Visa on arrival at airport in LPQ.

by Dale Jung
(Sydney, Australia)

After I read all the questions and answers on your websites about visa on arrival either by land or air to Lao, I still have 1 question to ask. Could you please tell me a letter of approval for visa on arrival is not needed as some websites have said and they charge 50$ just to get a letter of approval.


Many thanks
Dale

Comments for Visa on arrival at airport in LPQ.

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Mar 11, 2013
 No approval letter needed for tourist visa
by: D.

Dale,

Thanks for stopping by.
It's a good question. Hope the following answer will also benefits others.

In normal circumstances getting Lao visa on arrival doesn't require a letter of approval provided that you're entitled to it, which you are as an Australian.

FYI: here is a list of nationalities not entitled to get Lao visa on arrival https://www.laos-guide-999.com/visa-on-arrival.html#noteligble

The letter of approval is required only when you apply for other type of visa such business visa, that you intend to get it on entry.

To get the letter of approval you need to have someone in Laos (employer or business partner) to submit the request to Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lao PDR in Vientiane and guarantee your employment or something like that before the ministry issues the letter of approval.

The process takes a long time (weeks or some times months).
If everyone intending to get Lao visa on arrival needed to get the approval letter, very few tourists would come to Laos.

So... the answer is NO, you don't need to get the approval letter to get the visa on arrival if you just come in as a tourist.

Hope this clears your doubt.

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