Laos eVisa Photo and Passport Upload Mistakes: What to Check Before Payment

For a Laos eVisa application, the two uploads to check before payment are your 4 x 6 cm portrait photo and the passport bio page image. The official Lao eVisa site says the passport upload must cover the whole bio page, including the two MRZ lines at the bottom. It also warns that a photo that does not meet its criteria can delay processing.

TL;DR: Use the official portal at laoevisa.gov.la. Upload a recent color 4 x 6 cm photo on a plain white background with no shadows, and a full passport bio page image that includes the MRZ. The application page lists JPG/JPEG/PNG uploads with a 2 MB maximum file size. Check these before payment because the eVisa fee is non-refundable under the official FAQ.

Quick Upload Checklist

Photo Mistakes That Can Delay Review

The official FAQ gives a short but strict list: your photo must be 4 x 6 cm, in color, taken within the last 6 months, with no shadows, and on a plain white background. You must face the camera, keep a neutral expression, and keep both eyes open.

Before uploading, check the file on a larger screen if possible. Phone photos often look acceptable in the gallery but fail when the background is grey, the face is slightly angled, or the image has shadow from room lighting.

Use this practical check:

• the background is plain white, not beige, blue, textured, or patterned;
• the face is centered and fully visible;
• the eyes are open and not covered by glare, hair, or frames;
• the image is not a selfie with a tilted head or arm-length distortion;
• the photo was taken within the last 6 months and reflects your current appearance.

Passport Bio Page and MRZ Checks

The passport upload is not just a photo of the passport number. The official information page says the passport image should cover the whole bio page, including the MRZ, which means the two machine-readable lines at the bottom of the page.

Check these points before continuing:

• all four corners of the bio page are visible;
• the passport number, name, date of birth, issue date, and expiry date are readable;
• the two MRZ lines at the bottom are not cropped out;
• there is no glare over the photo, passport number, or MRZ;
• the image is straight enough that the text can be read without guessing.

If the crop tool on the official page cuts off the bottom lines, choose a wider crop and keep the whole bio page inside the selection.

File Format and Size

The official application upload screen lists JPG, JPEG, and PNG for photo and passport uploads, with a maximum file size of 2 MB. If your phone saves images as HEIC, convert them before uploading. If a camera scan is too large, resize or compress it without making the text blurry.

Avoid sending a screenshot of a passport photo from a messaging app. Messaging apps often compress images in ways that make small text and MRZ lines harder to read.

What to Check Before Payment

Before you pay the Lao eVisa fee, check the identity fields against your passport and verify the travel and contact fields:

• surname and given names exactly as in the passport;
• passport number;
• date of birth;
• passport issue and expiry dates;
• country of passport;
• intended entry date and port of entry;
• email address for application messages.

The official FAQ says the eVisa fee is non-refundable under any circumstances, so complete these checks before you pay.

After the upload checks, also confirm the official website and fee page, the entry ports for your route, and the status and approval letter steps.

When to Check Status

After submission, the official information page says processing is usually 3 working days after the application and fee are submitted, provided the information meets the criteria and is accepted by the Lao Government Authorities. Processing can take longer if information is incomplete or during public holiday breaks.

For status checks, use the official status page at laoevisa.gov.la/checkstatus with your application ID and passport number.

References

• Official Lao eVisa FAQ
• Official Lao eVisa Information
• Official Lao eVisa Application
• Official Lao eVisa Status Enquiry