Laos Visa Information

[TomTom55]

Hello all. I have done a bit of research about getting a visa for Laos. It seems to me that you can get one arrival if you have a valid passport and 2 passport photographs. I am more interested to know about long term stay as I am looking into leaving Thailand where I have lived for 4 years and maybe moving to Laos as I can speak Thai and Laotian isn't too different to my knowledge.

I have read that you can extend your stay at $2 a day or something, how does the system work and what hoops would I have to jump through to stay in Laos for an extended period of time?

[Tomtomtom69]

You can either get a couple of extensions, then start doing visa runs or just do visa runs, which you could do almost indefinitely (the Laotians don't seem to have cracked down on visa runners yet - I met a Vietnamese guy at the border late last year whom I drove across the bridge who was living and working illegally in Laos on 30-day stamps - he would hop on a bus down to the Friendship Bridge every 30 days to renew his stay).

But a better option would be to get employed where you can easily qualify for a business visa that allows work - I have no experience with those visas personally as I've never worked in Laos (only done business there) but my understanding is it's easy to get a 3, 6 or 12-month renewable work visa with a company sponsoring you.

[TomTom55]

You can either get a couple of extensions, then start doing visa runs or just do visa runs, which you could do almost indefinitely (the Laotians don't seem to have cracked down on visa runners yet - I met a Vietnamese guy at the border late last year whom I drove across the bridge who was living and working illegally in Laos on 30-day stamps - he would hop on a bus down to the Friendship Bridge every 30 days to renew his stay).

But a better option would be to get employed where you can easily qualify for a business visa that allows work - I have no experience with those visas personally as I've never worked in Laos (only done business there) but my understanding is it's easy to get a 3, 6 or 12-month renewable work visa with a company sponsoring you.

Thanks for the information Tom, so Laos is like Thailand was 3+ years ago with regards to visa runs. Literally hop out in and back in again. Is this every 30 days or can you say get a 30 day tourist visa and then extend it to 60 days?

I would love to apply for a business visa, my talent is within graphic design but I do not know if that will be much use in Laos to be honest. What would be the best trade to get into as a foreigner in Laos? Also, I have only heard this as hearsay, but is Laotian somewhat similar to the Thai language, because if that is the case I will already have a head start with learning the language which could help business wise.

[phuketrichard]

$35/month for visa is not to bad

Cambodia is $285 for a 1 year visa ( $23.75/month)

speaking lao is somewhat similar but......diferent ( writing is not the same)

I was just up there last week for 2 weeks an all over the country.

why are u thinking of moving there?

not much to do.

After 4 trips in the past 3 years with my car cant see moving from Thailand to there unless you had a good job to keep u busy.

Note; hope u like Chinese people too as they are all over the country

Edited July 23, 2013 by phuketrichard

[TomTom55]

$35/month for visa is not to bad

Cambodia is $285 for a 1 year visa ( $23.75/month)

speaking lao is somewhat similar but......diferent ( writing is not the same)

I was just up there last week for 2 weeks an all over the country.

why are u thinking of moving there?

not much to do.

After 4 trips in the past 3 years with my car cant see moving from Thailand to there unless you had a good job to keep u busy.

Note; hope u like Chinese people too as they are all over the country

Not really looking to do crazy things, my days of doing crazy things are over, I like a quiet meal with a few drinks, a bike ride, reading, these kinds of things. I have burnt myself out quickly and have fashioned myself into a middle aged man already somehow. I also have no problems with ethnicity, it would make logical sense for there to be a lot of Chinese people there considering how close it is to China. There are quite a few Chinese or 50-50 Thai and Chinese here though anyway, my best friend is half Thai and half Chinese.

I can speak Thai pretty much fluently but I can only read and write a little, so the fact that Laotian is written quite differently doesn't matter

I wondering still what would be best for an extended stay, monthly visa run or trying to get a job, doing something :/ I have no idea what though. Can you suggest any places that would be good to go and stay in for the first month or 2? How is the internet in hotels and guest houses over there as well if anybody can shed some light on that?

[TomTom55]

$35/month for visa is not to bad

Cambodia is $285 for a 1 year visa ( $23.75/month)

speaking lao is somewhat similar but......diferent ( writing is not the same)

I was just up there last week for 2 weeks an all over the country.

why are u thinking of moving there?

not much to do.

After 4 trips in the past 3 years with my car cant see moving from Thailand to there unless you had a good job to keep u busy.

