The arrivals terminal at Wattay International Airport in Vientiane. - VT
VIENTIANE: The Ministry of Public Security will launch a trial of its new online arrival registration system on Monday (Sept 1), marking a shift away from the traditional paper-based immigration forms for foreign passport holders.
The online registration form will be available in Lao, English and Chinese, which all foreigners are required to submit within three days before arrival and departure through the official website www.immigration.gov.la.
A notice issued by the Immigration Police Department under the ministry’s General Department of Public Security states that the online registration system will be trialled at Wattay International Airport in Vientiane, Luang Prabang International Airport, Pakse International Airport, and the First Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge linking Vientiane and Thailand’s Nong Khai province.
The Immigration Police Department said the government plans to evaluate the system over the trial period, with full nationwide implementation targeted for 2026.
Using the online platform, travellers will need to provide passport and visa details, travel plans, and their intended address in Laos.
The new system applies to all foreign nationals entering the country by air or land.
However, Thai citizens entering Laos on a border pass instead of a passport will be exempt from online registration during the trial period.
Lao citizens and foreign nationals who have been granted permanent residency in Laos are also exempt from registering online and can continue to pass through immigration as normal.
Moving the immigration process online reduces errors, enhances accuracy, and speeds up the clearance process. Pre-arrival registration allows faster processing, especially during peak travel times.
The scheme follows on from Thailand’s introduction of the same system in May this year.
It also builds on Laos’ digital identity and governance initiatives, such as the planned nationwide use of chip-based ID systems. - Vientiane Times/ANN
