Visitors to Laos must obtain a visa from one of the Laotian diplomatic missions unless they are citizens from one of the visa-exempt countries or citizens eligible for a visa on arrival or an e-Visa. All visitors must hold a passport valid for 6 months.

According to the Ministry of Public Security of Laos, holders of ordinary passports of the following countries (including all ASEAN member states) may enter Laos without a visa for stays up to the duration listed below:

Holders of diplomatic, official or service passports issued by following countries may enter Laos without a visa for up to 30 days (unless otherwise noted):

_{D - Diplomatic passports only.
1 - 90 days
2 - 14 days}

According to IATA, the Passport Index, and the Henley Passport Index, citizens of Hong Kong SAR can enter Laos without a visa for 14 days.

The duration of stay of a visa obtained upon arrival in Laos is 30 days, and can be extended twice, for a maximum stay of 90 days. Visa extensions are handled by the province immigration office inside Laos for a fee.

The Laos e-Visa service was launched in July 2019. It is valid for 60 days from the date of issuance and its holders may stay for up to 30 days in Laos.

Travellers eligible for a visa on arrival or an e-Visa can enter Laos through one of the following ports of entry: