Some time ago, I shared an article that has since become a page about tourist visas in Thailand . However, given that my site deals not only with Thailand but also with the whole of Asia, I realized that many of you might be considering a round-the-world trip or an extended stay in the region as a whole, so a more comprehensive article summarizing whether or not a visa is required would make sense.
In preparing a trip, one of the first essential steps is to find out about the entry formalities for each country you plan to visit. And rather than having to juggle between several pages to find this information, I decided to gather in a single article the essential information concerning visas for the different countries of Southeast Asia, namely:
- Vietnam
- Cambodia
- Laos
- Thailand
- Burma (Myanmar)
- Malaysia
- Singapore
- Indonesia
I give them in geographical order from north to south. Note that I do not include the Philippines or Brunei, although they are well located in Southeast Asia, but these are the only two to date where I have not been, and I usually only talk on this blog about what I have experienced.
Whether you are planning a short stay, a short or long road trip or a complete tour of Southeast Asia, this little guide will, I hope, be your starting point for an unforgettable trip. I would like to clarify before starting that to simplify the article, the information provided only concerns French nationality.
Do you need a visa for Vietnam?
Short answer = No (up to 45 days)
Because you have to start somewhere, I'll start with the northernmost country. To date, Vietnam grants visa exemptions to 25 countries, for a stay ranging from 14 to 90 days. This was already a first effort to counter its tourist "competitors" in the region such as Thailand, Malaysia or the Philippines which do not require a visa for periods of 30 days, 3 months and 30 days respectively.
Until August 2023, French tourists could stay in Vietnam for 15 days without a visa. Good news: from August 15, 2023 , it is possible to stay for up to 45 days without a visa!
Another easing of restrictions is the extension of the validity period for the e-Visa, or electronic visa, available to French, Belgian, Swiss, and Canadian tourists. Until now, the e-Visa allowed a 30-day stay with a single entry. Since August 2023, the e-Visa has been extended to 90 days , tripling the possible length of stay. Furthermore, e-Visa holders will be authorized to make multiple entries within this 90-day limit.
In other words, you will have the possibility, within this 90-day period, to leave Vietnam to visit a neighboring country, and return there without having to take any steps upon returning.
Beyond 90 days, it will be necessary to apply for a visa and this must be obtained in advance as there is currently no longer the option of a visa on arrival.
The e-Visa can be obtained from the official website here:
https://xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn/en https://xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn/en
Do you need a visa for Cambodia?
Short answer = Yes
And this, whatever the length of stay, it is still necessary to obtain a visa to enter Cambodia.
It can be obtained directly upon arrival at the airport or at international land border posts (as opposed to certain secondary posts where only locals from the two countries concerned will be able to cross). You have the complete list on the website of the Cambodian embassy in France just after.
Note that Cambodia is unfortunately notorious for its land borders, which are subject to almost systematic corruption. The visa costs $35 and allows a stay of up to 30 days , but you will often be asked for an additional $2 , with a different excuse depending on the location, but none of it has any legal basis.
To counter this phenomenon, there are two ways:
- arrive by air. There are 3 international airports in Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Siem Reap
- Plan your tourist visa (T) in advance. The latter is valid for 3 months from the date of issue, so that leaves some leeway.
Regarding this last point, note that if you cannot travel to an embassy or do not wish to apply by mail, you have the option of applying online to obtain an e-Visa (electronic visa).
This document can only be obtained through the official website: https://www.evisa.gov.kh
Any other link is a fraudulent website. While the e-Visa is indeed convenient, its use is limited and it cannot be used at every border crossing. There are no issues at international airports, and for other destinations, you have a list of border crossings where the e-Visa is accepted.
However you obtain it, it is simple:
- you just need a passport valid at least 6 months after your exit date from the territory + photocopy
- application form (see link below)
- an ID photo
- 35 € or $ for fees
One last thing: the visa can be extended once for 30 days , allowing a total stay of almost two months in Cambodia. You can do this at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, located opposite Phnom Penh airport, for example.
Do you need a visa for Laos?
Short answer = Yes
The information regarding Laos is almost identical in every way to Cambodia. It is necessary to obtain a visa, either in advance or on site.
The visa cost depends on nationality, but for French citizens, it's normally $35 and allows a stay of up to 30 days. I say "normally" because I'm having trouble finding recent official information. On my last visit before Covid, it was $30, but since I see that Cambodia is now at $35, I assume it must be the same for Laos. The problem is that even the official website of the Laotian embassy doesn't include this information anywhere… (the VISA section hasn't been updated since 2013…)
Alternatively, just like Cambodia, you have the option of applying online for an e-Visa (electronic visa) if your stay does not exceed 30 days.
This document can only be obtained through the following official website: https://www.laoevisa.gov.la/index
Any other link is a fraudulent site. Same remark as for Cambodia, the e-Visa is limited in its use and does not allow arrival from any border. There are in all 8 possible entry points, listed on the site below:
- international airport of Vientiane
- international airport of Luang Prabang
- Pakse International Airport
- Friendship Bridge I from Vientiane to Nong Khai (Thailand)
- friendship bridge ii since Savannakhet toward Mukdahan (Thailand)
- friendship bridge IV since Houai Sai to Chiang Khong (Thailand)
- passage between Boten (near Luang Namtha. ) and Mohan (China)
- Boten Station
The documents are the same:
- you just need a passport valid at least 6 months after your exit date from the territory + photocopy
- application form
- two passport photos
- 35 € for costs
Do you need a visa for Thailand?
