The Lao Tourist Visa for your Holiday or Visiting a Family
If you are thinking of travelling to Lao on a holiday or to see a relative or friend, then applying for a Lao tourist visa can become a necessary task.
Generally, a visitor can apply for the required Lao tourist visa online/ at the nearest Lao consulate in the country where you live, for a stay in Lao of up to 3 months.
General Visa Requirements and Validity Period of Lao Tourist Visa
It is advisable to check the Lao tourist visa requirements, before applying for your tourist visa to Lao.
A brief list of the most important requirements and conditions when obtaining the tourist visa for Lao:
- You do not plan to carry out voluntary job that can otherwise be undertaken by a paid employee in Lao.
- You do not intend to participate in a work relationship in Lao.
- You do not mean to give services to Lao organisations (this is permitted with a Lao work visa or business visa).
- You do not intend to supply or sell product or services to consumers in Lao.
- You and your relative are not in debt to the Lao Government.
- You do not pose a risk to the health or safety of residents of Lao.
- You are able to show that you have adequate funds to pay for your stay and return from Lao.
Do I require a Lao tourist visa?
It depends upon your citizenship as well as the type of travel document you are using to take a trip to Lao.Please click here to check if you require a Lao visa.
Who exactly can get a Lao tourist visa?
Any individual choosing to go on holiday to Lao can make an application for a Lao tourist visa.
There are many types of visa for Lao which you can use as a visitor to Lao. If you are not exactly sure which type of Lao tourist visa you require to apply, please contact the nearest Lao visa office to obtain further clarification as purpose of this web page is to give you general overview when getting Lao tourist visa.
What type of Lao visa do I need?
This depends on 3 things:
- The citizenship according to your passport – If the nationality according to the passport is from a nation that is on visa free travel to Lao or eligible to apply for a visa on arrival in Lao, then you may not require to get a Lao tourist visa before leaving from your home country. Please go here to find out if you need a Lao visa.
- The duration of your visit in Lao – If you want to remain in Lao for a much shorter period less than 90 days, then you can request the Lao tourist visa. If you wish to remain much longer, then contact the closest Lao visa office to obtain the appropriate visa for your trip.
- The activities you want to execute in Lao – If your main reason of taking a trip is for vacation, then you can make an application for all kinds of Lao tourist visas talked about on this page.
General Visa Application Requirements to Get Lao Traveller Visa
- Traveler visa application for Lao – Completed Lao visa Form.
- Original and signed passport – The passport should be valid for at least 6 months before going into Lao and three months after departing Lao. It should have at the very least 2 spare visa pages and can not be older than 10 years.
- Passport type photo – Photo must be no older than six months and need to be 35 x 40mm in size.
- Previous passport – Provide a previous passport if you had any.
- Previous visas – Copies of previous Lao visas details if you had any.
- Flight tickets to Lao – Reservation of return or round trip flight tickets. In some instances the Lao visa office might request for pre paid flight tickets to Lao.
- Travel insurance – Proof of travel insurance policy with a minimum cover set by the Lao consular office provided with the Certificate of Insurance coverage and the table of benefits. The travel insurance policy need to cover the cost of repatriation for medical reasons and the Certificate of Currency must be issued by an insurance company. If you are thinking of using your credit card travel insurance for your travel to Lao, please call Lao embassy to find out more and travel insurance requirements for the Lao visa.
- Original financial institution statements – Original bank statements for the last 3 months showing sufficient funds to cover your visit in Lao. If statements are printed online then it has to be Validated (marked) by the financial institution representatives.
- Hotel Reservations in Lao – Copy of confirmed hotel bookings including name of the applicant, name and address of the hotel, time-span of stay. In the majority of circumstances, only bookings which are partly or completely pre-paid can be accepted.
- Work letter – This letter has to be: original and signed letter from employer written on company letter head paper, confirming your ongoing employment, the status of employment, regular monthly salary and yearly leave. Likewise, please provide your 3 newest pay slips. If you are self-employed: provide certified copies of business registration, tax return.
- For students. Please supply the following:
- Proof of present student status: Certificate of Enrollment.
- Original and signed letter from university written on university letter head paper, affirming on-going enrolment, verifying the payment of tuition fees or any scholarships, and confirming term break.
- Insurance from Organisation/University – Give a letter from the University stating the purpose, period of travel and confirmation that you are going to be covered by the insurance for the whole journey together with the Certificate of Currency and summary of benefits.
Generally, visa applications for Lao visa need to be submitted for a maximum of 6 months, and no later than 15 days, prior to the trip.