Laos · Student
Laos Student visa
Student visa (ST-B2)
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Student visa is a student route for Laos. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
Time and long term
RenewalRenewable
You can apply for an extension with the immigration police before your stay expires. The length of each extension is set by separate regulations.
Where to applyFrom abroad
Lao embassies and consulates, and visa-on-arrival checkpoints, issue this visa category only with the concurrence of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Presence rulesStay rule
The foreigner management police register your stay by stamping your passport for each 90 days, and holders of this visa can obtain a stay permit card.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Applications are made from outside Laos, not after arriving
- Needs a place at a school or university in Laos
What you'll need
Who can apply1
- The student comes to study, research, collect data or take a technical internship.
Documents1
- A passport valid for six months or more is required to register for a Stay Permit Card.
Steps2
- Student visas are issued with the concurrence of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- Student visa holders can register for a Stay Permit Card, issued by the foreigner management police.
After you arrive2
- A stay can be extended by applying to the immigration police before it expires.
- Foreigners declare their travel document or Stay Permit Card to their accommodation provider for registration.
What happens at day 183
How Laos decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Tax residence
- More than 183 days in a within the year, continuous or notForeign 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 Tax records checked
Full official text
Student visa (ST-B2) for students who come to study, research, collect data or take a technical internship in Laos. 1 2
Requirements
- The student comes to study, research, collect data or take a technical internship. 1 2
- A passport valid for six months or more is required to register for a Stay Permit Card. 1
- Student visas are issued with the concurrence of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 1
- Student visa holders can register for a Stay Permit Card, issued by the foreigner management police. 1
- A stay can be extended by applying to the immigration police before it expires. 1
- Foreigners declare their travel document or Stay Permit Card to their accommodation provider for registration. 1
Official sources
- Law on Immigration and Foreigner Management of the Lao PDR No. 59/NA of 26 December 2014 (English edition) · Ministry of Public Security, Department of Immigration · checked 2026-10-10 · published 2014-12-26
- Visas: categories of the Lao PDR · Department of Immigration, Lao PDR · checked 2026-10-10
Student visa and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student visa | – | – | – |
| Study visa (ED) Thailand | – | 3 mo, renewable | No |
| Student visa Japan | – | 4.3 yr, renewable | Limited |
| Student visa · Non-formal Indonesia | – | 4 yr, renewable | No |
| Student visa United Arab Emirates | – | – | – |
Questions people ask
How are Student visa holders taxed in Laos?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Student 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
Study visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-11 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.
- Law on Immigration and Foreigner Management of the Lao PDR No. 59/NA of 26 December 2014 (English edition) · Ministry of Public Security, Department of Immigration · checked 2026-10-10
- Visas: categories of the Lao PDR · Department of Immigration, Lao PDR · checked 2026-10-10
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.