Laos’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced the introduction of an e-visa service in June, enabling foreign visitors to more conveniently apply for entry visas online.

All international visitors to Laos will be eligible to apply online for a single-entry visa with a maximum 30-day stay, a senior official in charge from the ministry’s Consular Department told the Vientiane Times last week. Those who wish to visit Laos on multi-entry visas or stay longer than 30 days are still required to apply for an entry visa at a Lao embassy or its consulates abroad.

Laos will introduce an e-visa service in June 2019

This e-visa move is in line with the government’s policy to modernise and make public services more efficient, as the country plans to attract more foreign visitors to Laos and grow the tourism industry – a sector the government has prioritised. The Vientiane Times noted that preparations for the launch of the e-visa service has been undergoing for some time.
According to the same report, authorities have been unable to identify and incentivise tourists, with inbound numbers to Laos having declined in recent years. Although Laos recorded more than 4.1 million foreign visitors last year, an increase of 8.2 per cent compared to the year before, it failed to meet the target set at five million.