Visas, borders and practical travel in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos
Visas and entry
Visas for Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos
Three countries, three different systems. Vietnam leans on its e-visa and a growing exemption list, Cambodia still issues visas on arrival at most borders, and Laos splits its e-visa ports away from its land borders with both neighbours. This page puts them side by side.
Contents
The entry systems side by side
| Vietnam | Cambodia | Laos | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official e-visa portal | evisa.gov.vn | evisa.gov.kh | laoevisa.gov.la |
| E-visa stay | Up to 90 days, single or multiple entry | 30 days from entry | 30 days; letter valid 60 days from approval |
| E-visa fee | USD 25 single, USD 50 multiple | USD 30 plus USD 6 processing | Shown by the portal fee calculator |
| Visa on arrival | Not the normal route for tourists; use the e-visa | Yes, at airports and most land borders, USD 30 | Yes, at three airports and some land borders, about USD 35 to 50 |
| Visa exemption | Up to 45 days for a list of nationalities | Not covered here | Not covered here |
| Passport validity | Six months after arrival, two blank pages | Six months after arrival | Six months; more than 180 days for the e-visa |
| E-visa at land borders with neighbours | Yes, at listed gates only | Bavet and Trapeang Kriel | No |
Fees are what the official schedule or the cited source states; agencies that apply for you charge on top. Fee, stay length and the list of accepted ports are the three things most likely to change. Check them on the portal in the week you apply.
Sources: UK Foreign Office — Vietnam entry requirements; Circular 62/2023/TT-BTC on visa charges, LuatVietnam text; Travelfish — Vietnam visas (independent guide); UK Foreign Office — Cambodia entry requirements; Travelfish — Cambodia visas and borders (independent guide); Lao eVisa official portal — FAQ; UK Foreign Office — Laos entry requirements; Travelfish — Laos visas and border crossings (independent guide) · last checked .
Pick the document from the border, not the other way round
The usual mistake is to apply for every e-visa available and then plan the route. In this region it works better the other way: decide how you will cross each border, then choose the document that is accepted there.
- Write the route as a list of crossings: for example, Hanoi airport in, Lao Bao by bus, Wattay airport out.
- For each crossing, check the border tables for which documents it takes.
- Where an e-visa is accepted, apply for it; on Vietnam's application, name the exact gates you will use.
- Where only a visa on arrival is issued, carry clean US dollar notes and a spare passport photo.
- Where neither is reliably issued, get a visa from an embassy or consulate before you set out.
An approval letter for the wrong country, wrong port or wrong dates is the most common reason travellers are sent back from a land border. Print it, and check the passport number on it digit by digit.
Passport checks that apply everywhere
All three countries want at least six months of validity left on arrival. The UK Foreign Office adds two blank pages for Vietnam and Laos, and the Lao e-visa portal asks for more than 180 days of validity, which is slightly stricter than six months. A passport that is damaged or has missing pages is normally refused entry to Cambodia, according to the same advice.
If you are crossing several borders in one trip, count stamps. A Vietnam e-visa, a Cambodian visa and a Lao visa on arrival each take space, and a full passport at the last border is a problem no portal can fix.
Sources: UK Foreign Office — Vietnam entry requirements; UK Foreign Office — Cambodia entry requirements; UK Foreign Office — Laos entry requirements; Lao eVisa official portal — FAQ · last checked .
Country pages
Each country has a page with the full rules, the ports, the fees, the failure cases and the official links.
- Vietnam visa and entry rules — e-visa, the exemption list, binding entry and exit gates, customs limits.
- Cambodia visa and entry rules — visa on arrival, e-visa ports, the e-Arrival card, overstay.
- Laos visa and entry rules — e-visa ports, visa on arrival, the arrival form, extensions.
What this section does not cover
Business, work, student and residence visas follow different rules in each country and change often. So do the arrangements for people who leave a country and come straight back to restart a stay. If that is your plan, read the immigration authority's own pages or ask the embassy. These pages are written for tourists on a single trip who will leave within their permitted stay.
Common questions
Questions readers ask
Can I get all three visas online before I leave?
You can get e-visas for all three, but the Lao e-visa is only accepted at airports and at crossings from Thailand and China. If you enter Laos overland from Vietnam or Cambodia, an e-visa does not help.
Do I need a multiple-entry visa for Vietnam?
Only if you will leave Vietnam and come back on the same trip, for example Hanoi to Laos and back into central Vietnam. A single-entry e-visa ends when you exit.
Should I use an agency website to apply?
The official portals are the only places to apply online. Agency sites can submit for you, but they charge more than the government fee and some copy the look of the official portal. Check the web address ends in gov.vn, gov.kh or gov.la.
What currency do I pay a visa on arrival in?
US dollars in Cambodia and Laos. Bring clean, untorn notes in small denominations; damaged notes may be refused.
Related
Read next
Visas and entry · Vietnam
Vietnam visa
The Vietnamese e-visa, the visa-exemption list, which gates accept it, and the customs limits.
Visas and entry · Cambodia
Cambodia visa
Cambodian visa on arrival, the e-visa and where it works, the e-Arrival card and overstay rules.
Visas and entry · Laos
Laos visa
The Lao e-visa and its ports, visa on arrival, the online arrival form, extensions and overstays.
Getting across
Border crossings
Crossing-by-crossing tables for Vietnam–Cambodia, Vietnam–Laos and Cambodia–Laos, with sources and dates.
Getting across
Getting between
Flights, buses and boats between the three countries, with journey times and the new Cambodian airports.
Independent travel handbook
Home
Start here: the guide to entry rules, border crossings, money and seasons across the three countries.
Start planning
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