Note; hope u like Chinese people too as they are all over the country

Not really looking to do crazy things, my days of doing crazy things are over, I like a quiet meal with a few drinks, a bike ride, reading, these kinds of things. I have burnt myself out quickly and have fashioned myself into a middle aged man already somehow. I also have no problems with ethnicity, it would make logical sense for there to be a lot of Chinese people there considering how close it is to China. There are quite a few Chinese or 50-50 Thai and Chinese here though anyway, my best friend is half Thai and half Chinese.

I can speak Thai pretty much fluently but I can only read and write a little, so the fact that Laotian is written quite differently doesn't matter

I wondering still what would be best for an extended stay, monthly visa run or trying to get a job, doing something :/ I have no idea what though. Can you suggest any places that would be good to go and stay in for the first month or 2? How is the internet in hotels and guest houses over there as well if anybody can shed some light on that?

[phuketrichard]

having just travlled to Laos via Chaing Kong- Meung sing- Luang Namtha- Luaang Prabang- Phonsavan- Vientainne.

internet everywhere , not as fast as Thailand but good enough

If u just are into relaxing an having a drink on the river an slow way of life Luang Prabang or Vientainne would be fine,

plenty of good inexpensive gh's ($10-20 for air con and wifi) less for fan

plenty of decent local and western rests with good food from $3-7/meal

As far as work, ..... i know a few people that do work up there but all got their jobs before they arrived

LP -Vientainne is an 8-10 hour bus ride

[TomTom55]

having just travlled to Laos via Chaing Kong- Meung sing- Luang Namtha- Luaang Prabang- Phonsavan- Vientainne.

internet everywhere , not as fast as Thailand but good enough

If u just are into relaxing an having a drink on the river an slow way of life Luang Prabang or Vientainne would be fine,

plenty of good inexpensive gh's ($10-20 for air con and wifi) less for fan

plenty of decent local and western rests with good food from $3-7/meal

As far as work, ..... i know a few people that do work up there but all got their jobs before they arrived

LP -Vientainne is an 8-10 hour bus ride

Thank you very much for this information

Back in my home country and when I first came to Thailand I was really quite reckless, I would party a lot and do a lot of things you would expect somebody in their teens and early 20's to do, but now at age 25 I have totally flipped on that. I would love to just relax next to the Mekong and get on with whatever I happen to be doing. I don't mind fan rooms to be honest and I am one of the lucky few who do not get bitten by mosquito's.

I would expect that I will probably get the train up to Non kai and then enter into Vientainne then and stay there for a while and see what it's like. I assume a lot of guesthouses, like in Thailand have a price per day and also a price for monthly stays which often works out more value for money?

One last question to you Phuketrichard, the people you know who already had jobs secured before heading that way, what were the jobs that they had? Do you literally inquire over the internet to get a sponsor for such a thing?

To note, basically I can see the way Thailand is heading, especially where I live in Hua Hin. Yes it is a nice contrast of tourism and keeping things cultural, but it is expanding at such a rapid rate and has a huge influx of tourists that seems to grow each year. I would prefer to get away from all of that and remain somewhere with more solitude. I also hear that beer Lao is a lot nicer than any beer or larger in Thailand, I am pretty sure Thailand produces the worst beer in SE Asia

[callao]

extention of stays at $2 a day is double just renewing your visa every month, you can get a 1 year multi entry visa if you have a connection $35X 12 $420, not a lot of western style rooms and apartments available and those are somewhat overpriced, doubt if you can get anything close to what you pay in Hua Hin, and a monthly visa takes 1 1/4 pages per month so they fill your passport up pretty quick, no Tesco lotus 7-11 or any supermarkets so its different there, but good beer, good golf in Vientiane, and decent nightlife as well, but out of the bigger cities its quite primative

[TomTom55]

extention of stays at $2 a day is double just renewing your visa every month, you can get a 1 year multi entry visa if you have a connection $35X 12 $420, not a lot of western style rooms and apartments available and those are somewhat overpriced, doubt if you can get anything close to what you pay in Hua Hin, and a monthly visa takes 1 1/4 pages per month so they fill your passport up pretty quick, no Tesco lotus 7-11 or any supermarkets so its different there, but good beer, good golf in Vientiane, and decent nightlife as well, but out of the bigger cities its quite primative

To be honest I am not too bothered about western style rooms and at the moment I am in a pretty nice guesthouse for 5,000฿ a month and the electricity and water comes to about 600฿. Anything in that price range would be fine tbh, as long has it has a bed, fridge, internet and somewhere to shower I am not too bothered.

If they do not have any tesco or 7/11 stores I assume everything is bought at markets? That is not much of an issue as I by most of my things at markets as it is, I prefer the quality of the produce that way. I don't play golf but good to know and I am not too much into clubs anymore, I once was an avid clubber and raver but not anymore, a pub or restaurant will suffice. Also my passport has seen better days as there was an incident a couple of years ago involving it, a drunk friend and the ocean, so getting a new one is no problem and I know it isn't too much of a task to do these days.

