img#mv-trellis-img-1::before{padding-top:66.666666666667%; }img#mv-trellis-img-1{display:block;}img#mv-trellis-img-2::before{padding-top:100%; }img#mv-trellis-img-2{display:block;}img#mv-trellis-img-3::before{padding-top:100%; }img#mv-trellis-img-3{display:block;}img#mv-trellis-img-4::before{padding-top:100%; }img#mv-trellis-img-4{display:block;}img#mv-trellis-img-5::before{padding-top:100%; }img#mv-trellis-img-5{display:block;}img#mv-trellis-img-6::before{padding-top:100%; }img#mv-trellis-img-6{display:block;}It seems the era of low-bureaucracy travel is officially over. After the United Kingdom rolled out its ETA back in January, affecting all Americans, and Saint Kitts and Nevis followed suit in recent weeks, the next country to introduce a digital entry permit is the laid-back Laos:
One of the most welcoming nations in Southeast Asia, the ‘Land of a Million Elephants’ will be adding a mandatory step for all Americans, and any foreign traveler who’s visiting for tourism.
In addition to applying for the e-Visa or a Visa On Arrival, they will now need to complete the Lao Digital Immigration Form (LDIF), an arrival card that must be presented to border officers upon arrival.
New Digital Arrival Card Required For Travelers Arriving in Laos
According to the official statement put out by the Department of Immigration of Laos, ‘all foreign nationals and stateless people’ entering Laos are now required to complete a digital arrival card at the agency’s official website.
This applies not only to when they enter the country, but also when they leave, and in both instances, it must be done at least three days before the intended date of arrival and departure.
It’s unclear at this point whether you can be barred from boarding your flight, right at your point of departure, for failing to produce a completed arrival card.
However, it has been suggested that non-compliant travelers will not be allowed into the country until they’ve finalized the procedure.
Checklist For Going To Laos In 2025
This has been the new guideline as of September 1, 2025.
In sum, as a U.S. passport holder, you need to ensure you have all the following documentation when traveling to Laos:
- A valid passport with at least two full blank pages for entry and exit stamps
- An e-Visa, or a means of purchasing a Visa On Arrival, when landing in the country
- The completed Arrival Card
- Upon exit, a completed Departure Card
What Information Is Required By Laos Authorities?
As far as forms go, the Arrival/Exit Cards are exceedingly detailed, with the following information being required:
Arrival Checkpoint
- Airport or port of entry
- Arrival date
Personal Information
- Full name
- Gender
- Date of birth
- Place of birth
- Nationality
- Occupation
- Country of origin
- Phone number
Passport Information
- Passport number
- Date of issue
- Expiry date
- Country of issue
- Copy of passport information page
- A selfie of the applicant holding their passport open on the information (photo) page
Purpose of Entry:
- Options include Diplomatic or Official Visit, Business, Tourism, or Transit
Means of Transportation
- Air, car, or bus
- Number of means of transportation
Travel Details
- Country of origin
- Inform them whether you’re traveling with a group or not
Visa Information
- Type of visa requested
- Visa number (if an e-Visa or other form of visa has already been obtained in advance)
- Date and place of visa issuance (if applicable)
- A photo of the valid visa (if applicable)
Address In Laos
- Name of accommodation or hotel
- Province
- District
- Municipality
- Intended check-in date
- Intended check-out date
Were it not for the absence of financial details, we wouldn’t blame you for thinking this lengthy questionnaire looks, well, like a full visa application.
The good part is that it is completely free (as of now), and once submitted and approved, travelers will be issued a QR code that must then be scanned at the border gate upon arrival in Laos.
Less Wait At Laotian Airports
Currently, only 4 airports are impacted, those being Wattay International, which serves the national capital, Vientiane, Luang Prabang International, the main gateway to the namesake, culture-loaded province, Pakse (in the Champasak Province), and the First Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge.
The latter is a land crossing from Nong Khai, in Thailand, to Vientiane.
