laos borders
- Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge I (Nong Khai-Vientiane)
- Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge II (Mukdahan – Savannakhet)
- Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge III (Nakhon Phanom – Thakhek)
- Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge IV (Chiang Khong – Huay Xai)
- Thanaleng Train Station (When passenger train service from Thailand starts)
- Chiang Saen – Samliemkham (A tri-country border between Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar)
- Chongmek – Vangtao (Ubol Ratchathani to Champasack Province)
Cambodia – Laos borders
- Nong Nok Khiene– Veun Kham
China – Laos borders
- Mohan–Boten (Only overland. If taking the Lao-China Railway, you must have a visa or eVisa before boarding)
Vietnam – Laos borders
- Laobao – Dansavan
VOA extension
It is possible to extend the Laos VOA twice for up to 30 days each time giving you a maximum of 90 days within the country.
Extensions are done in person at any Immigration Office in any of Laos’s provinces.
You must bring your passport, fill in a form, and attach a 3 cm by 4 cm photo. Processing time is 1 working day.
The visa extension costs 20,000 LAK (~1 USD) per day plus a one-time service fee of 40,000 LAK (~2 USD). Thus, extending your VOA for 30 days will cost you 640,000 LAK (~30 USD).
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Laos Visa on Arrival Requirements
Eligible countries
Only the following 163 countries are eligible to get Laos Visa on Arrival (VOA).
- Albania
- Andorra
- Angola
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Armenia
- Australia
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
- Bahamas
- Bahrain
- Barbados
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Belize
- Benin
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Bosnia and Herzegovian
- Botswana
- Brazil
- Brunei
- Bulgaria
- Burkina Faso
- Cambodia
- Canada
- Cape Verde
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Chile
- China
- Colombia
- Comoros
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Cuba
- Cyprus
- Czechia
- Denmark
- Djibouti
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- El Salvador
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Estonia
- Ethiopia
- Fiji
- Finland
- France
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Georgia
- Germany
- Greece
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Hongkong
- Hungary
- Iceland
- India
- Indonesia
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Kosovo
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Macau
- Macedonia
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Mali
- Malta
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Micronesia
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- Myanmar
- Namibia
- Nepal
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Nicaragua
- North Korea
- Norway
- Oman
- Palau
- Panama
- Papua New Guinea
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Philippines
- Poland
- Portugal
- Qatar
- Romania
- Russia
- Rwanda
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and Grenadines
- Samoa
- San Marino
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Saudi Arabia
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Solomon Islands
- Somalia
- South Africa
- South Korea
- Spain
- Sri Lanka
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Timor-Leste
- Togo
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Turkmenistan
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- Ukraine
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- United States of America
- Uruguay
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
- Venezuela
- Vietnam
- Yemen
The above nationalities are also eligible to apply for Laos eVisa. Nationals not on the above list require a Laos Tourist Visa which must be applied at a diplomatic mission abroad before traveling to Laos.
Documents required
You need the following documents to obtain Visa on Arrival at the Laos border.
- Valid passport
- One passport-size photo
- Completed Laos VOA application form
- Completed Laos arrival/departure form
Passport requirements
Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months past the date of arrival in Laos. VOA is a full-page sticker, so you must have at least one blank page in your passport.
Photo requirements
The photo must meet the following requirements.
- Must be of size 4cm x 6cm
- Must be the latest taken within the last 6 months.
- Must be in color on a plain white background without shadows
- Must be facing the camera with a neutral expression and both eyes open
If you don’t have a photo, you can use one of the photo booths to have your photo taken on the spot for 1 USD fee.
VOA fee
The VOA costs 40 USD for all nationalities regardless of the point of entry.
You will have to pay a 1 USD fee if you don’t have a photo and need to have one taken on the spot.
Additionally, a 1 USD overtime surcharge is levied if you arrive before 8 AM, after 4 PM, on weekends, or public holidays. However, Laos Immigration is known to charge this all the time, even during official work hours.
The visa fee is always listed in USD, not in Lao Kip (LKR). At the international airports in Vientiane and Luang Prabang, you may pay in other currencies at a bad rate (even Kips are first exchanged to USD at a poor rate!). For example, if you pay in Thai Baht, you may be charged the equivalent of 45-50 USD.
At overland borders, it is possible to pay in the bordering country’s currency. For example in Thai Baht at any of the Friendship bridges, in Vietnamese Dong at the Lao Bao border crossing, or in Chinese Yuan at the Boten overland border (not the railways station!).
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Visa on Arrival Application Process
How to obtain Lao VOA at the border
Whether you arrive at an airport or a land border, a special kiosk or line for Visa on Arrival will be available. Look for the trays with blank application forms and arrival forms.
- Take both an application form and an arrival form and fill them out.
- Submit the application form together with a passport-sized photo at an available window. If you don’t have a photo, the immigration officer will point you toward the photo booth.
- Pay for the visa. The visa fee is always in US dollars but is payable in other currencies, including Euros, Chinese Yuan, Thai Baht, or Vietnamese Dong. Paying by card is not possible at any Laos border.
- Wait until your name is called. Go to the visa desk and pick up your passport.
How to extend VOA in Laos
You can extend your Laos VOA at the Immigration Department in Vientiane or any Provincial Immigration Office.
The process is incredibly efficient:
- Go to the floor for visa extensions. In Vientiane, it’s the second floor.
- Fill out the form
- Go to a counter and give your passport and extension form
- Pay for the extension. Cash only!
- Return the next day after 2 PM to pick up your passport with the extended visa
Note that the Immigration Offices have a lunch break from 12:00 to 13:00.
You may or may not be asked for a photo. Notably, the office in Luang Prabang asks for a face photo but the Immigration Department in Vientiane does not require one.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does Laos Stamp Passports?
Yes, your passport will be stamped when getting a visa on arrival for Laos. The stamp will contain the last date you can legally remain in Laos.
Are there ATMs at Laos Airports?
There are no ATMs before you pass immigration, so you shouldn’t rely on withdrawing money at the airport to pay your VOA fee.
That being said, if you arrive and don’t have enough money to pay, you may get escorted to an ATM to get cash.
What happens if I overstay my Laos visa?
If your overstay is just a few days, the fine is 10 USD per day of overstay.
You may face more serious penalties if it’s more than that or you cannot pay.
Laos Immigration may forgive the fine if you report the overstaying yourself, it’s short and there is a reasonable explanation for it.
