International Cooperation

          The Lao’s People Democratic Republic is a landlocked Country sharing Border with 5 countries, the north part sharing border with China 432 Km, southern part sharing with Cambodia with 541 Km, East part sharing with Socialist Republic of Vietnam with 2,130 Km, North part sharing Border with Union of Myanmar with 235 Km and Southern west part sharing with Royal of Thailand with 1,754 Km. The total area is 236,800 square Kilometers. The Capital City is Vientiane and the population is 5.8 million in 2008, density 25 people per square kilometer, religion is mainly Buddhism. There is on official Language which is Lao language and business spoken French and English are for common Business sector and young generations.

          The Government of Lao PDR has always pursued a foreign policy of peace, independence, friendship and promoting relations and cooperation with all Countries on the basis of the following principles: peaceful co-existence, non-interference in one another’s internal affairs, and equality and mutual benefit.

          Given the significant importance of the ASEAN Framework for cooperation in the areas of immigration administration, the Lao Government has actively participated in the said cooperation framework such as the cooperation in combating against trafficking in persons, particularly women and children, illegal migration as well as other transnational crimes challenging the world, namely drug trafficking money laundry, terrorist acts, piracy arms smuggling and so forth.

          Lao PDR has now widen is VISA policy and simplify the procedures Nowadays we have agreement on Visa Exemption for more than 32 countries including Republic of Korea that is 15 days visa fee Korean citizens. In terms of border crossing points or Border checkpoints I would like to inform that so far the Lao Government has officially opened 23 international checkpoints of which 4 International Airport checkpoints and 19 international land border checkpoints. Besides international border checkpoints we also have more then 74 local border checkpoints or we call traditional border checkpoints that can be use border pass to cross the border that means for local people between district to district.

          With the increase of Border checkpoints there has been more convenient for travelers and numbers of tourist and visitors have increase too.

          Lao Department of Immigration also takes into account the issue of we have stable cooperation among ASEAN an International scope such as China, Japan, Korea and some European and American Countries. The type of cooperation includes training site visits, seminar, conferences and other technical assistance.

          The Lao Immigration has long Relation and cooperation with International Countries and getting supported Equipment from the Australian Government to implement the Immigration Border Checkpoints to upgrade the Immigration Systems.