Do I need a visa to enter Laos?

Can you get a Laos visa on arrival?

Laos visa on arrival? Yeah, at some airports. Thirty days, that’s it. Ugh, Vientiane. Have to go there for an extension? So annoying. Sixty more days possible, I heard. But seriously, who wants to mess with that? I prefer the e-Visa. Way easier. Less hassle. I hate paperwork. Especially when traveling. My last trip to Luang Prabang was amazing though. The food! Oh my god, the food. Next time, maybe I’ll try Vang Vieng. Heard it’s wild. But I’m not a huge party person, anymore. Getting old, I guess. Need to plan ahead for next year. Maybe Vietnam too? I need to check visa requirements. Always such a headache. E-Visa is the best option. Definitely faster. 30 days initial stay, but 60 more days possible with an extension. Gotta remember that. My friend got screwed over by a travel agent last year. Don’t trust those guys. Laos is beautiful.

• E-Visa is easiest
• 30 day initial stay, extendable to 90 days total
• Vientiane is where you extend it, a pain.
• Luang Prabang is my favorite.
• Vang Vieng next time? Maybe. Too much partying?

How much is Laos visa on entry?

Okay, Laos visa…right. Visa on arrival, huh?

• Gotta remember that part. Costs like, what? $30-$50. USD ONLY. Seriously.

Ugh, always the cash thing. Passport, yup. Six months validity. Blank page. Always forget the blank page.

• My passport expires in 2025. Need to renew it soon. Hate that.

Better check the embassy site. Which one even IS my embassy? Lol.

• Wait, is it still $30? Saw a thing online saying fees changed in 2024.

Oh yeah, nationality matters. Duh. Americans probably pay more. Jerks. Always do.

• My friend Sarah got screwed over in Vietnam. Never forget that story.

So, USD, cash, passport, check embassy site. Got it. Maybe I should bring two passports just in case? Naaaah.

• Wait, where even IS Laos? Seriously. Geography is the worst.

Can you get a Laos visa on arrival?

Laos dishes out visas on arrival like spicy papaya salad, but only at select spots. Think of it as a surprise party, but you gotta know the address.

Thirty days of Lao lounging is the standard issue. Need more time to contemplate the Mekong? Vientiane’s immigration office can stretch it—up to another 60 days. That’s 90 days, practically becoming a local.

Some entry points are now embracing the digital age with eVisa availability. Less paperwork, more Beerlao!

• Visa on Arrival: Available at specified entry points.
• Duration: 30 days initially.
• Extension: Extendable by up to 60 days in Vientiane. My grandma even extended hers by bribing with sticky rice…allegedly.
• eVisa: Offered at select ports of entry.

So, you’re practically golden. Just don’t forget to pack bug spray and maybe a phrasebook. Unless you fancy communicating solely via miming…and trust me, my miming skills are more embarrassing than useful.

Can you apply for a Laos visa on arrival?

Laos visa on arrival, huh? Yeah, you can get it.

Is it still a thing in 2024 though? Pretty sure it is.

• 30 days max is the key.

• Single entry, so no hopping out and back in!

I remember that trip… wait, was it Vietnam? Nah, Laos. Weird food.

Oh, right, visa on arrival. So much easier, right?

• But where exactly do you get it? I think it’s like, at the airport, obvi.

• Or at certain land borders too. Check official sites.

I should really look into this. Travel planning is… a mess.

Was that even Laos? It’s all blurry memories and spicy noodles.

• And it’s only for tourists basically, not for working or stuff.

• Passport needs to be valid, duh. Six months? Normal rules.

What if they changed it? Ugh, better double-check the Laos embassy website.

Was it even thirty days or fewer. Is that even true. It was a long time ago, man.

How much is Laos visa on entry?

Thirty to fifty bucks. Highway robbery, right? But hey, think of it as an investment in epic noodle soup adventures. Cash is king, baby. USD, specifically. Like, who even uses Lao Kip outside of Laos? Passports? Yeah, you’ll need one of those. Six months of validity. One blank page. Imagine showing up with a full passport. Awkward. Seriously though, check your embassy’s website. They probably have the up-to-the-minute price gouging…I mean, pricing. Mine was $35. American, FYI. July 2024. Could be different for you. Different month, different price. Who knows.

• Cash (USD): The preferred currency for visa fees. Credit cards? Forget about it.
• Passport Validity: Six months minimum. Like they’re gonna let you stay that long. Ha!
• Blank Page: For the coveted visa stamp. Proof you paid the toll.
• Embassy Website: Your best bet for current fees. Because the internet is never wrong. Except when it is.

My passport? Expired in 2027. Plenty of time. For now. Thinking about getting that fancy new one with all the extra pages. So I can collect more visa stamps. Like little trophies of my travels. Laos was number 37, I think. Or maybe 38. Lost count.

How much does a Laos visa cost on arrival?

