Normally i would recommend ignoring all the taxis/touts at VTE and walk out toward the street where transportation will be about half the cost. However at 9PM I'm not sure that will offer you much opportunity.

Also, be wary of ATMs. It's been a year since my last visit, so things could have changed, but for several years, since Laos got their first ATM (2006?), max withdrawal was 700K Kip with a 20K Kip service fee. Rather steep.

Cash exchange at a bank is your best bet.

This was great advice. Visa On Arrival cost $35 USD, with an addition $1 because I did not have a passport photo. That didn't mean they took a photo, only that they took an addituion $1. The lady in front of me was German; for her Visa On Arrival cost $30 USD. Every country can be different. Took about 5-10 minutes to clear immigration, less than I spend at BKK. I changed $20 USD at the airport (=160600 kip) to pay the taxi fare into town which was 50000 kip as I recall.

Edited to add: Visa is for 30 days, single entry into Lao P.D.R.

Canadians get hit for $42. Germans pay $30. Everyone else falls somewhere in between.

Bump! I was wondering if anyone had up to date info in the Laos VOA process. I will arrive Dec 13. Does anyone know how much I need in USD (traveling on a USA Passport) and how many passport pics?

Thanks FTers!

Anyone have any recent experience with Laos VOA? The US website says 2 passport photos and $35, which seems easy enough, but I'd like to hear others' experience getting into Laos.

I went this past July, and it's the same as what the others have reported for US citizens. I described the process at LPQ on my blog (last paragraphs). I only gave them one passport picture. At LPQ, there's a chart with all the countries listed and the visa prices at the payment window. It was a fairly easy and painless process.

Well... No extra photo it is!

Only one passport photo needed. But if you don't have one, be prepared to pay whatever "fine/bribe" they ask. The American behind me in the queue got stung for $10 extra, but I've heard of others being asked for only $1 more.

I am in Laos now, (September 2015) and arrived into Vientiane airport on Lao airline from Bangkok. I got a Visa on arrival. It cost me $35.00 USD (as an American) and they require ONE passport photo. Very fast process, I was through the airport in less than 20 minutes. I did not have any checked baggage.

In the arrival area they have a desk where you go to for a taxi. They also have ATM's there, and a Lao Telecom booth where you can get a sim card for your phone. I got a sim with 1250 MG of data and some phone time for about $10 or 12 USD (I forget now) but it will be all I need for 10 days here.

Any recent experiences on Laos Visas? For a USA passport is visa on arrival very different from doing in advance for e visa?

Looks like the answer is no but any feedback re: getting an e-visa in advance or just VoA? The former looks pretty painless, just a fee of USD 51+ in advance and upload of photo and passport images. The latter requires a form (probably same info as the e-visa), 2 photos (some anecdotal reports say not even required), + USD41-42 in clean U.S. cash. May or may not be any time savings with either (seems it can go either way).

FWIW, spoke to my neighbour who fled (or was asked by family to flee) Laos as a teenager in the aftermath of the American war (as the Viets like to call it). He said that when he was quite a bit younger and wanted to return for a visit, the Laotian consulate wherever he applied wouldn't give him a visa, and his advice to us was to just use VoA (which he uses to this day, and will be in Laos in upcoming weeks). He tells us his older brother remained in Vientiane and build a R/E empire on the cheap buying those desperate to flee.

I am used to the e-visa. Easy, quick and save time at the airport.

I'm going to do the same. Here is the official site: https://www.laoevisa.gov.la/index

I'm told they can be quite fussy about the photos you upload so take care to follow the photo instructions.

...and you can save more time by completing the e-arrival form online within 7 days of your arrival...https://www.arrival.gov.kh/

That is a link to a Cambodian site. This thread is about Laos.