Cambodia – Laos
Cambodia – Laos
There is only one international border crossing between Laos and Cambodia. The border crossing on the Lao side is named Nong Nok Khiene and on the Cambodian side it is Trapaing Kreal. The border is located in the far south of the country in Champasak province and close to the 4000 Islands (Si Phan Don).
This border crossing is actually very easy. Some transport companies are not honest and want to make extra money with their ‘service’. There are also companies who don’t lie and offer the real service of being honest and informing people that you can easily get your visa done at the Cambodian-Lao border crossing yourself. Get the visa yourself and do not believe the stories that it is difficult to do it on your own. It simply is not difficult.
Visa on Arrival
Several countries (but not all) can get visa on arrival in both the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Laos) and the Kingdom of Cambodia (Cambodia).
Some visa prices:
– Canada: 42 USD
– China: 20 USD
– India: 40 USD
– Ireland: 35 USD
– Austria: 35 USD
– Cyprus: 35 USD
– Greece: 35 USD
– Iceland: 35 USD
– Italy: 35 USD
– Liechtenstein: 35 USD
– Monaco: 35 USD
– Portugal: 35 USD
– Spain: 35 USD
– USA: 35 USD
– Germany: 30 USD
– France: 30 USD
– Belgium: 35 USD
– the Netherlands: 35 USD
– Finland: free in 2018
– Denmark: free in 2018
– Norway: free in 2018
– Sweden: free in 2018
– United Kingdom: 35 USD
– Australia: 30 USD
– South Korea: 30 USD
– New Zealand: 30 USD
– Hongkong: 30 USD
– Czech Republic: 30 USD
– Taiwan (ROC): 30 USD
– Vietnam: 20 USD
Instructions entering Laos
Some instructions if you are coming from Cambodia and if you are entering Laos . You need to walk (it is about 300-400 meters) to the left of the big Cambodian customs building and go into the first entry on the right side. Give your passport to the police and wait what they say. They will ask you for a 2 USD ‘fee’ before giving back your passport. This is not official but seems to be ‘part of the game’. You can refuse but probably the transport company will not wait as long as you want and you might be stuck at the border (without many transport options and no guesthouses) or you have to arrange more expensive transport.
After being stamped out of the Kingdom of Cambodia walk another 500 meters to the Lao customs building. Stay on the right side of the road and ask the visa forms from the Lao Tax Department office you will see there (the window on the right side). Fill in the forms (the information you don’t know just don’t fill in) and hand it over to the same window together with the money for your visa. There is a price list and they stick to that (prices ranging from 42 USD for Canadian citizens to 20 USD for some others and even free in 2018 for citizens of Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway and Sweden. Some countries always get a free visa for 15 days as well: Switzerland and Luxembourg (see price list above).
After 16.00, before 8.00, on Lao national holidays and in the weekends there is a 1 USD overtime fee. That’s an official fee.
After that sit down and relax. The Lao police will take a look at your passport and give you a visa if all is fine. Before handing it back to you they probably ask for 2 USD. Not paying means probably a lot of waiting (same story as on Cambodian side).
What do you need for your visa
You need the following things to get your Lao visa on Arrival:
– Passport size photo (one)
– US Dollars
– Passport (which doesn’t expire within 6 months)