Short answer = No
For quite a few years now, Thailand has allowed tourist stays without a visa (a visa exemption in short) for French citizens and quite a few other countries in general for a period of 30 days.
If your stay exceeds this duration, there are two solutions :
- or, leave the territory, the opportunity to spend 2-3 days in a neighboring country, and you will get another 30 days when returning to Thailand
- or, make an extension on site by going to an immigration office. It will cost you 1900 baht and will also give you 30 extra days. All you need is a copy of your passport and two passport photos plus an application form to fill out, and patience (depending on the day, the queue can be long).
Regarding this last solution, it is important to remember that if you leave your point of origin without a visa while your return ticket exceeds this basic duration of 30 days , the airline will ask you to justify that you will not be overstaying and will leave the territory before this period.
It is therefore preferable to have proof of exit from the territory to deal with this eventuality, either by having a bus or a regional flight going out of Thailand before the 30 days.
If your visit is planned to last more than 30 days, it is best to apply for a visa in advance, which will grant you a 60-day stay authorization with a single-entry tourist visa – TR (S)
You can again use the dedicated website https://www.thaievisa.go.th/ to obtain an electronic visa (e-Visa).
The website is only in English but remains fairly simple ( this page from the Thai embassy explains how to fill in personal information); in order, you must:
- Create an account
- Fill out the form
- Upload the necessary documents online
- Pay the visa fee (€35)
- Wait for visa approval (allow at least one month)
If you wish to extend your stay beyond the initial 60 days of the TR visa, you can also extend by 30 days by going to immigration.
If you are planning to travel to Southeast Asia with multiple stays in Thailand, it is possible to obtain a multiple entry tourist visa TR (M) or METV. The latter is more expensive, at €175 (5 baht) but allows you to enter and exit the country several times, within the limit of 000 months of validity. Each entry allows you to stay up to 6 days.
Note that in all cases, you will not be able to stay more than 90 days in Thailand over a period of 6 months , unless you obtain a visa other than a tourist visa (and therefore have the required conditions to do so).
For details on visas in Thailand, please refer to my dedicated article.
Do I need a visa for Burma (Myanmar)?
Short answer = Yes
A visa is required to enter the territory of Burma, the former name of Myanmar, a name that many countries still do not officially recognize, including France.
The visa entitles the holder to a stay of 28 days , not one more, and costs €46.
The easiest way to obtain an electronic visa (e-Visa) is to use the official website https://evisa.moip.gov.mm/ . The required documents remain the same as for most other countries requiring a visa, namely:
- Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months.
- Upload a 4.6 cm X 3.8 cm color ID photo less than 3 months old.
- Copy of your passport.
- Proof of a return ticket.
- Proof of your accommodation (only hotels and guest houses registered with the authorities are valid).
- Payment to be made online.
The electronic visa can then only be used from the following ports of arrival:
- International airport of Yangon (formerly Rangoon);
- Mandalay International Airport;
- Naypyidaw International Airport;
- Kawthaung Land Border Post (border with Ranong, in Thailand).
Since July 4, 2023, proof of vaccination is no longer required; however, Myanmar still requires COVID-19 medical insurance , and you will also need to submit a health declaration form to the health authorities upon arrival in the country.
Do you need a visa for Malaysia?
Short answer = No
Malaysia is one of those countries that welcomes certain nationalities with open arms. To visit the peninsula (called Malaya) and the state of Sabah, in northern Borneo, you are entitled to a 3-month visa-free stay.
The only exception being the other Malaysian state making up the Borneo part of Malaysia, the state of Sarawak, where you will have "only one month", which seems to me to be quite enough for this territory.
So there's not much to add about this country, since in 3 months, it seems to me to be largely enough to visit the essentials. Even if it's obvious, you will need to obtain a visa if you plan to stay longer, but the cases being, I think, very rare, I didn't bother to dig into the subject of obtaining it, which must remain similar to those of other countries.
Do you need a visa for Singapore?
Short answer = No
Upon arrival, you receive what they call a "social visit pass" which entitles you to a 90-day stay . Plenty of time to visit this city-state.
This seems highly unlikely to me, but please note that if you ever wish to extend your stay for a possible additional 30 to 89 days, it is possible via the official Singaporean government website (in English only). You simply need to do so 7 days before your "social visit pass" expires.
Do you need a visa for Indonesia?
Short answer = Yes
This is new since June 2023, following Covid... Indeed, 159 countries out of the 169 concerned have not been entitled to a renewal of their visa exemption which had been in force since 2016.
You must therefore obtain a visa in advance to visit Indonesia. There are two solutions in this case:
- or obtain the latter directly upon arrival, which in this case is a Visa On Arrival (VOA)
- either obtain it online, the famous electronic visa or e-Visa
For the VOA, there are no special steps to take, you just need to pay the €30 fee (500,000 Rp) and this allows you to visit the country for 30 days.
Beyond that, you can apply for an extension at an immigration office, but it is now possible to apply online via the website: https://molina.imigrasi.go.id/ . The extension also costs €30, allowing a total stay of 60 days in Indonesia for tourism purposes.
For the e-Visa , use the same website as above, but in this case, you'll receive a 60-day stay permit directly , without needing to go through immigration or worry about extending it (because, as with any country, avoid overstaying; it's never a good look). However, it's proportionally more expensive, as you'll pay €90 (1,500,000 Rp).
The entry points to use it afterwards are numerous and much less restrictive than in Burma for example.
