--- title: "Laos Investor business visa requirements 2026: 1-year stay" url: https://settleanywhere.com/countries/laos/ni-b2-investor/ lang: en updated: 2026-10-12 --- Laos · Investing # Laos Investor business visa **First stay:** 1 yr Business Visa for Foreign Investors (NI-B2) Checked against official sources on 12 Oct 2026 [Change log](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/) - **First stay:** 1 yr (Multiple-entry visa validity 3, 6 or 12 months on a stay permit card; usually not longer than 1 year, renewed year by year, unless a concession agreement of 10 years or more applies.) - **Who can apply:** Any passport - **Work:** Needs permit (Investor business activity under the approved investment; employed directors without shares and technical staff need separate work authorisation.) - **Family:** Family can join (Family can be included in the investor visa and stay permit procedure.) ## Key facts Investor business visa is an investing route for Laos. Local work: with a permit. Checked 2026-10-12 against the official source. - **Government fees:** LAK 1.2M ≈ $54 · +2 more - **First stay:** 1 yr ## Cost, time and long term **Government fees: LAK 1.2M ≈ $54 · +2 more** - LAK 1,200,000 (≈ $54) Multiple-entry visa with 12-month validity. - LAK 600,000 (≈ $27) Multiple-entry visa with 6-month validity. - LAK 300,000 (≈ $14) Multiple-entry visa with 3-month validity, plus LAK 5,000 (≈ $0) for the application form. **Renewal: Renewable** The stay permit and multiple-entry visa are usually no longer than 1 year and are renewed year by year, unless a concession agreement of 10 years or more applies. [Investment Promotion and Management Committee, Lao PDR](https://investlaos.gov.la/starting-a-business/one-stop-service/visa-stay-permit-card/) **Processing: Official timeline** The Consular Department approves the entry visa within 8 official working days of the one-stop service registration. [Investment Promotion and Management Committee, Lao PDR](https://investlaos.gov.la/starting-a-business/one-stop-service/visa-stay-permit-card/) **Where to apply: Where to apply** The one-stop service issues an approval, then the investor obtains the NI-B2 entry visa on arrival. [Investment Promotion and Management Committee, Lao PDR](https://investlaos.gov.la/starting-a-business/one-stop-service/visa-stay-permit-card/) ## Why this route may not fit Check this before you apply. - Working needs a separate permit ### What you'll need #### Who can apply - The applicant is an investor legally approved by the Government, with an investment licence or concession licence plus an enterprise registration certificate. - Stockholders must be listed in the company regulations. - Non-shareholding directors and deputy directors use the LA-B2 visa and need a work permit. #### What you must show - The multiple-entry visa costs LAK 1,200,000 (≈ $54) for 12 months. - The multiple-entry visa costs LAK 600,000 (≈ $27) for 6 months. - The multiple-entry visa costs LAK 300,000 (≈ $14) for 3 months, plus LAK 5,000 (≈ $0) for the application form. #### Documents - Annual enterprise and tax registration certificates are required. #### Steps 1. The application is submitted through the Investment One-Stop Service. 2. After entry on NI-B2, apply for the stay permit card. ## What happens at day 183 How Laos decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records. - **Stay on this route:** **Up to 1 year at first, renewable** - **Tax residence:** - **More than 183 days in a within the year, continuous or not** Foreign national working in Laos but paid abroad becomes liable to Lao income tax (Law on Income Tax, Article 32). - **Foreign-source income:** Income of foreign nationals working in Laos is taxed in Laos, and foreign nationals paid from abroad are taxed in Laos once they stay more than 183 days in a year. [All tax rules for Laos](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/laos/tax/) Tax records checked 12 Oct 2026 **Full official text** Entry visa for a foreign investor with an approved investment (stockholders and their family), followed by a stay permit card and multiple-entry visas of 3, 6 or 12 months. (sources 1, 2) #### What you must show and pay - A fee of LAK 1,200,000 (≈ $54) · Multiple-entry visa with 12-month validity. (source 1) - A fee of LAK 600,000 (≈ $27) · Multiple-entry visa with 6-month validity. (source 1) - A fee of LAK 300,000 (≈ $14) · Multiple-entry visa with 3-month validity, plus LAK 5,000 (≈ $0) for the application form. (source 1) #### Requirements - The applicant is an investor legally approved by the Government, with an investment licence or concession licence plus an enterprise registration certificate. (source 1) - Stockholders must be listed in the company regulations. (source 1) - Non-shareholding directors and deputy directors use the LA-B2 visa and need a work permit. (source 1) - The multiple-entry visa costs LAK 1,200,000 (≈ $54) for 12 months. (source 1) - The multiple-entry visa costs LAK 600,000 (≈ $27) for 6 months. (source 1) - The multiple-entry visa costs LAK 300,000 (≈ $14) for 3 months, plus LAK 5,000 (≈ $0) for the application form. (source 1) - Annual enterprise and tax registration certificates are required. (source 1) - The application is submitted through the Investment One-Stop Service. (source 1) - After entry on NI-B2, apply for the stay permit card. (source 1) #### Stay - Multiple-entry visa validity 3, 6 or 12 months on a stay permit card; usually not longer than 1 year, renewed year by year, unless a concession agreement of 10 years or more applies. - First stay: 3 to 12 months, decided case by case. - Visa validity: 12 months. Validity is the window to use the visa, not the length you may stay. - Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal. - Entry on NI-B2: Entry visa issued on investor approval. - Stay permit card with multiple-entry visa up to 12 months: Validity 3, 6 or 12 months; provincial police issue stay permit cards valid 6 to 