What you need to enter Zambia with a Lao passport
Lao citizens do not need a visa to travel to Zambia: a passport is enough, for stays of up to 90 days.
- Maximum stay
- 90 days
- Processing time
- Not applicable: direct entry with your passport.
- Entry cost
- Free
- Minimum passport validity
- 6 months
Why is this passport validity required? →
Last verified: 25 September 2026
Verified practical details
You don't need a visa to enter Zambia, but here are some practical details worth knowing before you travel:
Authorisation system
Visa exemption up to 90 days in 12 months; optional KAZA Univisa
Anyone wanting to move between Zambia and Zimbabwe can get the KAZA Univisa, 50 US dollars for 30 days, online or on arrival at Lusaka and Livingstone airports and at the Livingstone and Kazungula crossings; it also allows day trips into Botswana.
Required documents
- Passport valid for at least six months with three blank pages (the UK Government asks for two for stamps). ID cards are not accepted.
- Return or onward ticket and enough money for the stay.
- An entry stamp in the passport. Dual nationals should leave on the same passport they entered with.
Transit rules
All air passengers pay a departure charge equivalent to 25 dollars on international flights and a 3-dollar security charge on domestic ones; they are usually included in the ticket and, if not, are paid in kwacha cash. At Victoria Falls you may be asked for your passport, because entry costs about 50 dollars for tourists and about 7 for residents, payable in cash only.
More Zambia rules
They don't depend on your passport, so they are on the Zambia page:
Official portal: https://www.zambiaimmigration.gov.zm/. Destination data verified on 25 September 2026. Sources: exteriores.gob.es (travel advice of Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Zambia, updated 9 June 2026: no visa for Spanish citizens, six-month passport with three pages and no ID cards, KAZA, Victoria Falls entry, yellow fever, risk areas near the Democratic Republic of the Congo); gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/zambia (UK Government: ticket and funds, 90 days in 12 months, 30 for business, dual nationality, KAZA and where to get it, departure charge); sanidad.gob.es ("Listado de países") and who.int (WHO): yellow fever; data.unesco.org (World Heritage List). All checked on 25 September 2026. Also: zra.org.zm (Zambia Revenue Authority, "Importation of Goods": excisable goods allowances, USD 1,000 and form CE6; accessed 25 September 2026).
Travel insurance for Zambia
It isn't listed as mandatory for this entry, but without insurance, medical care during the trip can get expensive.
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Things to see and do in Zambia
Tours, skip-the-line tickets and day trips, most with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
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This pair in context
In the other direction, citizens of Zambia need a visa to enter Laos. See the Zambia → Laos page.
Of the 11 passports from South-eastern Asia that VisaRadar tracks, for travel to Zambia 4 enter visa-free and 7 need a prior authorisation or a visa on arrival. Same result as Laos: Brunei, Malaysia and Singapore.
With a passport from Laos, in the rest of Eastern Africa you can enter Rwanda and Seychelles visa-free; you need a prior authorisation or a visa on arrival for Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe; you need a visa for Eritrea and Mauritius.
A passport from Laos ranks 175 of 199 in the VisaRadar passport ranking and reaches 45 of 198 destinations without applying for a visa in advance.
Counts from the same requirements matrix behind this page's verdict, using the UN M49 subregions.
Frequently asked questions
Do Lao citizens need a visa for Zambia?
No. You can enter Zambia with just your passport, for up to 90 days.
How long can I stay in Zambia?
Up to 90 days with no additional paperwork.
What minimum passport validity is required?
Passport valid for at least six months with three blank pages (the UK Government asks for two for stamps). ID cards are not accepted.
What currency is used in Zambia?
Zambian Kwacha (ZMW).
What do Lao passport holders need for the countries near Zambia?
With a passport from Laos, in the rest of Eastern Africa you can enter Rwanda and Seychelles visa-free; you need a prior authorisation or a visa on arrival for Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe; you need a visa for Eritrea and Mauritius.
Related pages
See Zambia requirements for other passports →
Informational only. Always verify requirements with the official embassy or consulate before you travel.