Visa Requirements
Do South African citizens need a visa for Laos?
Official Requirement
Visa on arrival
for South Africa citizens travelling to Laos
Many nationalities may obtain a tourist visa on arrival at major international airports and designated border crossings in Laos for a single entry. The initial stay permitted is 30 days, which may be extended for up to 60 additional days through the Department of Immigration in Vientiane.
Checked 8 September 2026
We are not a government authority. Requirements change without notice. Always verify with the official consulate link before travel.
Luang Prabang
The short answer
South African citizens can get a visa on arrival to enter Laos for stays of up to 30 days. A visa is issued at the border on arrival in Laos. Conditions: an eVisa can be applied for online instead of obtaining the visa at the border. The official portal describes three steps: fill in the application form, pay the fee by a secured payment method, and download the eVisa approval from your email. This covers tourist and short business visits only, not work, study or residence, and a border officer makes the final decision on entry in every case. Entry rules change without notice, so the requirement is read again from the official source on a schedule and the date above is the last time that happened. This was last checked on 8 September 2026.
At a glance
Key facts for South African citizens visiting Laos
- Requirement
- Visa on arrival
- Maximum stay
- Up to 30 days
- Conditions
- An eVisa can be applied for online instead of obtaining the visa at the border. The official portal describes three steps: fill in the application form, pay the fee by a secured payment method, and download the eVisa approval from your email.
- Official source
- Official source for this route →
Step by step
How South African citizens enter Laos
Check your passport is valid for the whole trip. Many countries also want it valid for a period beyond your departure date, so confirm the exact rule on the official page below.
Prepare for the border desk in Laos: the visa is issued on arrival, so bring whatever the official page lists, including a means to pay any fee.
Carry proof of onward or return travel and of where you are staying. Border officers ask for both, and an airline can refuse boarding without them.
Check the requirement again close to your departure date. This route was last checked on 8 September 2026, and rules change without notice.
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Exercise Caution
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Updated 2026-03-19
Practical Info
Travel Essentials
Apply for your Laos eVisa
Official eVisa application — processed in minutes with instant confirmation.
Questions
What South African citizens ask about entering Laos
Yes, but it is issued at the border. South African citizens can get a visa on arrival in Laos. This was last checked on 8 September 2026.
Up to 30 days on this entry route. A longer trip needs a different permission, which this page does not cover. A border officer decides the length granted on the day.
Through the official application page linked on this page. Yoogo does not process applications and takes no fee for them.
A passport valid for the trip, proof of onward or return travel, and proof of where you are staying. Officers can ask for evidence that you can support yourself for the visit. Entry is always the officer's decision, whatever the paperwork says.
Laos uses LAK. Check the rate before you exchange anything at the airport, where the spread is usually widest.
Changes to this route
No changes recorded since the first check on 8 September 2026.
Full change history for this route →