I have a few questions still come to think about it if people can fill me on them that would be great.

>Are there pharmacies easy to access in and around the towns?

>I have a motorbike, can I ride it legally in Laos?

>Also still the question about work, what type of jobs could I apply for and my Thai girlfriend, I assume finding work for her would not be too difficult? She is from Issan so can speak a dialect similar to Laotian as it is.

[phuketrichard]

all the people that i know that work there have years of expeince, (ngo, schools, big foreign companies) and you wont have that so u or ur gf chances for jobs are slim, Better off in Camboida where u can pick up teaching gigs pretty easily for $10/hour an easier visas.

in fact, i suspect ur gf will have zero chance of getting a job unless she is eduated and has a good profession.

Note she gets a free 30 day visa waiver on arrival

You can find gh is Vientaine and or LP that the rooms are average $5-8/day for a fan room, Wifi everywhere.

May not be 7/11's but in these 2 towns plenty of mini marts

You can legally, ( if its in ur name an u have the book) take ur bike into Laos but u will need purchase insurance and ONLY for 30 days

homes outside both cities can be rented for good prices ( $300-400)

[Tomtomtom69]

You can either get a couple of extensions, then start doing visa runs or just do visa runs, which you could do almost indefinitely (the Laotians don't seem to have cracked down on visa runners yet - I met a Vietnamese guy at the border late last year whom I drove across the bridge who was living and working illegally in Laos on 30-day stamps - he would hop on a bus down to the Friendship Bridge every 30 days to renew his stay).

But a better option would be to get employed where you can easily qualify for a business visa that allows work - I have no experience with those visas personally as I've never worked in Laos (only done business there) but my understanding is it's easy to get a 3, 6 or 12-month renewable work visa with a company sponsoring you.

Thanks for the information Tom, so Laos is like Thailand was 3+ years ago with regards to visa runs. Literally hop out in and back in again. Is this every 30 days or can you say get a 30 day tourist visa and then extend it to 60 days?

I would love to apply for a business visa, my talent is within graphic design but I do not know if that will be much use in Laos to be honest. What would be the best trade to get into as a foreigner in Laos? Also, I have only heard this as hearsay, but is Laotian somewhat similar to the Thai language, because if that is the case I will already have a head start with learning the language which could help business wise.

There are a couple of foreign graphic design companies with foreigners working in them in Laos (all of course only in Vientiane) or you could start up your own company like many entrepreneurs there do. Get in touch with one of the foreign Chambers (mostly from western countries as the Chinese and Vietnamese ones are <deleted>) and they'll be able to put you in contact with the right companies.

While you could get away with frequent visa runs, unless you're Thai, Swiss, Luxembourg, Russian, South Korean, Vietnamese, Japanese or a citizen of any other ASEAN country except Myanmar, you'll use up too many pages for the 1 page visa. Those citizens mentioned get visa free entry for 15-30 days thus only requiring a stamp. I am pretty sure that both types of visas can be extended, not sure what the limit is though but I heard it's about US$3 a day or equivalent in Kip/Baht and I'm pretty sure that if you got the dollars, they'll be able to give you the stamp. But as already mentioned it's better if you try to line up some kind of job or business as then you'll be pretty well covered.

[Tomtomtom69]

all the people that i know that work there have years of expeince, (ngo, schools, big foreign companies) and you wont have that so u or ur gf chances for jobs are slim, Better off in Camboida where u can pick up teaching gigs pretty easily for $10/hour an easier visas.

in fact, i suspect ur gf will have zero chance of getting a job unless she is eduated and has a good profession.

Note she gets a free 30 day visa waiver on arrival

You can find gh is Vientaine and or LP that the rooms are average $5-8/day for a fan room, Wifi everywhere.

May not be 7/11's but in these 2 towns plenty of mini marts

You can legally, ( if its in ur name an u have the book) take ur bike into Laos but u will need purchase insurance and ONLY for 30 days

homes outside both cities can be rented for good prices ( $300-400)

There are plenty of Thais working in Laos, including one I know that works for a car rental agency there. You may not realize who is Thai and who is Lao. Anyway, Laos is not like any other country in the region, tons of foreigners, mainly from neighboring countries do all sorts of work there and in fact, most Chinese companies don't employ a single Lao worker as they are considered lazy and there is a shortage of both skilled and unskilled labor in Laos anyway. Most Chinese cities alone have more people than the whole of Laos.

