Vietnam to Laos visa requirements

Vietnamese ordinary passport holders can enter Laos visa-free for tourism for up to 30 days. No visa, eVisa, or pre-registration is required for short stays. Vietnam and Laos, both ASEAN member states, maintain a bilateral visa-exemption agreement (in force since 5 March 2004) under which holders of Vietnamese ordinary passports may enter Laos without a visa and stay for up to 30 days per visit for tourism, family visits, or short business. Entry is permitted at international airports and land border checkpoints. The passport must be valid for at least six months from the date of entry and contain blank pages for the entry/exit stamps. No fee, application, or advance approval is needed for the visa-free stay. Travelers who plan to stay longer than 30 days, or whose purpose is not covered by the exemption, should obtain a Lao eVisa in advance through the official government portal (laoevisa.gov.la); Vietnamese nationals pay a reduced eVisa fee of USD 35. Laos is not part of the Schengen area, so the Schengen 90/180 rule and ETIAS do not apply. Because the 30-day exemption is per entry, travelers needing a longer continuous stay must either exit and re-enter or hold a visa; overstaying incurs daily fines at departure.