The goal is to introduce the new measure at all of Laos’ international entry points, but full coverage is only likely to be achieved in 2026.
As the Government has put it, this new system will reduce waiting lines upon arrival, as it will do away with physical forms and unnecessary queuing, and it will also make the job of border officers a lot easier, as much of the information they require from travelers will be transmitted beforehand.
Of course, there are always two ways this could go: either a significant improvement in the border experience or a bureaucratic nightmare. I guess we’ll see how it all pans out now that it’s in place, and after the first batch of incoming travelers reports back on their experience.
In the meantime, make sure you keep up to date with our TOP Entry Requirement Checker to verify entry and stay regulations at your destination.
Vinicius CostaVini, our senior lead writer at Travel Off Path, has over 60+ countries under his belt (and currently weaving tales from Paris!), and a knack for turning off-the-beaten-path experiences into informative stories that will have you packing your bags.
The Travel Off Path Advantage: Your Travel Toolkit
/* Scoped Styles for the Promo Box to prevent theme conflicts */
.top-promo-wrapper-v2 {
font-family: ‘Poppins’, sans-serif;
max-width: 896px;
margin: 2.5rem auto;
background-color: #ffffff;
padding: 2rem;
border-radius: 1.5rem; /* Increased for a softer look */
box-shadow: 0 10px 25px -5px rgba(0,0,0,0.1), 0 8px 10px -6px rgba(0,0,0,0.1);
border: 1px solid #e5e7eb;
}
.top-promo-grid-v2 {
display: grid;
grid-template-columns: repeat(1, minmax(0, 1fr));
gap: 1.5rem;
}
.top-promo-card-v2 {
display: block;
padding: 1.5rem;
border-radius: 1rem;
text-align: center;
border-width: 1px;
transition: transform 0.2s ease-in-out, box-shadow 0.2s ease-in-out;
text-decoration: none !important; /* FIX: Added !important to override theme styles */
}
.top-promo-card-v2:hover {
transform: translateY(-5px);
box-shadow: 0 10px 20px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);
text-decoration: none !important; /* FIX: Ensure no underline on hover */
}
.top-promo-card-v2 .icon-container {
display: flex;
justify-content: center;
margin-bottom: 0.75rem;
}
.top-promo-card-v2 .icon-circle {
width: 3rem;
height: 3rem;
border-radius: 9999px;
display: flex;
align-items: center;
justify-content: center;
}
.top-promo-card-v2 .icon-svg {
width: 1.5rem;
height: 1.5rem;
color: #ffffff;
}
.top-promo-card-v2 .icon-svg-fb {
width: 1.75rem;
height: 1.75rem;
color: #ffffff;
}
.top-promo-card-v2 h3 {
font-size: 1.25rem;
line-height: 1.75rem;
font-weight: 700;
margin: 0;
text-decoration: none !important; /* FIX: Prevent underline on child elements */
}
.top-promo-card-v2 p {
font-size: 0.9rem;
line-height: 1.4rem;
margin-top: 0.5rem;
color: #4b5563;
text-wrap: pretty;
text-decoration: none !important; /* FIX: Prevent underline on child elements */
}
/* Specific colors */
.top-promo-card-v2.purple { background-color: #faf5ff; border-color: #e9d5ff; }
.top-promo-card-v2.purple:hover { border-color: #c084fc; }
.top-promo-card-v2.purple .icon-circle { background-color: #7e22ce; }
.top-promo-card-v2.purple h3 { color: #5b21b6; }
/* Responsive grid for larger screens */
@media (min-width: 768px) {
.top-promo-grid-v2 {
grid-template-columns: repeat(2, minmax(0, 1fr));
}
/* Make the first card span the full width */
.top-promo-grid-v2 > a:first-child {
grid-column: span 2 / span 2;
}
}
Subscribe To Our Latest Posts
Enter your email address to subscribe to Travel Off Path’s latest breaking travel news, straight to your inbox.
Appeared first on: traveloffpath.com
