United States to Laos visa requirements

US passport holders need a visa for Laos. The easiest route is the official Lao eVisa applied for in advance online at laoevisa.gov.la (single entry, 30-day stay). Visa on arrival is also available at major airports and border crossings. A United States ordinary passport holder cannot enter Laos visa-free for tourism. A tourist visa is required, and there are two practical options. The recommended route is the official Lao eVisa, obtained online before travel at the government portal (laoevisa.gov.la); it is a single-entry visa allowing a stay of up to 30 days, with the visa valid for 60 days from issue (you must enter within that window). Standard government processing is about 3 working days. The total cost is the visa fee for US nationals (around USD 35-40) plus a small online processing/service fee, generally landing near USD 40-50. Alternatively, a visa on arrival is available to US citizens at designated international airports (Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Pakse) and several friendship-bridge land crossings, typically also granting a 30-day stay; this requires queueing and paying cash on arrival and is more variable. The passport must be valid for at least six months from the date of entry and have at least two blank pages. Tourist stays can be extended by up to 30-60 additional days at the Department of Immigration in Vientiane (roughly USD 2 per day). The eVisa is recommended for predictability and to avoid land-border touts and cash-only situations. Laos is not in the Schengen area, so Schengen 90/180 and ETIAS rules do not apply.