Laos Visa Guide 2026: eVisa, Visa on Arrival and Visa-Free Entry

By David Ng, Founder & CEO, World Mate Travel · Published 2 October 2026 · Rules checked against laoevisa.gov.la on 2 October 2026

Most travellers need a visa to enter Laos. Citizens of the ASEAN countries, Japan, South Korea, Mongolia, Russia, Switzerland and Luxembourg can enter visa-free for 14 to 30 days. Everyone else uses a 30-day single-entry eVisa from laoevisa.gov.la, valid at only 9 entry ports, or a visa on arrival paid in US dollars cash.

Laos visa at a glance

As of 2 October 2026, Laos has three ways in for tourists: visa exemption by nationality, the eVisa issued online by the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and a visa on arrival at selected airports and land borders. A Lao embassy visa is the fallback for any route the first three do not cover.

Sources: Consular Department, Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs (laoevisa.gov.la); UK FCDO travel advice for Laos.

Do I need a visa for Laos?

Yes, unless your passport is on the Lao visa-exemption list. Holders of ordinary passports from the other 10 ASEAN member states, Japan, South Korea, Mongolia, Russia, Switzerland and Luxembourg can enter without a visa. Travellers from the UK, the US, the EU (except Luxembourg), Australia, Canada, New Zealand, India and China need an eVisa, a visa on arrival or an embassy visa.

The rule is set by the Department of Immigration under the Lao Ministry of Public Security. The eVisa is run separately by the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This is why the eVisa site and the immigration site sometimes publish information that does not line up — when they differ, the immigration officer at the checkpoint applies the Department of Immigration rule.

Which countries can enter Laos without a visa?

As of 2 October 2026, ordinary passport holders from 16 countries can enter Laos visa-free for tourism. Most get 30 days. Myanmar gets 14 days, and Switzerland and Luxembourg get 15 days. Japan moved from 15 to 30 days on 1 June 2025, and Timor-Leste was added at 30 days from 15 August 2025.

The special exemptions of Visit Laos Year 2024 — including 15 days for eight European countries and for Chinese tour groups — ended on 31 December 2024. They are not in force in 2026, although many websites still list them.

What is the Laos eVisa and who can apply?

The Laos eVisa is an online tourist visa issued by the Consular Department of the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs at laoevisa.gov.la. It gives one entry and a 30-day stay. It is open to ordinary passport holders of the 162 nationalities and territories in the site's fee list, and it covers tourism only.

What the eVisa gives you, from the official eVisa FAQ:

Several nationalities are not in the eVisa fee list on laoevisa.gov.la as of 2 October 2026 — for example Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nigeria, Iran and Iraq. Travellers from countries not on the list should apply at a Lao embassy or consulate before travel.

How do I apply for the Laos eVisa step by step?

You apply at laoevisa.gov.la in three stages: fill in the form and upload a passport bio-page scan and a 4 x 6 cm photo, pay by card or wallet, then download the approval letter. Apply at least 5 days before travel, as the UK FCDO advises, and allow longer around Lao public holidays.

1. Go to laoevisa.gov.la and click "Apply Now". Enter your email and the security code.

2. Enter the verification code the site emails you to open the form.

3. Fill in personal details and travel details.

4. Upload a colour scan of your passport bio page, including the two machine-readable lines at the bottom.

5. Upload a colour photo: 4 x 6 cm, plain white background, taken in the last 6 months, facing the camera, neutral expression, both eyes open, no shadows.

6. Review everything, then pay by Visa, MasterCard, JCB, American Express, WeChat Pay, Alipay or UnionPay.

7. Track progress at laoevisa.gov.la/checkstatus with your application ID and passport number.

8. Print the approval letter when it arrives by email.

Applications submitted in the Lao morning session (GMT+7) are processed the same day. Afternoon applications start the next working day. The Consular Department closes for these 2026 public holidays: 1 January, 8–9 March, 14–16 April, 1 May, 20 July and 2 December.

How much does a Laos eVisa cost?

The Laos eVisa fee depends on your nationality and is shown by the fee calculator on laoevisa.gov.la before you pay. A bank charge is added on top. The fee is non-refundable, including when an application is refused or a trip is cancelled.

