Every time you travel to a new foreign country, you need to check out its visa policy to inquire about the entry requirements. Laos makes no exception. As a matter of fact, only 15 nationalities are exempt from getting a visa. All the other ones are required to obtain one in advance. There is good news too. Apparently, Laos adopted the electronic visa system recently. According to that, almost all non-visa exempt nationalities can apply for a Laos visa online as long as they travel solely for tourism purposes. iVisa can help you with the online application process. But first, you need to make sure that you have everything necessary at hand.
What requirements must I meet to obtain a Laos eVisa?
It would be best if you made sure that you fulfill the requirements before you proceed to the application page to fill in the form. That way, your application process will run smoothly. Below, we will talk about everything you need so that the whole operation is a success.
The first and foremost document you need to apply for a Laos eVisa is a passport. All applicants must have it. But that is not all. Laos’s visa policy requires that applicants have a passport that is valid and remains as such for at least another 6 months from the date of arrival in Laos. Otherwise, your application will be denied. At the same time, the passport must have at least one blank page available for stamping.
The second requirement for a Laos eVisa is a passport photo. There are a few conditions for this one as well. For starters, we recommend that your picture is taken as recently as possible. You would be surprised how many applications are denied because of an invalid photo. Moreover, it has to be taken on a white background, you cannot wear anything on your head unless your religion requires it, and you cannot wear glasses in the picture.
Furthermore, you need a travel itinerary. It is not necessary to be explicit. After all, you may take some detours. Even so, we suppose that you have a few cities you want to visit in mind.
Moving on, you also need proof of accommodation in Laos. Most people use a hotel booking reservation, but you can use any other document that attests you have a place to stay while in Laos. An Airbnb receipt or a letter from a friend/family member you are staying with is more than enough.
A valid e-mail address is also necessary. After all, as a result of an online application process, you get your Laos eVisa via e-mail in PDF format. You must print it out before departure. Our suggestion is that you print more than one copy. It is good to have a spare just in case you may lose one.
You also need to have a means of payment that allows you to make online payments. iVisa is pretty flexible about that. You can use a credit or a debit card, but we also accept PayPal, Alipay, and WeChat.
Last but not least, you must fill in an application form. iVisa created a pretty simple one so that you do not find it too difficult. Even so, do not hesitate to contact iVisa’s customer support in case you need some assistance. It is reachable via online chat or phone 24/7, and it is entirely free of charge.
As you can see, the requirements for a Laos visa are easy to fulfill. Chances are that you already have some of the things above. And if not, they should not be too challenging to acquire.