Can I enter Laos at Luang Prabang and obtain a visa on arrival?

Lao Visa on Arrival Visa Run Luang Prabang Thailand Visa Regulations Immigration Expat Advice

Jan 2, 2025

6 days ago

ORIGINAL POSTER

What's the latest on doing a visa run to Luang Probang, can you enter Laos there and get a Lao visa on arrival? If so what is the visa cost? I did it to Vientiane years ago, but at that time you couldn't enter LP without a visa.

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TLDR : Answer Summary

You can obtain a visa on arrival (VoA) when entering Laos at Luang Prabang, which costs USD $40 or 2,000 Thai Baht. Ensure you have clean U.S. Dollar banknotes and two passport photos. Travelers have reported varying lengths of stay on their Thai visas, depending on nationality, and entry to Laos can typically be accomplished directly at the Luang Prabang airport.

Greg ***********

Jack Stone . . yes, you can fly to Luang Prabang with Air Asia from Chiang Mai and also from Bangkok. And enter Laos by "visa-on-arrival" at the Lung Prabang airport. It's two passport pictures and crisp banknotes U.S. $40, or 2000.- Thai Baht

5 days ago

Carsten *********

I crossed the Thai border at Nong Khai an hour ago and was given 2 months.

I got 14 days when I went to Laos on the 18th but I think that depends on your nationality. Otherwise you can pay for a one month visa to Laos at the border for ....900 baht, if I remember correctly

6 days ago

Jack *******

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Carsten ********

Yes, some nationalities get 15 days free but they're mostly ASEAN and Japan, you appear Western so I'm surprised you got that. Free?

6 days ago

Dca *****

@Jack ******

Yes, from 01 July 2024 to 31 December 2024, 8 European countries have free visa exemption entry into Laos for 15 days stay as part of a Visit Laos Tourism Year 2024 visa promotion. These 8 European countries are: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Norway, Spain, and Sweden.

However, the Lao PDR government has not said one way or the other that they will continue this visa promotion or not in 2025....

6 days ago

Jack *******

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Dca ****

I see. An odd selection of countries, they are the smaller countries of Europe but then Ireland isn't included.

5 days ago

Dca *****

@Jack ******

In addition to the free visa promotion, those countries that have had permanent 15 days free visa exemption entry into Laos are: Switzerland, Luxembourg, and Japan. Those countries that have had permanent 30 days free visa exemption are: Russia, Mongolia, South Korea, and the 9 fellow ASEAN member countries

5 days ago

Reply to

Dca *****

Carsten *********

@Jack ******

Denmark

6 days ago

Reply to

Carsten *********

Dca *****

Lao Visa on Arrival (Lao VoA) = USD $40.- paid using clean, crisp Dollar banknotes for nearly all passports, except for Chinese passports = USD $20.-

6 days ago