Beginning 1 September, Laos will launch a trial version of its new Digital Arrival Registration system, marking a shift away from the traditional paper-based immigration forms for all foreign passport holders.
The system is designed to streamline border procedures by requiring travelers to submit their information online within three days before both arrival and departure.
Through the online platform, travelers will need to provide key details such as passport information, visa data, travel plans, and their intended address while staying in Laos.
The new system applies to all foreign nationals entering the country by air or land.
However, Thai citizens who enter Laos using a Border Pass rather than a passport will be exempt from the online registration requirement during the trial period.
Lao citizens, as well as foreigners who have been granted permanent residency in Laos, are not required to register through the new platform. They can continue to pass through immigration checkpoints using the existing procedures.
The digital registration system will be available in Lao, English, and Chinese, and will initially be piloted at four key international entry points: Wattay International Airport in Vientiane, Luang Prabang International Airport, Pakse International Airport, and the First Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge linking Vientiane with Thailand’s Nong Khai province.
The Lao government plans to monitor and evaluate the system over a two-year trial period, with full nationwide implementation targeted for 2026.
Source: The Laotian Times
