Special Economic Zone Real Estate Multiple-Entry Visa
💎 Investment Required
$100,000
one-time
Real estate (a building structure) in a Special or Specific Economic Zone, with at least USD 100,000 paid in full
⏱️ Duration
Multiple-entry visa for an initial term of 10 years, renewable. The renewal procedure has not been published.
👪 Dependants
Yes
Spouse and children receive the same renewable 10-year multiple-entry visa. No separate financial requirement.
🛂 Citizenship Path
No direct pathway
No permanent-residence or citizenship route. The Lao government has stated that buying a condominium in an SEZ gives a 10-year right to stay, not Lao citizenship.
Laos grants a renewable 10-year multiple-entry visa to foreigners who buy real estate (a building structure) in a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) or Specific Economic Zone (SpEZ) and pay at least USD 100,000 in full. The visa also covers the buyer's spouse and children. The benefit has no distinct official name. It was introduced by the Decree on Special Economic Zone No. 188/GOV (2018) and written into statute by Article 64(3) of the Law on Investment Promotion No. 62/NA, in force since 1 October 2024.
The program is for people who want long-term access to Laos through a property purchase rather than by running a business. Unlike the NI-B2 investor visa, it does not require an investment licence or enterprise registration. It does not lead to citizenship.
Requirements
Own real estate (a building structure) inside a designated SEZ or SpEZ, such as the That Luang Marsh SEZ in Vientiane. Property elsewhere in Laos does not qualify.
Have paid at least USD 100,000 for the property, in full. The 2018 decree says "more than" USD 100,000, while the 2024 law says "at least" USD 100,000 paid in full.
No other qualifications, age limits or health insurance requirements are specified.
Official sources do not say how payment must be evidenced or whether mortgage financing is allowed.
Required Documents
No official document list has been published. Based on the decree, you need proof of ownership and proof of full payment. The Special Economic Zone Authority (SEZA) issues ownership certificates for real estate and building structures in the zone. For entry, your passport must be valid for at least 6 months and have 2 blank pages.
Duration & Renewal
The visa is issued for an initial 10 years and can be renewed. The renewal procedure has not been published. Multiple entries are allowed throughout the validity period, and no minimum-stay or maximum-absence rules have been published.
Family Members
Your spouse and children receive the same renewable 10-year multiple-entry visa, with no separate financial requirement. The 2024 law also gives family members of SEZ developers and investors special consideration for foreigner registration and stay permits.
Property Ownership Rules
Foreigners cannot own land in Laos. You own the building structure for the real estate term, and the land underneath returns to the State when the zone's development agreement expires. After that, the owner may lease the land from the State.
SEZ concessions generally run for up to 50 years, with extensions subject to National Assembly approval. This limits the real estate term.
Within the real estate term, owners may hold, sell, transfer or bequeath the property.
Employment Restrictions
The visa does not allow you to work. Working or doing business in the zone requires the usual enterprise registration or investment licence and a work permit, which SEZA coordinates.
Tax Implications
Anyone in Laos for 183 days or more in a tax year is a Lao tax resident under general rules, with progressive personal income tax from 0% to 25%.
Application Process
No step-by-step procedure has been published. In practice:
Buy a building unit in an SEZ or SpEZ from the zone developer and pay at least USD 100,000 in full.
Get a real estate or building ownership certificate from SEZA.
Request the visa through the zone's One-Stop Investment Service Unit, where staff from the relevant government sectors work. The visa itself is issued by the immigration and consular authorities.
Application fees and processing times have not been published.
Since 1 September 2025, all travellers must complete the online Lao Digital Immigration Form (LDIF) at immigration.gov.la within 3 days before each entry and exit.
Other Considerations
Overstays: UK government travel advice warns that failing to extend a visa within 90 days leads to a fine of about USD 2,000, deportation and a re-entry ban.
Renters: foreigners who rent residential property in an SEZ and plan to stay more than three months can also get a multiple-entry visa, but no duration is specified.
Limited official detail: zone-level procedures and fees could not be verified, and no implementing regulation for this visa had been published as of September 2026.