Laos Entry and Travel Requirements

Entry requirements to Laos outline all the rules that travelers must follow to enter Laos without any problems. These requirements include, among other things, the necessary documents that must be collected before departure. One of the most essential documents one needs when visiting Laos is a valid passport.

Passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the intended date of arrival in Laos. Additionally, it must have two blank pages. Another important document that most foreign tourists must have when coming to Laos is a visa. The Lao visa policy specifies visa requirements which may vary depending on the traveller's nationality, reason for travel and length of time they wish to stay in Laos.

Visas for Laos can be issued online, at the border or at the embassy.

Currently, there are about 160 different countries in the world whose citizens can apply for a Laos e-Visa completely online. Electronic visas are usually approved within 3 working days and allow travel to Laos for short-term tourism purposes. In addition, citizens of 7 countries must apply for a visa when entering Laos. VoA is issued at most entry points into Laos. After arriving in Laos, visitors must go to the immigration checkpoint and wait for their visa to be issued. Sometimes the registration process can take several hours depending on the number of people in line.

An embassy or consulate visa is the last option to obtain the necessary visa authorization before arriving in Laos. Citizens of countries not listed as eligible for e-visas must apply for a visa directly from the Lao diplomatic mission, regardless of the expected length of stay or reason for travel. Obtaining a visa from the embassy is also necessary for all visitors who plan to spend more time in Laos or have a purpose of travel other than the purpose of the e-Visa, e.g. work or study. .

Due to the global Covid-19 pandemic, Lao authorities have decided to temporarily close the country's borders to international visitors. The Lao government welcomed visitors again in May 2022, restoring visa-on-arrival and e-visa issuance.

At this time, some coronavirus-related restrictions remain in effect. Travelers who are fully vaccinated and can provide a valid vaccination certificate will be exempt from the requirement for Covid-19 testing before departure. However, those who have not been vaccinated will have to take an ATK test within 48 hours before the scheduled departure time. All travelers can visit Laos without quarantine, regardless of their vaccination status.

Please note:
Entry regulations related to Covid-19 are constantly evolving. Please consider reviewing the recent entry rule update to ensure a smooth entry into Laos.