Laos Arrival Card (LDIF) — Digital Immigration Form Online

Simple process

How to complete the Laos arrival card online

Three steps to file your Laos immigration form before you travel.

Laos travel documents: what you need before you start

Prepare the passport you will use at the border. Copy the full name, passport number, nationality and expiry date exactly as shown on its biographical page. Travellers should ensure that the passport has at least six months of validity remaining from arrival and enough blank space for the immigration process. The Laos entry form must match the passport presented, so do not use nicknames, abbreviations or a different document.

Gather the transport information for the relevant direction of travel. This may include flight details or the land crossing, travel date and selected checkpoint. For entry, keep the address of the first hotel, guesthouse, rental or host in Laos. If a Laos visa, e-Visa or Laos visa on arrival applies, have the available visa information ready. For departure, prepare the exit date, transport and checkpoint. Each traveller needs a separate Laos arrival card or departure registration, including children and infants. These Laos travel documents should all describe the same journey.

Fill out the Laos arrival card online

Enter the passport, contact, accommodation and journey information for one traveller.

Receive your LDIF and QR code by email

Your information is checked before filing and the confirmation is sent electronically.

Show the QR code at the border

Keep the code and matching passport ready at the airport or land checkpoint.

Mistakes that hold travellers up at Lao immigration

Do not file too early. The Laos arrival card is completed once the travel date and transport are known, closer to the relevant arrival or departure. It is also a mistake to treat the LDIF as a Laos visa. The registration records movement through Lao immigration; it does not grant visa permission or replace a Laos visa on arrival or e-Visa when one is required.

Complete the correct direction of travel. LDIF covers entry and exit, with a relevant registration for each movement. Copy names in the same order used by the passport and check the machine-readable information carefully. Choose the checkpoint used by the real itinerary, whether that is Wattay, Luang Prabang or Pakse International Airport, Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge I, or another supported international checkpoint.

A QR code that cannot be opened can slow down the border check. Save the email, download the confirmation and keep a screenshot as a backup. Finally, do not submit one Laos immigration form for an entire family. Every traveller needs an individual record matching their passport, including children and infants. A parent may complete the details, but the QR code must correspond to the correct person.

What is the Laos arrival card (LDIF)?

The Laos arrival card — also called the Laos digital arrival card or Laos immigration form — is the Lao Digital Immigration Form (LDIF). It is the electronic declaration used by foreign passport holders before entering or departing Laos. The rollout began on 1 September 2025, replacing paper arrival and departure information at the participating checkpoints.

The form collects identity, passport, contact and journey information before the traveller reaches immigration. It also records the relevant airport or land crossing and produces a QR code after submission. The code connects the traveller with the submitted record and is shown together with the same passport at the border.

LDIF is not a visa and does not decide how long a traveller may remain in Laos. It supports the entry and exit process, while admission, permitted stay and visa conditions remain separate immigration matters.

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Laos visa and Laos arrival card: separate travel requirements

The Laos arrival card is not a visa, and the two processes are not interchangeable. The arrival card records the traveller’s entry or departure for Lao immigration. A Laos visa is permission to enter under the visa rules that apply to the passport, purpose and length of the journey.

Some travellers qualify for visa-free entry under nationality-specific arrangements. Others may need an e-Visa Laos application before departure, a Laos visa on arrival at an eligible checkpoint, or another visa obtained through the appropriate route. Eligibility and available visa channels can change, so travellers should check the current rules for their own passport rather than relying on another person’s experience.

The LDIF is free on the official portal at immigration.gov.la and is completed separately from any visa process. A traveller holding an e-Visa or planning to use visa on arrival still completes the required Laos immigration form for entry and departure. Conversely, receiving an LDIF QR code does not mean a visa has been issued. Keep the passport, visa evidence when applicable, Laos arrival card confirmation and onward travel information available as distinct Laos travel documents. Put simply, the visa provides immigration permission when required; the arrival card declares the movement through the border.

Why travellers complete their Laos arrival card here

Your immigration form checked before submission

We review common passport, journey and checkpoint inconsistencies.

Filed inside the three-day window

The information is prepared around the permitted travel period.

Review available every day of the year

Support focuses on checking, filing and confirmation delivery.

Is the Laos arrival card mandatory?

