Surprising news from South East Asia: The government of Laos, a country wedged between Thailand and Vietnam, has announced big changes to its visa policy for the rest of the year. While the majority of changes affect travellers from China, Macau, Hong Kong and Taiwan, there is also exciting news for European citizens.
Passport holders of eight European countries can enter Laos for 15 days without applying for a visa in advance or at the airport/border. The following countries benefit from this regulation:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Denmark
- Finland
- Greece
- Luxembourg¹
- Norway
- Spain
- Sweden
¹ Citizens of Luxembourg were granted visa-free entry before the rule was implemented.
This rule is limited to the first visit in 2024 and valid until the end of the year. Affected people save both the cost for a visa-on-arrival ($40, to be paid in US-Dollar) and the hassle of obtaining it. It’s curious that many populous European states like France, Germany and Italy are missing on the list. However, citizens of those countries are affected by another rule change to Laotian immigration.
While tourist visas for other Europeans currently grant a single entry with a stay of up to 30 days, Laos now offers the option for multiple entries to the country with a stay duration of up to 60 days each. The multiple entry visa can be obtained as a Laotian eVisa, at least three days before entering the country. It comes with a price-tag of $50.
Countries eligible for multiple-entry Visa
Australia, New Zealand, The United States, Canada, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom
Most European citizens can also apply for visa-on-arrival at most airports and some border posts. However, they can only obtain a single entry for 30 days. Visitors from most Asian countries benefit from more relaxed immigration rules.
Source: immigration.gov.la, Laotian Times
About Laos
Laos (officially Lao People’s Democratic Republic) is the only landlocked country in South-East Asia. Because of that, it’s also one of the poorest countries, both in the region and globally. It cannot attract tourists with marvelous beaches like it’s neighbors of Thailand and Vietnam. The most popular tourist destinations are the temple complex of Vat Phou in the South, near the Cambodian border. And the mountain city of Luang Prabang in the North of the country.