🇨🇷→🇱🇦Costa Rica→Laos

30 dayssingle entryvalid 90d

Traditional sticker visa for tourism obtained from a Lao embassy or consulate before travel, used by nationalities ineligible for e-visa or VOA.

Official tourist category is T-B3 per the Department of Immigration of Lao PDR (an earlier entry mislabelled this as 'TR', which is the transit code). Required for the 32 VOA-restricted nationalities (e.g., Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Syria, Sudan, Zimbabwe, and others). Also an option for any nationality preferring an embassy visa. Multiple-entry variants may be available at embassies. Fees and processing times vary by embassy/consulate.

30 dayssingle entry3d processingvalid 60donline

Single-entry tourist visa issued electronically by the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs for leisure travel and tourism.

Available to approximately 162 nationalities. Validity 60 days from issuance; maximum stay 30 days from first entry. Processing is typically 3 working days; same-day processing for morning submissions (Laos time, GMT+7). Entry via 9 designated checkpoints including Vientiane and Luang Prabang international airports, Friendship Bridges, and railway stations. Passport must have at least 180 days validity. Non-refundable fee. eVisa Approval Letter must be presented at port of entry.

30 dayssingle entryvalid 30d

Sticker visa issued at designated international border checkpoints for short-stay tourism and general visits for most nationalities.

Available to most nationalities at designated international airports and border crossings. Stay up to 30 days; extension possible twice for a maximum total stay of 90 days. Nationals of 32 restricted countries (including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Syria, and others) must obtain a visa at a Lao embassy/consulate before travel. Requires valid passport with sufficient validity, passport photo, and visa fee (amount varies; typically USD 30-42 depending on nationality and checkpoint, but official USD amount not confirmed from official source).

30 dayssingle entry

Visa for foreign nationals conducting business activities, attending meetings, or engaging in commercial activities in Laos.

Official category NI-B2 (Business Visa) per the Department of Immigration of Lao PDR, issued to foreign business people (including family members) coming for investment or economic data collection. Issued at Lao embassies and consulates abroad. Extension and conversion to longer-term stay permit may be available through the Department of Immigration in Laos. Exact fee and validity vary by embassy. VOA can sometimes be used for initial business visits followed by status adjustment in-country.

Short-stay non-immigrant visa for foreign technical officers attending meetings, trainings or study tours, and for visiting relatives/friends, collecting investment information or coordinating commerce.

Official category NI-B3 (Short-Term Visa) listed by the Department of Immigration of Lao PDR. Issued to foreign technical officers approved to temporarily come for meetings, trainings or study tours, and to foreigners/stateless persons visiting parents, relatives or friends, collecting investment information, coordinating commerce or other lawful short-stay purposes. The e-Visa 'Visit Visa' is the online equivalent for eligible nationalities. Fee, validity and stay length are not published on the official page.

single entry

Short-stay visa for foreign nationals transiting through Laos en route to a third country.

Official category TR-B3 (Transit Visa) per the Department of Immigration of Lao PDR, issued to foreigners and stateless persons whose travel is to transit through Laos to another country. Specific stay limit and fee are not published on the official page; contact the nearest Lao embassy for current requirements.

multiple entry

Long-stay visa for foreigners and stateless persons who have legally registered their marriage with a Lao citizen.

Official category SP-B3 (Spouse Visa) listed by the Department of Immigration of Lao PDR, issued to foreigners and stateless persons who have legally registered their marriage with a Lao citizen under Lao law. Applied for and renewed in-country through the Department of Immigration; a stay permit card is issued in 3-, 6-, or 12-month increments (300,000 / 600,000 / 1,200,000 LAK). Exact fee and validity are not published on the official page.

single entry

Visa for foreign nationals enrolled in educational institutions in Laos for study purposes.

Official category ST-B2 (Student Visa) per the Department of Immigration of Lao PDR, issued to students who come to study, research, collect data or undertake a technical internship in Laos. Requires acceptance letter from a recognized Lao educational institution. Renewable annually through the Department of Immigration. Specific fee and processing details not confirmed from accessible official sources.

multiple entry

Visa for foreign experts, technicians and NGO staff employed or contracted by government, private or international organizations, including their family members.

Official category E-B2 (Expert Visa) listed by the Department of Immigration of Lao PDR. Issued to experts and staff of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) approved to perform their duties in Laos, and to experts and technicians employed or contracted by government, private or other international organizations, including their family members. Requires a work permit from the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare and a stay permit card from the Department of Immigration (300,000 / 600,000 / 1,200,000 LAK for 3/6/12 months). Distinct from the LA-B2 Labour Visa used for general laborers.

multiple entry

Visa for foreign nationals employed by companies or organizations registered in Laos, allowing residence and employment.