Use only laoevisa.gov.la. Look-alike sites with "laos", "evisa" and "visa" in the address resell the same visa with a service fee added, and some deliver nothing.

Where can I use the Laos eVisa?

As of 2 October 2026, the Laos eVisa works at 9 ports only: 3 airports, 3 Lao–Thai Friendship Bridges, the Boten road checkpoint and 2 railway stations. If you arrive anywhere else, you must buy a visa on arrival or show an embassy visa, and the eVisa fee is lost.

Source: laoevisa.gov.la, Information and FAQ pages, checked 2 October 2026.

You do not have to enter at the port you named on the form. Any of the 9 designated ports is accepted.

Can I use the Laos eVisa at the Vietnam–Laos border?

No. As of 2 October 2026, no Vietnam–Laos land crossing is on the official eVisa port list. Overland from Vietnam, you need a visa on arrival — confirmed at Dansavanh, opposite Lao Bao — or a visa issued in advance by a Lao embassy or consulate. Plan the visa before you plan the bus.

Vietnam province names follow the July 2025 merger under Resolution 202/2025/QH15, which joined Quang Binh into Quang Tri. Read more in our guide to Vietnam's 63-to-34 province restructuring.

Why this matters on the ground: the Vietnam–Laos crossings sit far from any city — Tay Trang is 35 km west of Dien Bien Phu on a mountain road, and Na Meo is deep in Thanh Hoa. If you reach the Lao booth without a valid visa, the nearest Lao consulate is a full day back. For any route except Lao Bao, we arrange the sticker visa in Hanoi before the trip starts.

Leaving Vietnam for Laos, check your Vietnam visa too. Vietnam's own e-visa is valid only at listed Vietnamese ports — see our Vietnam e-visa guide.

How does the Laos visa on arrival work?

The visa on arrival is a 30-day single-entry tourist visa issued at the checkpoint. You fill in a form at the visa booth, hand over your passport, a passport photo and the fee in US dollars cash, then queue at immigration. It is available at Wattay, Luang Prabang and Pakse airports and at selected land borders.

What to bring for a visa on arrival:

Checkpoints listed as issuing a visa on arrival (Lao Department of Immigration checkpoint list, as reported by secondary sources) include the three international airports, Friendship Bridges I to IV, Vang Tao (Chong Mek, Thailand), Veunkham (Cambodia), Boten road checkpoint and Dansavanh (Lao Bao, Vietnam). Boten Railway Station accepts the eVisa but does not issue a visa on arrival.

Laos eVisa or visa on arrival: which should I choose?

Choose the eVisa if you fly into Vientiane, Luang Prabang or Pakse, cross from Thailand at Friendship Bridge I, II or IV, or ride the Lao–China Railway. It is approved before you fly and has its own lane. Choose the visa on arrival, or an embassy visa, for every Vietnam land crossing and for Friendship Bridge III.

What is the Lao Digital Immigration Form (LDIF)?

The Lao Digital Immigration Form is the online arrival and departure card that replaced paper cards from 1 September 2025. Every foreign passport holder completes it at immigration.gov.la within 3 days before entering Laos, and again before leaving, then shows the QR code at the checkpoint. It is separate from your visa.

The LDIF started at four checkpoints: Wattay, Luang Prabang and Pakse airports and Friendship Bridge I. The Lao government said it would extend the form to all international checkpoints in early 2026 (US International Trade Administration, Laos Country Commercial Guide).

If your entry date or checkpoint changes after you submit, fill in a new form. Visa-exempt travellers — Vietnamese, Thai and Japanese passport holders, for example — still need the LDIF.

How long can I stay in Laos and can I extend my visa?

A Laos tourist visa, eVisa or visa on arrival gives 30 days from the day you arrive. From 1 January 2025 you can extend it twice inside Laos, for up to 60 extra days in total, according to the UK FCDO. Extensions are handled by the provincial immigration office, not by the eVisa website.

Count the days carefully. The 60-day validity on an eVisa approval letter is only the window for arrival. It does not add time to your 30-day stay.

What passport and photo do I need for a Laos visa?

Your passport must be valid for more than 180 days from your arrival date in Laos, and the eVisa accepts ordinary passports only. Enter with the same passport you used to apply. The photo for the eVisa is 4 x 6 cm, in colour, on a plain white background, taken within the last 6 months.

