Laos, Brunei extend length of reciprocal visa-free visits
The governments of Laos and Brunei Darussalam have agreed that their citizens can stay in the other’s country for up to 30 days without having to obtain a visa.
The agreement extends the visa-free stay from 14 to 30 days and is applicable to the holders of diplomatic, official and ordinary passports.
The new ruling came into effect on March 30, the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced in a press statement.
Visitors who are planning stays longer than 30 days are required to apply for a visa.
The move aims to make it easier for citizens of the two Asean nations to visit each other’s country.
The visa-free extension is seen as a boost to people-to-people exchanges and the promotion of tourism during Visit Laos Year 2018.
In December, the Lao government waived the need for tourist visas for ordinary passport holders from Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden during 2018 in order to boost tourist arrivals from the four Scandinavian countries to Laos.
Laos has also signed bilateral visa exemption agreements (long-term agreements) for ordinary passport holders from 11 countries including Mongolia and Russia.
Benefitting from similar agreements are the citizens of the nine fellow Asean member countries, namely Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
In addition, Laos has offered unilateral visa exemptions (long-term exemptions) to ordinary passport holders from Japan, Republic of Korea, Switzerland and Luxembourg.
It is believed that visa exemptions will encourage nationals benefitting from the scheme to take holidays in Laos and drive development of the tourism industry.
The government also has a policy to encourage people of Lao origin living in other countries to visit their homeland.
People of Lao origin who are under the age of 15 or over 64 enjoy visa exemptions when entering Laos, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Working-age people of Lao origin are required to obtain an entry visa but do not have to pay a visa fee.
Editor: John Li