All visitors to Laos require valid Passports and need to obtain the Laos visa. Despite being a strongly regulated country, Laos has relaxed some of its rules about getting the visa. Check with the Lao Embassy nearest you for the current information on how to obtained your Visa for Laos.
Passports
All visitors entering Laos must possess valid passports.
Visas
Visitors traveling to Laos for the purpose of tourism need a visa, which can be obtained in different ways. An easy way is to book a tour to Laos with an authorized travel agency abroad who has a formal contact with one of local tour operators. This agency will provide you with the necessary form, enabling you to apply for the visa at your nearest Lao embassy or consulate (a list of these is provided at the back of this brochure) or you can make contact directly with local tour operators.
If you book a tour to Laos and you are resident of a country that does not have a Lao embassy or in case of urgency, you can obtain the visa upon arrival at the International border checkpoint through the service of Travel Agencies. Of course, you will need to be carrying documentary evidence that your visa has already been approved.
Primarily, all foreign visitors need to book the tours through a travel agent, and need to have a pre-approval letter from an authorized Laos agency (few bureaucratic minority). The Laos Embassy will issue the visa only if the above mentioned letter was attached. Currently, the embassy/consulates in certain countries do not require this letter, but some may do.
Recently, Laos authority has intended to boost tourism and allow travelers to obtain visa stamp at their Wattay International Airport in Vientiane, Luang Prabang Airport, and at the overland border crossing points of Thai-Laos Friendship Bridge near Nongkai.
- Holds return/onward ticket and all documents required for next destination,
- Holds Certificate of Bank Statement (USD 400 minimum) or life insurance policy
- Has a contact (individual person or organization) based in Laos
- Holds confirmed hotel reservation in Laos.
- Pay visa stamp fees.
As of February 28, 2007, the revised fee for all countries can be found at the Lao Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand.
Lao Embassy Abroad
Below are the list of Laos Embassies abroad. You can find its contacting address and number as listed below:
Australia
1 Dalman Crescent, O’ Malley
Canberra, A.C.T. 2606
Tel: (+661 6) 2864595, 06-2866933
Fax: (+661 6) 2901910
Belguim
19, Avenue Brabançonne
1000 Brussels
Tel: +32-(0)2-740.09.50
Fax: +32-(0)2-734.16.16
Website
Brunei
DarussalamLot No. 19824, House No. 11Simfang 480
Jalang Kebang Saan Lama 3786 Off Jalang Muara
Bander Seri Begawan 3786
Tel: (637) 02 – 345 666 Fax: (673) 02 – 456 888
Cambodia
1517 Thanon Keomani
P.O. Box 19, Phnom Penh
Tel: (+855 23) 26441, 24781
Fax: (+855 23) 27454
Cuba
7 Ave. Calle 36 A
505 Miramar, La Havana
Tel: (+53 7) 33105-57, 331058
Telex: 511500
France
74 Avenue Raymond-Poincare
75116 Paris
Tel: (+33 1) 4553 0298, 4554 7047
Fax: (+33 1) 4727 5789
Website
Germany
Am Lessing 6
53639 Konigswinter 1
Bonn, Tel: 02223-23925
India
E53 Panchsheet Park
New Dehli 17
Tel: (+91 11) 642 7447
Fax: (+91 11) 642 8588
Indonesia
Jalan Kintamani Raya C15 No33
Kuningan Timur, Jarkata 12950
Tel: (+62 22) 5202673, 5229602
Fax: (+62 22) 5229601
Japan
3322 Nishi Azabu, Minato-Ku
Tokyo 106
Tel: (+81 3) 5411 2291, 5411 2292
Fax: (+81 3) 5411 2293
Malaysia
108 Jalan Damai, 55000 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: (+60 3) 248 3895, 242 0344
Fax: (+60 3) 242 0344
Mongolia
Ikh Toiruu
P.O. Box: 1030
Ulan Bator, Tel: (+976 1) 326440, 329898
Myanmar
NA 1 Diplomatic quarters
Franser Road, Rangon
Tel: (+95 1) 22482, 27445
Fax: (+95 1) 27446
Philippines
34 Lapu – Lapu StreetMagallaness VillageMakati City
Manila
Tel and Fax: 833-5759
Poland
U1. Rejtana 15/26
02516 Warsaw
Tel: (+48 22) 484786, 488949
Fax: (+48 22) 497122
Telex: 813593 BTXCB PL
PR China
11 San Litun Dongsi Jie
Beijing 100600
Tel: (+86 1) 5321224
Fax: (+86 1) 5326748
PR China (General Consulate)
Room 3226 Canellia Hotel
154 East Dong Feng Road
650041 Kunming
Tel: (+86 871) 3176623-24
Fax: (+86 871) 3178556
Russia
U1. Karchalova 18
121069 Moscow
Tel: (+7 095) 2031454, 2916966
Fax: (+7 095) 2904246
Telex: 413101 AMLAO SU
Singapore
179-B Gold Hill CentreThomson RoadSingapore
Tel: (65) 250 60 44, 250 67 41, 250 60 14
Sweden
Hornsgata 82 B1 TR 11721
Stockholm
Tel: (+46) 8 6685122
Fax: (+46) 8 6692176
Thailand
520, 502/13 Soi Ramkhamhaeng 39
Bangkapi, Bangkok 10300
Tel: (+66 2) 5396667-69
Fax: (+66 2) 5396678
Website
Consulate General in Khonkean
19/1-3 Phothisarn Road, Khonkaen
Khonkaen, Thailand
Tel: (+043) 223473, 223698
United Kingdom
Victoria Road 12-14
London W8-5rd
Tel: 93 71 912
Fax: 93 76 108
Code: 00-44-171
United States
2222 S Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20008
Tel: (+1 202) 3326416-17
Fax: (+1 202) 3324923
Website
Permanent Mission United States
317 East 51 Street
New York, 10022
Tel: (+1 212) 8322734
Fax: (+1 212) 7500039
Vietnam
22 Rue Tran Binh Trong, Hanoi
Tel: (84 4) 254576, 296746
Fax: (84 4) 228414
Laos General Consulate in Ho Chi Minh
181 Hai Ba Trung, Ho Chi Minh City
Tel: (+84) 8 299275, 297667
Fax: (+84) 8 299272
Laos General Consulate in Danang
12 Tran Quy Cap
Tel: (+84 51) 21208, 24101
Fax: (+84 51) 22628