Official category LA-B2 (Labour Visa) per the Department of Immigration of Lao PDR, issued to foreigners and stateless persons who come to work as laborers in Laos, including their family members. Requires sponsorship from a Laos-registered employer. Work permits (bai anuyat tham ngan) issued separately by the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare. Stay permit cards issued by Department of Immigration in 3-month, 6-month, or 12-month increments (fees: 300,000 / 600,000 / 1,200,000 LAK respectively). Managed through the One Stop Service for investors/companies via investlaos.gov.la.

multiple entry

Long-stay visa for foreign laborers and their family members, and for long-stay foreigners contributing to national development or with sufficient financial means.

Official category I-B3 (Long-Term Visa) listed by the Department of Immigration of Lao PDR. Issued to foreigners/stateless persons working as laborers (with family members), those whose contributions benefit national protection and development, and general long-stay foreigners. General long-stay applicants must hold at least USD 20,000 in a Lao bank account for a six-month stay, or USD 40,000 for a one-year stay (a bank-balance requirement, not a visa fee). Stay permit card fees are 300,000 / 600,000 / 1,200,000 LAK for 3/6/12 months.

multiple entry

Visa for staff of bilateral cooperation offices, UN/international organization personnel, foreign experts on inter-government cooperation or grant-aid projects, invited seminar/training speakers, and certain embassy household staff and VIPs.

Official category C-B1 (Courtesy Visa) listed by the Department of Immigration of Lao PDR. Covers staff of bilateral cooperation offices and of UN/international organizations posted in Laos, foreign experts/technical officers on inter-governmental cooperation or foreign voluntary grant-assistance projects, loan-collection/monitoring officers, foreign experts invited to run seminars or trainings, non-Lao household staff of embassies/consulates/diplomats' residences, honorary VIPs on movement plans, and the family members of these persons. Requires a letter of proposal from the relevant organization.

90 daysmultiple entry

Visa-free entry for holders of diplomatic, service, or official passports under bilateral agreements between Laos and partner countries.

Laos has bilateral diplomatic/service passport exemption agreements with 40+ countries. Stay durations vary: 14 days (Indonesia diplomatic/service), 30 days (most bilateral agreements), 90 days (Japan, South Korea, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Poland, Cuba, Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Hungary, Georgia, Norway diplomatic only). Ordinary passport holders under these agreements may or may not be visa-free depending on the specific bilateral treaty.

multiple entry

Visa for foreign diplomats, consular officers, high-level government delegations and representatives of the United Nations and international organizations, and their dependents, on official duty in the Lao PDR.

Class 'A' visa category (D-A1, Diplomatic Visa) listed by the Department of Immigration of Lao PDR. Issued to diplomats, consuls and representatives of international organizations and their dependents authorized for short- or long-term duty in Laos, and to high-level government delegations. Distinct from the separate visa-exemption agreements that already cover many diplomatic/service passport holders. Applied for through Lao embassies/consulates and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; normally fee-exempt on a reciprocal basis. Stay length and validity are set per posting and are not published on the official page.

multiple entry

Long-term visa and stay permit for foreign investors legally approved by the Government of Lao PDR, covering investors, shareholders, directors, technical officers, and their family members.

Requires investment license, concession registration, or enterprise registration issued by IPMC (Investment Promotion and Management Committee). Stay permit cards issued in 3-month (300,000 LAK), 6-month (600,000 LAK), or 12-month (1,200,000 LAK) increments. Long-term stay permits of 3-5 years available only for concession holders with 10+ year government agreements. Managed through One Stop Service at investlaos.gov.la. Family members of eligible investors also covered.

Visa for foreign journalists who come to collect news in the Lao PDR.

Official category M-B2 (Media Visa) listed by the Department of Immigration of Lao PDR, issued to foreign journalists and media personnel who come to collect news in Laos. Typically requires prior approval/accreditation from the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism and/or Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Fee and validity are not published on the official page.

multiple entry

Visa for administrative and technical staff of foreign embassies, consulates and governmental/international organizations, members of official delegations, and their dependents.

Class 'A' visa category (S-A2, Official/Service Visa) listed by the Department of Immigration of Lao PDR. Issued to international diplomats and members of governmental organizations, and to administrative/technical staff of embassies and consulates and their dependents. Distinct from the separate visa-exemption agreements that already cover many service passport holders. Applied for through Lao embassies/consulates and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Stay length, validity and fee are set per posting and are not published on the official page.

multiple entry

Long-term visa for foreigners and stateless persons approved to reside permanently in the Lao PDR.

Official category P-B3 (Permanent Visa) listed by the Department of Immigration of Lao PDR, issued to foreigners and stateless persons who are approved to permanently reside in Laos. Subject to government approval; conditions, validity and fees are not published on the official page.

30 dayssingle entry3d processingvalid 60donline

Single-entry visa issued electronically for visiting hosts, organizations, or attending meetings and conferences in Laos.

Second e-visa category issued through laoevisa.gov.la alongside the Travel Visa (tourist). Same fee, validity, processing, and entry restrictions as the tourist e-visa. Intended for visiting family, organizations, meetings. Available to the same ~162 eligible nationalities.