Today the Australian Government's Smart Traveller facility issued advice that "Lao immigration authorities will stop issuing on-arrival visas at a number of entry points from 31 December 2019" I am planning to travel to Pakse via Ubon, crossing over at Chong Mek in early January.

There is nothing to indicate any changes on Lao Immigration http://immigration.gov.la/checkpoints/ which advises that Chong Mek is still ok for visa on arrival.

Does anyone have access to information regarding the proposed reduction in entry points and whether this affects Chong Mek?

 

Perhaps they are confusing the possibility of them requiring a person to get the visa on arrival online.

At this time the online e visa is only accepted at 2 Airports and the crossing in to Vientiane in Nong Khai. But you can still apply for a visa on arrival when arriving.

Info on the evisa is here. https://laoevisa.gov.la/index

I cannot see them doing anything at end of December. They certainly will not stop issuing visas on arrival.

It only affects a few, not very used border crossings, and not, as far as I know, Chong Mek.  Pakse Airport is also continuing to sell VOAs.  Savvannakhet International Airport, however, is on the list, so people flying direct there will need a visa in advance.

31 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

It only affects a few, not very used border crossings, and not, as far as I know, Chong Mek.  Pakse Airport is also continuing to sell VOAs.  Savvannakhet International Airport, however, is on the list, so people flying direct there will need a visa in advance.

Savannakhet issues a visa on arrival according to this list. http://immigration.gov.la/checkpoints/

It only shows 2 land border crossings that do not issue one.

 

25 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Savannakhet issues a visa on arrival according to this list. http://immigration.gov.la/checkpoints/

It only shows 2 land border crossings that do not issue one.

 

I can't currently find the link, (I think I started a thread about it), but it did definitively state that Savannakhet Airport had stopped issuing VOAs.  I remember it well, as I fly regularly to Pakse and was worried the same policy might apply there.  Fortunately for me, currently it is only Savannakhet Airport.  Of course, the new policy might have subsequently changed.

 

I found this:

 

Where to Get Your Laos Visa on Arrival

The following land and air crossings provide visas on arrival to visiting foreigners.

 

Laos International Airports: Vientiane, Pakse, and Luang Prabang Airports. Savannakhet Airport stopped providing a visa on arrival as of October 2019.

 

https://www.tripsavvy.com/laos-visa-on-arrival-more-info-1629462

1 hour ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Fortunately for me, currently it is only Savannakhet Airport. 

If I recall correctly the flight from BKK to Savannakhet are connecting flights via Pakse which means they can get the VOA there.

The border crossings mentioned in the Laotian Times article ( October 2019) are a couple of little used crossings in Nan.

All others listed are from Vietnam.

I just checked out the Laos evisa website and the evisa fee for a UK applicant is $50. The visa on arrival used to be $35. Does anyone know please, if the fee has also increased for a land entry?

3 hours ago, SunsetT said:

I just checked out the Laos evisa website and the evisa fee for a UK applicant is $50. The visa on arrival used to be $35. Does anyone know please, if the fee has also increased for a land entry?

No still $35 on arrival - evisa is $50