However, if you just bring along your Thai wife and apply for work in some Lao company, her chances may not be that great given the relative lack of jobs and probably a fair bit of competition for work from both local skilled Laotians and skilled foreigners in Vientiane. However, if you network with some people locally and/or start something yourself, then every chance she could work in Laos. However, what skills does she have? There would be little chance if she is not degree educated and has some solid work experience and a drive to succeed.

However, the Thais don't have much of a presence in Laos surprisingly - this is evidenced by the lack of Thai script on billboards and signs anywhere. It's the Vietnamese and the Chinese that are everywhere and I was reading a newspaper report in the Vientiane Times when I was there last month that mentioned there were thousands of illegal workers, mostly from these 2 nations, that were working as unskilled laborers some of them even doing jobs "reserved" for Lao citizens such as being scrap metal collectors! This may seem unbelievable from a Thai perspective, but in Laos nearly anything goes.

Edited July 24, 2013 by Tomtomtom69

[Tomtomtom69]

$35/month for visa is not to bad

Cambodia is $285 for a 1 year visa ( $23.75/month)

speaking lao is somewhat similar but......diferent ( writing is not the same)

I was just up there last week for 2 weeks an all over the country.

why are u thinking of moving there?

not much to do.

After 4 trips in the past 3 years with my car cant see moving from Thailand to there unless you had a good job to keep u busy.

Note; hope u like Chinese people too as they are all over the country

Well it's all relative - Laos is an open country and allows residents or tourists to drive cars from neighboring or even far away countries into their country with very few restrictions (unlike Vietnam for example). The Chinese have a big presence especially in northern Laos as it's close to their border while the Vietnamese are all over the south - there are far fewer Chinese there. I've noticed more Thai tourists driving their cars in Laos then even Chinese ones though but the Chinese are represented in Laos as traders and business people too whereas the Thais are almost only tourists (except for a few Thai hydropower projects and road construction projects where Thai engineers, foremen etc. drive in their cars).

But in general I find Laos to be a very nice country and if you can speak Thai you'll find the language very similar of course as the demeanor of the people - I much prefer Laos over say Cambodia, though Cambodia has undoubtedly the best visa system on the planet.

I also don't find Laos boring at all - there are enough restaurants and bars to keep you busy in Vientiane for a bit but after a while you'd definitely want to make stronger connections with local people (both locals and resident expats) and start working in some capacity.

[phuketrichard]

after driving around for two weeks only saw one or two thai cars BUT plenty of Chinese ones ( as well as Motorcycles) as far south as Vientaine

Lots of westerners on thai bikes ( 500 cc an up) as well

As far as cars/bkes go Thailand is the most open as will allow anyone in with the correct paperwork for 30 days

To bad we cant take thai cars into China but the chinese can take their cars into Thailand

I know this most likely does not apply to the OP (cause it would take money) but have met Farangs in most cities i visited that had small busienss ( usually rests and/ or tour agencies)

[anotheruser]

$35/month for visa is not to bad

Cambodia is $285 for a 1 year visa ( $23.75/month)

speaking lao is somewhat similar but......diferent ( writing is not the same)

I was just up there last week for 2 weeks an all over the country.

why are u thinking of moving there?

not much to do.

After 4 trips in the past 3 years with my car cant see moving from Thailand to there unless you had a good job to keep u busy.

Note; hope u like Chinese people too as they are all over the country

Writing in Lao is similar to Thai and much easier than writing Thai. If you can write Thai it will take at the most 2 weeks to learn the Lao script.

[anotheruser]

Phuketrichard has no idea what he is talking about. Just go to Laos on a tourist visa and test the waters. How you renew this doesn't matter, new visa or extensions. you will fly under the radar until you have some type of holdings or substantial income. The first two years in Laos are the hardest and if you can adjust it is smooth sailing from there. Regarding Farang guys who come to Lao with Thai girls, that is something I have seen and if you want more honest advice on that matter you can private message me.

As I said just go to Laos on a tourist visa and get to know how it works, where to buy things and who you have to pay if you are planning to stay for a long time. You will most likely need to bring some cash and make your own business if you are serious about it.

I do know some things about Laos and would be happy to share them in a pm I do not cross post on every SE Asian board and pretend to know about all Asian countries like some members here.

Graphic design isn't going to pay your bills in Laos unless you are going to open your own company and even then you better be the best.

Visa laws in Lao are tightening up but in my estimation you could come here and pull off a two year stay. I stayed in Don Det for around five years, on tourist visas. For the past two years they cracked down a little bit and I had to fly above the radar. The more people that come to Laos the harder this will become to do.

If you want to communicate with me pm me your email and I would be happy enough to tell you my thoughts on the matter.

[banned1000]

yes laos and thai are very similar but it is easy to tell the difference. if he can string two words together without lying he is most likely thai.