12 months for provincially approved investments. #### Work Investor business activity under the approved investment; employed directors without shares and technical staff need separate work authorisation. #### Family Family can be included in the investor visa and stay permit procedure. #### Fine print The kip fees are from the Investment Promotion Department page, which could not be reopened on 12 October 2026; the fee ordinance of 17 June 2021 was not checked. Checked 2026-10-12 ## Official sources 1. [Visa & Stay Permit Card (13 entry visa types, NI-B2 and LA-B2 procedures, levies)](https://investlaos.gov.la/starting-a-business/one-stop-service/visa-stay-permit-card/) · Investment Promotion and Management Committee, Lao PDR · checked 2026-10-10 2. [Law on Immigration and Foreigner Management of the Lao PDR No. 59/NA of 26 December 2014 (English edition)](https://api.immigration.gov.la/client/law/file/%C3%A0%C2%BA%C2%81%C3%A0%C2%BA%C2%BB%C3%A0%C2%BA%C2%94%C3%A0%C2%BB%C2%9D%C3%A0%C2%BA%C2%B2%C3%A0%C2%BA%C2%8D-59-r17g2an4cb.pdf) · Ministry of Public Security, Department of Immigration · checked 2026-10-10 · published 2014-12-26 ## Investor business visa and its alternatives | Route | Money needed | Stay | Work | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Investor business visa | – | 1 yr, renewable | With a permit | | [SEZ property owner visa](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/laos/sez-real-estate-visa/) | Needs assets of $100k+ | 10 yr, renewable | Limited | | [Investor long stay · $15M](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/laos/investor-long-term-concession/) | Needs an investment from $15M | 5 yr, renewable | With a permit | | [LTR · Wealthy Global Citizen](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/thailand/ltr-wealthy-global-citizen/) Thailand | Needs an investment of $500k+ | 5 yr, renewable | Yes | | [Golden Visa · Portfolio $350k](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/indonesia/e28c-golden-capital-market-investor/) Indonesia | Needs an investment from $350k | 5 yr, renewable | – | ## Questions people ask ### How much money do I need for the Investor business visa? A fee of LAK 1,200,000 (≈ $54). Multiple-entry visa with 12-month validity. A fee of LAK 600,000 (≈ $27). Multiple-entry visa with 6-month validity. A fee of LAK 300,000 (≈ $14). Multiple-entry visa with 3-month validity, plus LAK 5,000 (≈ $0) for the application form. ### How long can I stay on the Investor business visa? Multiple-entry visa validity 3, 6 or 12 months on a stay permit card; usually not longer than 1 year, renewed year by year, unless a concession agreement of 10 years or more applies. ### How long does the Investor business visa take to process? The Consular Department approves the entry visa within 8 official working days of the one-stop service registration. ### Can I work on the Investor business visa? With a permit. Investor business activity under the approved investment; employed directors without shares and technical staff need separate work authorisation. ### Can I bring my family on the Investor business visa? Family can be included in the investor visa and stay permit procedure. ### How are Investor business visa holders taxed in Laos? No special regime in our records is tied to the Investor business visa. The standard rules apply: Monthly employment income up to LAK 2,500,000 (≈ $110) is taxed at 0%, with progressive rates of 5% to 25% above that. Income of foreign nationals working in Laos is taxed in Laos, and foreign nationals paid from abroad are taxed in Laos once they stay more than 183 days in a year. ## More in Laos [Long-term visa I-B3](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/laos/i-b3-long-term-visa/) [Expert visa E-B2](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/laos/e-b2-expert-visa/) [Technical staff visa](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/laos/la-b2-technical-visa/) [Student visa](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/laos/st-b2-student/) ## Investment visas elsewhere [🇦🇪 Golden · Humanitarian donor](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/united-arab-emirates/golden-humanitarian-supporter/) [🇸🇬 Global Investor Programme](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/singapore/global-investor-programme/) [🇲🇾 Premium Visa (PVIP)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/malaysia/pvip/) [🇻🇳 Investor visa ĐT1](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/vietnam/investor-dt1/) [🇰🇷 D-8-1 Business Investment](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/south-korea/d8-1-corporate-investment/) [🇹🇼 Plum Blossom · Business](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/taiwan/aprc-investor-business/) ≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated. ## How this was checked **Checked on 2026-10-12 against 2 official sources.** Status: verified against the official sources. Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out. 1. [Visa & Stay Permit Card (13 entry visa types, NI-B2 and LA-B2 procedures, levies)](https://investlaos.gov.la/starting-a-business/one-stop-service/visa-stay-permit-card/) · Investment Promotion and Management Committee, Lao PDR · checked 2026-10-10 2. [Law on Immigration and Foreigner Management of the Lao PDR No. 59/NA of 26 December 2014 (English edition)](https://api.immigration.gov.la/client/law/file/%C3%A0%C2%BA%C2%81%C3%A0%C2%BA%C2%BB%C3%A0%C2%BA%C2%94%C3%A0%C2%BB%C2%9D%C3%A0%C2%BA%C2%B2%C3%A0%C2%BA%C2%8D-59-r17g2an4cb.pdf) · Ministry of Public Security, Department of Immigration · checked 2026-10-10 Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the [changes page](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/), and the [methodology page](https://settleanywhere.com/methodology/) explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email [contact@stayglobe.app](mailto:contact@stayglobe.app?subject=Correction) with a link to the official source.