Guide · 4 min read
Laos Visa Exemption: Who Can Cross at Lao Bao Without a Visa
The official list of nationalities that can enter Laos visa-free on an ordinary passport, how long each can stay, and what everyone else needs at Dansavanh.
On a visa run from Da Nang or Hoi An you briefly enter Laos at Dansavanh, opposite Lao Bao. Most travellers buy a Laos visa on arrival there. But fifteen nationalities don’t need a visa at all on an ordinary passport.
The official list (ordinary passports)
Sourced from the Department of Immigration of Lao PDR’s published exemption table, filtered to ordinary passports.
| Country | Visa-free stay |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | 30 days |
| Thailand | 30 days |
| Cambodia | 30 days |
| Malaysia | 30 days |
| Singapore | 30 days |
| Indonesia | 30 days |
| Brunei | 30 days |
| Philippines | 30 days |
| Mongolia | 30 days |
| South Korea | 30 days |
| Russia | 30 days |
| Japan | 15 days |
| Luxembourg | 15 days |
| Switzerland | 15 days |
| Myanmar | 14 days |
That covers every ASEAN member plus Japan, South Korea, Mongolia, Russia, Luxembourg and Switzerland.
Not on the list
The United States, United Kingdom, most of the EU (apart from Luxembourg), Australia, New Zealand, Canada, India and China are among the many nationalities that are not visa-exempt. Most of them can get a Laos visa on arrival at Dansavanh, paid in USD. The fee depends on your passport, so bring clean, undamaged notes.
What it means for your visa run
- Exempt: you get a Lao entry stamp and continue. No Laos visa fee.
- Not exempt: fill in the arrival form, hand over a passport photo if asked, and pay the visa-on-arrival fee.
- Everyone: your new Vietnam e-visa must name Lao Bao as the entry gate.
We check your nationality before confirming any booking. A policy page like this is a starting point, not a substitute for that check.
Source
Department of Immigration of Lao PDR, official visa exemption table: immigration.gov.la/en/visas (Exemption Visa section). Laos can change this policy without much notice.