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Visa Requirements for Citizens of Laos

Check the visa requirements for Laotian citizens to learn if you need a visa for your travel destination.

Visa Requirements for Laotian Citizens

Visa requirements for citizens of Laos are administrative entry restrictions placed on travelers from the Lao People’s Democratic Republic by the authorities of countries and territories all around the world.

As of 2021, the Henley Passport Index ranks the Laotian passport 93rd among the passports of the world in terms of travel freedom, tied with the passports of Angola, Burundi, and Egypt. This is because Laotian passport holders are granted visa-free entry or access with a visa on arrival to over 140 foreign destinations.

Laos is a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), an economic union that promotes intergovernmental cooperation between 10 member states in the region. Because of bilateral visa waiver agreements between members, Laotian passport holders are granted visa-free access to all ASEAN countries.

Other visa-free countries for nationals of Laos permit access without a visa for stays between 14 days up to 3 months, most often for purposes of tourism, business or trade activities, or to transit to an onward destination. To gain entry to these destinations, it is usually only necessary to present a valid Lao passport at a border checkpoint.

Over 20 international destinations have implemented an electronic travel visa authorization for nationals of Laos for short-term stays, which removes the need to apply for an embassy visa or wait in long lines to submit a visa on arrival application at border checkpoints.

To travel to these countries for long-term stays, as well as to visit up to 90 destinations worldwide for any period or purpose of stay, it is necessary to apply for an embassy visa for Laotian nationals from the nearest relevant diplomatic government office.

At present, there is not currently any visa ban in place for holders of a Laotian passport.
More detailed information about the different entry types for citizens of Laos can be found below.

List of Visa Countries for Laotian Passport Holders

Current visa requirements for Lao citizens identify over 140 countries worldwide that require Laotians to have an approved travel visa to enter their territory no matter the duration of stay or the purpose of the visit.

Of these destinations, up to 25 allow citizens of Laos to obtain an eVisa or electronic travel authorization through a simple online application form, to receive an approved visa either digitally linked to their passport or sent via email.

These electronic travel visa authorization programs are by far the most efficient way to obtain a visa or visa waiver for Laotian passport holders as they eliminate the long waiting times associated with visa on arrival applications or in-person visits necessary to apply for an embassy visa.

Depending on the country of issue, online visa waivers and eVisas for Laotians permit short-term stays of between 30 and 120 days, most often for tourism, transit, or business visitors.

To visit these countries for longer stays or other purposes, it is necessary to apply for a visa from a diplomatic mission of the destination. Additionally, over 85 foreign authorities require citizens of Laos to have an approved embassy visa no matter the duration or purpose of the stay.

These different visa types for Laotians are explored in greater detail below.

Electronic Travel Visa Authorization

At present, there are over 20 countries across the globe who have implemented an Electronic Travel Visa Authorization program for Lao citizens.

Travelers from Laos are able to use these simple electronic application systems to easily obtain either an eVisa or online visa waiver for their destination from the comfort of their own home and avoid having to travel to an embassy or consulate in person or wait in a long immigration queue to apply for a visa on arrival.

To apply for an Electronic Travel Visa Authorization from Laos, it is usually only necessary to complete an online form with basic personal and passport data and travel details. In some cases, the individual must also answer a few security questions, upload some supporting documents, and pay a processing fee to submit an application.

The majority of electronic visas and travel authorizations for Laotians are usually processed within just a few business days, and, once approved, are electronically linked to the traveler’s Laotian passport or sent to a current email address.

Electronic visa waivers and eVisas for nationals of Laos are issued for either a single entry or multiple entries for varying periods of short-term stay depending on the country of destination.

Find below a complete list of Electronic Travel Visa Authorization countries for Laotian passport holders.

Visa on Arrival

A visa on arrival for Laotian passport holders is a type of travel visa that visitors from Laos can obtain at border entry checkpoints of roughly 30 destinations around the globe.

An approved visa on arrival for citizens of Laos allows a short-term stay in the country of issue from 7 up to 120 days depending on the destination, most often for purposes of tourism or transit.

To apply for a visa on arrival, travelers from Laos are required to go directly to a border control checkpoint in their destination. Once there, it will be necessary to wait in an immigration queue to be given an application form by local authorities.

The applicant will be required to complete this form with a variety of personal details, passport data, and travel information, and to supply a range of varying supporting documents in paper form.

It is also usually necessary to pay a mandatory visa on arrival fee in cash and in the local currency, as card payments are not accepted at many immigration checkpoints.

As an eVisa program is also available for many visa on arrival countries, Laotian travelers are advised to use this expedited application method if available to cut down long waits at immigration control in their destination.

Below you can find a comprehensive list of the visa on arrival countries for citizens of Laos.

Visa on Arrival: Country list

Click on the links below to find out more about each country
  • Angola
  • Bangladesh
  • Bolivia
  • Comoros
  • Egypt
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • Macau
  • Mauritania
  • Mozambique
  • Palau
  • Samoa
  • Somalia
  • Timor-Leste
  • Tuvalu
  • Zambia

Embassy Visa Required

Worldwide visa requirements for Laotians currently identify up to 90 countries that oblige nationals of Laos to have an approved consulate or embassy visa to cross their borders, regardless of travel purpose or duration of stay.

