The government has extended the number of days that visitors from these nations can stay in Laos and permitted entry without a visa for tourists from a select list of nations.
The goal of the initiative is to draw more visitors to Laos for the remaining months of Visit Laos Year 2024. The new regulations will go into effect from July 1 to December 31.
If a Chinese tourist stays in Laos for less than 15 days, they do not need a visa sticker and will not be charged for a tourist visa, even if they are on a package tour and have passports issued in Hong Kong, Macau, or Taiwan.
They must travel with a group that is escorted by a guide who works for a Lao tour operator and is officially recognized by the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism.
Travellers with a Taiwanese passport will continue to receive a visa confirmation (visa volant) and will not require a visa sticker.
Applying for a multiple entry visa at the Lao embassy or consulate in their home country is possible for travellers with passports from Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
Tourists from these nations are only allowed to enter Laos once, however, they are allowed to stay for a maximum of 60 days if they apply for a visa at a land border crossing or online (e-visa).
Passengers from Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Austria, Belgium, Spain, and Greece who want to spend no more than 15 days in Laos are exempt from the requirement for a tourist visa or visa sticker, however, they are only permitted entry into Laos once.
Thai nationals are allowed to enter Laos with a border pass or temporary border pass, and they are allowed to stay for ten days instead of the customary three. They are required to hire a Lao tour operator licensed by the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism, depart Laos at the point of entry, and are permitted to visit three neighbouring provinces.
By the bilateral agreement between Laos and Vietnam for a 15-day stay, Vietnamese people entering Laos on a border pass or temporary border pass are subject to the same criteria.
Tour operators operating tours within Laos must register with the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism. They also have to submit an itinerary detailing all of the passengers’ names to immigration authorities for clearance.
If they so choose, Chinese nationals entering Laos on a border pass under the bilateral agreement between Laos and China for a 10-day stay can travel on the Laos-China Railway from Luang Namtha province to Vientiane, making stops along the way in the provinces of Oudomxay, Luang Prabang, and Vientiane.
They have to hire a Lao tour operator licensed by the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism, and they have to leave Laos at the point of entry. The Times of Vientiane/ANN
