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Lao People's Democratic Republic · residence general

Stay Permit Card for Investors and Family

By · Last reviewed:

Source check: all 10 official citations reconfirmed 13 September 2026

Stay Permit Card route for foreign investors and qualifying family after entry on the correct Lao business visa.

Requires sponsorshipDoes not lead to permanent residencyGenerally no longer than 1 year and renewable year by year; provincial police may issue 6 to 12 months. Qualifying government concession agreements of 10 years or more can support 3-5 year validity.
Processing time
Apply after entry on the correct NI-B2 or LA-B2 visa through OSS/IPD/MPI, provincial planning and investment, or the relevant police foreigner-control channel.
Government fees
Confirm current stay permit and service fees. The page lists separate multiple-entry visa levies for 3, 6 and 12 months and says other service fees may apply.
Typical duration
Generally no longer than 1 year and renewable year by year; provincial police may issue 6 to 12 months. Qualifying government concession agreements of 10 years or more can support 3-5 year validity.
Sponsorship required
Yes
Leads to permanent residency
No
Reviewed Investment Promotion and Management Committee, Lao PDR ↗

In short

As of 26 July 2026, the Stay Permit Card for Investors and Family for Lao People's Democratic Republic is a sponsor-led Laos immigration route. Sources: official Lao People's Democratic Republic government pages, reviewed 26 July 2026.

Cite this: https://visaatlas.org/visas/laos/stay-permit-card-investor-family#answer

What is the Stay Permit Card for Investors and Family in Lao People's Democratic Republic?

Stay Permit Card for Investors and Family is a sponsor-led Laos route. Indicative government fees are Confirm current stay permit and service fees. The page lists separate multiple-entry visa levies for 3, 6 and 12 months and says other service fees may apply; indicative processing time is Apply after entry on the correct NI-B2 or LA-B2 visa through OSS/IPD/MPI, provincial planning and investment, or the relevant police foreigner-control channel; typical duration is Generally no longer than 1 year and renewable year by year; provincial police may issue 6 to 12 months. Qualifying government concession agreements of 10 years or more can support 3-5 year validity. This route does not lead to permanent residence.

Verified against Investment Promotion and Management Committee, Lao PDR on 29 June 2026.

Overview

Laos is covered from the official Lao eVisa portal, the Department of Immigration site and the Invest Laos one-stop service guidance. The public eVisa pages are detailed for tourism entry, while business-investor, foreign technician and stay-permit guidance is concentrated on the Invest Laos visa and stay-permit card page. Applicants should confirm live nationality eligibility, fee, filing location and document upload requirements before paying or travelling. The Invest Laos page explains that after entering with NI-B2 business visa, investors can apply for the stay permit card via the Investment One-Stop Service Office, Investment Promotion Department, Ministry of Planning and Investment when the investment was approved at central or Vientiane Capital level. For provincial approvals, the page describes submission through provincial planning and investment sections or foreigner control police sections. It says investors and family generally receive stay permit card and multiple-entry visa validity of not more than 1 year unless a qualifying long concession agreement applies.

Eligibility

Typical criteria

Common blockers

Typical evidence

Application pathway

  1. Check the route fit

    Confirm the investor approval level and correct filing office.

  2. Build the evidence pack

    Enter on the visa type required for the stay permit card basis.

  3. Submit through the official channel

    Prepare company proposal, entry visa and investment or enterprise evidence.

  4. After approval

    Submit through OSS/IPD/MPI, provincial planning and investment, or the relevant police foreigner-control channel.

After approval: prepare for your next step

For Stay Permit Card for Investors and Family, use the actual decision and the issuing authority’s instructions to establish what has been granted. A successful application, permission to enter, permission to work and a residence document are not interchangeable.

  1. 1. Check the decision. Confirm the name, passport, status granted, start date and any next action. Resolve an error with the authority before relying on the document for travel or employment.
  2. 2. Establish the travel step. Read any entry window, activation, collection or in-country registration instruction. For an extension or change of status, do not assume leaving the country is required or safe while a further step remains pending.
  3. 3. Confirm what you may do. Agree the lawful start date and onboarding with the employer or sponsor. Check whether the permission names an employer, role or activity before changing the arrangement.
  4. 4. Organise the household. Check each accompanying person’s permission separately, then arrange healthcare, accommodation, access to money and the relevant local registrations. A tax number or bank account does not by itself prove a right to work.
  5. 5. Keep the ongoing conditions visible. Record the actual expiry, renewal process, permitted absences and any duty to report changes. An initial grant does not automatically establish permanent residence or citizenship.
Official Stay Permit Card for Investors and Family instructionsBuild my moving plan for this routeMoving to Laos

Official application links

Where to actually go next

Government links only

These are the official pages to use for this route. Open them before preparing documents: the forms, fees, appointment systems, and sponsor steps can change without warning.

  1. ApplyApplicant
    Use stay permit card guidance for investors and family ↗

    Use this official Lao PDR source to confirm the current route, filing channel and supporting documents. Laos is covered from the official Lao eVisa portal, the Department of Immigration site and the Invest Laos one-stop service guidance. The public eVisa pages are detailed for tourism entry, while business-investor, foreign technician and stay-permit guidance is concentrated on the Invest Laos visa and stay-permit card page. Applicants should confirm live nationality eligibility, fee, filing location and document upload requirements before paying or travelling.

    Investment Promotion and Management Committee, Lao PDR · verified

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Frequently asked questions

Can investor family members apply for a Lao stay permit card?+

The Invest Laos page describes stay permit card procedures for foreign investors and family members.

How long is the stay permit card normally valid?+

The page says investors without a qualifying long government concession generally receive stay permit card and multiple-entry visa validity of not more than 1 year, while provincial police may issue 6 to 12 months.

Need tailored advice?

We do not provide legal advice. For an application that depends on your exact circumstances, consult a regulator-listed immigration advisor.

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How we verified this

We check every figure on this page against the primary government source, record the date it was last checked, and re-check it on a regular schedule. Rules change, so always confirm time-sensitive details with the official source before you rely on them. Visa Atlas is an information-only publication and does not give legal advice.

Primary source: Investment Promotion and Management Committee, Lao PDR

Last checked: 29 June 2026

See the full evidence trail and methodology

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