Visa requirements immediately come to mind when making international travel plans. When you decide to visit a small country that is full of beautiful historical heritages like Laos, you should be aware that the visa requirements tend to be quite simple. A Laos visa is issued on-arrival at Wattay Airport, Vientiane, Friendship Bridge and Luang Prabang Airport. However, at The Chong Mek border crossing on-arrival visas are not available.
For travel and tourism in Laos: your passport should be valid for at least 6 months from the date of arrival in the country, 2 passport size photographs are required and a $30 visa fee is charged. The Embassy of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Washington, D. C.) has outlined visa requirements for U.S. and Canadian citizens planning to visit Laos.
Along with a passport valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry, the visitor to Laos must present the following documentation:
Two application forms filled out in duplicate
3 recent photographs
Visa fees: $ 35.00 - US citizens, $ 42.00 - Canada citizens, $ 15.00 - Service charge
Types of Laos Visa and their validity
Single entry Laos visas are issued to visitors for traveling, touring and staying in the country and they must be used within 60 days of the date of issue. The various visas for Laos include:
Tourist visa
- Fifteen days (non-extendable).
- For Laos, visa processing should be made through an eligible tour company in the United States or Canada which has a contract with a tour company in the Lao PDR or directly through the Lao Embassy in Washington, DC.
Visitor visa
- One month of stay (can be extended to two additional months). Visa request can be processed either through a guarantor in Laos or Lao Embassy in Washington, DC.
Business visa
- Visa authorization is arranged by sponsor in Laos and the Embassy can not process visas until it receives authorization or approval from the authorities concerned in Laos.
- One month of stay (can be extended to a stay until the completion of your business term).
Multiple entry visa
- Available from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Consular Department
