Since the beginning of July 2019, the Laotian authorities have set up an official portal allowing you to apply for a visa online to enter Laos. What does this mean for tourists? How do you get the precious sesame?
Electronic visas: a minor revolution for tourists
By creating the e-Visa, the Laotian government hopes to increase the number of tourists visiting the country. With only 26 embassies, 9 consulates-general, 17 honorary consulates, etc., Laos has a lot to offer. and only one consular office in the world, it was not always easy for tourists wishing to visit Laos to obtain a traditional visa. With e-Visa, the Laotian authorities hope to boost tourism in their country and make the visa application process easier.
It will be necessary for all nationalities to obtain an e-Visa, except for those nations with visa waiver agreements. While the e-Visa will only apply to tourist visas for the time being, the government is not ruling out extending the e-Visa to other types of visa in the future.
On arrival in Laos, special counters have been set up for e-Visa only. For the moment, the only arrival points concerned are :
- Vientiane Wattay International Airport
- Luang Prabang international airport
- Pakse international airport
- the first lao-thai friendship bridge
- Second Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge (Savannakhet region)
At the border post, the document holder must then present the letter of approval (acting as a visa) that he or she previously received by e-mail. The document must then be printed.
e-Visa: administrative formalities
To apply for an e-Visa, you first need to visit the official portal set up by the Laotian authorities. You then fill in the fairly simple form with your personal details and information about your stay. It is also possible to entrust this process to a specialist agency. In this case, the agency is responsible for completing the application and sending it to the Laotian authorities. The agency then acts as a direct intermediary between you and the Laotian government.
Be sure to include a copy of the second page of the your passport and passport photo (please note the format! ). Then simply pay the visa fee online. This costs around 48 € consular fee for an e-Visa.
The e-visa can be obtained quickly, often within three working days. It is valid for 60 days from receipt of the approval letter and allows a maximum stay of 30 days. Only one entry to Laos is possible with the e-Visa.
An agency service 