Starting October, Laos will roll out nationwide digital ID cards, a move to modernize identification and enhance public administration.
The new digital ID card will serve as official proof of identity from birth to death, replacing the old paper-based system, said Kaenchanh Phommachack, Director of the Department of Census Management and Grassroot Development.
Kaenchanh explained that it not only stores personal data but also improves governance, supports e-government services, and helps prepare Laos for a digital economy.
The card can also be used as a travel document domestically and internationally, while reducing administrative time and costs.
Designed to international standards, the card is modern, durable, and equipped with advanced security features including chips, biometric data, QR codes, and barcodes.
According to Kaenchanh, card issuance is also age-based and divided into two phases.
The first phase covers children: from birth to 6 years old, and then 6 to 15 years old. The second phase begins at age 15: the first digital ID card is issued for 10 years, the second for 20 years, and the third for 20 years as well.
Citizens aged 60 and above will receive a lifetime card with no expiration.
Citizens can apply for the digital ID card at central, provincial, capital, and district offices, or register in advance through the LaelD application.
The service fee is LAK 30,000 per card (about USD 1.6) while the card fee has not been announced yet.
The project was officially launched in July 2024 during high-level talks between Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith and then-Vietnamese President To Lam, coinciding with Laos’ ASEAN Chairmanship.
In July 2025, Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone ordered the full nationwide integration, paving the way for its rollout this October.