Resumption of routine American Citizen Services
The U.S. Embassy in Vientiane is now able to offer in-person appointments for passports, Consular Reports of Birth Abroad (CRBA), and notary services. Please use our online system to request passport and notarial appointments here. For CRBA services please follow the instructions here to apply via our new electronic CRBA Application process.
The U.S. Embassy is only able to admit individuals who have scheduled appointments. Individuals who cannot schedule an appointment online but think they have qualifying reasons for an expedited appointment request, should contact us at CONSLAO@state.gov. Failure to obtain an appointment or to arrive on time may result in being denied entry. If you are not feeling well on the day of your appointment, please reschedule.
Day of Appointment Instructions:
Please arrive only at your listed appointment time – do not arrive early. Customers who arrive more than 15 minutes after their appointment time may be asked to reschedule. Follow the directions of the U.S. Embassy guards.
- Have your Passport and/or government-issued ID ready and easily accessible.
- Ensure you have all necessary forms/documents completed and ready to present at check-in.
- If you arrive more than 15 minutes before or after your appointment you may not be permitted to enter.
Lao Visa Extension
All foreigners in Laos must continue to maintain a valid visa. Those who do not maintain a valid visa could face penalties of at least $10 per day in overstay fines or possible prison time in severe cases or if you are unable to pay.
The Department of Immigration, Foreigner Control, and Visa Extension will extend visas for 30 days. As of February 19, 2021, the extension fee is 20,000 Lao kip (LAK) per day with an additional 30,000 LAK document fee. The total cost for a 30-day extension is currently 630,000 LAK (approximately $68).
In general, the Lao Immigration authority may forgive visa overstay fees if:
- The overstay is relatively short
- The overstay is self-reported (as opposed to Lao authorities learning of the overstay independently)
- There is a reasonable explanation for the overstay (e.g. hardship caused by COVID-19, etc.)
Alerts and Messages
See all Messages and Alerts for U.S. Visitors to Laos