Yes. The Lao Digital Immigration Form requirement began on 1 September 2025 for foreign nationals and stateless travellers using passports at Wattay, Luang Prabang and Pakse international airports and Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge I. Expansion across international checkpoints was announced from 2026.

The system covers both entry and exit. Complete the relevant Laos entry form or departure registration before travel and keep its QR code available with the matching passport. The LDIF does not replace a Laos visa, e-Visa, visa on arrival, passport or the final immigration decision.

Nationalities that need the Laos arrival card

Foreign passport holders complete an individual LDIF record when the requirement applies to their checkpoint.

Anguilla

After you submit the Laos arrival card

The confirmation and QR code are delivered electronically, so there is no separate physical document to collect. Save the email, download the code and keep a screenshot that can be opened without relying on a network connection. At the checkpoint, have the QR code available with the same passport used in the Laos immigration form and any Laos visa or e-Visa needed for the journey.

The LDIF process covers entry and exit. Before leaving Laos, complete the relevant departure registration during the three-day window and retain its QR code for Lao immigration. This applies whether the journey uses Wattay, Luang Prabang or Pakse International Airport, Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge I, or another checkpoint where the system operates.

If the travel date, flight, vehicle or checkpoint changes after submission, compare the record with the actual journey. Review the current procedure and correct or repeat the registration when necessary so the confirmation presented at the border remains accurate.

Laos arrival card: frequently asked questions

Answers about LDIF timing, QR codes, checkpoints, visas and private form review.

Is the Laos arrival card the same as the LDIF?⌄

Yes. The Laos arrival card, the Laos digital arrival card and the Lao Digital Immigration Form (LDIF) are names used for the same online declaration. Travellers submit an arrival registration before entering Laos and a departure registration before leaving.

Is the Laos arrival card free on the official portal?⌄

Yes. The Laos arrival card is free at immigration.gov.la and you can complete it yourself. There is no government fee for the LDIF. Our fee covers optional checking and filing assistance and is not a government charge.

Do I need a Laos visa as well?⌄

That depends on the rules applying to your passport and journey. Some travellers qualify for visa-free entry, while others may need an e-Visa, a Laos visa on arrival or another visa before travel. The arrival card is a separate immigration declaration and does not replace a visa.

When can I submit the Laos arrival card?⌄

Submit the relevant registration before your arrival or departure. Prepare the information beforehand, but make sure the journey date, flight or transport and checkpoint are current when you file it.

Does the LDIF cover leaving Laos too?⌄

Yes. The LDIF system covers both entry and exit. Travellers complete the relevant digital registration before entering Laos and another departure registration before leaving, then present the corresponding QR code at immigration.

Which checkpoints use the LDIF?⌄

The rollout began at Wattay, Luang Prabang and Pakse international airports and Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge I. Expansion to all international checkpoints was announced from 2026, so confirm that the selected checkpoint matches your actual route.

What is the QR code for?⌄

The QR code links to the submitted immigration registration. Keep it available with the matching passport so border personnel can check it. Saving the email and a screenshot provides a useful backup while travelling.

Does each family member need a separate form?⌄

Yes. Every traveller needs an individual Laos arrival card or departure registration, including children and infants travelling on their own passports. A parent or guardian can enter a child’s information, but each record must match that traveller’s passport.

What information is needed for the Laos immigration form?⌄

Prepare passport and identity details, travel dates, flight or land-transport information, the relevant checkpoint, accommodation in Laos and visa information when applicable. Departure registration also requires the details of the journey out of Laos.

What if my flight or checkpoint changes?⌄

Review the current LDIF procedure and ensure the registration reflects the journey you will actually take. A material change to the date, transport or checkpoint may require a corrected or new submission within the permitted three-day window.

Is the Laos arrival card a visa?⌄

No. The LDIF records arrival or departure information for Lao immigration. A visa is permission to enter under the rules applying to the traveller. Holding one does not remove the need to complete the digital immigration registration when it applies.

What is the refund policy for the private service?⌄

Refund eligibility depends on the stage reached when a request is received. Applications that have not been submitted or processed may qualify under the published refund policy. Once work has started, each request is reviewed individually and may reflect work already completed. There is no government fee for the LDIF to deduct because the Laos arrival card is free on the official portal.

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Laos Arrival Card — the Digital Immigration Form (LDIF)