If you hold two passports, the Lao eVisa FAQ is strict: present the passport you applied with and declared at your last departure checkpoint, or entry can be refused. Travellers whose passport has under 180 days left must renew it before applying.

Do children need a visa for Laos?

Yes. Children and infants need their own visa unless their nationality is visa-exempt. On the eVisa site each child is a separate application with a passport scan and photo, and a family can pay for up to 20 people on one invoice. Each child also needs their own LDIF.

How do Laos visa rules affect a Vietnam, Thailand or Cambodia trip?

Most Indochina itineraries cross at least one land border, and each neighbour sets its own rules. From 15 September 2026, Thailand cut visa-free stays back to 30 days and limited 60 nationalities, including the UK, US, Australia and Japan, to two visa-exempt land entries per calendar year (Laotian Times, 18 September 2026).

That Thai limit matters on loops such as Chiang Khong – Huay Xai – Luang Prabang – Vientiane – Nong Khai, which use two Thai land entries. A third Thai land crossing in the same year needs a Thai visa. For Vietnam, check which Vietnamese border gates accept the Vietnam e-visa before you plan the exit. For Cambodia, the Veunkham – Nong Nok Khiene crossing issues a Lao visa on arrival but does not accept the Lao eVisa.

Frequently asked questions about the Laos visa

Is the Laos eVisa valid at the Vietnam–Laos border?

No. As of 2 October 2026, none of the nine eVisa ports listed on laoevisa.gov.la is on the Vietnam–Laos border. If you cross overland from Vietnam, use the visa on arrival at Dansavanh (opposite Lao Bao) or carry a visa issued in advance by a Lao embassy or consulate.

How long does a Laos eVisa take?

The Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs processes an eVisa in about 3 working days after payment. Applications sent in the Lao morning session (GMT+7) are processed the same day; afternoon applications start the next day. Lao public holidays add time, so apply at least 5 days before you travel.

How long can I stay in Laos on an eVisa or visa on arrival?

Both give a single-entry stay of 30 days from the day you arrive. The eVisa approval letter is valid for 60 days, which is only the window for entering Laos. From 1 January 2025 a tourist visa can be extended twice inside Laos, for up to 60 extra days.

Can I get a multiple-entry visa for Laos?

Not online. The Laos eVisa is single entry only, and the visa on arrival is single entry. If you plan to leave Laos and come back, either budget for a new visa at each entry or apply for a multiple-entry visa at a Lao embassy or consulate before you travel.

Do I need to print my Laos eVisa approval letter?

Yes. The official eVisa FAQ says you must print the approval letter and show it to the immigration officer; a phone screen is not accepted. One copy is enough, and black-and-white printing is fine if the QR code is readable. Use the same passport you applied with.

Is the Laos eVisa fee refundable?

No. The Lao eVisa fee is non-refundable in every case, including a refused application or a cancelled trip. It is also not refunded if you arrive at a port that does not accept the eVisa and have to buy a visa on arrival instead.

Do children need a visa for Laos?

Yes. The official eVisa FAQ states that all applicants, including children and infants, must have a visa to enter Laos unless their nationality is visa-exempt. Each child needs a separate application, passport scan and photo. Groups of up to 20 people can be paid on one invoice.

What is the Lao Digital Immigration Form (LDIF)?

The LDIF is the online arrival and departure card that replaced paper forms from 1 September 2025. You fill it in at immigration.gov.la within 3 days before you arrive and again before you leave, and show the QR code at the checkpoint. It is not a visa.

How many months of passport validity do I need for Laos?

Your passport must be valid for more than 180 days (about 6 months) from the date you arrive in Laos. The US State Department also asks for 2 blank pages. Only ordinary passports can be used for the eVisa; diplomatic and official passports follow separate rules.

Which website is the official Laos eVisa site?

The only official Laos eVisa site is laoevisa.gov.la, run by the Consular Department of the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Many look-alike sites sell the same visa with a service fee added. Check the address bar for the .gov.la ending before you pay.

Sources checked for this guide

All checked on 2 October 2026.

Planning Laos with Vietnam or Cambodia? Message us on WhatsApp at +84 988 660 505 and we will check the visa for every border on your route, or browse our Laos tours.