Luang Prabang Phosie Hill View, Laos

Laos Visas & Entry Requirements (Inc. COVID-19 Rules & Restrictions)

How to Enter Laos 👉 Quick Answers

  • Do I need special permission to enter Laos? Almost everyone is required to apply for an eVisa or Visa on Arrival (VOA). 
  • Do I need a visa to enter Laos? The majority of nationalities need to obtain an eVisa or Visa on Arrival. This list specifies the countries that can enter under visa exemption. If you see ‘not available’ written in the ‘Ordinary Passport’ section for your country, you need to get a visa.
  • Do I need proof of onward travel? No.
  • Do I need proof of COVID-19 vaccination? No.
  • Do I need travel insurance? No, but having a policy is strongly advised. Read about some of the most popular travel insurers here.

Laos Visa Summary

Disclosure: Some links on this page are affiliate links. We always write our articles before checking if affiliate links are available.

Laos offers an eVisa or Visa on Arrival (VOA) for the vast majority of passport holders for up to 30 days. This period can be extended twice for an additional 30 days each time.

A few countries are also visa exempt. The full list can be viewed here.

For longer stays (6 months), travellers need to hold a bank account in Laos with at least $20,000USD. For the 12-month visa, travellers must have at least $40,000USD in their Laotian bank account.

Laos: COVID-19 Requirements

COVID-19 Vaccination Status

  • Vaccinated travellers: No requirements.
  • Non-vaccinated travellers: No requirements.

Entry Requirements & Documents

  • A passport with at least six months validity from the intended period of stay in Laos
  • A valid visa (if applicable)

Travel Insurance Requirements

Travel insurance is not required for travellers to enter Laos. If you are interested in insurance, you can see some of the most popular providers with our readers below. 

Do You Have Travel Insurance?

Do You Have Travel Insurance?

Are you covered?
Members of our Southeast Asia Backpacker Community choose SafetyWing, World Nomads and TrueTraveller as their favourite travel insurers! 

Visit SafetyWingVisit World Nomads

Laos: Visa Exemption

The nationalities below can enter Laos for the specified time period without a visa.

Brunei30 days
Cambodia30 days
Indonesia30 days
Japan15 days
Luxembourg15 days
Malaysia30 days
Mongolia30 days
Myanmar14 days
Philippines30 days
Singapore30 days
South Korea30 days
Russia30 days
Switzerland15 days
Thailand30 days
Vietnam30 days

Laos: Type of Visas

eVisa: 30-Day Single-Entry Tourist Visa

  • What is an eVisa? This single-entry visa grants the majority of passport holders a stay of up to 30 days. (Can be extended.)
  • How to apply: Apply through the official eVisa government website. (Make sure to use only this website!)
  • Cost: approx. $50USD. (Subject to change.)

What do you need to apply? 

  • A passport with at least six months validity from the intended period of stay in Laos
  • Photo, no older than six months (4x6cm)
  • Other supporting documents

Note:

It takes around three working days to process the eVisa. Once it’s approved, make sure to print it! It doesn’t matter whether it’s in black and white or colour, as long as the QR code is readable.

Visa On Arrival (VOA): 30-day Single-Entry Visa

  • What is a Visa on Arrival (VOA)? This single-entry visa grants the majority of passport holders permission to stay up to 30 days in Laos (which can be extended) without prior application.
  • How to apply: Apply at the border/checkpoint
  • Cost: approx. $50USD. (Subject to change.)

What do you need to apply? 

  • A passport with at least six months validity from the intended period of stay in Laos
  • Photo, no older than six months (4x6cm)
  • Other supporting documents

Good to Know!

Note that the available entry points differ for the eVisa and VOA. The official list from the Laos Government details where you can enter Laos.

TIP! If you are entering from Vietnam, you can obtain a visa stamp at the Laos embassy in Hanoi. The stamp is superior to the eVisa and Visa on Arrival and grants you permission to enter at any of the official border crossings! Make sure to bring a photograph and arrive at least one hour before closing time.

Laos: Extending your Visa

The 30-day visa can be extended twice. Each time you can extend by a maximum of additional 30 days. The total would permit you to stay for 90 days in Laos.

Cost: 20,000KIP (approx. $1USD) per day + 25,000KIP (approx. $1.50USD) per extension. For example, 30 more days would cost 625,000KIP, around $36USD. (Subject to change.)

Border Runs from Laos

If your time in Laos is coming to an end and you’ve exhausted your allowance for visa extensions, you can always do a border run. Recommended destinations include Thailand, Vietnam or Cambodia.

Find more information about border runs here.

How many times can you re-enter Laos via a border run? Currently, there is no law against border runs from Laos. You can attempt this process as often as you need.

Laos: Overstaying your Visa

Penalties for Overstaying in Laos

Overstaying a visa in any country is a serious offence. Although Laos may not be as strict as some other countries, any overstay will be recorded and could prevent you from re-entering at a later date.

  • $10USD fine per day that you’ve overstayed (please note, penalties can change at any time)
Louis Wilhelm bio pic
Louis Wilhelm

Life on Earth has way too many facets and adventures readily available to be wasting time working in an office 50 hours a week! With this mindset, Louis eventually quit his poor work/life balance job and headed off to Southeast Asia. Passionate about languages, wildlife and the beauty of this planet, he has been on the road ever since. Taking notes on his journey to support like-minded people on similar adventures and also capturing amazing memories with his camera, has become the missing piece of the puzzle.

Find him on: Instagram

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