Express online request

Apply for a visa to travel to Laos

Would you like to take a trip to Laos? Are you planning to go to Laos? A visa is required to travel to
this country, regardless of the purpose and duration of your stay. You will be able to get it from your
country of origin or while there, when you arrive in the country.

Here are the different ways to get a tourist visa to visit Laos.

The electronic visa for Laos
To make visa applications easier, Laos has set up an electronic visa application procedure available
from July 2019. It should allow you to complete the necessary forms to travel to Laos from home, so
that you do not have to go all the way to the embassy. This online e-Visa application is intended for
nationals of all countries who need a permit to travel to Laos. It will therefore apply to most
Europeans, specifically Belgians and French.

Until then, you need to get a paper visa that you can apply for at the Laos Embassy in Paris or when
you arrive at the immigration office. However, we advise you to apply for the visa before your
departure to avoid queues at customs.

Getting your travel authorization

To apply at the Laos Embassy, you will first need to get the official form. Print it and fill in the different sections, making sure to check the accuracy of the information you write. You will need to attach a recent passport photo. In France, the cost of this visa is 35 € while it will cost you 40 € in Belgium.

The procedure for electronic travel authorization is the same as for a traditional visa. You will need to go to the official e-visa application site for Laos. You will then have to fill in the official form, pay the fees with a credit card and you will finally receive your application number by email so that you can track its status.

To get the visa once there, you can print the form before departure. It will also be available on the plane. If you are in this case, remember to bring a passport photo with you. The local visa costs about US$30, so it is slightly cheaper than the one you would get at the embassy. However, some border points do not issue it. Find out before you leave about the possibility of getting a visa where you will be passing through.

What are the deadlines?

It does not take long to get a visa for Laos. When you submit your request to the Embassy, it takes one week for your travel authorization to be issued.

If you choose to apply for an electronic visa for Laos, you will receive your permit by email within a maximum of 3 working days.

Time is flying? There is no emergency visa procedure, but you can simply have it issued once there. Immigration officers will issue your visa within minutes after checking the conformity of your passport and of the different documents you provide.

Validity of the visa for Laos

The visa is valid for 90 days from the date of issue. You will therefore have to apply less than three months before your arrival in Laos. Once there, you can stay up to 30 days on the territory.

If you wish to extend the duration, it is possible to do so by going to the immigration office. You have the possibility to renew your visa twice for a period of 30 days, which will allow you to stay a total of 3 months in the country. You can also spend a few days abroad, and apply for a new 30-day tourist visa when you return to Laos.

GET YOUR APPLICATION

APPLY NOW

What are the conditions to get it?

There are several conditions to get your visa for Laos. You must first be in possession of a passport valid at least 6 months after your departure date from Laos.

After you leave customs, check that the officer has stamped your passport with the date of your arrival in the country. The absence of this mention could be a problem for you when you leave the territory. You may then be required to pay a fine if there is no proof of the duration of your trip in the country. To avoid any problems, we therefore advise you to check the stamp affixed to your passport.

Good to know when traveling with children

To travel to Laos with children, they will first need their own passport, valid for more than 6 months
You will also need to apply for an individual visa for the child so that they can come with you to Laos.

If the child does not travel with both parents, they must also be in possession of an authorization to leave the country and photocopies of the identity documents of the signatories, i.e. their two legal guardians. For more information on traveling abroad with a child, visit the official website of the French public service.

Embassy of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic in France

  • Directions: 74 Avenue Raymond Poincaré 75116 Paris, France
  • Telephone (secretary): (+33) 1 45 53 02 98
  • Telephone (consular service): (+33) 1 45 53 75 22
  • Fax number: (+33) 1 47 27 27 57 89
  • Email secretary: ambalaoparis[at]orange.fr
  • Email consular service: consullaosparis[at]gmail.com
  • Website: www.ambalaos-france.com
  • Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 9am to 12pm for the consular service and from 9am to 12pm then from 2pm to 5pm for the chancery.

French Embassy in Laos

Once there, do not hesitate to contact the French Embassy in Laos for any problem of theft or loss of passport or in case of emergency.

  • Directions: Setthathirath Street, PB 06, Vientiane, Laos
  • Telephone: +856 (0)21 26 26 74 00
  • Email: Official website contact form
  • Website: https://la.ambafrance.org/
  • Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 9am to 12.30pm and from 2pm to 5.30pm

APPLICATION

Submit your application online and receives your Application by email

APPLY NOW
APPLY NOW
APPLY NOW