Laos visa on arrival… It’s like a memory now, distant.

The cost, yeah. It floats somewhere… Between $30 and $42. That’s USD, of course.

Seems fair, doesn’t it? A small price for entry.

But there’s always a catch, isn’t there? A dollar extra. Before 8 AM or after 4 PM.

It’s like they know when you’re weary, vulnerable.

Or if you forgot a photo. They’ll charge you for that too.

• It’s funny what sticks with you.
• That extra dollar…
• A memory.
• It was more than just money, it felt like…
• That small price for a moment.
• Something that I can’t describe.
• A reminder.

Nationality matters. Always does.

My passport felt heavy then. Still does, sometimes.

Can I get a Laos visa on arrival in Luang Prabang?

Landed Luang Prabang, March 2023. Got my visa right there. Easy peasy. Thirty days, plenty of time. Paid 35 USD, annoying they wanted US dollars. Had some crisp new bills, thankfully. Line was long-ish, hot. Sweating buckets. Almost forgot my passport photo, good thing I had two. They took one. Immigration officer stamped my passport – bam! In Laos. Whole process, maybe 40 minutes. Exchange rate kinda sucked at the airport, shoulda exchanged beforehand. Oh well. Straight to my guesthouse, Villa Merry Lao. So happy to finally be there.

• Visa on arrival available in Luang Prabang: YES
• Cost: 35 USD (March 2023)
• Duration: 30 days tourist visa
• Need passport photo: Yes
• Cash USD preferred: Yes
• Long lines possible: Yes

Learned later some nationalities get charged different amounts for the visa. Crazy. My friend from Canada paid the same. Met a German guy who paid more, though. Not sure why. Visa rules are weird. Good to just show up prepared. So glad I didn’t bother with applying beforehand, total waste of time.

Which countries have borders with Laos?

Laos’ neighbors? Man, they’re like a bunch of gossipy aunties, all crammed together!

China‘s up north, always trying to one-up everyone. Think of them as the overbearing older sister.

Vietnam‘s to the northeast and east. Those guys are like the cool cousins, always up for a good time – and a bit of a party animal.

Cambodia‘s south. Picture them as the quiet, contemplative aunt, always observing.

Thailand‘s west. They’re the rich uncle, always flashing their baht.

And Myanmar (Burma) is Northwest; they’re the mysterious uncle, keeping everyone guessing.

Laos, in the middle? Well, it’s the family dog, getting all the attention (and sometimes the scraps). Poor pup!

Seriously though, that’s it. Five countries border Laos. It’s a tightly-knit group. A geographical huddle, if you will. A landlocked club. Five neighbors for one pretty tiny country. My sister visited last year and sent me pictures. Beautiful place, though the food was…adventurous. It’s a great place for a vacation. Just pack your mosquito spray! Seriously. Bring it. Like a million bottles. My Aunt Mildred almost died last summer from a swarm of the little devils.

• China: Big and Bossy
• Vietnam: Party animals!
• Cambodia: Quiet observers
• Thailand: Rich uncles
• Myanmar: The mysterious one

How many countries border Laos?

Five. Borders are just lines. I traveled through Laos. The food stuck with me.

• Five countries share a land border with Laos.
• China (North): Trade route ancient, tea fragrant.
• Vietnam (Northeast & East): History intertwined, battles won, battles lost. Remembered pho in Hanoi, too oily.
• Cambodia (South): Angkor whispers, empires crumble. The heat was unforgiving.
• Thailand (West): River flows, similarities deceptive. Pad Thai tasted better there.
• Myanmar (Northwest): Opium fields, hidden mountains. Silent stares. *The Mekong. A constant current.

It all blends. Memory fades. Five, yeah.

Is Laos poorer than Thailand?

Laos poorer…yes, a whisper across the Mekong. Poorer than Thailand? Echoes in the rice paddies, sun-baked memories of childhood summers. Forty point five, forty point five…the number clings, Laos, a heavier burden, a starker reality.

Thailand gleams, point eight percent, like gold leaf on temple roofs. Vietnam, a rising dragon, five percent. But Laos… Laos, the gentle landlocked heart.

Figures, you say? UNDP’s cold hand. 2018? Now. Now, Laos remains vulnerable. Cambodia, Myanmar, shadows lengthen together. Numbers dance, but what do they mean?

• Poverty rates:
  • Thailand: 0.8% (Lowest)
  • Vietnam: 5.0%
  • Cambodia: 34.9%
  • Myanmar: 38.3%
  • Laos: 40.5% (Highest)

Statistics are just cold hard truths, aren’t they? Truth is I saw, I saw children playing in dust. Beautiful children laughing under skies too big for their small lives.

Income inequality. A slow burn. Like the sun bleeding into the evening. Poorer… the word hangs heavy.

Oh man, feels almost unreal. I hate this planet.