04.09.2025

New rules for entering Laos

From September 1, 2025, Laos has taken an important step towards the digitalization of immigration procedures. Now foreign travelers entering or leaving the country are required to fill out an online arrival and departure card.

Until recently, travelers had to fill out paper cards at the border. The online card makes this process completely electronic: the form must be submitted no later than three days before crossing the border. After filling out, the system generates a QR code, which is presented at the border checkpoint.

So far, digital registration is only available at four international points:

Wattay International Airport (Vientiane)
Luang Prabang International Airport
Pakse International Airport (Champasak Province)
Laos-Thailand Friendship Bridge border crossing (Vientiane – Nong Khai)

According to representatives of the Laos Immigration Department, the current stage is a pilot. It will allow assessing the effectiveness of the system before it covers all entry points of the country, which is planned to be completed by 2026.

Filling out the form requires standard information: personal data, passport details, purpose of visit, vehicles, address of stay in Laos and visa details, if it was arranged in advance. It also requires uploading a passport photo and a selfie with the document. The process of filling out the departure card is similar, but more simplified.