An embassy visa for Lao citizens may be issued for a variety of periods of permitted stay and validity, for either a single entry or multiple entries, and as a tourist visa, business visa, transit visa, work visa, student visa, resident visa, or other visa type depending on the applicant’s needs.

To apply for a visa for Laotian passport holders from an embassy, it is first necessary to make an appointment at the nearest diplomatic government office of the destination and complete a consular visa application form to bring along to the confirmed in-person interview.

It will also be necessary to supply consular officials with a range of varying supporting documents depending on the visa type selected, and to pay a mandatory processing fee before the request can be submitted.

As it may take several weeks for an embassy visa to be approved, travelers from Laos are advised to begin the application protocol well in advance of their intended date of arrival in the country.

A full list of countries that require Laotians to have an approved embassy visa can be found below.

Embassy Visa Required: Country list

Click on the links below to find out more about each country
  • Afghanistan
  • Aland Islands
  • Albania
  • Algeria
  • American Samoa
  • Andorra
  • Antarctica
  • Argentina
  • Australia
  • Austria
  • Azerbaijan
  • Bahamas
  • Bahrain
  • Barbados
  • Belarus
  • Belgium
  • Belize
  • Bermuda
  • Bhutan
  • Bonaire
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Botswana
  • Brazil
  • British Indian Ocean Territory
  • British Virgin Islands
  • Bulgaria
  • Burkina Faso
  • Burundi
  • Cameroon
  • Canada
  • Cayman Islands
  • Central African Republic
  • Chad
  • Chile
  • China
  • Christmas Island
  • Cocos Islands
  • Congo
  • Cook Islands
  • Costa Rica
  • Croatia
  • Cuba
  • Curacao
  • Czech Republic
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • Denmark
  • El Salvador
  • Equatorial Guinea
  • Eritrea
  • Estonia
  • Falkland Islands
  • Faroe Islands
  • Fiji
  • Finland
  • France
  • French Guiana
  • French Polynesia
  • Germany
  • Ghana
  • Gibraltar
  • Greece
  • Greenland
  • Grenada
  • Guadeloupe
  • Guam
  • Guatemala
  • Guernsey
  • Guyana
  • Honduras
  • Hong Kong
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • Iraq
  • Ireland
  • Isle of Man
  • Israel
  • Italy
  • Japan
  • Jersey
  • Jordan
  • Kiribati
  • Latvia
  • Lebanon
  • Liberia
  • Libya
  • Liechtenstein
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Macedonia
  • Mali
  • Malta
  • Marshall Islands
  • Martinique
  • Mauritius
  • Mayotte
  • Monaco
  • Montenegro
  • Montserrat
  • Namibia
  • Nauru
  • Netherlands
  • New Caledonia
  • Nicaragua
  • Niger
  • Niue
  • Norfolk Island
  • North Korea
  • Northern Mariana Islands
  • Norway
  • Panama
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Paraguay
  • Peru
  • Pitcairn Islands
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Puerto Rico
  • Republic of Cyprus
  • Reunion
  • Romania
  • Saint Barthelemy
  • Saint Helena
  • Saint Lucia
  • Saint Martin
  • Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  • San Marino
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Senegal
  • Serbia
  • Seychelles
  • Sint Maarten
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • Solomon Islands
  • South Africa
  • South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  • South Korea
  • Spain
  • Sudan
  • Suriname
  • Svalbard and Jan Mayen
  • Swaziland
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Syrian Arab Republic
  • Taiwan
  • Tokelau
  • Tonga
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Tunisia
  • Turkey
  • Turkmenistan
  • Turks and Caicos Islands
  • United Kingdom
  • United States
  • United States Virgin Islands
  • Uruguay
  • Vanuatu
  • Vatican City
  • Venezuela
  • Wallis and Futuna
  • Yemen

Visa Not Required

A visa is not required for Laotian citizens to visit approximately 100 countries worldwide, for varying periods of a short-term stay.

Visa-exempt countries for nationals of Laos include all of the other ASEAN member states in Southeast Asia, as well as some South and Central American nations.

To gain entry to countries with visa exemption, travelers from Laos are simply required to present a valid Laotian passport to immigration officials upon arrival at a border checkpoint. The minimum validity of the passport varies depending on destination, but it is often necessary to have a passport valid for at least 3-6 months from the date of arrival.

Visa-free stays for citizens of Laos vary from 14 days up to 3 months depending on the destination and are usually granted for purposes of tourism, business, or transit.

To visit these same countries for long-term stays or purposes such as to undertake employment or study, Laotian nationals are required to apply for an embassy or consulate visitor’s visa from a diplomatic mission of their destination in advance.

Discover a complete list of visa-free countries for Laotian citizens below.

Visa Not Required: Country list

Click on the links below to find out more about each country
  • Brunei Darussalam
  • Dominica
  • Ecuador
  • Federated States of Micronesia
  • Gambia
  • Haiti
  • Malaysia
  • Palestinian Territory
  • Philippines
  • Russian Federation
  • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Thailand
  • Vietnam

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